'Star Trek Beyond' Review

Nominated For: Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

Star Trek Beyond picks up with the crew of the USS Enterprise three years into their five year voyage of uncharted space and the long journey has taken it's toll on each of the crew members respectively but that all has to be put on hold when they must investigate the scene of a distress signal only to find themselves under attack from an enemy they didn't see coming, can't predict, and have no hope against, Krall. With the crew now divided on a foreign planet they must use their wit and their will to reunite and stop Krall from waging war on the Federation. That's the basic setup and all you need to know going in for Star Trek Beyond.

Star Trek Beyond has been a worrisome development coming off the heels of the latest/most divisive film in the franchise Star Trek Into Darkness, and the first trailer for the film didn't do it any favors drawing comparisons to Fast and Furious and Guardians of the Galaxy, a complete deviation from the philosophical core of the franchise. Many worried that since Justin Lin was taking over the directors chair he would bring with him the nonsensical action featured in his most notable works from the Fast and Furious franchise (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast and the Furious, Fast Five, and Fast and Furious 6). Many feared how this cast would fare with the absence of J.J. Abrams, who kicked it all off with 2009's Star Trek and had his hands busy with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but the tide turned in favor of Star Trek Beyond with the release of it's subsequent marketing material and I'm overjoyed to tell you that Star Trek Beyond is a blast. 

Lin takes over the helm from Abrams bringing along with him the amusing action sequences from the Fast and Furious films and thankfully ensures Star Trek Beyond is not dumbed down to level of the Fast and Furious with the help of screenwriters Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. Pegg and Jung split up the crew, pairing up characters we typically don't see with one another and the writing duo manage carve out a nice story that explores not just the cosmos but but  crew of the Enterprise themselves. 

The visual effects in Star Trek Beyond are remarkable as the Enterprise looks illustrious traversing the final frontier and is even more beautiful when it engages in warp speed. The make-up, costuming, and production design is top notch creating authentic alien worlds, creatures, and space ship interiors. I must commend the work on Idris Elba's Krall prosthetic that looked magnificent in the first act. The action sequences are infectiously fun featuring exciting space ship combat, a thrilling motorcycle sequence, and the destruction of the NC-1701 that was undeniably awesome to watch. This Trek flick once again boasts engaging futuristic sound design and another one of Michael Giancchio's adventurous scores.

The star-studded cast step onto the Enterprise once more and this time around they feel like they've transitioned more into the personalities that make the Enterprise crew what they are. Chris Pine's Kirk and Zachary Quinto's Spock are provided engaging character drama as they must deal with significant events in their life. Pine brings out a charming captain in Kirk and finally seems to be a responsible leader as opposed to the rebellious daredevil.

Meanwhile, Quinto walks the fine line between reason and emotion, never leaning too heavily on either side, proving he makes for a terrific Spock. Karl Urban's Bones has a substantially larger role in this installment proving to be hilarious when paired with Quinto's Spock as the juxtaposing personality clash brings several laughs with it.

Simon Pegg's Scotty is once again comedic relief for the crew and has his most substantial role in the franchise yet. Zoe Saldana and John Cho still aren't given much to do as Lieutenant Uhura and Sulu but they fit the roles nicely and have a few of their own moments. Saldana's Uhura is primarily there for her relationship with Spock but gets to kick some butt once again and there's a very controversial decision made to portray Cho's Sulu as gay and I will say that it's present but merely a simple moment that doesn't pull focus away from the film.

Anton Yelchin brings perfect comedic timing and a convincing Russian accent to Chekov getting to primarily play off Pine's Kirk as they're stranded together and it was a very interesting dynamic. Sadly this will be Anton Yelchin's final voyage onboard the Enterprise because the actor tragically died in a car accident a few weeks ago. The film also address Leonard Nimoy's passing in a touching and respectful way and I think both Trek actors would have been very proud with the finished product.

