A smaller, more intimate, Star Trek
The latest instalment in the long-running Star Trek film series, and the third since the reboot with a younger cast, Star Trek Beyond sees the crew three years into a five year mission.
Co-written by Star Trek fan Simon Pegg, who also plays Scotty, the script sees much more character development and a slight shift away from the action grounding that arguably made the first two reboot films successful.
One of Star Trek’s strengths has always been the interaction between the characters, fostered over dozens of episodes and a series of movies to date.
That’s been pushed to one side since the reboot in favour of action in the first two reboot films but humour has returned in a series of unlikely character pairings.
All of this points back to the pacing of the latest film, which leans more towards classic television episodes of the original series.
That’s no bad thing as Star Trek Beyond still zips along at a modern pace.
Star Trek Beyond – “To absent friends.”
Amongst the banter, there’s also moments of poignancy.
The characters toast “absent friends” during the film, a call back to previous Star Trek films but also perhaps a reference to recently departed actors.
Leonard Nimoy’s death in February 2015 was incorporated touchingly into the script after his appearances in the first two reboot films as Ambassador Spock.
There’s also more screen time for the tragic Anton Yelchin who played Pavel Chekhov in the three films to date.
The young actor died in an accident outside his home a month before the release of Star Trek Beyond on June 19, 2016.
Producer JJ Abrams confirmed that they would not be recasting Chekov in future films.
Rushed finale, but there will be more Star Trek
There was always going to be an epic action orientated third act, however, but the film falls short when illustrating the motivations of Idris Elba’s villain ‘Krall’.
Elba’s Krall was overshadowed by Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance as Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness, although the Sherlock star’s role was arguably better developed.
The finer details are lost within a breathless cgi-laden finale, but we’re brought back to the heart of Trek with a fine denouement with the last of a series of nods to 50 years of Star Trek canon throughout the series.
Yes, Star Trek’s reboot will be back for a fourth voyage with Chris Pine (Kirk) and Zachary Quinto (Spock) already signed up.
And with a CBS television series due out next year Star Trek will surely live long, and prosper.