Star Trek Beyond – at last a sequel that works

If you like action galore, sensational special and visual effects, and an enduring story line, this movie is for you.

The 2009 film Star Trek was a terrific movie; in 2013 Star Trek Into Darkness was every bit as good. And now Star Trek Beyond is another winner. The beauty of these movies is the continuity not only in the cast, but the mission and goals of the “Federation” never change; only the opportunities they encounter do, always leading to exciting adventures. Needless to say, outer space is a most dangerous place, and the Starship Enterprise always manages to find itself in the middle.

Chris Pine is once again the stalwart and brave Captain Kirk, Zachary Quinto plays Commander Spock, and both are perfect in their respective roles. They complement each other every bit as much as William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy did in the original TV series. The rest of the cast is excellent as well, reflecting the poise, training and discipline expected from any crew of the Starship fleet.

The year is 2260 and the Enterprise is In the middle of a five-year mission. They pause for an “R & R” break on a distant outpost know as Yorktown. The imagination and creativity that went into this manmade planet is alone worth the price of admission. There were 325 technicians involved in creating the visual effects for this movie, and they earned their paychecks with this stunning look at what a future man made colony in the far reaches of space might look like. But their talents do not stop there; the ingenuity and technical innovations used throughout the movie are, at the least, spectacular.

Their relaxation does not last long. Something is wrong in the far reaches of the galaxy and the Enterprise is quickly off to “investigate” and soon finds itself embroiled in a challenging and heretofore unknown state of affairs, dealing with technology beyond anything they’ve encountered before. The battle lines are drawn almost before they know it and the resulting story line will keep you on the edge of your seat. And, as in all three of these films, despite the technology it comes down to “mano a mano” which is as it should be.

The musical score is also top notch, and if you like a little “old time rock and roll,” sit and wait. The primary script writer was Simon Pegg, little known but ingenious, witnessed by his film The World’s End. To top it off he plays the legendary Scotty, “beaming” people up right and left.

Take my word for it; you don’t have to be a “Trekkie” to enjoy this film.

tsansom2002@gmail.com

---

---