Short Film Review: Day of the Ninja

A worthy soul walks through a mysterious tunnel in search of the prize that waits on the other side.  His passage is interrupted by a pair of shadow warriors, who mean to prevent him from crossing over into glory.  What he finds are a pair of shadow warriors who are determined not to let him make his way to the light.

Amazing Attractions: Star Trek Into Darkness - Japanese Teaser Trailer

Sequels are often expected to be darker and more harrowing than their predecessors.  This is also true of immediate follow-ups to successful franchise reboots.  The notion is directly related to the trope of “sequel escalation.”  Sequels are generally meant to be “bigger and better.”  Hence, the stakes have to be raised.  This is usually achieved via the introduction an even more ruthless villain, preferably one who has a score to settle with the protagonist(s).  The Japanese teaser for Star Trek Into Darkness offers just that.  From the looks of things, it may be taking fans down a very familiar path.