As you all should know, saying that I am a life long Star Trek fan is along the same level of understatement as saying that there is a bit of water in the ocean. And while I’ve enjoyed the previous Star Trek movies in J.J. Abraham reboot, the previous two have felt – to be quite blunt -wrong. Yes, the actors are great choices, each embodying their respective characters in ways that are honest and true to the people Gene Roddenberry penned fifty years ago. My issues stemmed from how little humanity had really ‘grown’. Star Trek (2009) was a decent movie; Into Darkness (2012) was trying far too hard to be both original at the same time as nostalgic. And honestly, the problem all along was more with the script, having been written by people whom, while talented, didn’t know squat about the heart and soul of Star Trek.
So -with all that being said, how do I feel about Star Trek: Beyond?
I loved it.
For the first time in the ‘alternate’ timeline, these characters truly become the people we’ve always known them to be. From the first words of the Captain’s Log entry, to the banter between Spock and McCoy, not only do the central characters ring true as people with depth and experience, but the ‘secondary’ characters each have moments where they stand front and center and shine as bright as an Altarian Sunrise. Little bits, dropped here and there, are the breadcrumbs that give those of us whom are vested in the Trek universe all the info we need to finally, truly find our heroes. Yet, I saw no deal breakers that would make this film unenjoyable even for the most new of newbies.
I won’t go in details (too often known as ‘spoilers’) for obvious reasons. I will say that when Krall (the big bag naughty person in this film) speaks of the ‘evil’ of the Federation, and of the very idea of unity providing peace and strength, the words spoken by our beloved crew ring true in a way that more people need to not only hear, but embrace.
This, my friends, is a Star Trek that Gene would be proud of, and one I dare say that all of those we’ve lost over the years in our little Trekverse would proudly enjoy, quietly nodding as the whispers of wisdom the franchise has always offered us subtly take their rightful place once again.
