Not content with rebooting the Star Trek universe, filmmaker JJ Abrams has of course been rather busy in that other blockbuster galaxy far, far away.
Now, after two Star Trek chapters with his new cast and crew of the USS Enterprise, Abrams passes the directorial baton onto Fast and Furious director Justin Lin - himself a diehard Trekkie and a man who knows a thing or two about shooting an action movie. So if it's high-octane action in space you're after - welcome to Star Trek Beyond.
Third film in and this crew feels right at home, both on the bridge of the USS Enterprise but also with each other. The familiar family feel is evident right off the bat, each of these actors now fully embedded in the personalities and quirks of their characters.
This plot throws them asunder, different crew members thrown together in rather challenging-slash-life-threatening situations. This mostly works, giving the plot the feel of the old school TV episodes from whence it came. But it also brings a slightly fractured and discombobulated demeanour to the story structure, lessening its overall impact.
Of course we need a bad guy. Idris Elba (The Wire/Thor) is this instalment's evil alien intent on the destruction of the Federation and all who belong to it. Krall is quite unpleasant, as we need him to be, and not exactly a team player.
We have another new addition to the space fray this outing, and a welcome one. The crew encounters Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) on Krall's home planet, the population of which he has either enslaved or killed. Hell-bent on revenge and escape, Jaylah's skills are plentiful and mostly of the kick-arse variety. She will prove most useful.
Clearly with Lin at the helm we know what to expect - his mantra is hardly "Go placidly amidst the noise and pace and remember what peace there may be in silence".
Whether that works for you or not will depend on your cinematic predilections, but for me, despite the action-heavy delivery, the beating heart of the series remained intact, thanks largely to the cast and their chemistry and charisma.
An easy four star watch.
Star Trek Beyond:: Director: Justin Lin:: Starring: Idris Elba, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Sofia Boutella, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, John Cho:: Rating: M - violence:: Running Time: 122 minutes:: Release Date: July 21, 2016
Reviewed by Kate Rodger / Newshub.
