“Star Trek Into Darkness” requires digesting. One cannot simply watch the film and — after appreciating its layers — go on living like a normal Trekkie immediately. I loved this film for several reasons — one, the nods to the Original Series were tasteful and not overbearing. Two, the film provided action, action and more action, not for a second resting long enough for viewers to remove their butts from the edge of their seats and un-grind their teeth — the suspense was constant and believable. And three, of course, the villain (or anti-hero, really) brought the film to a whole other level of awesome.

True, the film had its faults: Lovers of Dr. McCoy’s character will be disappointed as he was barely utilized. There’s a half-naked woman for no particular reason, the scene so gratuitous that it’ll knock down the fourth wall with how much it simply screams “pandering to investors!”

But, for its few let downs, allow Benedict Cumberbatch, of BBC’s “Sherlock” fame, to drag you back into the movie with his chilling, otherworldly portrayal of John Harrison, the film’s primary antagonist. Unlike the lazy black-and-white, good vs. evil plot lines provided by many action films today, Cumberbatch portrays a complex character, as sympathetic as he is terrifying. He’s no more “the bad guy” than he is “the good guy,” and not many actors can properly handle that level of characterization in an action sci-fi blockbuster, but Cumberbatch manages it with a darkly seductive voice and a graceful, hidden dangerousness. His performance reads much like a bomb about to go off.

Much less focused on romance than its prequel, “Into Darkness” also provides Zoe Saldana’s Uhura a more bad-ass role on the Starship Enterprise (though the “damsel in distress” baton is picked up by newcomer Alice Eve, who plays Dr. Carol Marcus.)

The film is complex and capable of being confusing if one doesn’t pay close attention (and having knowledge of the Original Series will clue you into twists quicker.)

In all, “Star Trek Into Darkness” was a more enjoyable watch than the 2009 “Star Trek.”

My grade: A