There was a lot riding on this latest installment of the Star Trek franchise and the cards looked stacked against it from the get go. First, there was the shameless Wrath of Khan rip-off: Into Darkness which I think divided the fan base and really hurt the momentum of this new take on Trek lore. Second, there was the whole J.J. Abrams leaving Star Trek for Star Wars thing and Justin Lin from Fast & Furious was taking over the director’s chair. Third, there was the horrible first trailer of Star Trek: Beyond. It looked like Star Trek wouldn’t make it to its 51st Anniversary. Thankfully, I was wrong and Star Trek: Beyond may very well be the film that will bridge the gap between the new and original Trek fans.
The crew of the Enterprise have passed the halfway mark of their five-year mission and have become lost in one way or another as to their original purpose of traveling through the infinite realm of space. They elect to take a break and decide to stop at Starbase Yorketown, a remote outpost on the fringes of the Federation border. Of course, as things go in the Trek world, the crew is called back into action and tasked with rescuing a standard crew on the planet Altamid. Once the Enterprise arrives at the planet, they are brutally attacked by the villain Krall and his attack fleet. He is going after a biological weapon that will help him wage war against the Federation.
Kudos to screenwriters Simon Peg (Montgomery Scott) and Doug Jung who did a great job in creating a story that pays homage to the Star Trek legacy without alienating both fans and newcomers. Star Trek: Beyond is a highly entertaining summer blockbuster that will finally convert longtime fans onto this new take on the Star Trek lore. I think it will give Trekkers a real reason to celebrate the 50thanniversary and a reassurance that this franchise will live long and prosper.
I thoroughly enjoyed Star Trek: Beyond, the film has a good story, great special effects and after three films, the entire cast have truly embraced their characters and have definitely become completely comfortable in their roles. But in my humble opinion, Karl Urban (Dr. “Bones” McCoy) and Sofia Boutella (Jaylah) really steal every scene that they are in.
