Actors John Cho and Simon Pegg — pilot Sulu and engineer Scotty in the story, respectively — revealed that all three screenwriters, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof, were huge fans of the original films. Their enthusiasm becomes evident through their use of the idiosyncratic humor that was so enjoyable about the television series. “Star Trek” aims to both be its own unique film and also stay relatively faithful to its source material. J.J. Abrams allows this to happen, as he’s not quite the Trekkie that the writers are. “J.J. was more of a ‘Star Wars’ fan,” Pegg said. “He came into ‘Star Trek’ as an outsider.” Pegg adds that this helped Abrams avoid feeling “slavish to the source material,” thus opening the doors for more creativity. It informs his filmmaking in a way; he relaxes a little bit, especially in this second installment.

In fact, Cho and Pegg noted that they saw Abrams’s love of “Star Wars” transfer in significant ways to the “Star Trek” franchise. The “Star Trek” television series had a sleeker look, whereas “Star Wars” was somewhat more “analog and dirty.” Abrams marries the two: “Aesthetically speaking, (the marriage) formed a brilliant bridge (from) all the clean lines and the fantastically futuristic bridge to the industrial metal of the engine room, which J.J. intended to look like the guts of the ‘Titanic.’” What’s so refreshing about Abrams’ style is that he allows this sleek and majestic spaceship to become a character in the movie. So much of what tires audiences about today’s filmmakers is that many of them seem to be enamored with close-ups, a technique that places the actors more front and center but doesn’t allow other elements to breathe. Fortunately for us (specifically our eyes), Abrams relaxes the camera and allows the audience to see the actors actually occupy physical space on screen. He gives us a Starship Enterprise that breathes with its own persona.

What really elevates this movie to heights of glory is actor Benedict Cumberbatch. Cho pays his co-star a huge compliment: “If I hadn’t worked with him, I wouldn’t know his physical dimensions just based on his work. In ‘Sherlock’, he seems mortal and 5’8”. But in this, he seems like he’s 6’4” and 220 pounds. He just seems enormous and imposing. That’s a testament to how good he is.” Cumberbatch is indeed a transfixing presence, as he supplies exasperated revelations and flashes of entropic terror throughout. “He’s terrific,” Cho said, “and beautiful.” Pegg quickly agreed, “Yeah, he’s beautiful . . . He’s a great guy. Lovely man. And he turns on that villain so well, and he’s got such a beautiful voice.” So beautiful, in fact, that his voice made him pregnant, Pegg joked. Indeed, talking with the actors, it seemed as though the two were paralyzed by the genius in their midst.

Even beyond Cumberbatch’s performance, what’s so pleasing about “Star Trek” is that every element seems to click, from the lively rapport to the terrific action sequences — probably Abrams’ forte. The filmmakers’ hard work brings together a smart and enjoyable sequel. “(Abrams) is a born storyteller,” Cho said. “He approaches (his movies) with boundless enthusiasm. This movie plays like that. It’s joyful.”

Braulio Ramirez covers film. Contact him at bramirez@dailycal.org.

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Adding 3D to the package has become an industry standard for successful franchises, and “Harold & Kumar” does not disappoint. Picture smoke rings that blow towards your face and one classy slow-motion scene involving exploding bags of cocaine drifting out of the screen (set, of course, to the tune of “White Christmas”).

These are the types of 3D effects, however, that are so obvious that I’d imagine one would see them coming even in 2D. With eggs hurled into your face and glass breaking outwards, the joke, it seems, is not on us, but on the whole 3D-as-a-commercial-gimmick phenomenon. That comedic self-awareness extends beyond just the visual effects, and into the jokes as well. At one point, someone says to Kumar, “I told her you work for the White House,” a sly nod to Penn’s real-life stint working for the Obama administration.

Like all stoner comedies, this one has a pretty basic set-up, riddled with incredible coincidences and slap-your-forehead mix-ups. It is six years after Guantanamo Bay, and our heroes have since then parted ways. Kumar’s been kicked out of medical school, thanks to a failed drug test, and is still bumming around in his and Harold’s old apartment. Harold, on the other hand, is now a hot shot on Wall Street and living in the suburbs with his now-wife Maria. The estranged pair is launched into their ragtag romp across the city — complete with your requisite run-in with the ever-amusing Neil Patrick Harris — when Kumar lights a joint that blows up Harold’s 12-foot fir. Set on a simultaneous chase and flight, the former being the search for a lost Christmas tree and the latter, two Ukrainian mob bosses going for the kill (after an unfortunate misunderstanding), the antics our pair finds itself in are nothing if not predictable.

A lost Christmas tree, of course, is a big no-no for Harold’s father-in-law, played by the hilariously stoic Danny Trejo. He’s very big on the sanctity of Christmas and, in extension, Christmas trees, and he’s also the source of much of the racist humor in the film (To Harold: “You take the picture. You people are good at that.”) “Harold & Kumar,” it seems, exists in a post-racial world, where it’s weirdly okay to make these racially insensitive jokes because they’re so obviously racist.

This irreverent humor, however, is taken to an inappropriate extreme when it comes to the side plot involving a coked-up baby who is the butt of a variety of cringe-worthy jokes. On a similar note, this is not your typical family-friendly Christmas affair — the movie is filled with phalluses, even a ridiculous Claymated one.

Despite its tasteless humor, “Harold & Kumar” seems to be material tailor-made for a Christmas flick. It’s crass and sophomoric, yes, but it’s also fundamentally a story of two former best friends who’ve lost their way. This stoner comedy, ladies and gentlemen, is one with a heart, albeit one that should be close to death from all the drugs it’s been subject to.

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