Synopsis:

I liked 'Star Trek Into Darkness' a lot but from the first viewing I could see the flaws and could see ways to fix them. So this is an attempt to create my ideal version, a version that brings out the best of what was always there. The "plot holes" remain (Removing them would be like trying to make a bowl, out of a sieve) but the emotional impact and character motivations are now what I think they should have been.

Intentions:

There are a number of key problems that needed fixed with this movie: Kirk and Spock needed to not be enemies again, for the emotional impact to work. Uhura and Spock falling out was a distraction to the main themes and made Uhura look bad. Kirk being demoted and then instantly promoted was another distraction, when something simpler would work just as well. The late great Leonard Nimoy's cameo was sadly pointless and nonsensical. The film grade was just too damn blue/green compared to the nice vibrant dazzle of Star Trek '09. Lastly and most importantly, Kirk's sacrifice, Spock's reaction to it and the action-packed finale all rang a little hollow. So, I've tried to fix or improve all these things and hopefully make a version of this film that isn't just thrilling cinema but something emotional too. The movie is re-graded using the IMAX version, new music is added and deleted scenes restored and finished. The events of the last act are heavily re-ordered so there is an emotional impulse for the final chase. The last scene has also been tweaked to bring things into continuity with 'Star Trek Beyond'. A word on the title... the name of the enemy ship is "Vengeance" and a theme running through this film is revenge. The villains and our heroes all must face it's temptation and decide how to react. I hope I've brought that to the fore and I hope you enjoy 'Star Trek Vengeance'.

Change List:

00.00.00 - Added new FE.org titlecards I've created just for this edit (Featuring the 2016 logo design) 00.00.13 - Added new TM2YC titlecard, which I've remade in 1080p for this edit 00.02.35 - Removed Spock and Kirk explaining the plot and the prime-directive to each other (This is explained again soon after) 00.02.46 - Removed Uhura saying "You got this". The reassuring kiss says it all without the dialogue 00.05.57 - Removed sequence of Spock facing down a ludicrously giant wall of lava that would obviously kill him. We know he's in danger okay! Also footage of natives running moved to later 00.06.03 - Removed sound of Uhura's voice quavering 00.06.04 - Removed Uhura looking panicky. She's a professional, she can deal with stress. Her dialogue now plays over into a closeup of Kirk, so he now reacts quicker too 00.06.36 - Removed shot of Uhura and replaced with shot Spock 00.06.38 - Moved Spock line about the Prime Directive back 'til after Bones speaks 00.06.40 - Removed Spock's "The needs of the many..." line. It just felt like a reference for reference sake to me 00.06.45 - Shortened and reversed shot of Uhura. She now looks less panicked and I also felt the zoom-out has more of a feeling of helplessness 00.07.27 - Inserted sequence of temple being destroyed and natives running, just before Spock saves them. So now in narative terms 'the night is blackest before the dawn' 00.07.38 - Moved shot of natives watching the Enterprise 'til later 00.08.39 - Restored missing use of classic Star Trek theme as Spock beams in. It's on the soundtrack CD and this is where it was supposed to go 00.08.38 - Moved shot of Enterprise flying away 'til later 00.08.50 - Brought forward Spock's "You violated the Prime Directive" line. Also added missing steam/smoke visFX from Spock's "lava-Suit" 00.08.52 - Reworked score and replaced and added soundFX 00.08.58 - Removed Uhura having a tantrum, now she is just relieved Spock is safe. 00.08.59 - Added 'Niburu Captain's Log' deleted scene. Rescored transporter portion with the track 'Sub Prime Directive' and added more soundFX 00.09.02 - Added more missing smoke/steam visFX 00.09.05 - Scored bridge portion of 'Niburu Captain's Log' deleted scene with the track 'Logos / Pranking the Natives'. Also added missing bridge soundFX 00.09.10 - Inserted shot of natives watching the Enterprise to replace unfinished deleted-scene FX shot. Added ash-falling vis-FX 00.09.14 - Added ash-falling vis-FX to long shot of Enterprise 00.09.28 - Inserted shot of Enterprise flying away, to replace partially finished deleted-scene FX shot 00.09.33 - Tweaked background of native shot to finish the visFX 00.09.36 - Removed Kirk's "Oh come on Spock they saw us, big deal?" line as it was redundant with the deleted-scene back in 00.10.02 - Replaced starfield and old title-sequence with footage from 'Contact', played in reverse and motion-tracked to the Enterprise's warp trail, so the ship appears to warp towards our sun 00.10.05 - Replaced Enterprise warp trail with a longer one from later in the movie and matched it's placement to the footage 00.10.08 - Added new "Star Trek Vengeance" title sequence. This combines my own text visFX, parts of the STID trailer #2, added lense-flares and practical FX 00.10.10 - 'Contact' footage slowly animated so by the time the shot ends our Sun is perfectly central in the shot. I also added a spiral motion and a slow zoom to give the shot a gliding, floating feel 00.12.29 - Replaced audio here with 'London Calling' from the soundtrack. This allows the music to play out fully without being rudely interupted by "Beats and shouting" 00.12.37 - Removed scene of Kirk in bed with two girls listening to Beastie Boys and remixed soundFX. This sequence gave the impression Kirk hasn't progressed at all character-wise since the last movie, also his "Hi ladies... Jim Kirk" line in the very next scene shows he's a ladies-man anyway. Plus it comes right after a scene about a child dying, making him seem a bit d,ckish perhaps? 00.13.45 - Removed several shots/lines of Kirk and Spock arguing and insulting each other. Now Pike just cuts them off 00.14.39 - Removed Pike's "..ounce of humility" line, as I added a very similar line in a later scene 00.14.53 - Put two shots together using some visFX. So we see Pike deliver the same line but Kirk now looks back seriously at him, instead of rolling his eyes contemptuously 00.14.54 - Removed about 16 seconds of Kirk arguing back with Pike. Kirk is supposed to respect Pike deeply 00.14.51 - Replaced score with more of the track 'Demotion Emotion' 00.14.57 - Inserted a different reaction shot of Kirk where he looks ashamed at hearing Pike's criticisms 00.15.00 - Removed 30 seconds of footage where Pike demotes Kirk and Kirk continues to argue back 00.15.05 - Removed more dialogue relating to Kirk demotion 00.15.07 - Gradually brought in the sound of the lift early, before the new scene change 00.15.08 - Added "Dismissed" line from 'Original Ending.

