Benedict Cumberbatch: A cracking crew, brilliant baddie, storming script and virtuoso visuals prove that Star Trek knows how... to boldly grow (MAIL ON LINE)

Star Trek Into Darkness
Cert: 12A,    Time: 2hrs 15min    5/5

It was way back in 1966, some two-thirds of a perfectly decent lifetime ago, that the first series of Star Trek aired, with Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise setting off on what was only ever supposed to be a five-year mission.

So for the franchise still to be capable of producing films as good as Star Trek Into Darkness is hugely impressive.

For this turns out to be the picture when the latest Enterprise line-up – Chris Pine as Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Karl Urban as Dr McCoy and Zoe Saldana as Lieutenant Uhura – come properly of age.


But the real winner here is Benedict Cumberbatch. Having been garlanded with praise for his performance as a modern-day Sherlock Holmes on British television, it must have been galling to see Robert Downey Jr making the 19th Century version his own in the billion-dollar world of films.

Star Trek Into Darkness finally gives the talented Cumberbatch the chance to show Hollywood what he can do on the big screen, and, boy, does he seize it with both hands.

He’s instantly one of the great British baddies: not just reliant on steely-eyed menace – something that Cumberbatch can probably do in his sleep – but a genuinely intimidating physical presence too.
Now that’s seriously clever acting, in what turns out to be an outstandingly good Star Trek film.



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BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH: Trek stars awed by Benedict Cumberbatch (THE AGE)

If there's one thing all the Star Trek alumni agree upon, it is how much they admire the new villain for Into Darkness, Benedict Cumberbatch.

Speaking before the film's premiere in Sydney on Tuesday, director JJ Abrams was full of praise for the British actor, known widely as the star of the BBC TV series Sherlock.

"We needed someone who was going to be able to really scare you and at the same time not overdo it," said Abrams.

"It required, honestly, a great actor who was going to elevate whatever material we gave him."

Abrams says having such a brilliant actor on set effected the rest of the cast.

"You could feel everyone kind of have to kind of straighten their backs a little when he was around."

Cumberbatch has been brought into the Star Trek fold to play rogue Starfleet insider John Harrison.

He's a figure of mystery who is shown early in the film manipulating another Starfleet officer into destroying one of its offices.

Zachary Quinto, who returns as Mr Spock in the sequel, says Harrison is a formidable foe.

"He's no Scaramouche, he is something to be seriously dealt with and he plays it so beautifully too," Quinto says.

That's a view echoed by Kiwi actor Karl Urban, reprising his role of Dr Leonard "Bones" McCoy in Into Darkness.

Urban says there is nothing of the two-dimensional villain in Cumberbatch's "extraordinarily gifted" performance.

"While you don't agree with his methods, you can empathise with why he's doing it and that is always very scary in a villain," Urban says.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/trek-stars-awed-by-benedict-cumberbatch-20130424-2idre.html#ixzz2RO2I8OLz

'Star Trek Into Darkness' Spoilers: What Villain Will Benedict Cucumber Play In The Sequel? By Ian Kar on November 16, 2012 4:15 PM EST (INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL TIMES)

With a trailer and extended preview for "Star Trek Into Darkness" coming out in December, what can we expect from the movie? The 2009 surprise hit, "Star Trek," directed by J.J. Abrams and starring Chris Pine as James T. Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy and John Cho as Sulu, appease both longtime Trekkies and casual moviegoers, and made a new generation of "Star Trek" fanatics. But what exactly will the film focus on?

It's really hard to say. Everyone involved has been extremely tightlipped about the plot of the film, especially Benedict Cumberbatch's role as the villain.

Benedict Cumberbatch, from the Emmy-winning BBC show "Sherlock" (if you haven't seen "Sherlock," watch it on Netflix as soon as you finish this article) will definitely play the villain in "Star Trek Into Darkness" but what exactly is his role? We have no idea, but it probably won't be the "Star Trek" classic, Khan Noonien Singh, from "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn." Many people involved in the movie, from producers to Simon Pegg, who plays Scottie, have adamantly denied the rumors that Cumberbatch will play Khan. They might just be trying to throw us off, but I think that it makes sense that Abrams and co. won't use Khan as their villain in this movie. They're trying to make a unique film, distant from the original "Star Trek" series staring William Shatner, and using Khan in the second movie would be exactly what they did originally.

READ MORE: http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/12825/20121116/star-trek-darkness-spoilers-what-villain-benedict-cumberbatch-role-sequel.htm

Benedict Cumberbatch: Scribe Alex Kurtzman Hints at 'Amazing' Challenge in 'Star Trek' Sequel (ACES SHOWBIZ)

Commenting on the franchise newcomer, Benedict Cumberbatch who is believed to tackle the major villain, Kurtzman stated that the English actor is such a "magnetic" star. He said, "He's incredible. What he does with language is incredible. His training is amazing and he's so magnetic, he holds the screen in any size frame, he really is a joy to watch."

Due to be released in the U.S. on May 17, 2013, the untitled Star Trek sequel still hasn't unveiled its official plot details. Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, Karl Urban and John Cho are all set to return as Spock, Uhura, James T. Kirk, Scotty, Pavel, Bones and Hikaru Sulu respectively.


READ MORE:  http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00049405.html

Liam Neeson's food stained script offered at SCENE fundraiser, plus signed posters from Twilight Saga

Straight.com - Vancouver

When Liam Neeson was in town shooting new film The Grey not too long ago, he was treated, along with other cast and crew members, to a private screening of Raging Bull at the Cinematheque. In return, the actor bequeathed his shooting script to repertory cinema for its annual fundraiser, SCENE.
“It has coffee stains on it, food stains on it, it’s been leafed through, all his part is highlighted, stuff has been scratched out, reworked… It’s really quite cool,” Cinematheque managing director Amber Orchard told the Straight.

Now in its fourth year, Orchard started SCENE to combat dwindling grants from sources like the BC Arts Council. Thanks in part to the yearly fundraiser, Orchard said the Cinematheque is still in good health, and on Thursday’s event (November 3), patrons will be treated to something of an upgrade as it shifts from its former home at the Canvas Lounge to the Waldorf.

Naturally, this means a Tiki themed bash, with Nuba providing the eats, the Gurus bringing the live tunes, and CityTV’s Dawn Chubai supplying the polished hosting job. But south pacific vibe aside, it’s the auction that really brings in the punters.

Along with Neeson’s script, this year’s booty also include a number of signed posters—The Beaver (Jodie Foster), Incendies (Denis Villeneuve), The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Kellan Lutz), and RED (Karl Urban) among them—lots of tickets from local arts groups, and even some jewelry donated by producer Christine Haebler (Hard Core Logo, Daydream Nation).

“It’s less than a hundred back a ticket, it’s a great way to come out and support the arts in Vancouver, and you can do your Christmas shopping,” said Orchard.