Star Trek Beyond (2016) is the third movie in the Star Trek reboot franchise. Starring Chris Pine and
Zachery Quinto, Star Trek Beyond is an action adventure in the vein of the last two movies, only charting its own course with a new adventure and some familiar faces.
For non-Trekkies, they will primarily be drawn by Justin Lin of Fast and Furious fame and the action-packed sequences. I would have to say, of all the summer Sci-Fi blockbusters, if I had to pick to see just one, it would be Star Trek Beyond. The action sequences are somewhat unique. Let's just say there's a whole Mad Max feel to it when they get on the important planet, and Star Trek's "high technology" with transporters, holograms and so on makes possible unique fight sequences.
The best part about Star Trek Beyond is it doesn't try to be anything it isn't. Trekkies may feel horrified at the action-packed trailers, but as a Trekkie myself there is just enough fanservice to make it fun to watch (check out the MACO uniforms in the trailer! Bridge of a NX class!) but just enough action to make it a relative box-office hit in America and beyond.
"Giant swarm of tiny bee ships -- where have we seen that before..."
The dynamic between Spock and McCoy is in full demonstration and we get tons of character development between the two. To the point where it's less about Pine and Quinto and more about Quinto and Urban. Which is perfectly fine. Let's just say right when it's death's door, you see Spock's human side and it's great. This Spock hasn't gone through Kolinahr yet (Vulcan ritual to purge all human emotions) so when death is close of course you will see his human side leak through. And it's done it a touching and believable way.
"What happened to the flip stun-kill phasers... oh well!"
There's also several other factors that make Star Trek Beyond worth seeing.
- If North Americans don't see Star Trek Beyond, there may be a day when there is no more Star Trek. While there are those who would relish that and think there is too much Star Trek, (like Levar Burton) but the modern reality is, to make movies needs money and success. I would draw an analogy to Dr. Who and picking three or four younger "hot" looking men, before rolling the dice with Peter Capaldi. And he has been wonderful. So yeah, if you want to see more / better Star Trek, watch this Star Trek.
- Unlike ID4 and World of Warcraft, it doesn't specifically target overseas audiences with awkward product placements and new characters. (although it will, as always, depend on overseas money to make a profit). So if you think Star Trek sold its soul, it is all relative and it is selling only a (small) piece compared to say putting a Chinese Supermodel (Angelababy) as a main character just to make money overseas. So, yeah, it could be much, much worse.
- For those who want a "cerebral" Star Trek and bemoan the days of Gene, just think about how bad it can get (yes, I am pointing at you Star Trek Insurrection -- just what was so bad about moving the Baku to another planet again?). Chris Pine isn't Patrick Stewart, and even Stewart couldn't make the mess that is a "cerebral" Star Trek work. I would rather have well done action than badly done preaching.
- Idris Elba is a believable villain. His point of view, the anti-Federation point of view, is exactly the achilles heel that hasn't been addressed in decades of movies and television series. That it took this long for this point of view to be aired is probably because it's anti-Trek and anti-Gene to start with. But it makes for great storytelling, and I would rather have a well-acted villain with simple base motives than a complex villain that doesn't make sense at all. Pay attention to the scene near the end of the movie where Elba's villain floats past broken glass. What do you see, when you look in the mirror everyday?
- This is not going to be the movie that makes a billion. But, if you drag the series on long enough, there may be a time (hope) where Star Trek makes a billion dollar movie. Again, money talks so watch it.
- Finally, the end message. Kirk starts out "lost" but unlike Elba's character, Kirk makes a different decision. Kirk draws from his past and so does Elba's character, and there's a point made about just how much the past shapes our future /yoda.
CONCLUSION : UNDERRATED, SEE IN THEATRES OR BUY DVD
