Star Trek Into Darkness

[Aces]

Saw the movie yesterday. I really liked the first one and this one is even better. People will say that many scenes are stolen from a dozen other movies, but whatever, it works and it's fun. My biggest problem with the movie is the finale, which is just too predictable for my taste. It was good and entertaining, but was missing the tension because you knew what would happen.

 

My Highlight and the heart of the movie: Benedict Cumberbatch. Just like Tom Hiddleston he knows how to play a fantastic bad guy. He is just perfect.

 

And for the big spoiler

 

 

KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN

 

That really a spoiler? It was the rumor all along, and Imdb no longer even lists the character that Cumberbatch is playing as "rumored" like they used to.

 

Yes, it's a spoiler for me cause I live under a rock.

But I don't mind.

I'm the kind that always peeked at my Christmas presents.

 

[slym2none]

I am so not a fan of Star Trek, never was, but at least this movie attracted me as a well done action film and is on my list of movies to sneak in to.

 

If you are going to sneak in to it then download it or something. Probably less chance of being caught doing something wrong that way.

My record is 5 movies in a day. I do pay for the first one

 

I've never snuck into a movie in my life. No I'm not an angel by any means. Yesterday I was reminded that I HAVE been photographed atop the fountains and statues of the NYC public library dressed as Santa Claus.

 

Still, I have never snuck into a movie.

Tell me you never snuck candy in

\

Never snuck candy in, but did sneak alcohol.

 

Ah, sneaking in a flask of rum with my 20 YO date to watch a movie... good times.

 

Even better, it was the Captain America movie just a few years back.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[Buzzetta]

I am so not a fan of Star Trek, never was, but at least this movie attracted me as a well done action film and is on my list of movies to sneak in to.

 

If you are going to sneak in to it then download it or something. Probably less chance of being caught doing something wrong that way.

My record is 5 movies in a day. I do pay for the first one

 

I've never snuck into a movie in my life. No I'm not an angel by any means. Yesterday I was reminded that I HAVE been photographed atop the fountains and statues of the NYC public library dressed as Santa Claus.

 

Still, I have never snuck into a movie.

Tell me you never snuck candy in

\

Never snuck candy in, but did sneak alcohol.

 

Ah, sneaking in a flask of rum with my 20 YO date to watch a movie... good times.

 

Even better, it was the Captain America movie just a few years back.

 

 

 

 

-slym

 

I think that a group of us are arranging an alcohol friendly movie experience for "This is the End"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1245492/

[fantastic_four]

Looking forward to seeing this, but I have a big problem with it:

 

 

I'm very distracted by why the heck Abrams would cast a white guy like Cumberbatch to play an Indian man. The more I ponder it, the more racist it feels. People around the web are referring to the film as "Star Trek: Into Whiteness" because of this inexplicable race conundrum of having a white actor play an Indian guy.

 

[Bosco685]

Looking forward to seeing this, but I have a big problem with it:

 

 

I'm very distracted by why the heck Abrams would cast a white guy like Cumberbatch to play an Indian man. The more I ponder it, the more racist it feels. People around the web are referring to the film as "Star Trek: Into Whiteness" because of this inexplicable race conundrum of having a white actor play an Indian guy.

 

 

 

One site's commentary on this topic, with suggestions of actors that could have tackled this role.

 

Bollywood weights in on Star Trek into Whiteness

 

Definitely seems like J.J. may have offended some folks in a very big market.

 

Mister Sulu even had something to add.

 

 

 

[bane]

Saw it on Sunday.

 

Very good movie, as enjoyable as the first. I have a couple of nitpicks with it but not enough that it pulled me out of the movie like Iron Man 3 did.

 

8/10 for me.

 

I will go see it again.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Looking forward to seeing this, but I have a big problem with it:

 

 

I'm very distracted by why the heck Abrams would cast a white guy like Cumberbatch to play an Indian man. The more I ponder it, the more racist it feels. People around the web are referring to the film as "Star Trek: Into Whiteness" because of this inexplicable race conundrum of having a white actor play an Indian guy.

 

 

I haven't seen it, so I don't know the backstory besides that of the original series and Star Trek 2, but aren't there plenty of "white" British Nationals that remain in India, considering it was a British held colony/territory since the early 1800s? Why would a white guy with a british accent from India be considered out of place?