Additional Notes:

- Cut based on IMAX "Compendium" Blu-Ray release, so most exterior and FX shots are at 16:9, rather than 2.35:1. - Regraded movie to remove excessive blue and/or green tinting. It's still a highly saturated and colourful grade but now it's a bit more measured like the 2009 movie. Some scenes/shots are dramatically regraded, some are barely touched. - Kirk is not now demoted and almost instantly promoted again (Twice). Pike tears strips off him for his recklessness and Kirk feels suitably ashamed. - Things are re-arranged and refocused to bring the "guilt" for the fallout from Nibiru more onto Spock, for being a bad friend to Kirk and less onto Kirk for being a bad Captain. - Kirk and Spock don't hate each other again. You have to believe they are friends, for the end to work. Kirk doesn't hold a grudge against Spock for what happened after Nibiru, he's just disappointed in Spock not understanding why he couldn't let him die. - Uhura no longer spends the first half on the movie sulking because Spock was "selfish" enough to put the fate of an entire humanoid species before her feelings. This subplot ruined her character for me. Starfleet officers just don't act this way and she now visibly panics less. - Khan exposition scenes are trimmed to a minimum. The convoluted plot still needs explaining though! - Added several deleted scenes and finished them off with music, soundFX, matching colour grades and a few visFX tweaks. This includes some, or all of: 'Niburu Captain's Log', 'Room Attack (Alternate Version)', 'Carol's Accent' and 'Scotty Cargo Bay Door'.

Other Sources:

- Star Trek Into Darkness ('The Compendium' Edition Blu-Ray) - Star Trek Into Darkness (Deluxe Soundtrack CD) - Star Trek Into Darkness: Trailer #2 (Blu-Ray) - Star Trek '09 (Blu-Ray) - Contact (Blu-Ray) - Return of the Jedi (Blu-Ray) - youtube.com (Various free green-screen VisFX) - freesound.org (Various SoundFX) - trekcore.com/audio (Archive Star Trek SoundFX).

Special Thanks:

Special thanks to DigModiFicaTion for helping with a tricky piece of audio mixing and to addiesin for spotting an audio glitch and for finding me some smoke. Thanks to all the people who offered vital feedback and general encouragement in the project thread including: addiesin, A Sled in Flames, asterixsmeagol, bionicbob, coinilius, dangermouse, hbenthow, ironman23, Canon Editor, DominicCobb, ImperialFighter, L8wrtr, Scar, SkywalkerFan01, Smithers, ssj, That One Guy, thecuddlyninja, ThrowgnCpr, Zarius and Zed.