Sure, I’d love to watch Fast & Furious: In Space!

What’s It About? When the starship Enterprise is destroyed by an unknown enemy, Capt. Kirk and his crew become stranded on a distant world, where they must find a way to survive and escape.

STRAIGHT UP: A showcase of thrills, humor, and imagination. I loved it. 5/5

What I Liked

Putting the “Trek” in Star Trek – Previous films in the rebooted Star Trek series largely lacked the interstellar exploration and exotic alien races that the franchise had been known for. Not this one! Here, the entire plot is framed as a journey of discovery, taking our heroes to the gleaming towers of a space colony, the treacherous clouds of an uncharted nebula, and the harsh cliffs of a mysterious planet – all while featuring a large and diverse supporting cast of alien characters.

Incredible action scenes – During his run as the director of the Fast & Furious franchise, Justin Lin crafted some of the most exciting and creative action scenes I’ve ever seen. Set loose in a sci-fi universe, Lin pushes the limits of his imagination even further. A first-act space battle brings enough scale and intensity to put most other action movies to shame; a firefight aboard a derelict starship makes exciting use of shifting paths and perspectives; a frantic rescue operation features excellent choreography and lots of cool toys; and in the climax, there’s an unforgettable action beat that left my jaw on the floor.

Odd couples – In the middle act of the film, the Enterprise survivors search for each other and form unexpected tag-teams with entertaining results. Kirk stumbles into Chekov, and the awkward Russian must quickly become an action hero in order to keep up with his captain. Bones crash-lands next to Spock, and the two are forced to confront their personal dislike of each other while relying on each other’s skills to survive. Instead of playing off established relationships, this part of the story is written to showcase new interactions and deepen the characterization of the main cast.

Sofia Boutella as Jaylah – Jaylah is a great addition to the cast – a cool, tough survivor/gladiator with plenty of tricks up her sleeve, she more than makes up for Alice Eve’s disappointing role in the last film. Boutella has an interesting screen presence, and I’d like to see more of her.

Improved cinematography – It’s not just the lack of lens flare – it’s the little details that make Beyond a more outstanding viewing experience than its predecessors. Visually, the film is more coherent, even though the production is more elaborate than before; and while it would be hard for me to pick out a single frame as “iconic” in the previous two films, I can think of a few from this one that would work.

Kirk learns a lesson – One of the things I don’t like about the rebooted Star Trek films is Kirk’s lack of character development. Both Star Trek (2009) and Into Darkness imply that Kirk needs to change his ways to become a better captain, but don’t follow through – Kirk is the same cocky, reckless guy throughout, and not only faces no consequences for it, he’s actually rewarded. In Beyond, Kirk goes through an actual, genuine character arc, earning his stripes as a leader and an inspiration to his crew.

What I Disliked

Who is Krall? – I have to admit, I wasn’t really sold on the villain, Krall, for most of the movie. When some late-game revelations put his character and actions into proper context, though, my opinion changed completely.

CLOSING THOUGHT: I think Justin Lin is my new favorite director. I thought it was a miracle when he revitalized the Fast & Furious franchise, but after seeing him do the same thing with Star Trek, I think it’s safe to say that he’s just that good. Lin demonstrates creativity and vision that few of his peers can match, and I can’t wait to see what he does next. I’m also hopeful for future Star Trek films, now that a winning game plan is out there for everyone to see.