I thought it may be time to jump forward and have a look at one of the big release film's for 2013, Star Trek: Into Darkness.
As you can see by my profile photo, I've had the opportunity to interview JJ Abrams, as well as many of the cast & crew from 2009's re-booted Star Trek. While it may not be Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, the 2009 film was a fast-paced adventure that took familiar characters and put them in an alternate timeline, allowing a different story to be told about how Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Uhura, Sulu & Chekov came to be the main crew of the Starship Enterprise.
I took the opportunity this week to have a look at the 9 minute preview attached to the front of the Imax version of Peter Jackson's new Hobbit film.
So, what do I make of this extended preview?
My understanding, from what I have read, is this is the first 7 or so minutes of the new film. The film opens with Noel Clarke & Nazneen Contractor travelling to the London Royal Children's Hospital to visit their terminally-ill daughter. Contemplating his daughter's illness, wracked with despair, Clarke's character is approached by Benedict Cumberbatch's John Harrison, who claims he can save the little girl's life. This first couple of minutes is fairly low-key to what comes next.
The story cuts to the planet Nibiru and a disguised figure being chased through a "red" jungle by the planet's native population. Mid-flight, the disguised figure runs into a clearing only to be confronted by a massive beast, which the figure, fearing for life, is forced to kill. The disguised figure is revealed to be Captain James T. Kirk. As the beast slumps, another disguised figure appears from behind the dead creature. As the figure rips off the disguise, we learn its 'Bones' McCoy, who is yelling at Kirk telling him that he's just shot their ride!
Kirk and McCoy start running as the unhappy locals and their spears start getting a bit too close for comfort. Kirk makes contact with Spock, Uhura and Sulu, who are in a shuttlecraft hovering above a volcano that is well and truly active. After an exchange between Kirk and Spock, via communicator, Spock is lowered from the shuttle into the volcano with a device intended to stop it from erupting and killing the very locals that have been chasing Kirk and McCoy.
The action then cuts back to Kirk and McCoy who jump from a cliff-top into the ocean below, where the Enterprise sits in waiting. Once inside the ship and back on the bridge, Kirk finds himself faced with a difficult decision, as Spock's connection with the shuttle has been severed. The Vulcan is now trapped inside the volcano with only a minute-and-a-half before the device designed to stop the eruption does its work. The problem for Kirk is that the device will kill Spock when it detonates.
The final part of the preview shows Spock inside the volcano closing his eyes and preparing himself for death ...
Like the opening of 2009's Star Trek and the crew of the USS Kelvin, this story does not waste any time in placing the crew of the Enterprise in jeopardy. Kirk and McCoy's flight through the "red" jungle reminded me a lot of the opening to Raiders of the Lost Ark, where Indiana Jones is being chased by the Hovito natives after stealing their gold idol.
There's also the direct nod to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, with the apparent "death" of Spock in the opening minutes of the film. In 1981, during that film's production, news of Spock's death was leaked in the press. Fans were outraged. As a red-herring, the opening scenes of Star Trek II see the entire crew - except Kirk - "die" in a cadet simulation. This disarmed fans, as they believed that Spock's "death" was dealt with early in the story, so were unprepared when he sacrifices himself to save the Enterprise and its crew at the end of the film. In the 2013 extended preview, once again, we see Spock apparently sacrificing himself to save the Enterprise and its crew - albeit in different circumstances. The dilemma with the 2013 version is that this scene is immediately followed by the film's theatrical teaser, which shows Spock from scenes later in the film.
The opening moments of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan saw Kirstie Alley's Saavik character manage to sacrifice the entire bridge crew in attempting to save the Kobyashi Maru.
As with last year's Prometheus, I was impressed with the 3D format in Imax. I have not delved into the technical process used to create a 3D film, but my basic understanding is that two kinds of 3D film exist. There are those that are filmed in 3D and there are those that are filmed in 2D and then converted in the post-production process. Star Trek: Into Darkness was filmed in 2D and will be post-converted to 3D. Along with the 3D, elements of the film have also been shot with Imax film. These two elements combined provided a great, immersive feeling and I actually flinched at one point as a Nibiru spear came whizzing past McCoy's head!
If this extended preview is anything to go by, Star Trek: Into Darkness is going to be in a similar vein to the 2009 film, with action and drama that caters for an audience far exceeding the Star Trek fan base. I was genuinely excited to see the 2009 film and, based on what I saw this week, I can't wait for May 16, 2013 to arrive!
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