star trek into darkness netflix

What Star Trek Titles Are Streaming on Netflix?

Star Trek is a name that almost everyone recognizes, it has been around for decades and has inspired millions around the world. It’s had extensive coverage in all manner of media formats but one of the biggest has been its TV and movie presence. Since its inception, there have been 726 individual Star Trek episodes spread out across decades. We’ve also seen 13 feature-length movies too.

We are also lucky enough to welcome a new Netflix Original Star Trek: Discovery. The first new Star Trek TV show in 16 years will be coming to UK Netflix on the 25th of September (with new episodes releasing every Monday). But for our viewers from the United States, the show will debut on September 2nd on CBS and made available on their streaming service, CBS All Access.

The new show stars The Walking Dead ‘s Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham, first officer of The Discovery . The series is set 10 years before the original ventures of Kirk and Spock of the Enterprise.

The premise for the majority of the shows stays relatively similar. It takes place throughout the Universe onboard an intergalactic ship, For example, the Enterprise or the Voyager. Over the years we have been introduced to many crews, comprised of different actors and actresses. There is much debate on which adaptation of Star Trek is the best, but one thing is for sure. It has developed a cult following and even has a university degree dedicated to learning the language in the show.

As the Star Trek universe has expanded, it has become increasingly more difficult to keep track of all the content streaming on Netflix. But don’t worry, we’re here to cover every Star Trek title currently available, due to release in the future, and has sadly left our Netflix screens.

To see the entire catalog of different Star Trek we suggest you head over to Wikipedia who has the best catalog.

We would like to explain that the list below only refers to what’s available on US Netflix.

Streaming to Netflix Right Now

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1993 – 7 Seasons)
Star Trek: Voyager (2000 – 7 Seasons)
Star Trek (1963 – 3 Seasons)
Star Trek: Enterprise (2004 – 4 Seasons)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1999 – 7 Seasons)
Star Trek: The Aminated Series (1973 – 2 Seasons)

Coming Soon to Netflix Streaming

Star Trek: Discovery from 25th September

Has Streamed on Netflix at some point but left

Back in July of 2016, 7 Feature Length Star Trek Movies tragically left US Netflix. Along with this blow, it seems like other the months, all the Star Trek movies have been removed from American Netflix.

Feature Length Movies

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Star Trek: Generations (1994)
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Star Trek (2009)
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

If you are slightly disappointed in hearing that so many of the classic films are no longer available to stream, remember if you are lucky enough to have a Netflix DVD account, it is likely that you can rent all the classics.

Although, if you live in either the UK or Australia you are in luck! You will soon be welcoming the entire backlog of Star Trek titles. So soon you’ll have more content than you know what to do with.

We’ll keep this post updated over time with every single Star Trek title as things tend to come and go from the service regularly.

Alex Hirlam has been a contributor to What's on Netflix and provided weekly roundups for Australia and Canada as well as other features. Alex came to What's on Netflix for an apprenticeship where he spent a year and a half maintaining the libraries of the two regions as well as contributing content. Resides in Norwich, UK.

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Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Streaming in:

We checked for updates on 251 streaming services on March 25, 2024 at 4:41:50 AM. Something wrong? Let us know!

Star Trek Into Darkness streaming: where to watch online?

Currently you are able to watch "Star Trek Into Darkness" streaming on Apple TV Plus, Paramount Plus, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , AMC Plus Apple TV Channel , Paramount+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel. It is also possible to buy "Star Trek Into Darkness" on Microsoft Store, AMC on Demand, Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu as download or rent it on Microsoft Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Spectrum On Demand, Apple TV online.

Where does Star Trek Into Darkness rank today? The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

Streaming charts last updated: 5:16:59 AM, 03/25/2024

Star Trek Into Darkness is 4706 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The movie has moved up the charts by 2062 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than House Party but less popular than Alphaville.

When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Videos: Trailers, Teasers, Featurettes

Streaming Charts The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

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Star Trek Into Darkness

2013, Sci-fi/Adventure, 2h 12m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Visually spectacular and suitably action packed, Star Trek Into Darkness is a rock-solid installment in the venerable sci-fi franchise, even if it's not as fresh as its predecessor. Read critic reviews

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The crew of the Starship Enterprise returns home after an act of terrorism within its own organization destroys most of Starfleet and what it represents, leaving Earth in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Capt. James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) leads his people (Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoë Saldana) on a mission to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction, thereby propelling all of them into an epic game of life and death.

Rating: PG-13 (Intense Seq. of Sci-Fi Violenc|Intense Seq. of Sci-Fi Action)

Genre: Sci-fi, Adventure, Action, Fantasy

Original Language: English

Director: J.J. Abrams

Producer: J.J. Abrams , Bryan Burk , Damon Lindelof , Alex Kurtzman , Roberto Orci

Writer: Alex Kurtzman , Roberto Orci , Damon Lindelof

Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 2013 wide

Release Date (Streaming): May 14, 2015

Box Office (Gross USA): $228.8M

Runtime: 2h 12m

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Production Co: Bad Robot

Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos, Datasat

View the collection: Star Trek

Cast & Crew

Capt. James T. Kirk

Zachary Quinto

Dr. Leonard McCoy

Zoe Saldana

Nyota Uhura

Anton Yelchin

Pavel Chekov

Montgomery "Scotty" Scott

Hikaru Sulu

Benedict Cumberbatch

John Harrison

Carol Marcus

Bruce Greenwood

Christopher Pike

Peter Weller

Admiral Marcus

J.J. Abrams

Alex Kurtzman

Screenwriter

Roberto Orci

Damon Lindelof

Jeffrey Chernov

Executive Producer

Dana Goldberg

Paul Schwake

David Ellison

Michael Giacchino

Original Music

Cinematographer

Scott Chambliss

Production Design

Maryann Brandon

Film Editing

Mary Jo Markey

Michael Kaplan

Costume Design

Ramsey Avery

Supervising Art Direction

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Critic Reviews for Star Trek Into Darkness

Audience reviews for star trek into darkness.

While it may rehash some elements from other films in the franchise, Star Trek Into Darkness is still a worthy and very fun installment with a powerhouse villain performance and staying as visually stunning as usual.

I really love the direction that this new "Star Trek" franchise is going. It's not the normal exploration drama anymore, but it's more an action piece. And it's a very good one. I really love this movie. If you take away all the previous movies, this is probably better than the first one, because it really does a lot more than the first one and it does go to new planets, for example Kronos which was a treat to see. The acting is great, especially from Cumberbatch who gives a great performance as the main villain. He gives a scary performance as well as a really emotional and lovable performance. One of the reasons, however, why we need to look at the other movies like canon, is because of a scene featuring Leonard Nimoy. And that's where the movie haults for me. This movie is a soft reboot of the great "The Wrath of Khan," and when the movie tries to be that masterpiece, it really feels sloppy for me. I didn't like the fact that Cumberbatch turned out to be Khan and that they wanted to give the character a little twist. The fact that his blood can bring people back from the dead is the most ridiculous thing that anyone has ever done in a movie and that took me out of the movie and really had a big impact on my final thoughts. But, I still ended up liking the movie very much and, while I can't say that it's better than the first one, I can say that it is definitely a worthy follow-up and a great addition to this new franchise.

