Star Trek Beyond (8/10)

by Tony Medley

Runtime 120 minutes.

OK for children.

This is another high quality film in the Star Trek series. What’s better about it is Zachary Aquino’s performance as Spock. He has really grown into the role after a stuttering start a few years ago.

The special effects are spectacular. This is a film that I did not see in IMAX or 3-D, so I can’t comment on those special effects, but I imagine that they are both fine enhancements because the cinematography is close to mind-boggling.

Chris Pine still looks too young to me to be playing Capt. Kirk, but he does a good job otherwise. The script (Simon Pegg and Doug Jung with three more uncredited) carries the film for the entire two hours. I didn’t see anything to which I objected. But the story is just your basic sci-fi tale about a really bad guy who wants to destroy the Universe and the good guys from the Star Ship Enterprise who want to preserve it but mostly about special effects.

Alert for Los Angeles residents! This has nothing to do with the movie, but I missed Paramount’s screening on the lot so went to see this at the Arclight Hollywood the Friday morning screening the day it opened. There were three people in the theater. It was freezing and I complained several times, asking them to increase the temperature. They didn’t. So after the movie ended I requested to speak with the manager, who told me that they walked into the theater and didn’t think it was anything unusual so didn't make any changes despite my repeated requests. I said there were only three people in the theater and if one person was freezing it was more important to make him happy than the people who work there (all of whom wear warm clothes; I was in shirtsleeves). He couldn’t have cared less. So this is just a warning for anyone who might choose to attend a film at the Arclight Hollywood.