When I think of Star Trek, I think of a fine example of using the science fiction genre to teach morals and discuss issues plaguing our time. For the first quarter of the new Star Trek: Into Darkness, I thought we were getting such a tale. Oh, how I was wrong. Instead of the usually slow-moving and more morality teaching films of the past, we get a juiced up, over the top summer popcorn film that’s absolutely amazing. This is a new Star Trek with a new vision.

The story at first seems simple enough. A terrorist wants to teach Starfleet a lesson and make them pay for the sins of the past. It’s a direct story of the dangers we face every day, taking liberally from the headlines. It then shifts to something unlike anything that’s come before, an all out action film with some philosophical discussion. The story is really about militarization and the dual need to explore and learn versus the need to prepare for possible war and defense. What is the role of Starfleet and can, and should, it do both?

The film is loud and over the top. This is very much an action film with scenes and sequences that are on a massive scale. And it’s so much fun.

The movie forges a new path for the series. It goes for the bang and explosions instead of the morality tale. It looks more towards a shiny outside instead of its deep philosophical inside. It flips the dynamic previous movies had. Is the “darkness” really the move towards a shiny but shallow future? No, because that morality is there. The heart of Trek lives on and prospers with a much more bombastic packaging.

Things aren’t totally new though. There are lots of nods and winks for long time fans. Some of them crib directly from what’s come before, almost to a point of irritation for me. And that’s my one knock on the film (yes there were also massive plot holes). While those nods to what’s come before were great, I thought there were actually too many of them and some of them were directly from what’s come before. Instead this film should have forged its own path, and made subtler winks to long time Trek fans.

Like the look of the film, the cast has made gains since their first outing. Instead of imitating what’s come before, most have struck out and started to make the characters their own.

This is also a film that does 3D right. It enhances so many aspects of the film that I recommend spending the money and seeing it this way.

Overall, I loved the film, so much I will be seeing it again. This might shape up to be one of the best and most fun movies of the summer. A perfect mix of action that makes you think.

Direction: 9 Acting: 8 Plot: 8.75 Overall: 9