Star Trek 2009 Into Darkness 2013 Beyond 2016 -... Official

To boldly go—again, and again.

Oh, Into Darkness . You beautiful, frustrating mess. Benedict Cumberbatch’s “John Harrison” was magnetic—until the reveal that he was actually Khan Noonien Singh. The decision to hide his identity (then lie about it to fans) backfired. Worse, the film recreated Wrath of Khan ’s death scene with Kirk and Spock swapped. It felt like homage as theft. But beneath the lens flares and controversial twists was a sharp question: How far will our heroes go to win a war? The USS Vengeance and Section 31’s shadow war were genuinely prescient of post-9/11 paranoia. It’s a flawed sequel, but it swung for the fences. Star Trek 2009 Into Darkness 2013 Beyond 2016 -...

It shouldn’t have worked. Recasting Spock, Kirk, and McCoy? Sacrilege. But JJ Abrams did the impossible: he made Star Trek cool again. The cold open with George Kirk’s sacrifice is still the most emotional moment in any Trek film. By creating an alternate timeline (the Narada ’s attack on the USS Kelvin ), the film honored canon while freeing itself from 40 years of continuity. The result? A lightning-fast, character-driven action movie that made non-Trekkies cry during Spock’s “I have been, and always shall be, yours.” To boldly go—again, and again