SheldonCooper's blog

After four years of anticipation, speculation and misinformation from JJ Abrams, Star Trek Into Darkness is finally here. The sequel to the 2009 film, simply titled Star Trek, and second chapter of the JJ Abrams Star Trek series, Star Trek Into Darkness is as fast-paced, action packed and groundbreaking, as least as far as Star Trek is concerned, as its predecessor. It's also the first Star Trek movie to be released in 3-D. Unfortunately, it's also highly derivative and in a lot of ways veers dangerously close to remake territory. A rogue Starfleet Admiral, the death of a major character and a villain named Khan, Star Trek Into Darkness doesn't really offer much in the way of originality.

Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness is a four issue miniseries that acts as a prequel to the new film Star Trek Into Darkness. The name is reminiscent of the title of the comic book prequel to the 2009 film, Star Trek: Countdown. Countdown to Darkness was written by Mike Johnson, writer of the original Countdown as well as the limited series Nero and the ongoing Star Trek monthly comic book, which is set in the JJ Abrams timeline, and was illustrated by David Messina, the artist on Countdown and Nero. Countdown to Darkness is a very interesting story and, with what little we know of the plot to Star Trek Into Darkness, does seem to set the movie up in the sense that you want to find out what happens next. It isn't "To Be Continued" so much as it definitely hints at another story, the film's story.

Well, it's better than the first one, I can say that much for it. Here's the thing, I liked G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, though I realize I'm in the minority on that one, but it was a perfectly mediocre movie. It wasn't fantastic, but it wasn't unwatchable, either. My biggest problem with the first G.I. Joe was that it was kind of just a two hour toy commercial. I would much have preferred a more straight-forward military action film. But it wasn't terrible, and in a lot of ways, Retaliation is slightly better.