Spoilers STAR TREK BEYOND - Grading & Discussion

[JD]

I just got back form it about an hour ago and I love it.
An A+ for me.
I love the first two, but of the three this is the first to really feel like a Star Trek story.
It did a really good job of giving everyone some attention.
It was a great looking movie, with the standouts being Yorktown and the swarm.
Krall was a good villain. I knew about his backstory thanks to the TV spot released last week, but there was still enough that I didn't know that it didn't feel like that whole thing was ruined. He definitely was the most interesting of the three villains we've gotten so far. I was surprised how closely his backstory actually tied in with Enterprise.
Jayla was great. I was afraid that she would end up a love interest for either Kirk or Scotty, so I was happy that they didn't go that direction. I loved her fight scene with Manus.
After so many people had a fit when Beastie Boy's Sabotage was included in the first trailer, I thought it was great that it actually played a big role in the story.
Almost all of the humor worked really well. I especially got a kick out of the big confrontation with the T'Mat (I think that was what they called the aliens at the beginning) and the line about Kirk's shirt getting torn.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

He did get kicked out of someone's quarters at the beginning. She could have been a betazoid. Didn't see her eyes.

I thought that was Chekov?

 

[SalvorHardin]

I thought that was Chekov?

It was.

 

[Commander Richard]

^ Are you sure? It looked like Kirk.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I loved this film. Everything about it. The characters were great, Kirk's grown up and become the leader I remember not being sure he could be at the end of ST'09. I didn't want Nimoy's death acknowledged in the movie, but the way they did it - and that it mattered to Spock's arc - won me over. I cannot believe that they not only defeated the Swarm with music, but that it worked brilliantly when it could have been the dumbest thing ever. Spock's delirious emotional outbursts similarly worked very well, never seeming out of character.

Visually, Trek has a new benchmark. Yorktown looks amazing. The docking tunnels running beneath the water, and being able to see the ships from the "surface" is inspired. The shot where Kirk and Chekov look down the valley at the crashed Enterprise saucer is beautiful. The time-lapse of the new Enterprise being built at the end is fantastic (not so fond of the new Enterprise design itself, but I guess that's what I get for loving the '09 incarnation so much). These are the visuals Trek will be aping for decades to come.

Lots of questions left unanswered - like, who were the planet's original colonists and where did they go? Were all of Krall's people formerly the Franklin crew? I guess the original colonists left all those swarm ships behind? Perhaps these were answered and I missed them. The film was relentless, and I'm sure on my second viewing I'll pick up on loads of new stuff.

The film's message, that we have to look past our prejudices and put old grudges aside for our collective betterment is an important one.

Hoping this film makes enough to justify them making another!

A

 

[Oso Blanco]

^ Are you sure? It looked like Kirk.

It was Chekov and the girl was Orion.

 

[Commander Richard]

It was Chekov and the girl was Orion.

It's bizarre that I don't even remotely remember it that way.

 

[Pindar]

Loved it. I could watch that film all day.

Pine inhabited the character in this one. Can't wait to see it again.

 

[Ridcully]

Just saw it...and totally loved it!
Gonna see it again soon.

 

[T'Bonz]

I'm giving it an A-. I absolutely loved it. This is the first movie that FELT like real Star Trek and it was very much like a TOS movie to me.

However, Kirk at the end. Really? Who GIVES a fuck why Krall did what he did. SHOOT HIM before he detonates the weapon! Get the motivation later in the Brig from him.

Plus Krall's motivation was a bit lame/flat. So that's why no A+.

But absolute kudos to Pegg and Jung. I must confess, I wasn't sure Pegg had the pulse of Trek although I figured what the heck. But I was wrong. He and Jung absolutely nailed it.

Spock is still too emo though. But McCoy. I love him and want to have his babies.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Was he?
I think he was his usual self.
Logical, reserved, fownplaying his own sense of humor.
Except when he was about to die/recovering from very having debris stuck in his abdomen. then he didn't waste much energy on controlling his emotions for a moment.

 

[BlueMetroid]

Where was Cupcake? I could've sworn he was supposed to be in it.
I believe someone said there was an Archer reference earlier in this thread? I didn't catch that, where was it?
When/where was Tharsus mentioned?

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[BillJ]

I believe someone said there was an Archer reference earlier in this thread?

Everything can use an Archer reference!

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[T'Bonz]

Was he?
I think he was his usual self.
Logical, reserved, fownplaying his own sense of humor.
Except when he was about to die/recovering from very having debris stuck in his abdomen. then he didn't waste much energy on controlling his emotions for a moment.

He laughed out loud, for Pete's sake.

 

[JD]

I missed Cupcake too.
One thing that kind of bothered me, was that they introduced two seeming significant female characters besides Jayla, and killed them both off pretty quickly. I don't know if I would have normally noticed this, but with the current conversation going on over in the SFF forum, this stood out to me.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Yes, and McCoy was sufficiently freaked out by it bwcause it meant Spock was delirious. That he dropped his logical composure means he was struggling... a lot.
Appropriate to the trauma he suffered, I think.
In fact I find it beautifully done, that they chose to show him laughing to tell the audience how serious his condition really was.

 

[Shalashaska]

I'm gonna be very disappointed if Justin Lin doesn't return for the next film.

That was absolutely gorgeous. Between the different shots of Yorktown and the Enterprise and the Swarm attack, it was pure eye candy. The performances he got out of his actors and the chemistry the cast had with each other was like family, you can tell they're all having a good time on-set.

Beyond is a small character-driven indie film inside a big action blockbuster's body. It's a wonderful 50th Anniversary gift to the fans.

 

[Oso Blanco]

I'm gonna be very disappointed if Justin Lin doesn't return for the next film.

I second that ... he did a great job!

 

[SalvorHardin]

I'm gonna be very disappointed if Justin Lin doesn't return for the next film.

What! That filthy, mindless Fast and Furious guy? He clearly has no place in Star Trek!

 

[Shalashaska]

What! That filthy, mindless Fast and Furious guy? He clearly has no place in Star Trek!

I tried telling them he was good!

They just didn't want to listen!