For all its hits and misses, J.J. Abrams's "Nu Trek" franchise (of which "Star Trek Beyond" is the third installment) has mostly been a success in carrying on the legacy of Gene Roddenberry's classic sci-fi juggernaut. Dancing the line between homage and photocopy has proven a sometimes clumsy tango; for every George Kirk moment, there is a corresponding Khan moment.
"Beyond" proves a much more original vision in a franchise where familiarity is the norm and most screenwriters wouldn't dare stray too far from the tried-and-true. Heck, you'd half expect to see Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and company finally battling the Borg. Luckily the Abrams Trek has thrown the "Resistance is Futile" crowd into oblivion.
When Abrams, having moved onto shepherd new "Star Wars" installments, brought in action auteur Justin Lin (he of several "Fast and Furious" films) to replace him, it was a risky proposition for the franchise, which has already been criticized for its reliance on big booms rather than the headier themes of yesteryear.
Lin, of course, continues to dance with the partner that brought him, and the result is a relatively lean, action-oriented film that has just enough substance to justify its existence and a fresh new bad guy just interesting enough to keep the series moving. It's an entertaining film that feels like another chapter in a series that could use a little bit of transition, despite Pine's Kirk himself lamenting early on that life is becoming "too episodic."
"Beyond" finds itself smack in the middle of the Enterprise's five-year mission when the ship's crew comes upon Yorktown, the code name for the Federation's new far-flung outpost. It's a well-rendered city in space, a massive, crystalline-shaped monolith where its inhabitants live as if they are on Earth.
Nearby is a nebula that has yet to be explored, and of course the Enterprise is selected to be the first to explore it, partly because they have the most sophisticated sensor array in the fleet. Into the breach they go, where they find a group of villains who attack the Enterprise like a swarm of bees. Their leader, Krall (Idris Elba), is a mysterious, powerful figure who possesses powerful technology but lusts for more and sets his sights on the Federation.
Indeed there is more to Krall than meets the eye, with developments that add to his character albeit a bit late in the production to make him a villain on par with classic Trek antagonists like Khan, General Chang or the Borg Queen. But as second-tier baddies go, I'll say he beats out duds like Sybok and that Klingon played by Christopher Lloyd. I'd say he rivals the presence and menace of Eric Bana's Nero in "Star Trek" (2009).
The fallout of the attack leaves the crew stranded and separated from each other. Chief Engineer Scott (Simon Pegg) meets up with a warrior woman named Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), who has a link to the planet and the villain, and soon is enlisted to help.
The film's biggest strengths are what makes this "Trek" a faithful adaptation despite its reliance on action sequences; for all their brawn, the characters use their minds and adherence to scientific principles to get from point A to B to C. We don't necessarily see the detective work we used to see, against more amped-up action, but there's no mistaking that these guys use their brains.
Does Lin draw upon his "Furious" bluster at times? Certainly, particularly in the film's finale where perhaps the plot twists come a little too easily and a bit too deep from left field. The solutions are also maybe a touch too cutesy and intended to draw in-theater fist pumps. But that bluster serves the film well in its battles, with hundreds of gnat-like ships whirling around starships, dizzying camera pans and increasingly inventive hand-to-hand battles.
Lin does a tremendous job of giving everyone something to do, whether it's Bones (Karl Urban) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) plotting, or Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and Sulu (John Cho) keeping the villains at bay. Even Jaylah gets a solid character arc, and comes off as much more than a one-dimensional Neytiri-like guest-star-of-the-week.
"Beyond" is a film that also knows what it has lost as well, spending significant time feting the late Leonard Nimoy. Of course, the film lost a great deal more with this summer's untimely, tragic death of Anton Yelchin, who plays Chekov. The film adds a dedication at the end of the film, reminding us both represent immense losses to the Trek family. Yelchin also continues to be a solid, steadying presence in the film, and it will be interesting to see how they deal with his loss in the next installment (already announced).
Also, a rare recommendation to catch the IMAX 3D version. The effects are mostly spectacular, the space battles especially look great on the giant screen and the 3D adds depth whether inside or outside the Enterprise.
So an unabashed recommendation for "Beyond," a solid, upper-tier film amid a summer season that desperately needs a big-time hit. It seems like Paramount hasn't put its full weight and marketing might behind promoting the film; they couldn't even be bothered to show it to Indianapolis critics in advance of its release. But don't let their indecision sway you; it's a ride worth the price of admission.