Though it feels much more like a Star Wars film than anything Star Trek has ever done, 'Into Darkness' succeeds in most of the areas in sets out to, even if it wasn't the general direction most Trekkies wanted the series to go after a brilliant reboot in 2009. Most of the scrutiny from the film comes from its handling of the character, Spock, and the unnecessary hiding of him for the entire marketing campaign. While the ladder is a fair criticism, it doesn't have anything to do with the quality of the film. Though I can understand a particular third act plot choice that felt like a forced homage to 1982's The Wrath of Khan, this rendition of Khan is still well realized. Most of the credit there should go to the relentless performance from Benedict Cumberbatch. Not as flashy nor as memorable as Ricardo Montalban's Khan, Cumberbatch is far more brutal and deceptive. Even on repeat viewing, I found myself captivated by every scene with Khan, especially those which also involved Kirk and/or Spock. There's something about the dialogue between them that feels vintage good vs evil while also presenting such a tremendous amount of gravitas as well. J.J. Abrams is a genius filmmaker, but I don't think he gets enough credit for what he did with both his Trek films. The series was nearly dead before he came aboard and revamped and refreshed the entire idea of what a Trek film is. Even if it deviates from lore, 'Into Darkness' is a really well made film. The effects have never been better and the way Abrams seamlessly takes us from a CGI or green screen landscape into an integral one on one dialogue battle is very impressive. Though not every key emotional moment feels earned in the third act, it's nice seeing all of the actors start to come into their own as the respected crew members of the Enterprise. Scotty has never been better, Sulu gets more than enough time to shine, Quinto brought a new layer to Spock not seen in 2009, and Chris Pine feels much more like an heir apparent to William Shatner than he did in the first entry. To me, it was much easier to care about the characters this time around. With all this said, there's plenty that I wish the film did differently. The Khan reveal and 3rd act mishandle of the infamous moment are just some of the mishaps that could have been fixed. Or even the entire subplot with the Admirals daughter, but I digress. 'Into Darkness' is a far better film than it probably has a right to be with a fun and exciting direction from Abrams and lively performances from the good and bad side of the coin. +Cumberbatch +Abrams directing style +Great dialogue between Kirk, Khan, and Spock -3rd act mishaps 8.2/10

Before the reboot of Star Trek I hadn't really paid much attention to the Star Trek universe and was excited to see what all the fuzz was about, although trekkies might disagree with this being a good starting point.. I loved it, so I've been looking forward to a sequel ever since the last one. WELL, it has arrived and it KICKED some serious ASS. Star Trek Into Darkness is what modern action filmmaking has evolved into. The movie was fantastic and I absolutely loved it but the script felt dumbed down and JJ did his best with what he was given. The visuals were gorgeous and the score was just amazing through the whole movie. I'm glad they managed to give most of the characters more personality and a moment to grow and develop. Having mentioned that, it's worth to note that Benedict Cumberbatch stole the show with his acting as the ruthless villain and I wouldn't hesitate to give him the title of villain of the year, even if it's still May. (although many people might disagree) Overall I would say this is THE movie of the summer. It brought to the table a great story, outstanding acting, out-of-this world visuals (pun intended) and spotless directing with some lens glare. As I've seen, this is a hit or miss for a lot of people and honestly it's all up to you!

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Film Review: ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’

J.J. Abrams sets his filmmaking to 'stun' with a sequel in every respect equal or even superior to its splendid 2009 predecessor

By Scott Foundas

Scott Foundas

Film Review: ‘Black Mass’ 9 years ago
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J.J. Abrams sets his filmmaking to “stun” for “ Star Trek Into Darkness,” a sequel in every respect equal or even superior to its splendid 2009 predecessor, which lovingly and cleverly rebooted Gene Roddenberry ’s long-running space opera following the black hole of 2002’s “Star Trek Nemesis.” Markedly grander in scale, although never at the expense of its richly human (and half-human) characters, “Into Darkness” may not boldly go where no “Trek” adventure has gone before, but getting there is such a well-crafted, immensely pleasurable ride that it would be positively Vulcan to nitpick. Global box office cume should easily warp past the prior pic’s $385 million for this sturdy Paramount tentpole, which opens overseas May 9 before beaming down Stateside one week later.

Abrams, whose last pic was the lyrical “E.T.”/“Close Encounters” homage “Super 8,” here tips his hat to the “Indiana Jones” series, opening with a thrilling setpiece that finds Kirk ( Chris Pine ) and Bones (the sly, loose-limbed Karl Urban ) on the run from a tribe of very angry natives on the planet Nibiru. The natives, decked out in head-to-toe clay body paint, shimmer like human ceramics as they chase the Starfleet officers through a crimson forest, the lush colors of returning d.p. Dan Mindel all but searing the screen. Meanwhile, Spock ( Zachary Quinto ) toils away nearby, attempting to insert a high-tech ice cube into the raging volcano that threatens to destroy Nibiru and its inhabitants — a dangerous mission that quickly goes awry, building to a classic “Trek” standoff between stubborn Vulcan logic and impulsive human emotion.

The Enterprise crew has scarcely recovered from that one when, back on Earth, a terror bombing lays waste to a top-secret Starfleet intelligence facility and brings to the fore a new galactic baddie: a rogue Starfleet officer named John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) who claims credit for the attack and, after an equally brazen follow-up, hightails it deep into Klingon-controlled space. The hawkish Adm. Marcus ( Peter Weller ) dispatches the Enterprise in hot pursuit, with this familiar-sounding objective: Shoot first, ask questions later, and avoid starting a war with the locals. Welcome to “Star Trek Into Zero Dark Thirty.”

Only, this John Harrison is a slippery sort who, when given the chance, claims not to be the villain at all, but rather a pawn in someone else’s deadlier scheme. And for much of its running time, “ Star Trek Into Darkness ” makes a good guessing game out of whether this mysterious stranger with the glacial glare and bones seemingly made of steel is friend, foe or — like the “old Spock” of Abrams’ first “Trek” — a little bit of history repeating. It hardly matters, because whatever Cumberbatch is playing, he’s wonderful to watch, infusing the movie with the kind of exotic grandeur Eric Bana’s wan Romulan henchman (arguably the weakest link in the 2009 film) largely lacked. Also making her maiden “Trek” voyage is the lovely Alice Eve as an ambitious science officer who lies her way on to the Enterprise deck and makes goo-goo eyes with the good Captain. She is not, it turns out, the ship’s only stowaway.

Having previously established an alternate “Trek” timeline in which all the events of prior series and movies still happened, but aren’t necessarily doomed to recur, Abrams and returning writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (now joined by “Lost” co-creator Damon Lindelof) here take that idea and run with it, invoking prior “Trek” lore when it suits them, freely branching off into new directions when it doesn’t. (Hell, there’s even some trouble with a tribble.) It’s a tricky business, balancing reverence with reinvention, but like the young Kirk, Abrams seems altogether more comfortable in the captain’s chair this time — not just in the large-scale action scenes, but particularly in the quieter ones, where you can sense his real investment in these characters and his confident touch with actors.

SEE ALSO: ‘Star Trek’ Premieres in London (Photos)

The film builds particularly well on the burgeoning Kirk-Spock friendship, with Pine showing reserves of vulnerability and doubt beneath his cocksure exterior, while Quinto adds gravitas to Spock’s eternal inner conflict — and his deepening romance with Lt. Uhura ( Zoe Saldana ). But make no mistake: The action, when it comes, is superbly executed, whether it’s giant vessels making mincemeat of one another, or the simpler excitements of old-fashioned hand-to-hand combat and foot chases through crowded promenades.

The best, even-numbered films in the original “Trek” film franchise were shaped by the guiding intelligence of writer-director Nicholas Meyer , who laced the Starfleet jargon with high-toned literary references and a gently self-mocking sense of humor. Abrams, too, manages to keep the mood buoyant even when the fate of the universe is hanging in the balance, more than earning his tears when he finally decides to milk them. But if Meyer’s primary references were Shakespeare, Dickens and Conan Doyle, Abrams’ are Spielberg, John Hughes and Cameron Crowe. In defiance of the self-congratulatory snark that has become de rigueur in Hollywood franchise fare, he brings a shimmering pop romanticism to “Trek’s” stalwart ideals of friendship, heroism and self-sacrifice. There’s something bold about that, indeed.

“Into Darkness” is a beautifully modulated and sustained piece of work across the board, with visual effects that seamlessly meld live-action and computer-animated elements, given further texture by old-fashioned celluloid lensing (with 65mm Imax used for key action scenes). Post-production 3D conversion by Stereo D ranks among the best of its kind. The Enterprise has rarely looked sleeker than it does on production designer Scott Chambliss ‘ sets. Adding the cherry to the top of this cinematic sundae, composer Michael Giacchino ‘s soaring score once again revives Alexander Courage’s immortal Trek theme for the closing credits.

Movie Stills:

Benedict Cumberbatch in "Star Trek Into Darkness."

Paramount Pictures

Reviewed at AMC Loews 34th Street, May 2, 2013. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 132 MIN.

