This is what sequels do. This is what sequels have always done. They take the elements that audiences liked about the initial movie, offer up more of it, and up the ante on the action (or comedy or horror) front to keep fans gasping. And so the latest TV spot for Star Trek Into Darkness looks, appropriately enough, like Star Trek: More Of What You Liked And Then Some.
The component that’s being recycled from J.J. Abrams’ winning Trek reboot, to me, is James T. Kirk’s (Chris Pine) arrogance in the face of authority, once again personified by Bruce Greenwood. The clip paints Kirk as a rebel who is willing to risk his own life, and that of his crew, if it means overcoming adversity.
And then, we get to meet his main antagonist.
The second half of the new TV spot is a mess of high-octane action sequences that take the Enterprise crew to the distant reaches of the galaxy, into the mouth of a volcano, on a free-for-all skydive through the stratosphere and, finally, face to face with Benedict Cumberbatch’s character … whomever he ends up playing. We learn, once again, that his character is searching for vengeance. But we don’t know whom it is against, or why.
So thankfully, there’s still some mystery to Into Darkness, which Abrams will deliver to fans before moving on to a similarly vast universe: Star Wars. The Star Trek sequel is racing toward a May 15 release date for fans who grabbed early preview tickets through the special Trek app … and even earlier in the UK. It’s right around the corner. Can you wait?