Elsewhere, Sofia Boutella is a welcome addition to the franchise after proving herself in Kingsman: The Secret Service. Boutella's Jaylah makes for an awesome addition to the franchise as she can carry an action sequence and stands as a compelling character in her own right. It was fun to see her work off of the various crew members but especially delightful to see her chemistry with Pegg and Pine. 

My only real qualm with Star Trek Beyond lies in it's villain. Idris Elba's Krall is exceptionally malevolent, proving to be an exceptional strategist and overlooking threat to the crew and for the first two acts of the film stayed the course, but his motivation was still unclear. Elba is terrific in the role injecting gravitas and weight to Krall, but once all Krall's secrets are divulged I found myself scratching my head more than feeling a sense of relief. The reasoning behind Krall's actions made sense, but the reveal didn't elaborate enough for me to fully comprehend how he became what he was and if anything detracted from his antagonistic ambiance, a similar problem plaguing many a Marvel villain right now.

I saw Star Trek Beyond in IMAX 3D and felt that the experience was worth the price of an IMAX ticket so I'd recommend it for anyone willing to pay the extra dough. In conclusion, Star Trek Beyond proved to be a wildly entertaining science fiction adventure with fresh direction, astounding visuals, and a remarkable ensemble cast. Star Trek Beyond is bold and dares to go where J.J. Abrams hasn't gone before, crafting a Star Trek movie worthy of adopting the Trek monicker in it's 50th year while embracing the fun of a summer blockbuster.

Film Assessment: A-

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Star Trek Into Darkness'

Sorry for the delay but this week for my Throwback Thursday Review I'm reviewing Star Trek Into Darkness to correlate with the release of it's sequel Star Trek Beyond this weekend, a film I've seen and will review soon. Also I feel I should forewarn you that there will be spoilers in this review. This won't be the end of my Star Trek reviews this year as I might go back and review the original in celebration of Star Trek's 50th anniversary in one of the open slots for my Throwback Thursday Review schedule or I'll simply add it to a week where I think I can handle two Throwback Thursday Reviews. Next week I will be reviewing The Bourne Legacy to tie in with the release of Jason Bourne and the following week will review The Dark Knight along with the release of Suicide Squad. Till then expect reviews over all the films I just mentioned along with my thoughts on the Ultimate Edition of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and how I feel it compares to the theatrical cut since my Blu-Ray copy arrived yesterday afternoon. 

'Star Trek Into Darkness' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects.

Star Trek Into Darkness is probably one of the most divisive films in the franchise, simultaneously beloved by most critics as one of the best summer blockbusters of 2013 and voted the worst Star Trek film at a fan convention. Those are two very polarizing viewpoints, and since I grew up a massive Star Wars fan I wasn't bothered by many of the issues that plagued longstanding fans of Star Trek. Into Darkness builds upon the events of 2009's successful reboot Star Trek as the crew of the Enterprise must face Khan, a one man reign of terror. 

One of the most controversial aspects of Into Darkness was director J.J. Abrams' decision to keep it under wraps who Benedict Cumberbatch's villainous character was, going as far as to fabricate a smokescreen identity of John Harrison. Unfortunately fans called him out on it and found the Khan twist to be predictable. I personally don't mind his decision as I love going into Abrams' productions with no clue what's going to happen and I can't fault a director for that considering everything else he brings to the table.

Abrams with the assistance of his fantastic screenwriters Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof cleverly plays off the alterations previously made to Star Trek continuity in Star Trek by establishing direct links of the proceeding events to the destruction of the planet Vulcan causing the Enterprise to run into Khan much earlier than William Shatner and Leonord Nimoy did. Orci and Kurtzman once again manage to craft a fast-paced adventurous blockbuster and great dialogue for the crew of the Enterprise provided their familiarity with the characters writing the screenplay for Star Trek, while Lindelof is new to the table, his addition to the Star Trek Into Darkness writers room didn't shake things up too much.

