REVIEW: STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

Hollywood is getting better at preserving the surprises in their movies from marketing exposure, and after IRON MAN 3, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS is already the second summer blockbuster this year, only midway into May, to contain quite a few very high-profile plot twists that make it rather difficult to provide a spoiler-free discussion on the film.  As such, I will later post a "spoiler edition" review, but for now, I'll hold back.
What little can be said about the plot is that the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, as had been introduced in 2009's STAR TREK, is re-introduced in the midst of high adventure as they explore and survey new worlds in the name of Starfleet, the Federation of Planet's peacekeeping armada dedicated to exploring the frontiers of the known galaxy.  Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) violates Starfleet regulations in order to save a primitive planet, as well as an endangered crew member, and is reprimanded and demoted as a result, while his friend and first officer, Mr. Spock (Zachary Quinto), faces conflict in his relationship with Communications Officer Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and his friendship with Kirk due to his emotional distancing as a half-Vulcan.  When a mysterious rogue agent of Starfleet identified as John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) is found responisble for a pair of horrifying attacks on Starfleet bases on Earth, Kirk and the Enterprise crew find themselves thrust back into action in a moment of desperation for Starfleet.  As they endeavor on the emergency mission, the Enterprise crew unravel a mystery wherein things are rarely as they seem.
I actually have mixed feelings about big plot twists, not specifically for this movie, but in general.  There is a certain level of enjoyment in those "big reveals", but on the first viewing of a film, major plot twists sometimes shake myself as a viewer out of my groove.  Such films are usually more entertaining on subsequent viewings, as I can watch the course to which what I already know as it unfolds, and I'm prepared and thus allowed better focus on tones, emotions, and nuances which I generally attribute more value to.
That said, I enjoyed STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS throughout, and it held my attention in a vice-like grip.  I do plan to see it again, and I believe it be even more entertaining then.
The action sequences are quite spectacular, including a clear RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK-inspired opening sequence to the thrilling, pirate ship-esque space battles between Starfleet vessels, and an intense and emotionally-charged hand-to-hand combat showdown atop speeding Earth transports.  Even with the relentless pacing, the film is also heavy laden with philosophical and ethical conundrums familiar to the Star Trek franchise.  The film is a lot more complex than I expected, and while I enjoyed STAR TREK more for it's emotionally-driven escapism, INTO DARKNESS could be argued as a more substantial experience.
Cumberbatch, best known for BBC's excellent series, Sherlock, makes a great antagonist played with a cold sort of charisma, and is a surprisingly physical villain.  Unfortunately, he is never given the opportunity for a really menacing intellect showcase like the interrogation scenes in THE DARK KNIGHT or MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS.
As with STAR TREK, the most interesting character is again, Mr. Spock.  His Asperger's-like emotional inhibition and logic-driven personality often clashes with the full-blooded humans around him, but when he is hit with a bout of emotion, it is the most powerful.  His character's use as a consideration on human emotions toward death are particularly poignant and provide some of the film's best moments.  On the other hand, a cameo from Leonard Nimoy as "Spock Prime", the elderly Spock of the original future (as addressed in STAR TREK), in which the young Spock seeks advice from him is pretty bizarre, runs a line between meta and just plain odd.
J.J. Abrams is unlikely to return for the third chapter of this reboot, for which the cast is still contracted, because he's been tapped as director for 2015's STAR WARS EPISODE VII, which he has used for as much or more inspiration than the original series  for his interpretation of the Star Trek universe.  If this is to be a preview of what we might expect in 2015, there's nothing to worry about for Star Wars, but there never really was anyway.  While STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS is technically a bit darker than STAR TREK, it's still primarily a rollicking adventure in space, with a good deal of humor, though not as broad as in the previous film, and you'll leave the theater feeling fine; this isn't quite EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, for better or worse.

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS  (May 16, 2013)
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Starring:  Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldana, Alice Eve, Simon Pegg
PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.