The best odd-numbered film since “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,” “Star Trek Beyond” is waaaay better than “STID.” (Phew.) It celebrates what makes “Trek” so great — its themes and characters — while honoring the 50th anniversary with a scary-entertaining mix of humor (SO funny), heart, and spectacle.
We’d rank it higher if not for the problematic execution of villain Krall (a surprisingly ineffectual Idris Elba), whose motivations (while GREAT on paper) are denied the necessary screentime to truly connect. But it overcomes that, as well as certain tonal and narrative bumps, thanks to the filmmakers making the first of these nu Treks to feel like an episode of “The Original Series.” “Beyond” leaves us feeling that which “STID” failed to do: Wanting more.
Leave a Reply