STAR TREK: BEYOND
They wanted Fast and Furious and they certainly got it.
The characters and cast were great. A solid story with some good humor. The homages and nods to the past movies and shows came fast and thick and were well integrated. I thought Pegg and friend did a great job with the script. The visuals and CG environments were outstanding. The CG really works for Trek. I suppose all the past plywood, Styrofoam and cloth demands at least some slight bit of unreality.
On the whole, it worked, but there were some serious problems, all linked to the overarching problem of the dizzying pacing.
(Just to be safe) SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
Here, now there, now off to the next thing. Just not enough time to develope some important plot points. It created some missed opportunities. The villain was a great concept and might have been a more powerful twist if the video had been viewed a couple more times throughout the movie with some more hints and suggestion of mutagenic compounds and expo of the alien race and weapons. kirk is frustrated with having to deal with these alien ways to the point of wanting a desk job. His decision to turn back for Jayla might have been more powerful with some more earlier pauses and impatience. I know it is a ST trope that they quickly concoct fantastical solutions with the limited resources at hand. Overall, the greatest problem with pace was the problem-suggestion-decision-implementation cycle seemed like it was less than 20 seconds. I was still trying to grasp a vague idea of what they were doing and they would almost have it solved. A few seconds more to ponder, protest, drop expo and prepare would have been helpful and had greater credibility.
END SPOILERS
While the pacing was more a hurt than help on the whole, it was, nonetheless, a significant help. It created a sense of…exuberance and abandon. Certainly plenty of energy. Pace and villain developement aside, it seemed well directed. For the future, maybe dial back a little from 09 and STID instead of warp 57.
This movie occupies a space with others like Thor:TDW with it’s odd logistics and unclear motivations. An odd feeling that I should be more annoyed with it than I am.
“Yeah, sure, why not? That was a fun run with some likable characters and cool environments.”
I like these new films and was glad to have another.