Abrams ensures the pacing is quick and the visuals are sleek with ease and of course there are plenty of lens-flares to spot along the way. The visual effects are wondrous as the Enterprise looks gorgeous in warp speed and gallivanting about in space with slick costuming and makeup prosthetics, flashy production design, and all-encompassing sound design to accompany them. Into Darkness' score composed by Michael Giancchio evokes classic Trek leaving even the most casual viewer with a desire to venture where no one has gone before.

The action sequences are undeniably fun, but manage to feel hollow as some of the action is largely flashy effects and loud noise rather than proper service to the story. My main issues with Into Darkness are the lack of risks it takes with abundant small plot holes and an ending that's remarkably similar to that of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, but all things considered those are small nitpicks that don't detract too heavily from my opinion of the film.

The brilliant cast that make up the crew of the USS Enterprise are back and once again bring heart to the film with their great chemistry onscreen together and bring along some newcomers that only add to the film's grandeur. Chris Pine oozes charisma now that he's even more comfortable in the Captain's chair as Captain James Tiberius Kirk and Zachary Quinto once again captures the proper balance of logic and emotion stepping into the shoes of the Vulcan First Officer Spock. The two share a terrific chemistry onscreen likened to peanut butter and jelly and the exploration of their continuing friendship is one of Into Darkness' high marks. Quinto is afforded one scene where he gets to let loose with an emotional outburst as he fights Khan in the pivotal third act finale that's nothing short of incredible.

Zoe Saldana is provided with much more material this time around as Uhura and steps up to the plate proving to be capable supporting female action heroine. Karl Urban is terrific as Bones, although I'd like to see him onscreen a bit more he does make for great supporting comedic relief. John Cho once again doesn't have much to do as Sulu but is perfectly serviceable in the capacity used. Simon Pegg is infectiously delightful to watch as Scotty, bringing tons of levity to the series situations and Anton Yelchin's Russian accent hits the mark for a comedic Chekov.

Alice Eve's Carol is along for the ride purely to be a sexualized supporting character with little substance, so little that her character is absent from Star Trek Beyond. Bruce Greenwood's Pike gets his fair share of screen time with some emotionally grounded scenes vital to the plot and Peter Waller's Marcus makes for an interesting Star Fleet officer with his own motivation worth questioning. Leonard Nimoy even gets a chance to once again play a role in the proceeding events as an older Spock although this time it's more along the lines of a cameo.

Benedict Cumberbatch's British baritone lends itself naturally to the sophisticated and elusive Khan. Cumberbatch proves once again that he's an outstanding actor as Khan proves to be an enigma with both intellectual and physical strength determined to stop those in his way with any means necessary. Cumberbatch's Khan is another dividing point with fans due to the whitewashing of the role but I think he plays the villain with such gravitas it's difficult not to admire his performance, and he makes for much better villain than Eric Bana's Nero.

Overall, I found myself still enjoying the heck out of Star Trek Into Darkness regardless of it's flaws in it's story and think that it's not deserving of loyal fanboy hatred but rather find it to be an entertaining science fiction adventure. Thanks to stunning visuals, impressive production design, flashy action, a rousing score, and a talented cast, Star Trek Into Darkness is a worthy followup to Star Trek.

Film Assessment: B-

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Star Trek' (2009)

Sorry this isn't actually being published on a Thursday and I believe this is my fourth consecutive late Throwback Thursday Review. On the bright side, I've finished this semester out and am only taking two summer classes so there shouldn't be any other delays throughout the summer. This week I'm beginning my series of Throwback Thursday Reviews of the more recent J.J. Abrams directed Star Trek films. I have some blank spots in my Throwback Thursday calendar this year that I might fill with some old Star Trek films since it's the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, but as for now I intend on at least reviewing the newer incarnations. Next week, I will continue my series of Throwback Thursday Bourne Reviews leading up to Jason Bourne with The Bourne Ultimatum. The following week will be a doozy as I anticipate doing Throwback Thursday Reviews for the live action Alice in Wonderland and X-Men: First Class to correlate with the dual release of Alice Through the Looking Glass and X-Men: Apocalypse, both of which have not received the greatest of reviews after the drop of each film's review embargo. Yikes... I'll still keep an open mind upon seeing both films though. I would also like to introduce a new form of review that week that will be a little different, I'm saving the reveal of what that will be for later. Yes, the Summer movie season is indeed upon us as there are THREE wide releases next week, each of which I hope to review. So that's a brief summary of what I have planned for the rest of May in regards to reviews.

