"Star Trek Beyond" is the third of the reboot films starring Chris Pine as Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock. However, the film is now helmed by "Fast and the Furious" veteran Justin Lin. Despite the sudden shift in director, a report from Comic Book Movie reveals that early reviews are highly positive.
There had been doubt regarding the film due to the fact that Lin is mostly known for working on four of the "Fast and the Furious" films, action flicks that are a stark contrast to the deeper narrative of the "Star Trek" franchise. However, as the early reviews reveal, many professional critics claim this to be the most faithful of the three new movies.
According to the report, IGN's Jim Vejvoda said the film is several times better than "Star Trek Into Darkness" and sticks close to the spirit of the original television series from the 1960s. This sentiment is then shared by Jordan Hoffman of The Guardian.
"'Star Trek Beyond' does something magical: has big, bold action but puts these characters in, basically, a 'TOS' episode. For me it was a dream," Hoffman explained via Twitter, "TOS" being a common abbreviation for "Star Trek: The Original Series."
Not all critics praised the film this highly, as critic Jeff Canata stated that the film felt more like an impressive "Mass Effect" movie than a "Star Trek" movie. It is important to note that Canata still praised the film and gave it high marks, calling it a "well-made sci-fi adventure."
"Star Trek Beyond" takes place during the 5-year mission of the USS Enterprise into uncharted space. When the ship dock at a space station located at the far end of the Federation's borders they are attacked by an unidentified villain, played by Idris Elba.
"Star Trek Beyond" launches in theaters this July 22.
