Spoiler Alert: This editorial contains frank discussion of events in the Star Trek franchise, specifically Star Trek (2009), Into Darkness, and The Wrath Of Khan. It is assumed that the reader has seen these films.
Things are starting to come together for the second sequel in the rebooted Star Trek franchise, which has announced a release date of July 8, 2016. Roberto Orci is officially out as director, with Justin Lin of the Fast & Furious franchise now set to helm. With a sequel now definitely barreling our way, it seems an appropriate time to revisit the previous film, the problematic Star Trek Into Darkness, in hopes that the next one won’t fall prey to the same issues.
J.J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek relaunch was such a surprisingly effective and reverent film, with a whip-smart script by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman that understood the characters and the need to satisfy both old and new fans. The film acts as a true sequel to the classic television series and films (or “Prime” Universe), which still exist as the experiences and memories of the original Spock (“Spock Prime”, Leonard Nimoy) who bridges the old and new narratives. Yet the film also uses a time travel device to create a brand new, alternate timeline in which anything can happen. It was an inventive and effective way to let new films boldly go where the series had not gone before. With this terrific new direction for the franchise, the slate was wiped clean for a universe where anything could happen. The film makes bold use of this, creating changes both intimate (like character dynamics among the crew) and earth-shattering (even literally, as with the destruction of the planet Vulcan).
How disappointing, then, that its sequel, despite having the same director and writers credited, immediately fell into the obvious trap of predictability and meaningless repetition.
Now, I don’t mean to downplay the film’s better aspects. Doubtless, there is the signature action and humor, and the same characters that we loved from the first film. But something stinks on the Enterprise. In reviewing some of our previous Cinapse coverage, I see that David Delgado has expressed some of these concerns in an earlier review.
Star Trek Into Darkness falters in four specific ways:
1 — Rehashing an established story rather than forging a new path
With a whole new timeline and universe to explore, why are we rehashing the Khan story? While there are some minor changes for the formula, the overall arc still boils down to Khan versus Kirk and Spock. The “John Harrison” angle hiding Khan’s identity isn’t any kind of meaningful change or taking ownership of the character. It’s simply smoke and mirrors to hide the fact that this is all a big rehash. Actually it’s worse than that, because what they do change — his apparent nationality — makes absolutely no sense (Khan, full name Khan Noonien Singh, is from India). No accent or anything? I mean, it’s literally a totally different person. I like Benedict Cumberbatch but he’s whiter than mayo on Wonder Bread. Bear in mind the alternate timeline cannot account for this, as Khan’s 20th Century origin precedes the time shift.
2 — Bringing Khan into the timeline at an earlier juncture
Khan was a formidable enemy in The Wrath Of Khan because he had been banished by Kirk and exiled on the planet Ceti Alpha V with no chance of escape. In an unforeseen circumstance, that healthy planet later became hostile to life and killed most of his followers, including his wife. Khan’s hatred of Kirk stemmed from an old grievance that had been festering for 15 years. By rushing Khan’s story, both in terms of compression and being earlier in the new timeline, the new approach is cheated of this depth of character.
3 — Using Spock Prime as an expository device to identify Khan
This is the one that stings the most. With this new timeline, history is unwritten. The Enterprise consults Spock for his opinion on this “Khan” character, which itself is a narrative cheat because the new gang needs to fend for themselves if they’re going to compete in our hearts against the old crew. Moreoever, Spock of all people should know better than to assume that anything in this new timeline is a given, especially without Kirk and Khan’s adversarial history coloring their relationship. While true, Spock’s statement that Khan was their most dangerous enemy is ill-advised and seems out of character.
4 — A reversal of the Wrath Of Khan finale that feels tacky and weightless
This is perhaps the toughest one to criticize, at least from a script perspective, because things that sound great on paper can be flubbed in execution, and I believe this was one of them. Kirk’s sacrifice at the end of the film is of course drawing a parallel with Spock’s sacrifice at the end of Wrath Of Khan, but it feels forced and insincere. The switch-up between Kirk and Spock highlights their sacrificial friendship in the sense that either would give up their life for the other, but it’s so on-the-nose as a reversal that it doesn’t resonate, especially since Kirk experiences a speedy recovery. Spock’s death came after the full television series and two films, and literally decades on our cultural radar. It carried a lot of weight, especially since he was still dead after the credits rolled. This rehash just feels like the series blowing its load too early because it has absolutely no idea what else to do.