 

[fantastic_four]

Looking forward to seeing this, but I have a big problem with it:

 

 

I'm very distracted by why the heck Abrams would cast a white guy like Cumberbatch to play an Indian man. The more I ponder it, the more racist it feels. People around the web are referring to the film as "Star Trek: Into Whiteness" because of this inexplicable race conundrum of having a white actor play an Indian guy.

 

 

 

One site's commentary on this topic, with suggestions of actors that could have tackled this role.

 

Bollywood weights in on Star Trek into Whiteness

 

Definitely seems like J.J. may have offended some folks in a very big market.

 

Mister Sulu even had something to add.

 

 

 

Yea I saw that Bollywood article and those two GIFs. For now it's looking like this is the biggest mistake Abrams has made in either film. It's extremely distracting.

[Bosco685]

Looking forward to seeing this, but I have a big problem with it:

 

 

I'm very distracted by why the heck Abrams would cast a white guy like Cumberbatch to play an Indian man. The more I ponder it, the more racist it feels. People around the web are referring to the film as "Star Trek: Into Whiteness" because of this inexplicable race conundrum of having a white actor play an Indian guy.

 

 

I haven't seen it, so I don't know the backstory besides that of the original series and Star Trek 2, but aren't there plenty of "white" British Nationals that remain in India, considering it was a British held colony/territory since the early 1800s? Why would a white guy with a british accent from India be considered out of place?

 

 

 

 

 

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Looking forward to seeing this, but I have a big problem with it:

 

 

I'm very distracted by why the heck Abrams would cast a white guy like Cumberbatch to play an Indian man. The more I ponder it, the more racist it feels. People around the web are referring to the film as "Star Trek: Into Whiteness" because of this inexplicable race conundrum of having a white actor play an Indian guy.

 

 

 

One site's commentary on this topic, with suggestions of actors that could have tackled this role.

 

Bollywood weights in on Star Trek into Whiteness

 

Definitely seems like J.J. may have offended some folks in a very big market.

 

Mister Sulu even had something to add.

 

 

 

 

See, aren't we supposed to look past all of this? The first choice to play the villain in this movie was Benecio Del Toro. So, if I'm of Indian heritage, should I be offended that the two renditions of Khan Noonien Singh were both going to be portrayed on the big screen by Latino actors? Does the Dark hair and skin tone make them a more "legitimate" Indian-by-proxy?

 

[bane]

Looking forward to seeing this, but I have a big problem with it:

 

 

I'm very distracted by why the heck Abrams would cast a white guy like Cumberbatch to play an Indian man. The more I ponder it, the more racist it feels. People around the web are referring to the film as "Star Trek: Into Whiteness" because of this inexplicable race conundrum of having a white actor play an Indian guy.

 

 

 

One site's commentary on this topic, with suggestions of actors that could have tackled this role.

 

Bollywood weights in on Star Trek into Whiteness

 

Definitely seems like J.J. may have offended some folks in a very big market.

 

Mister Sulu even had something to add.

 

 

 

Yea I saw that Bollywood article and those two GIFs. For now it's looking like this is the biggest mistake Abrams has made in either film. It's extremely distracting.

 

For you maybe.

 

For me, excellent performance, really enjoyed it, he did an excellent job.

 

The change did not detract from the movie at all.

[fantastic_four]

I haven't seen it, so I don't know the backstory besides that of the original series and Star Trek 2, but aren't there plenty of "white" British Nationals that remain in India, considering it was a British held colony/territory since the early 1800s? Why would a white guy with a british accent from India be considered out of place?

 

 

Don't know, and in Googling it, I can't find info on it. Lack of info about it--particularly on Wikipedia--suggests it's probably a very small number. I don't know why they'd stay in such a poor country unless they were born there and quite attached to where they live. I would be surprised if in a country of 1.2 billion people it's more than 10,000 people, i.e. more than 0.001% of the population. So unless you can find evidence of a larger British population there, yes, it's distracting for him to be a white guy.

 

[Bosco685]

Looking forward to seeing this, but I have a big problem with it:

 

 

I'm very distracted by why the heck Abrams would cast a white guy like Cumberbatch to play an Indian man. The more I ponder it, the more racist it feels. People around the web are referring to the film as "Star Trek: Into Whiteness" because of this inexplicable race conundrum of having a white actor play an Indian guy.

 

 

 

One site's commentary on this topic, with suggestions of actors that could have tackled this role.

