STAR TREK BEYOND is the thirteenth cinematic installment of a franchise that began way back in the mid-60s with the quirky, often hilariously kitsch TV show starring William Shatner, Leonard Ninoy et al.
Director Justin Lin of Fast and Furious fame has taken over from JJ Abrams in the directorial department and, according to a figure I saw, was given a $US150 million budget for this film.
It all starts innocently enough, with a call for assistance from an innocuous seeming alien to Kirk (Chris Pine) and his buddies to go in and rescue a ship lost in a region of dark, uncharted space. However, a surprise ambush finds the Enterprise under attack from hordes of swarming, wasp-like buzzing creatures under the control of the evil dictator Krall (Idris Elba). This leads to a crash landing on a not-particularly hospitable planet that all-but destroys the Enterprise, leaving the dispersed crew to survive the rugged wilderness, team up, find their way back to the ship and somehow escape. As it later transpires, Krall is after an ancient and valuable artifact that just happens to be aboard the ship.
While I could bang on more about the plot here I won’t, not because of any major spoiler alerts, but simply because it doesn’t matter, and not in a bad way either.
I was close to the front at my screening and this particular number had me at hello. Like Lin’s other work it was fast, it was furious, and above all it was visually spectacular in a way that would have been unthinkable in the 3D format just a few short years ago.
While the original TV series became renowned, albeit in an ironic and somewhat unintentional way, for its futuristic thinking through its concepts and gadgetry (for those who have never seen How William Shatner changed the world I highly recommend it), the most recent films have stayed true to this tradition.
I’m not qualified to say whether Star Trek Beyond has boldly gone where no other film has before (think Avatar), but it certainly felt like it watching it. Lin clearly thrives in those extreme action set-ups which in this virtual setting made you feel like you’re right in the thick of the action. One particularly memorable scene was where Kirk (Chris Pyne) rides a chopper around the evil Krall’s headquarters, the image multiplying a dozen times.
Hardcore Star Trek fans number in the zillions and there was plenty of the usual silliness for them too. Scotty (Simon Pegg, who also co-wrote the screenplay) was in good form, as was Doctor ‘Bones’ McCoy (Karl Urban). Spok (Zachary Quinto) also provided plenty of the usual comic relief, particularly for his ‘moves’ on Lieutenant Uhuru (Zoe Saldana). An honourable mention also goes to Sofia Boutella as Jaylah, who was one of the sexier aliens to have graced the big screen recently. Her Kung Fu fest with Krall towards the end was a real hoot.
Sure it was silly, the plot all-but fell apart somewhere near the halfway point, and the acting wasn’t fabulous, but who really cared? This was more of a strap-yourself-in type of experience and anyone looking for anything more profound was surely in the wrong place. I was there for the ride.
Paramount has recently announced a fourth installment in this rebooted series and I for one will absolutely be there with glasses on.
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