Star Trek Into Darkness (Abrams, 2013)

     At some point in the first third of the new Star Trek film, Simon Pegg's character Scotty asks, "I thought we were explorers?" He is confused by Captain Kirk's sudden interest in becoming the archetypical action hero, saving the day by killing the enemy. Pegg's interview with online entertainment publication io9 reveals why he asked the question: "I think that Scotty feels that everything that is happening is so besides the point, so besides what they're supposed to be for." Therein lies the real problem with Star Trek Into Darkness, the sequel to 2009's Star Trek, a blockbuster revival of the cult series.  J.J. Abrams returns to direct the sequel after leading the first film to box office success and critical acclaim.  Made famous by his obsessive use of lens flare, Abrams reuses many of the same elements that made the first film successful but he doesn't present anything new in the process.  Into Darkness is much more clinical than Star Trek, sacrificing the humanity that made the first film such a refreshing revival and turning the series into yet another generic action franchise.