Kidzworld checked out Star Trek Beyond. Is it full of cool effects and fun character relationships? Will it reach beyond for old Trekkers and newbies alike? Read our movie review!
By: Lynn Barker
In Star Trek Beyond, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) is getting bored with cruising the universe. Maybe he should take a desk job. Meanwhile, Spock (Zach Quinto) is secretly considering leaving Star Fleet entirely. Just what will it take to make these guys stick around? How about a universe-threatening nutjob with a mega-destructive weapon?
Kirk contemplates his futureCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
Seeking Changes
With very few exciting encounters, three years into his five-year exploratory mission aboard the Enterprise, Captain Kirk is getting pretty bored. He applies at huge Starbase Yorktown to take a desk job as a Vice-Admiral. At the base, Spock and girlfriend Uhura (Zoe Saldana) seem to end their relationship. Sulu (John Cho) reunites with his husband and their young daughter.
Sulu and Uhura are prisonersCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
S.O.S.
The station gets word from a Star Fleet officer named Kalara in an escape pod, that her ship has crashed and the crew is stranded. The Enterprise is sent to the rescue but on the way through a nebula, is attacked by a huge swarm of tiny drone ships that rip the big ship to shreds. The Commander, a being named Krall, boards the Enterprise to steal an alien object, once part of a weapon, that is archived there. Kirk gets it first, hides it but, with Enterprise doomed, Uhura separates the saucer section and the crew, in various groups and in pods or escape ships, crash-lands on a nearby planet.
The badly-damaged EnterpriseCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
Separated
Uhura and Sulu are captured by Krall while Kirk and Chekov (the late Anton Yelchin) are together as are Spock and Dr. McCoy (Karl Urban). Scotty (Simon Pegg) is alone until he is rescued from surly locals by alien scavenger Jaylah (Sofia Boutella). Her make-shift home is inside an old, partially operational Star Fleet ship the U.S.S. Franklin..missing and assumed lost for 100 years! When Krall says he will kill Sulu, if he doesn’t get the artifact, Starfleet member Syl, who had been hiding it for Kirk, turns it over. Turns out it is part of a bioweapon that Krall will use to destroy Starbase Yorktown and more. Seems Krall has a personal vendetta against the Federation of Planets.
Jaylah's strange beautyCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
A Trap?
Meanwhile, Kirk and Chekov get Kalara to admit she lured the Enterprise into Krall’s trap here. Kirk and Chekov barely get away from a swarm attack while an injured Spock reveals to Dr. McCoy why he is thinking of leaving Star Fleet entirely. When the swarm ships are after them, Scotty rescues them by repairing the transporter on the old Franklin ship. Kirk, Chekov, and Jaylah join with the group. How can they stop Krall?
Scotty calls for helpCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
Back Into Action
Getting the Franklin to fly again, our good guys think up a smart plan to disrupt the action of the swarm drone ships by realizing that they behave like a swarm of bees. The good guys destroy much of the drone fleet but there are more of them still headed for the Yorktown and Krall has assembled the old bioweapon. Will he make it to the Yorktown and destroy it and the many lives on it? Will Kirk still want to take that desk job? Will Spock leave Starfleet? Will he and Uhura get back together?
Idris Elba as villain KrallCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
Star Trek Beyond Movie Trailer
Wrapping Up
Star Trek Beyond is a well-paced, exciting action movie expanding upon character relationships established in the original TV series that fans will recognize and love. McCoy and Spock continue their verbal sparring while actually having great respect for one another while McCoy serves as wise confidant to Captain Kirk. There is great humor and heart in their exchanges.
Spock, Jaylah and McCoy make plansCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
There is a tribute throughout the film to the late Leonard Nimoy who played Spock for so many years. It is both touching and respectful. It made this long-time Trekkie tear up a bit. The film also pays tribute to the late, great young actor Anton Yelchin (Chekov) who died in a freak car accident in his own driveway this summer.
Alien warrior Jaylah takes over the captain's chairCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
There are a few holes in the story, questions that aren’t answered about both characters and plot but, overall, this won’t dampen your enthusiasm for the characters and the really nifty action and special effects sequences. Some CGI effects are just amazing and Justin Lin, who directed several of the action-packed Fast and Furious films, does a great job both with his actors and the action.
McCoy takes aimCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
The themes of self-sacrifice, friendship, cooperation and team spirit work well. They were always at the optimistic heart of the Star Trek universe. With our world in such chaos, it’s nice to think that, somehow, Mankind might re-adjust resulting in a brighter future. This film embodies that hope. We go four strong stars.
Star Trek Beyond Movie Rating:
Star Trek Beyond PosterCourtesy of Paramount Pictures
Star Trek Beyond is in theaters now!
Have Your Say
Are you a long-time Trek fan, just like the newer films or not really into it? Let us know below.
