Movie Review: Star Trek: Beyond

The past few years we have seen reboots and sequels of long-ago favorites come back to life on the big screen. Those may be a number of pros and cons to this and one of these pros is the fact that a whole generation can be re-introduced to the franchise.

Such is the case with Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek". I can't remember whether my late father was a fan (I would have to check with my Uncles on that) but one thing is for sure, my father wanted to name his children Luke or Leia and not Kirk, or Spock for that matter. 

Whatever the case, whenever I would think of "Star Trek" I would remember those old clips of Patrick Stewart and William Shatner and of course Leonard Nimoy's Spock but that was it and thanks to J.J. Abrams' successful reboot I have been able to enjoy two new Star Trek films. 

A New Captain Onboard

With J.J. Abrams taking a seat as a producer for the third installment and "Fast and the Furious" director Justin Lin coming on board as director, fans were worried that "Star Trek: Beyond" was going to be "The Fast and the Furious-in space". 

What I can say is that fans need not be worried - "Beyond is a fast-paced, deep space adventure that will leave you breathless. The comedy is on point and will leave you laughing out loud in the cinema, as the film explores the dysfunctional family yet effective crew of 'The Enterprise'.

More than just action and comedy "Star Trek: Beyond" also touches on deeper thoughts, pretty early out in the film as Chris Pine's Jim Kirk celebrates his birthday over a glass of (what appears to be scotch) with Karl Urban's Leonard McCoy (aka "Bones") and they reflect on Kirk's birthday, which ironically will also always be the day his father (Chris Hemsworth, in the first film reboot) sacrificed himself to save his family and crew. 

I must admit that I was already fighting back tears at this point, since I could relate with Kirk, I understand his pain since my father died at a young age and now that I've reached thirty, I think that I'm just nine years shy of being the same age when he passed and seeing Kirk on screen with (almost) the same thoughts, I could feel my heart being pinched in about 10 places. 

Just Another Day in the fleet

The film opens with Kirk's captain log of their past (uneventful) years in space, he talks of how mundane things have become but little does he know that things are about to become pretty exiting. 

During a routine resupply stop, an unknown ship seeks help in an uncharted nebula in space. The crew of the Enterprise sets off on the rescue mission. A surprise attack from bad guy Idris Elba's Krall splits the team apart and I must say that I really enjoyed seeing the characters paired off with members of the crew, they wouldn't normally be with. I think it helped build the characters and allowed the audience to enjoy different dynamics in the team. I know I did. 

New comer Sophia Boutella plays a strong willed Jaylah,who is currently in the same 'boat' err-planet as the rest of the crew. She was a pleasure to watch on screen, her make up was impressive, as was her skills with the stunts that she did. 

From there, things are pretty much, edge of your seat excitement but music played a big part in the climax of the movie, and I'm just going to leave it here that it was mind blowing! Being a big fan of music myself, I really loved it. If you've seen the movie - can we just talk about this offline - because I just can't get enough of that scene! 

Old Characters. New Loves. 

I'd have to say that I got to love the old characters more, since they were featured in a different way in "Beyond" such as Karl Urban's 'Bones' who just had so much more hilarious lines in this film that you can't help to love the pessimistic doctor. It was also nice to see that the writers gave Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Ahura's (Zoe Saldana) relationship a little level up, yes, even in Spock's terms. 

Of course the film was very bittersweet since it was the first Star Trek film, without Leonard Nimoy, who passed away in 2015 and was also the last film of Anton Yelchin, who played Pavel Checov, he died in June of a freak accident in his home in Los Angeles. 

There has been much sadness at Yelchin's untimely death and every time you would see his face on the screen, you can just feel that punch to your gut.

So I guess, sentimentality also had a hand in the film and what made it so memorable. It was action-packed, yes with all the CGI graphics you could dream of but aside from that, it also stirred emotions because of its characters and the actors who portrayed them. 

There is but a few franchises who can have that kind of effect and hold on fans, but if you've been around as long as Star Trek has, then this is definitely a possibility and I sat there and enjoyed the film immensely. 

I would have liked some of the science fiction (in this science fiction movie) explained to me, even at a minimal extent, like Krall's ultimate weapon of mass destruction. Like how does that work exactly? 

9 out of 10 stars. Star Trek: Beyond delivers in its promise of a big space adventure but also has emotions stir inside of you. It's message of 'strength and hope in unity' rings strong and true in our world today. As I said in an earlier post, seeing the crew work together, reminded me of what it was to work in a team, in a family and we can all relate to this and if creatures of different species from different planets and galaxies can work together in a united federation, going on missions and travelling through space, then surely so can different races of one planet. 

Now playing across the Philippines, “Star Trek Beyond” is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures. #StarTrekBeyondPH 

Throwback Posts! 

My Movie Review of Star Trek: Into Darkness here. 

DVD Feature of Star Trek (2009) here. 

