[Rob Babcock]

The first trailers had me pretty worried; it looked like Star Trek was going to be completely reimagined as a pure action movie.  Turns out I was pleasantly surprised!  In Beyond, Star Trek finally finds it's groove and it's heart.  Lin has done a very good job of making a modern action film that gives it's characters room to grow and breath.  As the movie begins the Enterprise is halfway through their five year mission and ennui is starting to set in.  Things have become a little too routine and Kirk is considering leaving the Big Chair of a Starship for a desk job as a Vice Admirable.  But when a semi-routine distress call turns into an ambush the crew is plunged headlong into a dangerous confrontation with a ruthless enemy that knows them all too well.

First off I was a bit concerned about how the passing of Leonard Nimoy (RIP!) would affect the film.  They wove his real like death into the film in a very organic and respectful way.  In a strange sense I feel like the torch has been fully passed in Star Trek Beyond.  In the first films I didn't really feel like the relationships were authentic; there was no way that strong bonds we saw between Kirk and Spock would have grown out of the brief time they had together especially under the circumstances.  But now, a few years in (both in real time and film time) the roles feel lived in.  Quinto particularly inhabits the role of Spock superbly well.  He channels the Spock of Nimoy while adding his own warmth and vulnerability.  Karl Urban has just the right mix of gruffness and charm to really animate the character of Leonard "Bones" McCoy.  I'll also note that unlike the last film Beyond does right by him, giving him a meaty role and a chance to expand his character a bit.  Finally, I feel that Chris Pine has finally grown into the role of Kirk.  He doesn't quite have the swagger but he projects an earnest confidence.  I think he will do just fine.

In retrospect I shouldn't have been surprised.  Lin did a pretty good job of taking a really goofy F&F franchise and making the characters seem like a real family.

I was really skeptical going in but Star Trek Beyond really won me over!  I highly recommend it to both the rabid and casual fans of the original Star Trek.

[Wind Chaser]

I was debating whether I should take this in or not. If I do, I hope I share your opinion. 

[Wind Chaser]

Took in the afternoon show and this one didn't do it for me. I think it would have been better had they not regurgitated the original characters with new actors. Some of them did okay but most seemed ill-fitted and out of place. Spock and Uhura? Give me a break. Spock showing emotion? Give me another break. The plot was thin and unfolding of the story didn't work for me. By contrast, almost any episode of TNG was superior in that respect. Half way through I started looking at my watch, debating whether I should leave or not. I'm not a hardcore fan/Trekkie, but as a kid, I really enjoyed the original and then later TNG. Unlike Beyond, those were compelling, fresh, original, and imaginative.

[poseidonsvoice]

Wind Chaser,

I'm going to read your reviews with far more enthusiasm in the future! For every movie you seem to dislike, I feel exactly the opposite!

I've watched the original series from the 60's, the New Generation when I was in college and DS9 thereafter. I liked them all, although I liked the New Generation best. Yes, I'm a fan.

Still, I feel that the new set of Star Trek movies have been fantastic and each one has commensurately given more character development to the other stars of the show and less on Chris Pine. Which is terrific!

Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 84% rating. As ratings go, that's quite high.

Best,
Anand.

[Wind Chaser]

Anand, I hear you. I'm one of the few people on this planet that didn't connect with the Dark Knight. Both the professional critics and audience rated it at 94% over at Rotten Tomatoes; and yet with the exception of a few scenes, I hated it. Come to think of it, I never really cared for the TV show as a kid either.

OTOH, Star Trek has a great legacy, I loved watching the original as a kid in the sixties and the reruns in the seventies. The Next Generation was every bit as cool as the original but far better. At that time, the average episode cost a million dollars to make, which was almost unheard of at the time, but did that show ever set the bar high for everything to follow. So perhaps therein lies my disappointment? Not so much on account of the budget, but the quality of writing. There's no substitute for a great story or a great script.

