STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS ****
Dir: JJ Abrams( 12A, 129 mins) A tired sci-fi franchise haunted by the ghosts of William Shatner and Patrick Stewart, Star Trek had a superb rejuvenation in the hands of director and new Star Wars helmer JJ Abrams. The sequel ups the stakes, the spectacle and destruction and provides a fabulous baddie in the shape of Benedict Cumberbatch. Kirk, Spock, Bones and co have to face a threat from within Starfleet itself, with vengeance-fuelled nutter John Harrison. Their attempts to bring his reign of terror to an end lead the crew of the Starship Enterprise to a warzone world where many special effects will happen. Director Abrams managed to perfectly balance humour, jeopardy, character and spectacle in the first reboot, and it looks as if this will further that dynamic. To his credit, Chris Pine’ s Captain Kirk still has traces of Shatner swagger, Zachary Quinto infuses Spock with logical gravitas, Simon Pegg adds humour as Scotty, and Zoe Saldana has a gritty smoulder as Uhura. Joining the cast is Alice Eve as Kirk’ s potential love interest Dr Carol Marcus. There are nods to the history of Star Trek for the fanboys and deviations, the time travel element of the first film allowed this alternate Trek universe to exist. It’ s a big, fun, event movie; entertainment well done. Beam me up! Opens May 17
FAST AND FURIOUS 6 ****
Dir: Justin Lin( 12A, 120 mins) The surprisingly resilient car chase franchise was lifted to a new level with its last instalment. Fast And Furious Five was a gloriously entertaining, over the top, ludicrous action movie, pumped up by the presence of The Rock battling with fellow meathead Vin Diesel and pulling a massive safe down Rio streets. Fast 6 offers more of the same stunt-fuelled hokum, this time in London. Diesel and his team are cash rich after their escapades in Rio but still on the run from the authorities. When The Rock offers them a chance at a pardon for past crimes if they stop nasty mercenaries led by Luke Evans, they jump at the chance. Diesel’ s lost love, Michelle Rodriguez killed off in Fast 4, is back too, apparently having turned to the dark side and aiding the mercenaries, thereby enabling some plot amidst the spectacular set pieces. MMA star Gina Carano adds her fists and feet to the team ensuring some sort of girl-on-girl fighting and there are chases through London landmarks, a tank pursuit and lots of growling from Diesel. Testosteronefuelled and relentless if hardly cerebral, Fast 6 is action-heavy car porn. Opens May 24
MUD ****
Dir: Jeff Nichols( 12A, 130 mins) The writer / director of the excellent Take Shelter returns with a coming-of-age story dripping in Southern drawl and mythical, mystical backdrops. Tye Sheridan plays Ellis, a 14-year-old who, with best friend Neckbone, goes on an adventure to find an island where a boat is said to rest high in a tree following a flood. They find the boat and outlaw, Mud( Matthew McConaughey), who lives in it hiding out from the authorities and pining for his lost love Juniper – played by Reese Witherspoon. Ellis becomes a go between for Mud and Juniper and discovers that the world of adults is full of disillusionment. A languorous pace and a richly drawn world and characters elevate Mud into something more than a by-the-numbers comingof-age story. There are great performances all round, especially from Sheridan and McConaughey, whose career resurgence shows no sign of stopping. Engrossing and affecting. Opens May 10
THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST ***
Dir: Mira Nair( 15, 128 mins) Based on Mohsin Hamid’ s excellent book about the thorny nature of the American Dream for a Pakistani Wall Street whiz, director Nair’ s adaptation is occasionally gripping thanks to a superb central performance from Riz Ahmed. Ahmed plays Changez Khan, a Princeton graduate and Wall Street analyst who finds his life altered irrevocably by the events of September 11. He’ s grown disenchanted with America despite becoming an associate in a firm under the guidance of Kiefer Sutherland, and has a troubled girlfriend( Kate Hudson) who seems to offer him everything until the spectre of terrorism looms large. Racially profiled and persecuted in the USA, he returns to Pakistan where he no longer can feel at home either. A great many pertinent questions are raised before the film descends into thriller territory with unsatisfying results. Intelligent and intriguing for the most part and a great conflicted central performance from Ahmed that papers over the lapses into melodrama. Opens May 10
THE BIG WEDDING **
Dir: Justin Zackham( 15, 90 mins) A star-studded formulaic remake of a successful French comedy that loses a lot in translation. Based on the 2006 film, Mon Frere Se Marie, which wasn’ t hugely amusing in the first place, this has Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton playing a long divorced couple that have to pretend they are still married to appease the biological mother of their adopted son when she decides to come to his wedding. Phew. Susan Sarandon plays De Niro’ s current wife, who has to be a part of this ridiculous pretence along with grown up kids Katherine Heigl, Topher Grace and the groom, Ben Barnes. Amanda Seyfried is the bride to be, and Robin Williams cameos as a priest in a deeply unsatisfying comedy that squanders the star power on show. The humour is forced, the set up deeply flawed and the life lessons learned thoroughly predictable. Opens May 31
in the London Underworld. There will be cockneys. THE LIABILITY( 15) A hitman, Tim Roth, takes a rookie on a day-long trip of violent mayhem, sex trafficking and gritty scowling. EVERYBODY HAS A PLAN( 15) Viggo Mortenson stars in an Argentinian thriller as he takes the identity of his dead twin with running about consequences. A HAUNTED HOUSE( 15) Lame paranormal comedy from Marlon Wayan- part of the original Scary Movie team. Yes. NO ONE LIVES( 18) Nasty killers kidnap a wealthy couple only to have the tables turned on them. Luke Evans stars in a predictable, mildly gripping thriller. Clue may be in the title.