 

Bollywood weights in on Star Trek into Whiteness

 

Definitely seems like J.J. may have offended some folks in a very big market.

 

Mister Sulu even had something to add.

 

 

 

 

See, aren't we supposed to look past all of this? The first choice to play the villain in this movie was Benecio Del Toro. So, if I'm of Indian heritage, should I be offended that the two renditions of Khan Noonien Singh were both going to be portrayed on the big screen by Latino actors? Does the Dark hair and skin tone make them a more "legitimate" Indian-by-proxy?

 

 

 

Totally agree. This would be like the comic book discussions on here recently where some are hardcore "don't alter my long-time characters" and then being okay with the character in Star Trek. If you believe in an approach, then it should apply to most any historic franchise.

 

 

 

 

I look forward to seeing this movie.

[The-Collector]

I am so not a fan of Star Trek, never was, but at least this movie attracted me as a well done action film and is on my list of movies to sneak in to.

 

If you are going to sneak in to it then download it or something. Probably less chance of being caught doing something wrong that way.

My record is 5 movies in a day. I do pay for the first one

 

I worked at a cinema. I wasted so much time chasing guys like you

[fantastic_four]

For you maybe.

 

For me, excellent performance, really enjoyed it, he did an excellent job.

 

The change did not detract from the movie at all.

 

 

Yea I've heard he's the best villain in any Star Trek movie or show. But it's not just for me, pretty much anybody who's either not white or who is white and interested in issues of race will be distracted by this--you can see in those GIFs that John Cho has it on his mind. I haven't seen it yet--was there any explanation offered in the film for why he's white?

 

[The-Collector]

For you maybe.

 

For me, excellent performance, really enjoyed it, he did an excellent job.

 

The change did not detract from the movie at all.

 

 

Yea I've heard he's the best villain in any Star Trek movie or show. But it's not just for me, pretty much anybody who's either not white or who is white and interested in issues of race will be distracted by this--you can see in those GIFs that John Cho has it on his mind. I haven't seen it yet--was there any explanation offered in the film for why he's white?

 

 

I didn't even know he was meant to be Indian until I read this thread. Shows my ignorance. I just thought Khan was a cool name . Now that I know, it is obvsious.

 

 

I loved the movie. I thought it was great. But I am biased being a big next gen and voyager fan.

 

[I like pie]

I don't quite understand the distraction. Its that Khan is played by a white actor and in the Trek world he is supposed to be Indian?

[fantastic_four]

 

Totally agree. This would be like the comic book discussions on here recently where some are hardcore "don't alter my long-time characters" and then being okay with the character in Star Trek. If you believe in an approach, then it should apply to most any historic franchise.

 

 

 

 

I would entirely agree with this if he wasn't an Indian dictator and his name wasn't Khan Noonian Singh. I need the film to explain to me how a white guy ended up as an Indian political leader. Maybe it does, but I haven't been able to find it while Googling.

 

In the Johnny Storm discussion, nothing about the character changes much if you change him from white to black. When it comes to Khan being a white guy, a LOT changes since he's an Indian dictator with an Indian name.

 

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

I haven't seen it, so I don't know the backstory besides that of the original series and Star Trek 2, but aren't there plenty of "white" British Nationals that remain in India, considering it was a British held colony/territory since the early 1800s? Why would a white guy with a british accent from India be considered out of place?

 

 

Don't know, and in Googling it, I can't find info on it. Lack of info about it--particularly on Wikipedia--suggests it's probably a very small number. I don't know why they'd stay in such a poor country unless they were born there and quite attached to where they live. I would be surprised if in a country of 1.2 billion people it's more than 10,000 people, i.e. more than 0.001% of the population. So unless you can find evidence of a larger British population there, yes, it's distracting for him to be a white guy.

 

So, we're using real-life population statistics to justify the presence of an ethnicity in a movie? Hard. Core. Geek.

[Bosco685]

For you maybe.

 

For me, excellent performance, really enjoyed it, he did an excellent job.

 

The change did not detract from the movie at all.

 

 

Yea I've heard he's the best villain in any Star Trek movie or show. But it's not just for me, pretty much anybody who's either not white or who is white and interested in issues of race will be distracted by this--you can see in those GIFs that John Cho has it on his mind. I haven't seen it yet--was there any explanation offered in the film for why he's white?

 

 

 

Did Roddenberry ever have to explain why he selected a Latin actor to play an Indian villain with the original Khan?