The Rewrite
This is a time for exploration and discovery, and there’s no way we should be dipping into Khan territory yet with so much to look ahead to. That said, if the general concept of a return of Khan were assumed, here’s how I would’ve handled it. I actually developed this idea before seeing Into Darkness, and my disappointment with the film solidified my belief that this concept is worthwhile.
First, no beating around the bush about Khan’s involvement. He’s a major character in the universe and I’d absolutely herald his return. Every trailer and poster would indicate the presence of Star Trek’s most famous villain. (I realize this is marketing and not writing but stay with me).
We know the classic “Prime” version of Khan as a villain, but his life’s trajectory was largely circumstantial. His bearing is marked by gallantry and nobility. I don’t think this is a façade. He’s really that guy. His original run-in with the Enterprise (a man awakened after more than two centuries of cryosleep, in 1967’s “Space Seed”) was largely motivated by concern for his people. The episode actually ends on somewhat friendly terms. What transformed Khan from a curiosity of the week to the most memorable villain in Star Trek lore was being wronged by Kirk. The important thing about his grievance is that it’s justified, and it’s been festering for years. Without such a motivation, it’s counter-intuitive that the new timeline’s Khan would automatically be a bad guy.
In short, I’d play him up as a villain but instead make him an unlikely ally. While still narcissistic and ambitious to a fault, this version of Khan is ultimately a hero for the audience to empathize with, and love.
Khan would be introduced as an opponent to Kirk, similar to how Spock was set up in the 2009 film. This universe has been a bit kinder to Khan; he and his people were freed from their cryosleep on the SS Botany Bay some years ago and introduced into the modern populace. Khan is still a selectively-bred super-person just as in the Prime Universe; his 20th Century origin precedes the continuity shift. His rescuers at Starfleet sense his power and potential for greatness and offer him an officership which to the shock and dismay of his people, he accepts. Like Kirk, he has now quickly risen to the rank of Captain. Despite their similar trajectories, he sees the younger, brasher Kirk as something of an upstart. Several of Khan’s longtime subordinates also followed him to Starfleet, and serve as officers on his crew.
Both Khan and Kirk fall in love with the same woman, Serynne Q’aad, the science officer on Khan’s ship (no need to consult the Wikis, I just made her up. But if you’d prefer to sub in Dr Carol Marcus, that’s fine). Khan’s attempts at courtship are muted by his refusal to act dishonorably. Serynne is his subordinate, and he’s careful not to act in a manner unbecoming of a Captain. He considers Kirk totally unworthy of her love, and is doubly frustrated that she responds to Kirk’s buffoonery over his own more dignified attempts at romance. The subtext makes it clear that this is really eating him up and things could really get ugly, such that he might turn against them both.
This love triangle plays against a brewing conflict with a mysterious fanatical group which has come to blows with an outpost on a distant planet. In a skirmish with the Enterprise, the enemy employs too-perfect tactics which make it seem they’re getting intel from someone on the inside. Uhura intercepts a transmission and deduces that the mystery baddies are actually the Botany Bay survivors, continuing on their mad quest to conquer a new world. When Khan insists on going alone to negotiate with the enemy, it seems to confirm Kirk’s worst suspicions that he has turned.
We find that the reason Khan went to negotiate alone was noble; he anticipated that any other envoys would be killed. The baddies detain him and the real traitor, his second-in-command, slays Serynne as an insult against both lovelorn captains. The splinter group resents that Khan has adjusted well to this new age, and has abandoned their original intent to strike out and build (conquer) a new world.
The crew of the Enterprise rescues Khan, and he and Kirk, once bitter rivals, now find themselves becoming even stronger allies, united by their thirst for vengeance and their love for the same woman, and realizing they have far more in common than they had previously thought. They spend the latter third of the film creating a bond forged in battle.
At the climax of the ensuing battle, Khan sacrifices himself to save the crew of the Enterprise. As his life ebbs away, a devastated Kirk attempts to scream his name but can only muster a choked whisper: KHAN!
Reintroducing the character of Khan in this new universe was a golden opportunity to create a truly bold and memorable film that made the most of the alternate timeline’s potential to be fresh and different. I feel the filmmakers squandered the opportunity by creating an unimaginative rehash of what we’ve already seen before.
What’s really tragic about Star Trek Into Darkness is that they actually kind of got part of it right without committing fully. The new Khan also has a justifiable cause and a sense of rightness to his actions. Kirk even briefly allies with him, but only so he can sucker-punch him a few minutes later. But by making him a techno-terrorist from the start, Khan is condemned early with no chance for a redemptive arc. What a shame.
A/V Out.