This time the crew of the USS Enterprise encounter a ruthless enemy who wants to eradicate them and their world in order to return to a better time.
Normally by the time a franchise hits part three it does away with some of the budget and replaces it with cheaper looking action set pieces and lots more comedy. Well there is more comedy in Star Trek Beyond, and that’s one of its winning hands, but it’s pleasing to say they haven’t scrimp on the production because it looks fantastic. If you are going to see it then see it on the biggest screen possible because it will blow your mind how amazing it looks. They twist the camera this way then that way and it makes you feel a bit queasy. But that’s what being in space is all about and I think watching this is about the closest most of us will get.
The main storyline is simple bad guy vs the enterprise crew. It’s been done before and yet it still feels quite fresh here. It’s fun and engaging and a little bit scary. Britain’s own Idris Elba plays the bad guy and does a damn fine job of it. You know what you are getting when he plays a bad guy. However, the best part of the film is reserved for the small crew of the Enterprise because they are ripped apart from each other and have to try and survive on their own alongside finding their way back to the others. They have scaled this element of the film down so it feels like the core group really are without hope and yet because they are members of the USS Enterprise they can get through anything. It all culminates in a reunion where they have to use their original training to man a very old ship in order to fight the enemy. The last thirty minutes are jam packed with action and gadgets and jokes and just a great sense of camaraderie.
Also it’s nice to see the focus of the film switch to a couple of the other characters, Bones and Chekov are the standouts and there is a cracking performance from Sofia Boutella as Jayla, a big time female action hero.
After Ghostbusters last week and Star Trek Beyond this week, it feels like we finally have summer blockbusters. Star Trek Beyond ticks all the right boxes for a hugely enjoyable Sc-Fi actioner.