Star Trek Vengeance

An excellent effort by TM2YC. I hadn't revisited the theatrical cut of this film since it first came out on video. I liked it okay but never really felt compelled to revisit it. Thanks to this fanedit, it has been improved a lot in my opinion.

A/V Quality - 10/10 - Looked spectacular, just as good my BD to my eye. Using the IMAX version was really smart and added grander scale to some shots.
Visual Editing - 10/10 - No noticeable cuts to me. It wasn't just that stuff was excised, it's that shots were repurposed and used for different effect. The Kirk/Spock argument was a great example of this, as well as the bar scene. Glancing at the cutlist after was pretty impressive; there were so many little touches and tweaks that were invisible.
Audio Editing - 10/10 - Everything sounded great. I'm not sure there was a lot changed but the score felt more continuous than I remember. I think the main theme was used a bit more, I think.
Narrative - This is where the edit shines. Khan is still not a great character but his exposition dumps are as limited as can be. Kirk and Spock's relationship tracks a lot better for me. Kirk isn't fired and then given command back right away for no real reason (and in this Kirk's dressing down works much better). Uhura's not a bundle of emotional nerves for no real reason at a time where it makes no real sense. There's no tacked on Vulcan talk and cameo. Carol is a lot less awful. Spock's raging bloodthirst now makes more sense (it's emotional AND logical now. Perfect for a Vulcan.) All of these benefits are basically at the cost of Uhura's role being reduced (sucks but I'd rather have her reduced and with some dignity) and Carol feeling like a walking plot device (that doesn't pay off). But in the original she was basically a walking plot device that doesn't pay off while also stripping and acting terribly. So, the character's big moment didn't play in the original really, either.
Enjoyment - 9/10 - TM2YC has turned a 6.5 for me into a 9. There are some inherent flaws in the script that really can't be changed, but I think the editor improved just about everything that could be improved.

Oh, and I didn't even mention the color grade. Huge improvement for me. It's fascinating what a little vibrancy can do to the tone of a film. I also have a shit eye for colors so take that with a huge grain of salt. :)

Another stellar edit by TM2YC!

I loved his previous Trek project and thus had high hopes for his newest Trek endeavour... and I was not disappointed! :)

Like many, I too enjoyed INTO DARKNESS when originally released, and while I still think it is a very entertaining movie, its flaws become more apparent with each new viewing, particularly in the third act. I would rate ITD my third fave of the new Kelvin movies after Beyond and ST09.

What TM2YC has done here is mostly trims and tweaks, most of which are seamless and serve the narrative well. The two most brilliant edits are the removal of Kirk's demotion and the resequencing of the Khan superblood reveal --- now Spock is motivated to save his friend and not by emotional revenge, which I do not think the original version truly earned. I love these two changes and they immediately elevate this edit above the original cut.

However, the removal of the Uhura/Spock conversation in the shuttle to the Klingon home world does cause some minor narrative weaknesses. The kiss later feels slightly out of place and Spock's emotional journey is slightly softened.

But these are minor quibbles in the over scheme of things, and I found the edit moves at a brisk and engaging pace.

The colour work overall looks very good, though there were a couple of times where things looks a little off, such as the shipboard uniform pants not looking classic black but more teal-ish.

There is also a significant audio sync issue in the edit involving Scotty.

On the flip side, there is some very impressive visual fx work done that I would never even have noticed as not original if I had not been following the original production thread. Bravo TM2YC!!!

All in all, I was thoroughly entertained and would highly recommend this edit.
Thumbs up!

When Star Trek into Darkness originally came out, I remember it being touted as being the movie to save hollywood that year. It definitely isn't a perfect film and has many loopholes, but I remember enjoying watching it in the theater. Hearing that TM2YC was attempting to fix some of those loopholes, I have been extremely excited to see this edit.

All review content is based on the 18gb Blu Ray AC3 Stereo edition and will focus on the main rating categories. This review will also attempt to be spoiler free until the narrative section.

Audio/Video Quality: 9/10
The AC3 audio sounds great.
The video quality is crisp and clear with only slight blocking during scenes that have a lot of particle effects and or movement (ala Nibiru chase scenes).

Visual Editing: 9/10
TM2YC's visual editing is seamless. Added components such as smoke overlays, new title sequences, removal of ships, etc. are completely natural looking as if they always occurred in the film. This is a textbook example. The color grade is fantastic. I find that I am noticing more in this film because of the more accurate coloring. There may be a bit too much yellow for my eyes, but this is far superior to the official release.

Audio Editing: 9/10
Audio transitions during edited scenes are near flawless in this edit. The only real issue I have with the audio is during the ending of Pike's chastising of Kirk. The audio switch used to end the scene feels a bit off due to the same cue being heard in the following scene. This is more an issue of personal taste though as the execution is flawless.

Narrative: 8/10 *Spoiler Alert*
The main changes to the narrative are handled well in this edit. This is a more streamlined presentation that focuses on the core story and removes content that would otherwise distract from or add to the main focus. The rearranging of certain scenes works great and helps establish certain key elements of this edit.

