Arriving three years after the divisive (but positively received) Star Trek Into Darkness, Beyond was under intense scrutiny in the months leading up to its release. The film underwent a massive overhaul in its creative team just weeks before production started, with Justin Lin (Fast & Furious) stepping in for the departed Roberto Orci, and co-star Simon Pegg (who plays Scotty again) writing a new script with Doug Jung. In addition, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Star Trek franchise, adding another layer of pressure on the film to deliver. Fortunately, Star Trek Beyond is a highly entertaining summer blockbuster for fans and casual moviegoers that pays respect to the franchise legacy.
Unsurprisingly, one of the movie’s greatest strengths is its cast, now firmly established and comfortable in their roles. Pine and Quinto undergo the most substantial arcs of the returning characters, delivering well-rounded performances that drive home Beyond‘s emotional themes of self-discovery in ways that are ultimately rewarding. Karl Urban also shines as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, responsible for most of Beyond‘s comic relief. Urban and Quinto spend a majority of their screen time together, and the banter between the two is amusing, as their mismatched personalities are the source of several laughs. The rest of the Enterprise crew – Lieutenant Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg), Hikaru Sulu (John Cho), and Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin) – each have their standout moments, even if they don’t all have as deep a personal story as Kirk or Spock. In particular, Chekov is given more to do this time around, making Beyond a fitting sendoff for the late actor.
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