Production: A Paramount release presented with Skydance Productions of a Bad Robot production. Produced by J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci. Executive producers, Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Paul Schwake. Co-producers, Tommy Gormley, Tommy Harper, Ben Rosenblatt, Michelle Rejwan.
Crew: Directed by J.J. Abrams. Screenplay, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, based on “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry. Camera (Deluxe color, Panavision widescreen/35mm/Imax, 3D), Dan Mindel; editors, Maryann Brandon, Mary Jo Markey; music, Michael Giacchino; production designer, Scott Chambliss; supervising art director, Ramsey Avery; art directors, Kasra Farahani, Michael E. Goldman, Andrew E.W. Murdock, Harry E. Otto, Lauren Polizzi; set decorator, Karen Manthey; costume designer, Michael Kaplan; sound (Dolby Atmos/Datasat), Peter J. Devlin; sound designer, Ben Burtt; supervising sound editors, Burtt, Matthew Wood; re-recording mixers, Will Files, James Bolt; visual effects supervisor, Roger Guyett; ILM visual effects co-supervisor, Patrick Tubach; ILM visual effects producer, Luke O’Byrne; visual effects, Industrial Light & Magic, Pixomondo, Kelvin Optical, Atomic Fiction; stunt coordinator, John Stoneham Jr.; assistant director, Tommy Gormley; second unit director, Guyett; second unit camera, Bruce McCleery; casting, April Webster, Alyssa Weisberg.
With: John Cho, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Peter Weller, Anton Yelchin, Leonard Nimoy.

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Less a classic " Star Trek " adventure than a " Star Trek "-flavored action flick, shot in the frenzied, handheld, cut-cut-cut style that’s become Hollywood’s norm, director J.J. Abrams’ latest could have been titled "The Bourne Federation."

The plot pits the Enterprise crew against an intergalactic terrorist named John Harrison ( Benedict Cumberbatch , giving his honeyed baritone a workout), who’s waging war on the Federation for mysterious personal reasons. There’s a joke, an argument, a chase, a spaceship battle, or a brutal close-quarters firefight every five minutes, but all the action is intimately tied to character. The major players, particularly Chris Pine’s James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto ’s Mr. Spock, are as finely shaded as the incarnations played by William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy . This new voyage of the starship Enterprise is brash, confident, and often brutally violent, and features the most lived-in production design I’ve seen in a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster since " Minority Report ."

Why, then, is the film ultimately disappointing? I suspect it’s the pop culture echo chamber effect: Abrams and his screenwriters ( Robert Orci , Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof ) are so obsessed with acknowledging and then futzing around with what we already know about Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Scotty and company that the movie doesn’t breathe. "Star Trek Into Darkness" is peppered with nods to past films and episodes: Kirk’s impetuous decision-making and horndog sexual proclivities; Spock’s denial of his half-humanness; Dr. McCoy’s cranky witticisms; Scotty’s protestations of what he and the ship “canna” do; references to tribbles and neutral zones and the Harry Mudd incident. The central plotline refers to one of Trek’s most celebrated storylines — a callback that alternately seems to honor the original, then turn it on its head, then honor it again. The final act includes an homage to one of the most famous scenes in the entire Trek canon — but this, too, is an inversion, or appears to be, until the script springs another whiplash reversal.

The story starts with a " Raiders of the Lost Ark "-like action sequence: Kirk, Spock and the gang are embroiled in a secret mission on a red jungle planet filled with superstitious tribespeople whose lives are threatened by a volcanic eruption. The correct thing to do is leave Mr. Spock behind, because going back to rescue him would violate the Federation’s Prime Directive against messing with the natural development of primitive cultures. It’s in this opening sequence, for better or worse, that the movie establishes a vexing narrative pattern: The characters have urgently necessary arguments about the morally, ethically, and procedurally correct thing to do in a crisis, then one character (usually Kirk) makes a unilateral, straight-from-the-gut decision that worsens everything; and yet somehow at the end he’s rewarded, or at least not seriously punished.

We’re given to understand that it’s always a good thing to prize personal friendship and loyalty above the concerns of one’s crew, ship, federation or species. Sometimes the reward is quite deliberate — as in the end scene, which finds Kirk being celebrated as a hero after making what looked to me like a series of catastrophic rookie mistakes that ended dozens of lives. Other times it’s as if the cosmos itself is rewarding or at least protecting Kirk, as when he loses command of the Enterprise for his behavior on the primitive planet, then gets it back thanks to another sudden plot twist. A good alternate title for this movie would be the name of one of Steven Soderbergh ’s great books about filmmaking: "Getting Away With It: Or, the Further Adventures of the Luckiest Bastard You Ever Saw." The Federation itself seems to have plenty in common with Kirk: Both the opening mission and a subsequent intergalactic act of aggression are presented as having grave consequences if they fail, then the film just sort of writes them off with a shrug, as if to say, “Well, that’s all in the past, and as long as it doesn’t happen again, no harm, no foul.” (Has anyone in the Federation actually honored the Prime Directive?)

Yes, the film’s stumblebum plotting comes from a desire to give the audience what it wants: Kirk in command, flying by the seat of his tight pants; Spock learning it’s OK to acknowledge and act on his emotions, and that there’s more to life than following rules; etc. But surely there were more elegant ways to get us there! Abrams makes the 23rd century look like a place of actions and consequences, in which humans and other creatures might actually live, think and feel, in a world in which a fall of more than ten feet could break a leg, lava can melt flesh, and people who are dead stay dead. But he also tells stories in which various practices, rules and laws, including Starfleet tactical procedures, the Prime Directive, and gravity, have no narrative weight. Too much of "Star Trek Into Darkness" has what I call a “playground storytelling” sensibility: “Lie down, you’re dead. Never mind, you’re alive again — now fight!” This narrative flailing-about isn’t merely amateurish, it’s at odds with the gritty production design and pseudo-documentary camerawork and references to 9/11 and the War on Terror. It takes a great artist to be both serious and silly. Abrams, for all his enthusiasm, ain’t it.

For all its sloppiness and blind spots and fanboy pirouettes, though, "Star Trek Into Darkness" is still an involving film with more heart than most summer blockbusters. Abrams’ roots in TV ( Felicity , Alias , Lost ) seem to have made him attentive to the dynamics of groups, and to the repeated phrases and gestures that bond viewers to characters. Pine’s beefy frat-boy Kirk is appealing, especially when he’s being called on the carpet; Pine has several strong scenes opposite Cumberbatch’s Harrison and Bruce Greenwood ’s mentor-father figure, Capt. Pike, in which Pine is overmatched as both character and actor but uses the imbalance to enhance the scene. Sometimes you see terror in Kirk’s eyes as he blusters; his vulnerability makes you root for him even though his “I gotta be me!” philosophy destroys careers and ends lives.

Quinto’s Spock is equal to, but different than, Leonard Nimoy’s incarnation, and it’s a relief to see that Abrams has made the destruction of Vulcan in the first film a key component of the character’s psychology. As Spock explains to communications officer Uhura ( Zoe Saldana ), his main squeeze, it’s not that he can’t feel any emotion, it’s that he’s decided he’s better off not feeling it: this Spock is a Holocaust survivor who has adopted numbness as a survival strategy. Uhura, Simon Pegg ’s Scotty, John Cho ’s Sulu, Anton Yelchin ’s Chekov, and Karl Urban ’s “Bones” McCoy have their moments, too; they behave like plausibly real people even when the script is asking them to do and say things that common sense tells us is horse manure, and their presences lend the film a dignity it doesn’t earn.

* Edited 6/22/18 to remove a reference to a "forthcoming" detailed blog post on the film that the reviewer ended up not writing.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

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Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Rated PG-13

129 minutes

Chris Pine as James T. Kirk

Benedict Cumberbatch as John Harrison

Zachary Quinto as Spock

Simon Pegg as Scotty

Zoe Saldana as Nyota Uhura

J.J. Abrams
Alex Kurtzman
Damon Lindelof
Roberto Orci

Original Music Composer

Michael Giacchino

Cinematography

Daniel Mindel
April Webster

Production Design

Scott Chambliss
Gene Roddenberry

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Summary After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

Directed By : J.J. Abrams

Written By : Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Gene Roddenberry

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Star trek into darkness, common sense media reviewers.

