'Star Trek: Beyond' review: Saddle in and explore new worlds with the Starship Enterprise!

What's it about:

I'd like to say it's all about family. Except, when you're in deep space, exploring new frontiers, going where no man (or woman, for that matter) has gone before; your colleagues become your family.
And so, when we catch up with the crew, they're (sorta) midway on their space exploration business. Captain Kirk's dealing with a few demons, Spock and Uhura are not going through the best of times, Sulu has come out as gay, a new villain is in play and the Enterprise crew have a new ally. 
Of course, not everything is nearly as neatly ironed out as that past sentence. There's much that goes on in between and that includes a lot of bickering, bantering, blowing up stuff (and then some) et al. 
And that's a trip you should saddle in for.

What's hot:

Lin furthers producer (and former director of the reboot) JJ Abram's vision for the franchise. And with the likes of screenwriters Simon Pegg and Doug Jung at his disposal, he charges into space at warp-speed. The crew gets stranded on an alien planet and have to find their way back to each other. They get split into groups of two and that's where all the fun starts. But let's face it, we've grown with the stars of this reboot. Pine's cockiness as James T Kirk is firmly in place. Pegg's Scotty gets a meatier role (perks of being screenwriter, we guess). As new character Jaylah, Sofia Boutella makes a confident debut (keep an eye out for her). Quinto's classic nonchalance and deadpan expressions are so classic Spock, we're sure Nimoy would be smiling down wherever he is. It's also a time to celebrate one of the Trekkies, (Yelchin as Pavel Chekhov) who left us all too soon, in what is essentially his last appearance. Another thing the movie celebrates is Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's legacy and takes it forward, updating it for a new generation.
And last, but definitely not the least, the battle scenes are to be seen to be believed. Director Justin Lin and cinematographer Stephen F Windon make it all seem so easy as they go about their business. 

What's not:

But... and we say this, grudgingly, the first battle sequence just goes on and on (and on). And let's cut straight to it: what's the point of hiring Elba as the villain, if you're simply going to reduce him to a voice role. And we'd really like to see more of Bones (Urban) and Sulu (Cho).

What to do:
Go buy that ticket and strap in to explore new worlds with the Starship Enterprise. Enjoy the ride. We're sure there are more to follow.

Rating: ****