[Rob Babcock]

FWIW I like TNG much better than any of the other ST stuff, movies included.  My favorite of the movies with the original cast was actually the first one.  Overall though TNG was just much better although the films were a bit uneven.

[MrUnderhill]

The first thing I saw on a colour TV was Star Trek and was blown away by the uniforms. As such, despite recognising its flaws, the original series have always been closest to my heart.

I thought Abram's did a good job in recasting the three main characters, and of re-creating the dynamic between them. Unfortunately I have been less impressed with the plots:

Film 1: Create a planet destroying substance. Bring it into the past and use it to destroy the planet on which it was created .....in the future?
Film 2: Lets 'beam' from one end of the universe to the other - and instantaneously!

This movie was on a smaller scale, and all the better for it. It does have some of the usual tropes, and perhaps has some plot holes ....but, I found I could just get on and enjoy it. I was engaged, laughed and was excited as intended by the script writers.

Solid 7/10 for me.

M

[stlrman]

 
Loved it in IMAX!! 3d !!
 
I will watch it again on my hometheater in Blu-Ray , but in no way will the experience be matched by the emersive experience of IMAX.
I need to get my 3d glasses for home system . 
The movie was very exciting ! Awesome 3d and cgi

[zybar]

Going to see it today or tomorrow with my 12 and 14 year old boys.

Hoping it is entertaining.

George

[MarkR7]

I'd recommend it! Solid 8 outta 10. 

Good story line, script, acting, and character interactions. Loved the humor too!

Even my wife, who is by no means a Trekkie, or even a sci-fi fan, enjoyed it.

[brooklyn]

Went to see Star Trek, Beyond tonight.. In a word, I thought it was intense. There was no
waiting for the movie to end for me, like some of the last action sci-fi movies I went to see
recently.. Plenty of action, a good storyline and some humor.. What more could a Trekkie
fan like me ask for..

I was sorry to hear about the untimely death of Anton Yelchin who played Pavel Chekov.
I warmed up to Yelchin playing Chekev from day one.. 

[zybar]

Going to see it today or tomorrow with my 12 and 14 year old boys.

Hoping it is entertaining.

George

Saw it this afternoon with my sons and all three is us liked it.

We thought it had good pace, was interesting from a plot and visualization standpoint, and was generally enjoyable to watch.

I think the franchise is in strong shape and I can't wait to see what's next.

George

[jarcher]

Pretty decent. 3D super murky - save $4-5 and see it in 2D. Still amazed how poor these movie theater DLP projectors are even in new theaters. No black levels and color depth. I go to the theater maybe once or twice a year to see how I'm doing relative to projector at home. Home always wins - by far.

[stlrman]

What is your screen ans projector set up jarcher? Thanks!

[Folsom]

I enjoyed it. But I'd like to see less war driven type plots... for at least one movie with this cast.

And they need to give up on some hookey suspense stuff they're into. Like where you're waiting to see if some jump or whatever is successful. None of them were particularly suspenseful. No one was surprised that the Franklin made it.

The first movie had way too much camera shake... it's like they got solid acting and visuals but they're trying too hard on the camera side.

[jarcher]

What is your screen ans projector set up jarcher? Thanks!

JVC X35 & 96' Stewart Studiotek 130 screen, which is a nice set up. But honestly a $2k home theater projector & screen combo would top what I'm seeing in commercial theaters. $2k still buys you a lot of movie tickets and popcorn - even at today's inflated prices - but we all have our pet hobbies and luxuries.

[Folsom]

The theater I go to has reserved, reclining seats... hard to complain about the picture. Although I felt like Star Trek had a weird darkness to it. The 4k seemed really nice at times, but at other times I was wondering if the FPS dropped too much, like when they panned it got blurry.

[mcgsxr]

Saw it on a plane this week. 

6/10 for me as a Star Trek movie.  8/10 as an action movie.

It just did not feel like that much of a Star Trek movie.  It could have been totally different characters and still held up as an action flick though.