Action-packed Star Trek sequel has good story, characters.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The characters have many discussions about followi

The characters (a diverse bunch) are better as a t

Lots of sci-fi and fantasy violence and fighting.

The main character is shown in bed with two alien

Language is infrequent but includes a couple uses

Budweiser is seen in the movie, and off-screen lic

The main character is seen drinking (hard liquor)

Positive Messages

The characters have many discussions about following the rules versus doing the right thing, coming to the conclusion that there's sometimes no easy answer. Characters also exhibit trust and teamwork, working extremely well together. The importance of friendship is a key theme of the movie.

Positive Role Models

The characters (a diverse bunch) are better as a team than they are as individuals. Separately, they're cocky, argumentative, inflexible, or just plain goofy. Yet they're all trying to do the right thing ... they just have their own individual ideas about what that is.

Violence & Scariness

Lots of sci-fi and fantasy violence and fighting. The bad guy blows up an archive building and attacks a meeting of high-ranking officials in a hail of weapons fire. An important supporting character dies, with some blood. Characters get sucked out of their ships into space. A character's skull is crushed (off screen, but crunching noises are heard); another's leg is deliberately broken when someone steps on it. A great deal of fighting, punching, and spaceships shooting at one another. Massive, destructive crashes and explosions. A character gets radiation poisoning. A volcano threatens a planet.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

The main character is shown in bed with two alien girls. No nudity is shown, and nothing happens on screen; he just climbs out of bed, and the girls are seen to be there with him. A female character changes her clothes, and she's shown in her (deliberately sexy) underwear. Some flirting and kissing.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language is infrequent but includes a couple uses of "s--t," plus "bitch," "ass," "hell," "damn," "oh my God," and "bastard."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Budweiser is seen in the movie, and off-screen licensing/marketing deals include a Budweiser promotion and more.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

The main character is seen drinking (hard liquor) in a bar after getting some bad news. He gets a bit tipsy.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Star Trek Into Darkness is the 12th Star Trek movie overall, and the second installment in director J.J. Abrams ' big-budget series reboot . The biggest issue is sci-fi/fantasy violence, with lots of punching, fighting, and shooting, a little blood (though not much), and some deaths (including an important supporting character). It's more exciting than it is intense. The main character ( Chris Pine ) is shown getting out of a bed he's shared with two alien girls, and there's a sexy underwear scene with a female co-star. Language is infrequent but includes a couple of uses of "s--t." The main character is seen drinking in one scene after getting some bad news. As in the first one, the Trek team comes together to do the right thing, no matter how difficult that may be. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Parents say (17)
Kids say (54)

Based on 17 parent reviews

Star trek into darkness

What's the story.

In STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, Captain James T. Kirk ( Chris Pine ) gets into trouble by breaking the rules in order to save Spock's ( Zachary Quinto ) life. But when a madman ( Benedict Cumberbatch ) attacks an archive facility on Earth, Kirk and the old crew -- including Bones ( Karl Urban ), Uhura ( Zoe Saldana ), Sulu ( John Cho ), Scotty ( Simon Pegg ), Chekov ( Anton Yelchin ), and newcomer Carol ( Alice Eve ) -- get a new mission: Destroy the villain. Then Spock convinces Kirk to capture him instead, which leads to all kinds of new trouble. And Kirk learns that no one can be trusted until he and the crew of the Enterprise learn the secret behind their deadly prisoner.

Is It Any Good?

Director J.J. Abrams , despite his massive popularity and success, shows some flaws with uneven pacing in this movie, pitching moods and scenes too high and letting things drag on too long. And his idea of "style" seems to be camera-shaking and lens flares (the latter of which was once considered a mistake in moviemaking and was only implemented in the 1960s for effect).

And while Pine's blue-eyed, pretty boy rebel character has little to do with the original Captain Kirk, the rest of the characters thankfully seem to tune in to their classic counterparts, and their performances and line readings can be great fun. Likewise, Star Trek Into Darkness has a good, enthralling story at its core and some strong ideas buried beneath the empty style that eventually win the day.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Star Trek Into Darkness ' violence . Does it ever feel over the top? Is it exciting or gruesome? Which do you think it's intended to be? Why?

What's the difference between following the rules and doing the right thing? Is there a simple answer to this problem?

How do the characters show teamwork ? In what scenes do characters help each other? Why is teamwork an important character strength ?

Why do you think Star Trek has such enduring appeal? What makes people become such faithful fans? How does the reboot compare to the older movies and TV shows?

Movie Details

In theaters : May 16, 2013
On DVD or streaming : September 10, 2013
Cast : Benedict Cumberbatch , Chris Pine , Zachary Quinto , Zoe Saldana
Director : J.J. Abrams
Inclusion Information : Gay actors, Female actors, Black actors, Latino actors
Studio : Paramount Pictures
Genre : Science Fiction
Topics : Adventures , Space and Aliens
Character Strengths : Teamwork
Run time : 132 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence
Last updated : August 25, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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The Most Thrilling, Frustrating Star Trek Movie Ever Still Has Moments of Brilliance

If you want to understand who J.J. Abrams is as a filmmaker, then look no further than this 2013 blockbuster.

Zachary Quinto as Commander Spock and Chris Pine as Captain Kirk in 'Star Trek Into Darkness'

Few contemporary filmmakers have made as much of a mark on the entertainment industry as J.J. Abrams . After emerging in the late ‘90s as one of the most prolific TV creators of his generation, Abrams spent the majority of the 2000s and 2010s becoming a major creative voice behind some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises. Looking back on them now, it seems safe to say that most of Abrams’ franchise efforts ultimately ended in disaster. However, as regrettable as, say, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker may have been, even Abrams’ worst films contain moments of brilliance.

That’s particularly true of Star Trek Into Darkness . The film, Abrams’ sequel to his massively success Star Trek reboot from 2009, is simultaneously one of the most thrilling movies that its director has ever made and also one of his most frustrating. Across its runtime, the film manages to highlight all of Abrams’ greatest strengths and weaknesses, which combine to create a sci-fi thriller that is always entertaining and yet dramatically empty.

The divisive blockbuster is leaving Netflix at the end of this month, and it is well worth seeking out — if only to rediscover all the things about it that both lift it up and hold it back.

Set a number of years after its 2009 predecessor, Star Trek Into Darkness follows Chris Pine’s Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise as they find themselves unexpectedly caught in a deadly conflict involving a mysterious galactic terrorist known only as John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch). When Harrison’s efforts result in the tragic death of Kirk’s mentor, Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), Kirk sets out to capture the fugitive and bring him to justice. The Enterprise captain’s mission is upended, however, when the true nature of Harrison’s relationship with Starfleet Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller) is revealed.

From there, Star Trek Into Darkness quickly and not-so-shockingly devolves into what is essentially a remix of its franchise’s most beloved and acclaimed big-screen adventure, 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . Indeed, not only does Into Darkness introduce a less interesting version of that film’s iconic villain, but it also recycles some of its predecessor’s biggest dramatic beats. In doing so, Into Darkness invites inevitable comparisons between it and The Wrath of Khan , which remains a far superior film, as well as reveals itself to be devoid of any of its own ideas.

Much like both of J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars films, Into Darkness relies too heavily on replaying its franchise’s greatest hits. It’s a sequel that frustratingly refuses to deviate from the path already set by films that were made decades before it. The movie, in other words, succumbs to the same pull of nostalgia that has haunted much of its director’s career. Despite that fact, it’s also one of the most propulsive and engaging movies that Abrams has ever made.

Karl Urban as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy and Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk in 2013's 'Star Trek...

Star Trek Into Darkness is a visually astonishing sci-fi blockbuster that tells a disappointingly familiar story.

In many ways, Star Trek Into Darkness finds J.J. Abrams working at the height of his visual and formal powers. Whether it be the film’s opening set piece, which takes place on a planet covered in visually striking red foliage, or the double-reversal fight that sees Cumberbatch’s villain violently take control of a massive Starfleet warship, Into Darkness is full of sequences that are viscerally effective and visually dynamic. In general, there’s a confident energy pulsing beneath Into Darkness that imbues even its most narratively tired and familiar moments with a vigor that’s hard to deny.

