In the history of 50 years, Star Trek has never looked as good on the big screen as it does in its latest outing Star Trek Beyond. I’m also happy to say, that the effects are there only to add fuel to the flames of a captivating story, dialogue and acting.
In the latest installment of the modern franchise, J.J. Abrams, who directed Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), decided to join the team of producers and gave the director’s seat to Justin Lin, the man behind the successful Fast & Furious franchise, where Vin Diesel wreaks havoc in a car. After Abrams found out that Lin was actually more into Star Trek than four-wheeled vehicles, they found an instant synergy. Abrams was struck by Lin’s storytelling abilities and his genuine love for Star Trek.
Star Trek Beyond is set into the beginning of the saga, where Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Commander Spock (Zachary Quinto), Doctor “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban), Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Simon Pegg), Lieutenant Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (John Cho) and Chekov (Anton Yelchin) ride across the universe in their beloved Starship Enterprise, exploring the space. Things go sideways when they are attacked by an alien hell-raiser Krall (Idris Elba), who aims to destroy all life.
Sofia Boutella as Jaylah. Picture: Stephen Windon
The USS Enterprise crew has to pull their shit together, if they want to survive. They get help from Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), a fearsome warrior, with a moon-white face, black facial tattoos and yellow eyes. While the Enterprise crew knows a move or two, luckily Jaylah is extremely skilled in the art of camouflage and hand-to-hand combat. Boutella is a fantastic addition to the film.
Karl Urban plays Bones and Zachary Quinto plays Spock. Picture: Kimberley French
The acting is coherent throughout the movie, and the chemistry is felt in the seat. Pine shines as Kirk, and Quinto delivers accents as the bluntly-speaking Spock. Simon Pegg, who is also one of the writers of the film, is fantastic as the engineer with witty dialogue.
The other side of the movie leans on one of the best CGI available. I saw the flick at Finnkino’s Scape theater, where the effects are pushed another notch higher toward greatness. The 3D experience was stunning.
I’m not a Trekkie but I appreciate a good movie when I see one. The story is humane, basically about survival and about the love of life. However, I’ve seen episodes of the Gene Roddenberry TV Star Trek series, which ran in Finland in the ’80s, but I never got hooked.
But if Justin Lin decides to direct another Star Trek, I’ll be there to watch it.
Star Trek Beyond opens in cinemas July 22.
