2016 has been a terrible year for sequels. With the exception of Finding Dory, the endearing sequel to Finding Nemo, most sequels have underperformed. But if first reviews are anything to go by, Star Trek Beyond, the third film in the revamped sci-fi franchise, is a winner.
CinemaScope
The third film in the rebooted franchise is entertaining and satisfying.
2016 has been a terrible year for sequels. With the exception of Finding Dory, the endearing sequel to Finding Nemo, most sequels have underperformed. But if first reviews are anything to go by, Star Trek Beyond, the third film in the revamped sci-fi franchise, is a winner.
Opening on July 22 worldwide, the film has received mostly positive response from top critics even as it continues to play out familiar themes.
The decision to hand over direction duty to Fast Five and Furious 6 director Justin Lin has paid off. On his part, Lin has has given Star Trek Beyond a high-octane edge that is his trademark.
The film also serves to honour the memory of 27-year-old actor Anton Yelchin who essays the character of Chekov in the rebooted franchise and passed away earlier this year. It must also be remembered that Simon Pegg, who essays Scotty, has played a significant writing role in this film.
Alongside the main cast – Chris Pine as Captain Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Karl Urban as Bones – Star Trek Beyond features Idris Elba as a brutal villain, which is great to see, given Elba’s ability to perform and dynamic talent.
What’s obvious from the reviews is that though the film isn’t groundbreaking, it is engaging as a sequel.
In his review for The Hollywood Reporter, David Rooney noted that with Lin’s presence, the film “regains momentum, and not just in the obvious area of its muscular action set pieces. The script injects a welcome strain of humor that’s true to the original Gene Roddenberry creation, delivering nostalgia without stiff veneration”.
He further noted, “While Beyond won’t unseat 1982’s thrilling The Wrath of Khan as the gold standard for Star Trek movies, it’s a highly entertaining entry guaranteed to give the franchise continuing life.”
Empire also had good things to say in its review.
“Those concerned by the hiring of Lin to replace Abrams need not be,” wrote Chris Hewitt in his review for Empire. “Yes, he is the man who revitalised the Fast and Furious franchise by taking it in a gloriously OTT, ridiculously stupid direction, but here he dials down that freneticism for something more considered. It’s relatively low on the explosions front, and there are whole scenes here where the camera doesn’t move. But when the action starts, he’s more than capable of handling it, most notably in the bravura extended sequence when the Enterprise is ripped to shreds by Krall’s seemingly unstoppable swarm of bee-like ships. And throughout it all, there’s a lovely reverence for the legacy of Trek. Chances are this rose won’t be losing its bloom anytime soon.”
Bottom line: look out for this film at cinemas near you. It opens next week across Pakistan.
–With information from Empire and The Hollywood Reporter.