After taking a break from the franchise to make 2011’s Super 8 , Abrams returned to Star Trek with a more-is-everything approach (more cross-cutting, more lens flares, more explosions, more Dutch angles!). The result is a maximalist, in-your-face sci-fi blockbuster that serves as strong proof of Abrams’ skills as a visual craftsman. Combine that with the film’s disappointingly familiar, nostalgia-bait plot, and what you’ve got is a well-made sci-fi blockbuster that can easily be enjoyed — so long as you turn your brain off.

If anything, Star Trek Into Darkness is proof that Abrams is probably better off making movies that are not only written by someone else but also exist outside of the franchise space altogether.

Star Trek Into Darkness is available to stream on Netflix until Saturday, September 30.

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10 star trek characters j.j. abrams introduced to canon.

J.J. Abrams' ambitious and exciting Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movies also introduce several new and vital characters to the movies' canon.

J.J. Abrams rebooted Star Trek in 2009 with a new USS Enterprise crew and the creation of the Kelvin Timeline.
George Kirk, Winona Kirk, and Jaylah are key characters introduced into the franchise by Abrams.
Abrams' Star Trek Kelvin-universe movies prioritize character and crew-based tension, with notable character developments and impactful villains.

Star Trek (2009) introduced the much-loved franchise to a new audience with a successful reboot. Director J.J. Abrams’ initial space-faring feature film launched a new, superbly recast Star Trek: The Original Series crew and introduced the anything-goes alternate Kelvin Timeline. Initially introducing origin stories for the movie’s leading characters, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto), a series of unexpected and dramatic events soon leads to the early formation of the young, iconic USS Enterprise crew. As Kirk and Spock, Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), and the crew of the USS Enterprise work to overcome the universe-altering threat, a slew of familiar and new faces make spaces of significance in Federation history .

Over Abrams’ three Kelvin Timeline Star Trek movies, previously established but unseen and newly originated characters are revealed to delight or terrify audiences. The three movies’ villains devastatingly influence Federation history, substantially affecting Star Trek’s established multiverse timeline and posing dangers previously unseen. It’s important to note that Abrams’ films commendably prioritize character and crew-based tension as a primary source of conflict, resulting in subtle yet worthy character developments and heightening the impact and fall-out of each villain’s despicable drive. With a focus on these new and previously unseen faces, here’s a look at ten Star Trek characters J.J. Abrams introduced into canon .

10 J.J. Abrams Star Trek Movie Positives You Only Notice On Rewatch

10 lieutenant george kirk, chris hemsworth - star trek (2009).

Previously unseen in the Star Trek franchise, Lt. George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) served on the USS Kelvin under the command of Captain Richard Robau (Faran Tahir). George was the youngest First Officer in Starfleet history at the age of 29 – a legacy later advanced by his son, James T. Kirk (youngest captain). Following Nero’s arrival and the subsequent murder of Robau, George Kirk was advanced to the USS Kelvin’s commanding officer. Winona Kirk (Jennifer Morrison), a fellow Kelvin crewmember and pregnant wife to George, is removed to an escaping medical shuttle when George Kirk evacuates the ship in light of Nero’s attack. With the ship’s automatic controls offline, George Kirk opts to remain on board and gives his life, manually pilot the ship into Nero's ship, the Narada, to protect the escaping shuttles.

It’s hard to overstate the significance and influence that George Kirk had on Starfleet history.

George Kirk’s youngest son, James Tiberius Kirk, was born and named moments before George’s death. In Star Trek Beyond , Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is troubled by his turning a year older than George was when he died, contrasting the reasons they each enlisted in Starfleet. Kirk says, “ He joined because he believed in it. I joined on a dare .” It’s hard to overstate the significance and influence that George Kirk had on Starfleet history, as well impact on the life choices and development of his youngest son. Making the ultimate sacrifice to aid in the survival of others, George Kirk makes a bold and explosive entrance into Star Trek legend.

9 Winona Kirk

Jennifer morrison - star trek (2009).

Winona Kirk (Jennifer Morrison) was the wife of Lt. George Kirk and mother of Captain James T. Kirk (and Jim's older brother George Samuel Kirk ). In 2233, pregnant with James, Winona Kirk, in the final stages of her pregnancy, was evacuated to Medical Shuttle 37 during the Romulan mining vessel Narada’s attack on the USS Kelvin. Advanced to acting Captain, George Kirk ordered the crew’s evacuation and Winona was transferred via wheelchair. The baby was born prematurely during the attack, named “James Tiberius” after his grandfathers, moments before George Kirk piloted the Kelvin into the Narada to protect the escaping shuttles.

Winona Kirk's significant and developing character adds further layers to the Kirk family dynamics.

When Winona returned to Earth as a widow , she settled to raise her young family in Riverside, Iowa. She subsequently returned to working for Starfleet, spending periods off-planet during her sons’ youth. Though Winona’s later relationship with Jim is not (yet) specified, Captain Kirk’s comment to Dr. McCoy (Karl Urban) in Star Trek Beyond that he planned to call her “ on the day ” (his birthday and anniversary of his father’s death) suggests at least a degree of emotional complexity and trauma. In Star Trek (2009), Winona Kirk is seen on-screen for the first time. Winona Kirk’s significant and developing character adds further layers to the Kirk family dynamics and character histories, and the franchise’s rich overall lore.

8 Captain Richard Robeau

Faran tahir - star trek (2009).

Introduced in Star Trek (2009), Captain Richard Robau (Faran Tahir) was the commanding officer of the USS Kelvin . When Nero and the Romulan mining vessel Narada encountered the USS Kelvin following their temporal incursion in 2233, Ayel (Clifton Collins Jr.) instructed Captain Robau to shuttle across for negotiations. With no available options, Robau delegated command of the Kelvin to Lt. George Kirk and boarded the Narada. Questioned, Ayel then demands the current stardate. Infuriated by the knowledge that they had become stranded in the past, Nero murders Captain Robau with a large-bladed weapon and resumes the attack on the USS Kelvin.

Robau is also the first example of a 23rd-century Starfleet Captain Star Trek (2009) introduced as the alternate Kelvin Timeline was created.

Captain Robau’s obvious strength and commitment to his crew and the Federation demonstrate professional versatility and deep respect for those around him. Robau's courage and innate calm accentuate his place in Federation history as the USS Kelvin’s ill-fated commanding officer. Robau is also the first example of a 23rd-century Starfleet Captain Star Trek (2009) introduced as the alternate Kelvin Timeline was created.

7 Nero & Ayel

Eric bana & clifton collins jr. - star trek into darkness.

The Romulan captain and second-in-command crew member of the 24th-century mining ship Narada were directly responsible for the formation of the alternate Kelvin timeline in Star Trek (2009). When a supernova of the system’s sun destroyed Romulus in 2387, Nero (Eric Bana) blamed the Prime-universe Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and the Federation for failing to prevent the disaster and sought revenge. Inadvertently pulled into the artificially created red matter black hole designed to counter the supernova, the Narada is pulled into an alternate universe, back in time to 2233, where Nero and his crew soon encounter and attack the USS Kelvin.

Over many years, Nero’s actions resulted in the deaths of many. After Spock Prime’s arrival in the Kelvin timeline , Nero orders an attack on Vulcan – opening a singularity at the planet’s core – and later attempts a similar attack on Earth. By the sheer numbers involved in the “ particularly troubled Romulan ” commander’s genocide of Vulcan, Nero is one of Star Trek ’s most vicious and most significant villains .

Nero destroying the planet Vulcan created one of the most significant divergences between Star Trek 's Kelvin and Prime Timelines.

Ayel, a Romulan miner and second-in-command to Nero, supported Nero and regularly spoke in his stead. Ayel assists in Nero’s destructions , loyal to the captain but not sharing the depth of his need for revenge. Ayel attacks James T. Kirk on several occasions but falls from a high platform after Kirk shoots him with a Romulan disruptor. Nero is later lost when the Narada is ravaged by ignited red matter and pulled into a black hole.

Chris Pine's Star Trek Movies Explained

6 thomas harewood, noel clarke - star trek into darkness.

