The crew of the Enterprise return in “Star Trek Beyond”, an action sci-fi that shines, not in the heat of the battles, but in the quieter moments that exude between the characters.
The film kicks off with the crew having been in space for quite a while. They miss the loved ones left behind. And the isolation has transformed the ship into a mini society. I appreciate a scene between Captain Kirk and McCoy that is reminiscent of a scene between them in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”.
Consistent with this franchise trope, at some point Captain Kirk learns of a distress call which, as we expect, propels him and the enterprise into action.
As shown in the trailers, this mission doesn’t end well for one of the main characters—the star ship enterprise.
I’ve watched all the old television shows, the Next Generation and the movies. And seeing the enterprise torn apart has never been fun to watch. I feel an emotional connection to her and it’s a heart-breaking moment for me.
The crew are forced to abandon the enterprise and end up on a planet where they meet the main villain—Krall. It’s not easy to act in heavy make-up but the accomplished actor (who’s name I won’t say because it might be a spoiler) does an amazing job of expressing himself through facial movements and body language.
“Star Trek Beyond” capitalizes on character interactions by spreading the team out in pairs: Dr. McCoy and Spock, Captain Kirk and Chekov, Sulu and Uhura and lastly, Scotty and new comer Jaylah (Sofia Boutella).
Jaylah is a great addition. She’s smart and can handle herself. And I loved the chemistry between her and Scotty. Speaking of chemistry, anytime you can give us scenes with Spock and McCoy is a plus.
The negative comes in the third act, which feels like too much is happening. Just when you think the movie is coming to an end, it tacks on another portion to elongate it. And it flails here because in order to tack on this second ending, the space fight has a quick and easy solution that makes it feel more like something the writers just needed to rush through so they could to arrive where they wanted to all along—a one on one fight.
This leads to an interesting back story for Krall. Though I would have liked to know more.
“Star Trek Beyond” is an enjoyable ride, which exceeds the second film in this rebooted franchise. The action scenes are fun. The set pieces are very well done. Although the plot in the third act feels rushed and anemic, the film focuses on the character dynamics, which is what made me fall in love with the franchise to begin with, as it hits the right notes of heart felt moments.
Score: 8.25/10