The beginning scenes of the movie seem to have an extra sense of freneticism due to some editing choices. I personally like the lines regarding the prime directive that were omitted and felt that they helped to strengthen the connection to the OT and its characters. I also feel like this omission removes some of the key components of the OT triangle; Kirk (heroism), Spock (logic), McCoy (compassion). One area that doesn't seem to fit the narrative is Pike's line "It's going to be ok son" around the 20 minute mark. Since there is no demotion, this line doesn't feel right or needed. Speaking of the no demotion of Kirk, this is handled superbly and all scenes concerning this scene have been expertly edited. The added components to the meeting ambush help to create a greater sense of tension and loss which enhance the impact of the scene. Edit choices throughout appear to follow the "Faster, more intense" mindset. While it works to progress the story and cut side plot material and character development, I found myself missing omitted scenes. Certain dialogue such as Spock's line about incurring the rage of Uhura doesn't quite make sense without the lovers quarrel scene that was removed. Again, this is a personal preference.

*EDIT*
Upon further watches I noticed that the security guards are sitting in the cockpit with Kirk, Spock & Uhura. It totally makes sense that Spock would not divulge such in their presence as it wouldn't be appropriate. Good edit TM2YC! The inclusion of the deleted scenes are absolutely fantastic and placed expertly to advance and enhance the story.

While this edit does a fantastic job at removing the confusing choice to demote and promote Kirk in the same movie, I had hoped that Kirk's death could have received a more believable resolution. This is no fault of TM2YC as the source material does not allow for such at the moment. While I find that I actually might prefer the original cut more, this was a fun ride and an excellent example of what a quality fan edit should look, sound, and feel like. Thank you TM2YC!

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed this movie and would like a fresh take on it, tolerated this movie but wished for similar changes, and any aspiring faneditor who would like to view an example of superb craftsmanship.

A labor of love for the editor, who took painstaking care of using everything at his disposal to transform an uneven and careless picture into a much tighter and interesting action adventure.

I personally was a bit skeptic on how much could be salvaged but was pleasantly surprised to discover the film becomes something else once so much junk and nonsense has been ejected.

I really recommend it as the definitive version of the film (forget the other one) and as a fix for those who felt that the original had something going but never got around to materialize it.

Count me firmly in the "liked it" camp. In fact, when I first saw Into Darkness, I thought it might even be better than its predecessor (and this is coming from someone who LOVED ST09 - it's my favorite Trek film). Since then, watching it again, is it perfect? No. Some plot contrivances become more obvious upon repeat viewings, and character regressions become more eyeball worthy. Still, is STID a fun and completely watchable flick? Definitely. So while many have clamored for an edit for awhile, I have not. But I'm more than welcoming to Vengeance, which brings the film damn near close to the best it can be.

First of all, all the nips and tucks done, whether to remove weird lines or fix reactions or pacing - perfect and completely seamless. In many cases they do what they set out to do like a trick, keeping things going. In most cases you won't even notice. Most of the edit is comprised of these types of tweaks, to the point where, even though 15 minutes have been removed, if you didn't know better you'd probably never notice. Which is of course the true sign of a great fan edit.

The opening scene works this way, and is in many ways faster and more fun than the original. Not in all ways because unfortunately, the resequenced reveal of the Enterprise emerging from the water to save Spock is sort of ruined, pacing-wise, in comparison to the original. Still, I love the reinsertion of the deleted scene (even if the musical scoring isn't quite what I would have done), and the new title is very well done.

Moving on, removing Kirk's demotion is handled quite well and does a good deal to improve the film in regards to Kirk and Spock's character. Kirk doesn't need to be sent to his room for him to learn his lesson, so the change is nice, in addition to removing the redundancy of getting his rank back later. Unfortunately there's a slight oddity because of this when Kirk says that only he can go get Harrison, but I suppose its not all that different from the original. More odd is the bar scene. The intention of the editing is clear, but you can't remove Pine's smile to make Kirk reaction go from feeling comforted to feeling guilty. The real winner of the demotion change though is the scene in which Kirk asks Spock why he saved him which is expertly done and really frames their relationship in this film very well.

Spock's handling of his emotions is a big through line in the original and here, with a key scene being his discussion with Uhura on the ship en route to Kronos. That scene is cut here, mostly because of what it does to Uhura's character. Going it to this edit, I was okay with that. Watching, the edit is, of course, seamless, and helps keep the film going at a breakneck pace. Problem is, though, once the film has come full circle and Spock is watching Kirk die, the emotional through line kind of falls apart. The scene on the ship is crucial not just to establish and deepen Spock's handling of his feelings post-Vulcan, but also to have a pause in the action for some depth, and to remind us where the characters are coming from emotionally. Ultimately, I think removing the scene is a mistake, regardless of how it treats Uhura. The Spock/Kirk dynamic is simply more important to this film and isn't quite there without this crucial element. (As well, Uhura kissing Spock after they get back on the Enterprise just seems contextless and random.)

Still, Kirk's death works fine here and in many ways much better than in the theatrical cut due to the relequencing of Bones's super-blood discovery. I mean, this is it, guys, this is the reason you need to see this edit. I'm not one who ever cared much about the Wrath of Khan rip-off critique because, frankly, I think it's not really there. Still, I can't deny the original's Kirk death and resurrection is a bit misguided. Well, it can't be removed, but it can be improved. It's so simple, really, and the changes are actually quite subtle, but what's done here is the final bit of the climax has been given a much needed boost of excitement and tension and plain heroism. It just works.

So yeah, overall, this is a great edit. On the technical side, yes the scene where Scotty resigns is out of sync. As well, for the most part I like the regrade (and appreciate that the vibrancy is still there), though I think it could have gone a bit farther. Shadows are still far too blue, and a couple deleted scene shots don't look quite right (Kirk's shirt almost green in the first scene, Scotty's face a little too desaturated in the one where he finds the Vengeance). Otherwise, though, the technical proficiency of this edit is top shelf. And it's just damn fun too. Recommended.