Movies: U.S.S. ENTERPRISE CREW DIVIDED IN “STAR TREK BEYOND”

In Paramount Pictures' “Star Trek Beyond” a disaster strands the U.S.S. Enterprise crew on an unexplored alien planet, throwing crewmembers in different directions and forced to survive separately. Says producer J.J. Abrams, “It’s wonderful because we get to see how well these separate pairs work together towards a common goal.”

Thus, the script paired characters who had previously shared little screen time, to see what made each character tick.

When it came to finding a dramatic and comedic foil for the pragmatic half-Vulcan Commander Spock (Zachary Quinto), the screenwriters immediately knew they wanted to pair him with the ever cantankerous Doctor “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban). As Captain Kirk’s (Chris Pine) two closest friends, they reliably fail to see eye to eye when making decisions.

“The relationship between Spock and Bones has always been ‘fascinating’, to coin a phrase, and very funny, as they are diametrically opposed to each other in so many ways,” screenwriter and actor Simon Pegg explains. “Yet somewhere beneath that is a great friendship we wanted to explore.”

“Historically, Bones and Spock are about as different as you can be,” says Quinto. “Whereas Kirk and Spock are two sides of the same coin, Bones and Spock just have completely opposite modes of operation.”

“You get to see the relationship with Bones and Spock develop like you’ve never seen before,” says Urban. “Both of our characters are at a crossroads and dealing with their own internal dilemmas, and being stranded on an alien planet forces us to confront these things together.”

“Spock is much more human and vulnerable in this film,” Quinto explains. “I appreciate the times where the action dials back to give Spock some quieter moments, which are some of the most fun and interesting to play.”

After Spock suffers an injury, Bones finds himself stretched beyond his comfort zone. “He’s a compassionate doctor with a heart of gold who is forced into a situation where he may have to take a life instead of preserving it,” Urban says. “He’s been thrown into the deep end and sort of becomes a curmudgeonly action hero out of necessity.”

In addition to losing the Enterprise, the end of Spock and Uhura’s (Zoe Saldana) relationship provides the film with an additional metaphoric casualty. Says Saldana, “They work together, so it’s a very professional, mature breakup. They’ve been on a five-year mission, and even though they’re tired and extremely homesick they decide to put the mission first and not put stress on their crewmates.”

Before either is able to properly process the split, the ship is torn apart and Uhura finds herself on Altamid with Sulu (John Cho).

Cho had a visceral reaction to the loss of the Enterprise. “My heart breaks every time we hurt the Enterprise a little bit. It’s tough. I’m the helmsman, so I feel some responsibility for its well-being, and it’s gone through so much more than it deserves. This iteration is particularly violent,” says Cho.

“Without the ship, there’s a natural sense of imbalance, which creates some great narrative tension,” Cho continues. “When I first read the script, I loved how much it tonally reminded me of the original show – there’s humor and strangeness, and a sense of familiarity amongst the crew. I had a lot of fun being in smaller scenes with Zoe.

“I realized on this film that Uhura and Sulu are very similar in their commitment to their duty and their faith in their crew,” says Saldana. “They’re counting on the crew as much as the crew is counting on them. It’s a lot like the faith John and I have in each other and the whole creative team.”

Simon Pegg returns as chief engineer Montgomery Scott, better known to popular culture as “Scotty.”

“Of the crew, Scotty is probably the most satisfied with his life at the start of the film,” Pegg explains. “He’s doing his thing in the guts of the ship, keeping things moving and obviously, that’s all quickly taken away from him.”

Now playing across the Philippines, “Star Trek Beyond” is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movies: “KINGSMAN” VILLAIN SOFIA BOUTELLA MAKES HER MARK IN “STAR TREK BEYOND”

She surprised global audiences with a breakthrough performance the blade-runner villain in last year's hit spy film “Kingsman: The Secret Service.” That film led to her being cast as the title character opposite Tom Cruise in next year's reboot of “The Mummy.”

Now, French actress Sofia Boutella appears in Paramount Pictures' “Star Trek Beyond” as Jaylah, a strong willed, technologically adept alien who saves the life of Scotty (Simon Pegg) on the surface of the planet, Altamid.

“Jaylah has been alone on Altamid for some time” says Boutella. “She’s had to fend for herself for so long that when Scotty arrives, she sees the potential to make a friend. Even though she’s defensive and guarded, Jaylah and Scotty develop a sort of brother and sister dynamic that Simon and I have off-set.”

“Sofia charmed the socks off of all of us,” Pegg recalls. “She inhabits the character in such a way that made it a real joy to be her foil in the film. She’s super-resourceful and tough. I love that she has this strange, syntactical way of speaking, which makes her feel very alien, and yet she’s unbelievably sympathetic.”

Due to the extensive make-up required for Jaylah, some of Boutella’s days on set began before other’s had ended.