Noel Clarke stars in Star Trek Into Darkness as Thomas Harewood, a Starfleet officer and a member of the secretive and morally objectionable organization – Section 31. Primarily motivated by his family, Thomas was married to Rima Harewood (Nazneen Contractor) with their ailing and terminally ill daughter Lucille (Anjini Taneja Azhar) suffering in a critical care children’s hospital. Quietly coerced by John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), later revealed to be Khan Noonien Singh, Thomas Harewood agrees to assist in an attack on Starfleet in return for Harrison saving his daughter’s life through a small transfusion of augmented blood.

Harewood's story briefly contemplates the complexities of morality, humanity, and torn allegiances, pitting the horrors of death, compulsion, and destruction against the realities of parental love.

In exchange, Harewood detonates a bomb in the sub-basement of London’s Kelvin Memorial Archive – allowing for a later, more direct attack on high-ranking personnel at Starfleet Command intended to kill Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller). Prior to detonation, Harewood sends a short transmission to Marcus explaining his actions and that he had acted to save his daughter. Forty-two people, including Thomas Harewood, died in the bombing. Harewood’s story briefly contemplates the complexities of morality, humanity, and torn allegiances, pitting the horrors of death, compulsion, and destruction against the realities of parental love.

5 Admiral Alexander Marcus

Peter weller - star trek into darkess.

Fleet Admiral Alexander Marcus was the head of Starfleet and leader of the secretive Section 31 . Conspiring to create a war with the Klingons, Marcus used the revived and genetically augmented Khan Noonien Singh to develop advanced weaponry and further his aberrant goals. Holding Khan’s fellow Augments hostage later led to the disruption of his schemes when Khan escaped with the other Augments and attacked several Starfleet locations – a Section 31 facility disguised within the Kelvin Memorial Archive in London and an emergency session of high-ranking officials at Starfleet Command.

Marcus was father to Dr. Carol Marcus (Alice Eve) , who had falsified her transfer into the USS Enterprise under the name Dr. Carol Wallace, and mentor to Admiral Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), citing himself as the reason for Pike’s enlistment in Starfleet. Admiral Alexander Marcus’ conniving and cunning were counter to the ideals and responsibilities of his station and resulted in the death of many innocents. Marcus was killed by Khan following a failed attempt to recapture the augment and destroy evidence and witnesses to his illegalities treachery

Peter Weller also appeared as John Frederick Paxton in "Demons" and "Terra Prime" in Star Trek: Enterprise, season four.

Sofia Boutella - Star Trek Beyond

A member of an unknown species, Jaylah teamed up with USS Enterprise Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Simon Pegg) following Krall’s attack on the ship – and later worked with the Enterprise command crew to escape the planet and defeat Krall. A survivor of an earlier attack by Krall, her family subsequently killed, Jaylah had lived on Altamid for many years – hidden among the wreckage of the USS Franklin using holographic technology to conceal and defend herself, scavenging for parts and working to restore the ship.

Having learned to speak English from Franklin’s ship records and music library, later used to disrupt the Swarm ships’ cyber-pathic connection with a meaningful song, Jaylah worked through emotional and traumatic memories to provide a rough map of Krall’s base and assist in the rescue of USS Enterprise officers and crewmembers. After the escape, Jaylah joins the crew in celebrating Captain Kirk’s 30th birthday and is offered acceptance into Starfleet Academy . Jaylah’s lone, impressive character is meaningful and bold, hopeful though damaged, showcasing a courageous determination and passion for life and knowledge that echoes Star Trek ’s core ideals .

Jaylah was Inspired by Jennifer Lawrence 's character in Winter's Bone.

3 Krall AKA Captain Balthazar Edison

Idris elba - star trek beyond.

The primary villain in Star Trek Beyond , Krall was formerly a human Starfleet Captain who commanded the USS Franklin in the 22nd century. Initially serving as a MACO (Military Assault Command Operations) during the Xindi and Romulan Wars, Captain Balthazar Edison was left stranded on the planet Altamid after the USS Franklin crash-landed. Using alien energy transference technology found on the planet, Edison mutated himself into alien form to prolong his life and take on new abilities. Edison objected to the ideals of peace, tolerance, and unity that the Federation was founded on and, as Krall, sought to destroy it.

Krall was ultimately defeated by Captain Kirk, consumed by the Abronath, and sucked into open space.

Captain Balthazar Edison transformed into Krall , his frustration with the Federation amplifying into active hate and a belief that unity was a weakness. Krall made use of other technologies on the planet, too, learning about and searching for the Abronath – a powerful weapon, split into two pieces – later learning that the missing half was onboard the USS Enterprise. Sending Kalara to lure the Enterprise to Altamid, Krall used his Swarm drone to “ cut their throats ” and devastated the ship. Later locating the missing Abronath artifact, Krall launched an attack to destroy all life on the new Starbase Yorktown . Krall was ultimately defeated by Captain Kirk, consumed by the Abronath, and sucked into open space.

Chris Pine’s Star Trek Movies Ranked Worst To Best

2 kalara aka jessica wolfe, lydia wilson - star trek beyond.

At Starbase Yorktown, Kalara arrives in an escape pod and explains that her ship and crew are stranded on the planet Altamid in a nearby nebula. She requests aid to rescue them, and the USS Enterprise is assigned. As Captain Kirk and the Enterprise crew set course, Kalara helps lure them into a carefully orchestrated trap. Formerly a human Starfleet officer serving as a scientist on the 22nd-century USS Franklin , Jessica Wolff was stranded with Captain Balthazar Edison and the USS Franklin crew when a wormhole led to a crash landing. Among the few survivors, Wolff used an energy transference technology found on the planet to artificially prolong her life, transform her appearance, and renamed herself Kalara.

Mutated over time by the energy transference into an alien form, Kalara joined Captain Kirk and Ensign Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin) on the planet’s surface after the devastating attack on the Enterprise. When Kirk soon suspects her of dishonesty and involvement in the attack, Kalara is tricked into messaging Krall – exposing her true intentions and Krall’s location at the same time. Duplicitous and deadly, Kalara is subsequently killed in the ensuing fight between Kirk and Chekov and members of Krall’s Swarm , crushed when the Enterprise’s wrecked saucer section is overturned.

1 Commodore Paris

Shohreh aghdashloo - star trek beyond.

Star Trek Beyond introduces Commodore Paris (Shohreh Aghdashloo) as the commanding officer of Starfleet’s newest and most impressive Starbase , Yorktown. Kindly and wise, Commodore Paris is understanding of Captain Kirk’s uncharacteristic uncertainty regarding his future when he applies for promotion to a Vice-Admiral position at Paris’ Yorktown, ultimately offering him the role upon his return from the disastrous rescue mission to Altamid.

Commodore Paris is professional and warm, providing subtle yet valuable insight and advice, occupying an influential position of power and respect that accentuates her moral capability.

With Captain Kirk, Commodore Paris receives a request for assistance from the unexpected Kalara – her ship and crew apparently stranded on the planet in a nearby nebula. Upon Kirk’s return, Paris closes the long-pondered files on Captain Balthazar Edison and the crew of the USS Franklin and commends Kirk and his crew for their actions surrounding the attack on Yorktown.

Kirk declines the promotion in favor of commanding the new USS Enterprise-A, explaining that “ Vice Admirals don’t fly .” After the negative impression left by Admiral Marcus, Commodore Paris is professional and warm , providing subtle yet valuable insight and advice, occupying an influential position of power and respect in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies that accentuates her moral capability, experience, and charming merit.

Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond are available for streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams' 2009 movie Star Trek rebooted the iconic sci-fi franchise in a totally new timeline. When a Romulan ship travels back in time and alters the past, the lives of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the future crew of the USS Enterprise are drastically changed. In this new timeline, the Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) sets out for revenge on Spock, setting off a chain of events that reshape the entire universe.

Star Trek Into Darkness

Star Trek Into Darkness is a 2013 movie directed by J. J. Abrams and starring John Cho, Alice Eve, and Benedict Cumberbatch. Part of the Star Trek franchise, this sequel sees Captain Kirk relieved of his duties as commander of the USS Enterprise.

