1. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
The obvious parallels of Into Darkness with the original crew's own second cinematic outing lie in the hands of the new returning characters, Khan and Carol Marcus. Somewhat less obviously though, depending on how well versed you are in classic Trek, they don't just stop there but can be seen throughout the whole film. Widely regarded as the best of the (original) Original Series movies it too was based on a story that came before, after Khan Noonien Singh (to use his full name) tested Kirk's brains, brawn, and even heart, in the Original Series episode Space Seed. Considered to be Kirk's ultimate nemesis with good reason, it is easy to see why writer Harve Bennett chose to revisit the character in 1982, likewise Robert Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof thirty years later with their virtual parallel. Yet another similar aspect to add to the list is Chekhov being granted a promotion, albeit here he is given first officer duties aboard the USS Reliant, another Federation starship which opens fire on the Enterprise, and is also commanded by Khan. The biggest example of the film's similarities however, has to be the radiation chamber sacrifice. Much like Into Darkness itself, this scene copies the essence of the original, but with a 180 degree twist and emphasis placed on the action. Kirk's instinctual and heartfelt effort may have had more of a kick to it than Spock's belief in the logic that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one", but for those in the know its surroundings feel more like cheap imitations than a well thought out homage. These of course range from Spock's echo of an anguished cry that over the past thirty years has descended to the depths of parody, to Khan's genetically modified miracle cure blood, which lead to the simple fact that it wasn't really a sacrifice after all. It also has to be said that Spock's chase through San Francisco, fueled by un-Vulcan like anguish, also takes away from the emotional farewell that wasn't just witnessed but felt in The Wrath Of Khan. With Spock's original sacrifice protecting the Enterprise from Khan's suicidal bid to destroy his nemesis, his own final act is followed by nothing but a sense of resolution that gives the audience no distractions from the emotion of treating his selflessness with the sincerity that the death of a much loved character needs. In perhaps it's final comparison, much like those exiting the cinema in 1982, Into Darkness leaves fans wondering what will come next. Albeit without the almost unthinkable possibility that a generation's hero might not return, the beginning of the Enterprise's famous five year mission to "seek out new life and new civilisations" does seem to come at odds with the advent of Star Trek's 50th anniversary. While the premise of this new mission would suggest a film which would embrace the concept of exploring the unknown, it is hard to imagine that any film released in 2016 (and it would be madness not to release the next film in such a milestone year), just three years after Doctor Who's current celebrations, won't also resist the temptation of reveling in what has come before. That said however, describing the plagiarism of Into Darkness' as "reveling" is one that many fans would take issue with.
Like this article? Let us know in the comments section below.