While "traditional" fans have hated all three of the Kelvin timeline Star Trek movies, they have a rather expansive fanbase for a good reason. While an open-minded fan can enjoy elements of all three films, it is Star Trek: Beyond that will capture the audience's imagination.
Though Star Trek: Beyond was financially hurt by being released during a very packed month, it's easily the best of the three Kelvin-era Star Trek movies. Now that time has passed, it's a good time to look back at this hidden gem, especially now that Trek's cinematic future looking a little brighter.
The Twist
The twist involving the villain Krall, played menacingly by Idris Elba, is a surprise for anyone who is new to the franchise, with the subtext of the villain's backstory complementing the themes of the film.
What that twist entails will not be spoiled here, as anyone curious about it needs to watch the movie. That said, if anyone wishes to be spoiled on an intriguing plot twist, they only need to watch the final trailer for the film, which reveals Krall's true identity.
Star Trek's Core Themes Are Embraced
Some fans have decried the J.J. Abrams films for "not understanding Star Trek's message," which is a misunderstanding at best and an outright lie at worst. In rough terms, Star Trek's core themes are that of humanity evolving and progressing, bringing different societies together.
The villain of the film is designed to oppose this notion, as his militaristic origins naturally oppose him to the progressive ideals of The Federation. Though the action is front and center, Beyond never sacrifices its core themes in the favor of flashy stunts and CGI.
Gorgeous Visuals
Speaking of CGI, Beyond is a testament to how to do digital effects correctly, as the visuals of the film are quite simply awe-inspiring. The visuals that Beyond has to offer are a treat to the eyes, making any viewing of the movie quite enjoyable.
A highlight of Star Trek: Beyond's visual creativity is The Yorktown, the space station that fills the role usually reserved for Earth. At first, the physics of the space station doesn't make sense, but that isn't really the point, as the station is visually distinct and unbelievably impressive.
The Crew Has Stuff To Do
A true shortcoming of The Original Series is that the only characters who ever got any sort of depth were Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. This is something the Kelvin films corrected nicely with Zoe Saldana's Uhura, Simon Pegg's Scotty, John Cho's Sulu, and Anton Yelchin's Chekov being given solid characterization and things to do.
Beyond not only maintains this but has the crew of The Enterprise bounce off each other in order to progress the plot. Hats off to director Justin Lin, as well as writers Pegg and Doug Jung, for giving this talented cast some great material to work with.
Sabotage
The famous song "Sabotage" by The Beastie Boys made an appearance in the first J.J. Abrams film, blaring through cinema speakers when a young Kirk hijacks his stepfather's car. Though not what many would expect from a Trek movie, the song fits the scene very well.
The song makes its glorious return in Star Trek: Beyond, but now accompanying one of the greatest action set pieces in the franchise that will have fans pumping their fists. The song was also used in the film's first trailer.
The Action Is Exhilarating
Justin Lin, who had previously directed two Fast and The Furious movies, stepped into the director's chair for Star Trek: Beyond, replacing J.J. Abrams who had decided to move on to Star Wars. With his history with directing high-octane action, it should come as no surprise that he uses that pedigree to great effect in this film.
Lin gives the action of the film a scale and veracity that isn't found in most blockbusters these days, with the vibrant visual design complimenting the action perfectly. There is never a dull moment in a Justin Lin film and Beyond is a good example of this.
Jaylah
Not only does the classic crew get a solid adventure, but the movie also introduces an exciting new member to the cast. Sofia Boutella's Jaylah is a scavenger on the planet Altamid, who has a connection to Krall and later befriends Simon Pegg's Scotty.
Boutella gives the character a unique charm and she plays a heavy role in the movie's action sequences. Whether or not the character will ever appear in another Trek movie again is uncertain, but if this is the character's sole appearance, it's a strong one.
Strange New Worlds
Part of the famous Starfleet motto is boldly going where no man has gone before, but the majority of Star Trek movies seem to have forgotten this. Beyond sets out to create some strange new worlds and it does so very well.
Not a single scene takes place on Earth, with the movie beginning on the planet where Kirk attempts to negotiate peace between two alien species; then a bulk of the movie takes place on both the planet of Altamid and The Yorktown. The exploration of alien planets is what makes Beyond special and what Star Trek is at its very core.
Captain Kirk's Storyline
While the other seven heroes get a lot of focus in Beyond, the main character arc of the film belongs to Captain Kirk. Having started as an arrogant cowboy, Beyond presents an older, more seasoned Captain Kirk, with the character truly matching the original incarnation of the character.
Not only does this come from the writing, but also from Chris Pine's fantastic performance, with the actor showing just how much he's matured since 2009's Star Trek. Pine portrays Beyond's more disillusioned Kirk perfectly, all the while maintaining his natural charm.
One Last Hurrah For A Talented Actor
Sadly, in 2016, Russian-born American actor Anton Yelchin died at the age of 27. He was a highly talented performer, known for his performances in films like Fright Night, Odd Thomas, Green Room, and, of course, as Chekov in the Kelvin Star Trek films.
Not only is the film graced with a phenomenal performance by Mr. Yelchin, who gave the character of Chekov a warm presence, but the film is rightly dedicated to his memory, as well as that of Leonard Nimoy, who had died two years prior. For many fans, Anton Yelchin would be fondly remembered.