Star Trek Beyond

In the Kelvin timeline of Star Trek Films, Captain James Tiberius Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the U.S.S. Enterprise crew return to fight a new enemy who puts everything they and the Federation stand for to the ultimate test. This third installment of the rebooted Star Trek films marked the 50th anniversary of the classic sci-fi franchise.

Den of Geek

Why Star Trek Needs to Forget Section 31

Modern Star Trek writers sure love Section 31. But they really shouldn't focus so much on Starfleet's cynical shadow.

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Michelle Yeoh as Emperor Georgiou in Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Episode 3

In 1966, Gene Roddenberry and his co-creators gave the world Star Trek , an adventure series that imagined humanity overcoming its racist and sexist and class divisions, which inaugurated a new age of exploration. Corny? Sure. Imperfect? Of course. But that fundamental optimism remains a key aspect of Star Trek , presenting a challenge to those future creators tasked with keeping the franchise alive beyond the years of its birth.

That doesn’t mean the optimism can’t be challenged or re-contextualized. Indeed, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine did exactly that, and many put that series at the top of their franchise rankings. But Deep Space Nine also introduced Section 31, a black ops organization within Starfleet and the darkest alternative to Star Trek optimism this side of the Terran Empire.

Sadly, later Trek creators have jumped onto the Section 31 concept, resulting in darker, much more pessimistic (and paranoid) stories that forget the best parts of great Star Trek adventures.

The Secret Origin of Section 31

Starfleet has always had its offshoot divisions, such as the Exploratory Division or Stellar Imaging Division, both commemorated on starship plaques. But Section 31 operates differently as an independent division that’s almost totally unknown to the rest of Starfleet.

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Section 31 first reared its head in the Deep Space Nine season six episode “Inquisition,” written by Bradley Thompson and David Weddle and directed by Michael Dorn . Posing as Starfleet Internal Affairs, Luther Sloan attempts to recruit Bashir into Section 31, first by charging the Doctor with passing secrets to the Dominion and later by blackmailing him with evidence of his augments.

Played by character actor great William Sadler, Sloan became a regular feature in the final two seasons of Deep Space Nine , as did Section 31. The organization made sense in that series as the farthest limit that Starfleet would go to protect its vaunted ideals during a time of war. Even if the actual mechanics didn’t make sense (seriously, no one noticed or remembered these guys walking around Federation ships?), it worked on a thematic level for the show. Yes, Sisko could live with moral compromises in pursuit of protecting the rest of the Federation, but Section 31 showed both the extreme end and the limit for him.

In other words, Section 31 played a specific role within the specific circumstances of Deep Space Nine . The show put Starfleet in a totally new situation, pitting humanity against an enemy unlike any other. Showrunner Ira Steven Behr and the writers put Starfleet and Federation principles to the test. Although Sisko and his crew fell short of that test time and again, Section 31 stood as a reminder of what Starfleet would become if they ultimately failed.

That function is most pronounced in the resolution to the Dominion War. In the final episodes of DS9 , Bashir discovers that the virus killing the Founders came from Section 31. Sloan had his team develop the virus and inject it into Odo while the Changeling was in Starfleet Medical care. When Odo joined the remaining Changelings in the Great Link, he spread the virus to them.

To hear Sloan tell it, the virus plot was necessary, as Starfleet and the Federation would be destroyed by the Dominion. When they fell, all their ideals would die with them. Sloan saw himself as an ironic hero, one who protects Starfleet and the Federation by violating its principles.

So devoted to this concept was Sloan that he committed suicide before Bashir could find a way to cure the virus. Rather than accepting defeat, Bashir maintained that most important of Federation ideals. He kept hope. He and Chief O’Brien worked tirelessly to find a cure, saving not only their friend Odo but what was left of the Changelings in the Great Link.

In short, DS9 showed Starfleet rejecting Section 31 and all it stood for. The series did not bring on Section 31 for cool action and edgy stories, but to reinforce the importance of Starfleet ideals. If only the rest of Trek did the same.

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Star Trek (Deeper) Into Darkness

Things didn’t get too far out of hand, at first.

To retroactively explain the difference between Klingons on The Original Series and Klingons on The Next Generation , the Enterprise two-parter “Affliction” and “Divergence” had a reason to bring back Section 31. In this story, the secret division kidnaps Doctor Phlox to heal the augment virus (which is why the TOS Klingons look different) and gain an edge over Starfleet’s rival empire.

Again, no one necessarily needed an explanation (and the weird Discovery Klingons threw that all out the window anyway), but if you’re going to explain it, then Section 31 makes sense. Plus, the episode reveals Malcolm Reed’s association with the organization, which helped flesh out his character a bit more — something that anyone who wasn’t Archer, T’Pol, or Trip desperately needed. We can even accept Section 31 Harris showing up in later episodes to sabotage the proto-Federation.

The true problems with Section 31 became clear in the J. J. Abrams reboot movies. The 2009 Star Trek gets by with a breathless pace and glossy filmmaking, ensuring that everyone is having too much fun to get upset about the many shortcomings in the script by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman .

But the wrongheaded 2013 sequel Star Trek Into Darkness positioned Section 31 as the movie’s big bad. Not only is Section 31 head Admiral Marcus the movie’s ultimate villain but the Kelvin Universe Khan Noonien Singh is a Section 31 agent, operating under the name John Harrison. The organization allowed Abrams and returning Orci and Kurtzman, now joined by Damon Lindelof , to indulge in the darker side of Trek , leaving behind the shiny optimism of the TOS -era they claimed to adapt.

Disastrous as Star Trek Into Darkness was, Kurtzman carried those ideals into his tenure as franchise head. For all of its wonderful weirdness, Star Trek: Discovery also really leaned into being dark and edgy in its first two, weaker seasons, focusing on the Mirror Universe for season one and then Section 31 in season two. Heck, it combined the two by making deposed Terran Emperor Philippa Georgiou into a Section 31 agent in the Prime Universe.

After the Discovery shoots into the future for its third season, Section 31 gets left behind (but not the secret forces undermining the Federation). But the division has popped in other new Trek shows since, albeit as a joke on Lower Decks . Even the largely upbeat third season of Picard could not resist invoking Section 31 in its DS9 callbacks, using Changelings who suffered the division’s experimentations during the Dominion War as secondary antagonists.

Still, despite the beauty of having Michelle Yeoh in the Star Trek universe, the prospect of a Section 31 movie starring her Georgiou seems more like a threat than a promise.

The Limits of Section 31

Section 31 defenders will insist that because the division has been involved in some good stories, which justifies the increased attention over the years. Indeed, the story of Trek is, in many ways, the story of exploring initially underserved aspects of the universe, whether it be characters such as Data and Seven of Nine or the Federation itself. Heck, the holodeck/holosuite episodes or the musical episode of Strange New Worlds are all extensions of the Earth-like planets that the Enterprise visited for budget reasons in TOS .

However, those worthy off-shoots worked because they lent themselves to the type of storytelling that Trek does best: fundamentally optimistic, about people overcoming their fear and prejudice to work together. As most time-travel episodes demonstrate, the optimism of Trek stands contrary to our current skeptical age. Darker, more grounded stories have more immediacy and can be more powerful, which is why Battlestar Galactica outdid Enterprise in the 2000s.

But as the world gets worse and the ideals of peace-seeking, community, and overcoming xenophobia become harder to see, Trek optimism grows all the more important. For all of his flaws, Roddenberry’s initial vision of humanity working together still resonates and is even more necessary today.

To be clear, I’m not saying that Section 31 should never come up again. However, it does present a temptation to Trek writers who can’t do the hard work of telling good stories in an optimistic future. Section 31 allows them to fall back on easy tropes about secrets and conflict, which work great in other settings, but undermine Trek .

Writers need to put Section 31 on the shelf for a while and explore other aspects of the universe, aspects that give us the hope we so desperately need today. And when they bring back the division, it should be used like it was in Deep Space Nine , as a limit that we cannot reach, a warning against the compromises we’re so often tempted to make.

Only then can Section 31 fit within the hopeful, unlikely, but oh-so-needed world of Star Trek .