“There were days where I’d wake up at 12:30am to get make-up before a morning shoot,” Boutella recalls. “It’s a long but fun process. When you’re in the chair for so long, you go into a meditative state that really helps you get into character.”

“We wanted to make Jaylah standout,” explains make-up designer and make-up effects supervisor Joel Harlow. “I think the white and black lines of her make-up, combined with the ribbing on her hair gives her a completely unforgettable look.”

“I think Jaylah is my favorite new character,” says producer J.J. Abrams. “She is this unbelievably spirited, sweet, funny, and tough as hell character that becomes a very important ally to the crew, and Sofia did an incredible job of bringing her to life.”

“Star Trek Beyond,” the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin (“The Fast and the Furious” franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In “Beyond,” the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

From Paramount Pictures and Skydance, “Star Trek Beyond” is a Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark, Perfect Storm Entertainment production. The film stars John Cho, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin and Idris Elba. Directed by Justin Lin, the third film in the franchise series is produced by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, Lindsey Weber, and Justin Lin; and executive produced by Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Tommy Harper. Based upon “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry, the screenplay is written by Simon Pegg & Doug Jung.

Opening across the Philippines on July 20, “Star Trek Beyond” is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movies: FOR “STAR TREK BEYOND,” J.J. ABRAMS TRANSFERS DIRECTING DUTIES TO JUSTIN LIN

“Working on Star Trek was one of the luckiest experiences of my life,” says producer J.J. Abrams, the man responsible for bringing new life to the beloved science fiction franchise, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. “Gene Roddenberry created this incredible world that we’re thrilled to revisit again and again.”

After two films in the director’s chair, 2009’s “Star Trek” and 2012’s “Star Trek: Into Darkness,” Abrams and his team selected director Justin Lin, a veteran of the Fast & Furious franchise, to bring the new film, “Star Trek Beyond,” to life.

“Justin has proven himself again and again as an incredibly strong storyteller,” Abrams explains, “but what struck me more than anything was his genuine love of Star Trek. I knew he’d be able to handle the action sequences, but what got me most excited was hearing him talk about these characters if they were people he knew. He’s really the perfect fit.”

Growing up in the 80s, Lin remembers Star Trek reruns becoming a regular part of family time. “The original Star Trek series is incredibly special to me, because watching those old episodes was kind of the only time I got to spend with my parents. The crew of the Enterprise felt like an extension of our family.”

Like Abrams, Lin had experience directing for television before being given the proverbial keys to the franchise. “Star Trek is unique in that it’s crossed a number of mediums,” Lin explains. “Having worked in television, I recognize the challenge J.J. had restarting something episodic and bringing it into the summer tent pole world. We had a lot of conversations about balancing the kind of action you can expect in a big budget action film, while preserving the essence and core of the show.”

“The first film was all about forming the group that would become this family; the second was about galvanizing them in the face of a new threat,” says Abrams. “Both were ultimately Earth bound, so Beyond is the first time we see them on their five-year mission. It’s a chance to see the Enterprise having the kind of adventure you’d associate with the original series, out in the far flung reaches of the galaxy.”

From Paramount Pictures and Skydance, “Star Trek Beyond” is a Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark, Perfect Storm Entertainment production. The film stars John Cho, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin and Idris Elba. Directed by Justin Lin, the third film in the franchise series is produced by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, Lindsey Weber, and Justin Lin; and executive produced by Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Tommy Harper. Based upon “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry, the screenplay is written by Simon Pegg & Doug Jung.

Opening across the Philippines on July 20, “Star Trek Beyond” is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movies + Music: Rihanna Teases "Sledgehammer" Single for Star Trek: Beyond

I loved the first Star Trek: Beyond trailer as it heavily featured The Beastie Boy's "Sabotage", even including it in the dialogue and I love that song. Will be happy to Karaoke to that song anytime! 

Now, my interest has definitely been teased with Rihanna announcing her contribution to the "Beyond" Original Soundtrack with her song "Sledgehammer" which will drop on Monday 8AM EST. That would be 8PM local time. Will definitely check this one out! 

Star Trek: Beyond is directed by Justin Lin (from "The Fast and the Furious" series), blue-eyed hottie Chris Pine, Zachary Quinyo, Zoe Saldana, new baddie Idris Elba, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, new comer Sofia Boutella, John Cho and the late Anton Yelchin. 

"Star Trek: Beyond" hits theaters on July 20 and is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures. 

Movie News: ENTERPRISE CREW EXPLORES THE UNKNOWN IN NEW “STAR TREK BEYOND” TRAILER

The new trailer for “Star Trek Beyond” has been unveiled by Paramount Pictures and may be viewed athttps://youtu.be/GbgHyd5vuyM.

"Star Trek Beyond," the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin (“The Fast and the Furious” franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In “Beyond," the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

“Star Trek Beyond” stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin and Idris Elba.

“Star Trek Beyond” opens across the Philippines on July 20 and distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.