'Star Trek' (2009) Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Makeup.
Won: Best Makeup.

I've always considered myself more of a Star Wars guy rather than a Trekkie and never quite clicked with the Star Trek franchise. I find the films enjoyable but not anywhere near the level of enjoyment I have towards Star Wars. With that being said, I've always been a fan of the more recent J.J. Abrams' Star Trek films and personally prefer them to the older versions (which are a little dull in my opinion). This 2009 reboot of Star Trek managed to reinvigorate the franchise with a sleeker modernized approach. It's no wonder that since making Star Trek, J.J. Abrams was recruited to bring back Star Wars this past December in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Which we all know that worked out beautifully! Abrams takes a unique approach, not too dis-similar to the more recent X-Men films and chooses to alter the timeline a bit, thus forming a new continuity going forward. This bold choice gives the franchise wiggle room. The films can now feature the mainstay Enterprise crew without feeling obligated to tell the same story again. Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman pen the script and do a remarkable job writing dialogue for the respective characters onboard the Enterprise and maintain a fast paced engaging story. The film speeds through the typical bland origins and gets straight to the action adventure, which combined with the editing speeds the film along even more. While there were no particular standout action scenes, the action is very entertaining. Technically, this film takes home all the marbles as the visual effects, makeup, costuming, production designer, and sound design converge to make an aesthetically perfect film. Each of the respective categories collaborate nicely together and make the film visually and audibly engaging. A chief consistent complaint of Abrams' films is his use of lens flares, which are abundant here. In Star Trek's case, I can say there were numerous times where I felt the lens flares were both unnecessary and slightly obnoxious. I think lens flares are intended to be an artistic choice that can add wonder to the visuals onscreen and at times Abrams does just that. However, the lens flares simply aren't needed during conversations onboard the USS Enterprise. Aside from the lens flares, the cinematography is downright gorgeous. The film doesn't remain to be a hollow visual spectacle as there's plenty of heart to be found in the film's cast. Chris Pine makes for a charming lead in James Tiberius Kirk playing up his greatest assets including sarcastic wit and humor. Zachary Quinto brilliantly captures the complex nature of Spock. Quinto perfectly balances the level headed logical reasoning with a few emotional outbursts along the same lines of the complex characterization of Vision in the Marvel movies. Leonard Nimoy gets the opportunity to jump back into the role of an older version of Spock and was terrific (There were some time travel elements). Being aware of Nimoy's passing last year, there was one scene that made me tear up a little as there was an added emotional element knowing Nimoy's fate. Zoe Saldana is serviceable as Uhura, basically just Spock's love interest who doesn't get too much development. Karl Urban is largely around for comedic relief as Bones and was hilarious, I enjoyed Urban in the capacity used. John Cho was well cast as Sulu but also doesn't get to do all that much aside from one cool action sequence. Simon Pegg is terrific as Scotty and was perfect comedic relief. Two understated smaller characters I felt were worth mentioning were James Kirk's parents. Chris Hemsworth and Jennifer Morrison, whom many now know as Thor and Emma Swan, had phenomenal chemistry and really showcased their acting chops to bring anyone to tears in one heartbreaking scene between them as George and Winona Kirk. Eric Bana makes for an intimidating presence as the film's antagonist, Nero. However his character lacks both enough screen time or motivation to make him a truly compelling villain. In summary, Star Trek is a great example of how to properly reboot a franchise by reinvigorating interest with phenomenal technical elements, an interesting premise, and a terrific cast.

Film Assessment: B