Star Trek: Section 31, a streaming movie starring Michelle Yeoh, is currently in production and is set to release on Paramount+.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

Leonard Nimoy Always In Ethan Peck's Head Is Why Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Spock Is So Good

Ethan Peck carefully builds on Leonard Nimoy's iconic Spock without simply mimicking the late actor's performance.
In Strange New Worlds, Peck plays a younger, emotionally vulnerable version of Spock compared to Nimoy's controlled character.
Peck incorporates elements of Nimoy's Spock while preparing to channel the logical Spock of TOS.

As Lieutenant Spock in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Ethan Peck builds on the performance of Leonard Nimoy in Star Trek: The Original Series without simply doing an impression of the late actor. Soon after his debut on TOS , Nimoy's Spock became a fan-favorite, and the Vulcan became Star Trek 's signature iconic character. Spock is recognizable even to people who know little to nothing about Star Trek . With Nimoy's performance setting the standard for Spock, Ethan Peck was aware that he certainly had big shoes to fill.

In the Star Trek timeline, Strange New Worlds takes place before Star Trek: The Original Series, making Ethan Peck's Spock a younger version of Leonard Nimoy's character, who has not yet fully embraced the Vulcan way of life. In the first two seasons of Strange New Worlds , Spock struggles with his emotions, often appearing more human than the Spock of TOS . Nimoy's Spock had his fair share of emotional moments , too, but they were typically the result of outside forces. Nimoy brought a subtly to Spock, often implying a deep sense of feeling while still maintaining tight control of any outward expression of emotion.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 - Everything We Know

Ethan peck always has leonard nimoy's spock in his head, peck thinks about how nimoy might've delivered each of his lines..

At Toronto Comic Con, Ethan Peck joined his fellow Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast members Anson Mount and Christina Chong to discuss the show and its connections to Star Trek: The Original Series . As reported by Flickering Myth , when asked about his initial reaction to being cast as Spock, Peck said the following:

“Not [to] screw it up. Really from the beginning, I was trying to do the best Spock that I can. That sounds really obvious, but it’s going to be impossible to separate the actor from the performance, especially with this sort of role, because I have to paint by numbers in many ways. When I prepare my scenes I always have Nimoy’s voice resounding in my head and check in with how he might say it.”

As a prequel, the events of Strange New Worlds lead into the events of Star Trek: TOS , meaning Ethan Peck's Spock will presumably move closer and closer to the Spock of that series. In his romance with Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), Spock explored his more human side, allowing himself to laugh openly and be more expressive. However, when Chapel broke things off in the Strange New Worlds musical episode , Spock resolved to embrace logic and reason to avoid feeling the pain of his intense emotions. This decision sets up the more logical Spock of TOS , and Peck will likely keep channeling Leonard Nimoy as Spock works to suppress his human emotions.

Before Spock and Chapel began their romance, Spock was engaged to T'Pring (Gia Sandhu), who represents the logic of Vulcan culture. The very human Nurse Chapel, on the other hand, represents everything that Vulcans are not.

How Ethan Peck's Spock Differs From Zachary Quinto's Star Trek Movie Spock

Peck's spock incorporates elements of both quinto and nimoy's version of the character..

Ethan Peck's Spock, too, sometimes struggles to contain his emotions, but he is better able to reign them in and still has the support of his mother.

Leonard Nimoy and Ethan Peck are not the only two actors who have portrayed Spock, as Zachary Quinto took on the famous role for J.J. Abrams' Star Trek in 2009. The alternate Kelvin timeline brought incredible tragedy to Spock's life, as the villainous Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) destroyed the planet Vulcan, killing Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson (Winona Ryder). Experiencing this level of grief made Quinto's Spock more volatile and prone to emotional outbursts. Ethan Peck's Spock, too, sometimes struggles to contain his emotions, but he is better able to reign them in and still has the support of his mother (Mia Kirshner).

Star Trek (2009) revealed that the Spock of the Kelvin timeline was involved in a romantic relationship with Lt. Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldaña), something that was not present in TOS . While the Spock and Ensign Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) of Strange New Worlds are undoubtedly friends, there are no hints of any romantic feelings between the two. Ethan Peck incorporates elements of both Quinto's Spock and Nimoy's into his performance , but ultimately, the Spock of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds must become the Spock of Star Trek: The Original Series . Leonard Nimoy's voice in Ethan Peck's head should help the actor channel this more logical version of Spock.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: The Original Series, and J.J. Abrams' Star Trek are streaming on Paramount+.

Source: FlickeringMyth.com

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Cast Bruce Horak, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia, Ethan Peck, Babs Olusanmokun, Rebecca Romijn, Christina Chong, Anson Mount

Release Date May 5, 2022

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Showrunner Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers

Leonard Nimoy Always In Ethan Peck's Head Is Why Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Spock Is So Good

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Star Trek Into Darkness
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Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) Star Trek (2009) Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) If you are slightly disappointed in hearing that so many of the classic films are no longer available to stream, remember if you are lucky enough to have a Netflix DVD account, it is likely that you can rent all the classics.
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Star Trek Into Darkness streaming: watch online
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For fans who want to rewatch Star Trek Into Darkness online, sadly it can't currently be found on Netflix, Hulu or Prime in the U.S. The film can be rented or purchased through iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, PlayStation Store and other outlets. For Netflix fans in the UK, the 2009 Star Trek movie is available, alongside the original series and ...
Star Trek Into Darkness: Review
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For all its sloppiness and blind spots and fanboy pirouettes, though, "Star Trek Into Darkness" is still an involving film with more heart than most summer blockbusters. Abrams' roots in TV ( Felicity, Alias, Lost) seem to have made him attentive to the dynamics of groups, and to the repeated phrases and gestures that bond viewers to characters.
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Star Trek Into Darkness Movie Review
Parents need to know that Star Trek Into Darkness is the 12th Star Trek movie overall, and the second installment in director J.J. Abrams' big-budget series reboot.The biggest issue is sci-fi/fantasy violence, with lots of punching, fighting, and shooting, a little blood (though not much), and some deaths (including an important supporting character).
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
In London, Starfleet agent John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) bombs a secret "Section 31" installation. In San Francisco, Pike and his first officer attend an emergency meeting of high-ranking officers at Starfleet headquarters. The meeting is attacked by a gunship piloted by Harrison, who kills Pike. Kirk destroys the gunship, but Harrison ...
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Debate. Director J. J. Abrams planned to release the film Star Trek Into Darkness in April 2013. Its title did not contain a colon after "Star Trek", such as in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and eight other Star Trek films. The "I" was to be capitalized in Abrams's April release, but Wikipedia's manual of style stipulates that prepositions ...
Watch Star Trek Into Darkness
Star Trek Into Darkness. 2013 | Maturity ... Watch all you want. JOIN NOW. Chris Pine, Zoe Saldaña and Benedict Cumberbatch star in this sci-fi adventure from director J.J. Abrams. More Details. Watch offline. Downloads only available on ad-free plans. Genres. Sci-Fi Movies, Action & Adventure Movies. This movie is... Exciting. Audio. English ...
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
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Star Trek Into Darkness Official Trailer #3 (2013)
Check out the ULTIMATE TREK TRAILER:http://goo.gl/GUgxnSubscribe to TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/sxaw6hSubscribe to COMING SOON: http://bit.ly/H2vZUnLike us on FA...
Star Trek Into Darkness
J.J. Abrams' STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS is the best-reviewed blockbuster of the year. When a ruthless mastermind known as Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch) declares a one-man war on the Federation Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) Spock (Zachary Quinto) and the daring crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise will embark on the greatest manhunt in history. It will take all of their skills and teamwork to defend Earth and ...
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Star Trek Into Darkness (4K UHD) When a ruthless mastermind, Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch,) declares a one-man war on the Federation, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise set out on their most explosive manhunt of all time. 45,687IMDb 7.72 h 12 min2013. X-Ray HDR UHD PG-13.
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Star Trek introduced the much-loved franchise to a new audience with a successful reboot. Director J.J. Abrams' initial space-faring feature film launched a new, superbly recast Star Trek: The Original Series crew and introduced the anything-goes alternate Kelvin Timeline.Initially introducing origin stories for the movie's leading characters, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary ...
Why Star Trek Needs to Forget Section 31
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Film Review: ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’

Scott Foundas

Reviewed at AMC Loews 34th Street, May 2, 2013. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 132 MIN.

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