Boldly Going Beyond!!! Third Installment of Rebooted Star Trek Series Is Fun Summer Sci-Fi Film With An Old School Soul !!!
Review By Brandon Porter
 |
| Enterprise No More. |
Story Description
For years, Captain James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine) and his crew of the USS Enterprise have proven to be among one of the most formidable and brightest members of Starfleet. But Kirk begins to wonder about what type of legacy he is shaping for himself as he starts reaching a high point in his career. While on a routine mission in the far reaches of space, the crew encounters the relentless wrath of war monger Krall (Idris Elba). With his ship destroyed and his crew scattered, Kirk, Spock (Zachary Quinto), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (John Cho), Bones (Karl Urban), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Chekov (Anton Yelchin) face their greatest challenge yet where they will face Krall's forces and encounter a mysterious young warrior named Jaylah (Sophie Boutella) as they scramble to liberate the planet and restore peace to the frontier.
 |
| Kirk, Scotty, Chekov, and Jaylah |
Critical and Financial Analysis
Serving as the third installment of the rebooted Star Trek film franchise, the film comes in with great cause for celebration and great sorrow as well. While being released on the 50th anniversary of the series, The film's release has also been marred by tragedy following the passing of actor Anton Yelchin. Despite all the hardship, the film still looks to continue the success of the series' new found relevance. For the most part, the results have been extremely positive. Star Trek Beyond garnered a terrific 85% certified fresh rating from critics via rotten tomatoes with an strong 86% rating from the general audience. The film also nabbed the top spot at the weekend box office with a strong $59.6 million. The success of third installment of the sci-fi franchise continues the series hot streak and appeal in the current decade. The series truly going far and doing it boldly.
 |
| Trial By Fire |
Film Review
Since the first film's release in 2009, I have been an absolute fan of the rebooted Star Trek series. Terrific cast chemistry, engaging performances, blockbuster worthy action, and a respect to its series roots have made this one of my favorite film franchises. With the series 50th anniversary a known bonus, a new director, and new cast members, Star Trek Beyond was a movie I had nothing but high hopes for. After seeing the finished product in IMAX 3D, Star Trek Beyond is a terrific addition to the series that truly stands out. While the rebooted series' first sequel Into Darkness had humor, great cast chemistry, and a dark and emotional tone, the film focused heavy on action becoming more of a thrilling adrenaline rush that was no less an unforgettably amazing experience. However, Beyond takes a different route by sacrificing some of its action bringing it down to the level of all the other elements that make the rebooted series special. What results is a sequel that feels like old school Star Trek while still keeping with it's new school identity. This makes the film really unique showing the growth and maturity of the franchise revival. Acting wise, the cast is just as fun to watch as ever. Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, and Anton Yelchin (in his final role as Chekov) display flawless chemistry throughout feeding off each others strength and becoming a well oiled machine. The new cast additions do their fair share as well. Sofia Boutella is great as fierce warrior Jaylah. A resourceful survivor with a scared past that makes her grounded and vulnerable, Jaylah is a great character who's sharp, brave, bold, and a total badass. Unfortunately, I didn't see enough of Jaylah to be satisfied. Here's hoping she returns in future installments with expanded roles. Idris Elba makes for a surprisingly complex villain in Krall. Though thought to be another token Star Trek baddie, it isn't until the third act that we find out there is more to him than meets the eye. As I said about the action, the film sacrifices its action to bring a level playing field. That doesn't mean however that the action is no less awesome. Great set pieces including the emotional devastating destruction of the Enterprise and the climactic sequence aboard the abandoned USS Franklin were true standouts. The film also has the best comedic charm out of the previous two. A well structured and terrific script penned by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung along with great direction from Justin Lin delivered great comedic flair and fun moments among the principle cast specifically Quinto and Urban. Overall, Star Trek Beyond really makes its mark in the reboot series as the true film that is a genuine Star Trek experience. Never forgetting the new tricks its learned since the revival but never afraid to go retro is signs of a franchise's growth and understanding of its timeless roots that it was born out of.
Rating and Final Thoughts
 |
A true and authentic Star Trek experience that greatly respects its origins but is none the less
just as fun, smart and engaging as its predecessors.
|
 |
To a life lived to the fullest, We Say Thank You!!!
RIP Anton Yelchin
|
