Mystery: it’s the name of the game for Star Trek Into Darkness, J.J. Abrams’ followup to his 2009 sci-fi hit. Between posters and the official synopsis, we know little about where the director has taken his well-known ensemble of space cadets, other than that there is a (nameless) bad guy and he’s ready to ruffle James T. Kirk’s feathers.
The first footage for the film has arrived online, and it only demands more scrutiny. The minute-long fanfare for the official teaser, which will arrive on Dec. 17th paired with The Hobbit, is unexpectedly packed with imagery — as far as trailers for trailers are concerned. We get the crew, including Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and Bones (Karl Urban), diving into new action set pieces; a first look at newcomer Alice Eve, whose Starfleet science officer character is still unknown; a terrifying voiceover from villain Benedict Cumberbatch (another question mark in the grand scheme of Star Trek Into Darkness), who also strikes fear in the heart of Kirk with a snarl; and a dozen reactions from the rest of the ensemble, Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and Scotty (Simon Pegg) looking particularly shaken by whatever Cumberbatch is up to. Unlike the wild adventure vibe of the first installment, Star Trek Into Darkness seems to have taken a few cues from The Dark Knight in the creepy department. Things are going to get rough (see: the final money shot)
The real standout of this trailer? A taste of the IMAX footage. There’s a crispness to many of the action sequences, even in Internet video form, that can only be achieved from shooting in the oversized film format. As in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the larger-than-life style of IMAX is what turns a regular blockbuster into a must-see event film.
Check out the trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness below. The movie boldly goes where no Star Trek movie under the eye of Abrams has gone before on May 17, 2013.
[Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures]
Follow Matt Patches on Twitter @misterpatches
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