Next up to the plate we have the radioactive power core scene. While Star Trek is a science fiction, it mostly maintains the realism of human physical and mental capacity. Captain Kirk embodies the classic archetype of a young human male hero; headstrong, rebellious, and ultimately limited by his passions, women and adrenaline. It is because of this that his success in aligning the core of the ship is totally unbelievable. It seems as though they allowed Kirk to magically crawl back and collapse against the window simply for the convenience of the dialogue that follows between him and Spock. If this exchange had been anything more than the generic “I took you for granted, I’ll never have another bromance like this”, perhaps the compromise would have been passable. Strike 2.

One thing that did work in this film was Benedict Cumberbatch. His interpretation of Kahn felt real. Despite his emo haircut gone wrong he captured the violent, psychopathic nature of Kahn and translated it in every scene, whether it be through calculated dialogue or impassioned outbursts. Chris Pine however could not deliver more than his simple role required in the first film. Committed to being jovial, angry, or flirtatious, it felt painfully awkward when Kirk is captured in a horrific over the shoulder reaction shot during his discussion with Captain Pike about losing the Enterprise. I felt like he was going to bust out the quiver lip to match his shocked puppy dog eyes. Strike 3. There isn’t much more to say about this film, but just as J.J Abrams felt an insatiable compulsion to abuse the lens flare special effect, I feel an insatiable compulsion to comment on it. I can handle, dare I say enjoy, an artistically placed lens flare, be it creeping around the edge of a rising planet or bursting from Chris Pine’s charismatic eyes. But when two characters are inside in a dark location having simple dialogue, an awkward hexagonal lens flare across the bottom of the screen is NOT OKAY.

Great filmmaking is always going to be about being able to tell a great story really well. The weakest link always breaks the chain, and in Star Trek: Into Darkness it is apparent that one weak link might have been overlooked, two forgiven but with a third strike we just get uncomfortable. Trekies will not be forgiving.