'Star Trek Beyond' Cuts to the 'Core of the Series' Original Appeal,' and 5 Other Rave Reviews

“Star Trek Beyond” diverged from its original director J.J. Abrams to Justin Lin, but the switch-up didn’t seem to deter critics from loving the 13th movie in the blockbuster franchise.

The film, which opens in theaters July 22, received an 86 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised the dynamics of the cast and how well they play off each other. The latest incarnation following the U.S.S. Enterprise crew also scored high marks for keeping the fantasy-action film true to the original TV series and celebrating a sense of diversity without hitting “the audience over the head” with it.

“Star Trek Beyond” installment stars the returning cast of Chris Pine (Captain Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Commander Spock), Karl Urban (Bones), Zoe Saldana (Uhura), John Cho (Sulu) and Anton Yelchin (Chekov). New to the adventure are Golden Globe winner Idris Elba as the powerful and evil leader, Krall, and Sofia Boutella, the otherworldy Jaylah.

Also Read: JJ Abrams: 'There's No Re-Casting' Anton Yelchin Role in 'Star Trek' Series

Here are five reasons why critics like “Star Trek Beyond”

Russ Fisher, TheWrap
“‘Beyond’ is quite familiar, with a structure that marries modern blockbuster form to a plot outline that could easily be at home in the 1960s original series. This episode cuts right to the core of the series’ original appeal, giving the terrific cast a chance to play against one another in a straightforward story. It’s not exactly bold, but ‘Beyond’ does satisfy.”

David Sims, The Atlantic
“Lin never hits the audience over the head with the crew’s sweeping sense of diversity and the power they draw from their egoless camaraderie. Early on, as the crew takes some shore leave on a space station, you catch a sweet, subtle glimpse of Sulu embracing his husband and child; when Uhura is captured by Krall, she doesn’t need her boyfriend Spock’s help in escaping his clutches; and there’s a continuation of the brotherhood between Scotty and his three-foot engineering assistant Keenser, a beady-eyed, fungus-resembling creature who sneezes acid any time he has a cold.”

Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service
“There’s only one thing we really want from a summer movie and that’s fun. ‘Star Trek Beyond’ is just that, and it keeps reminding you that’s what it is. Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is a thrill-seeker, a fun-loving guy, and that’s why he never hesitates to take on a questionable mission. We know it’s dangerous, the stakes are apocalyptically high, but this crew just seems to have too much fun doing it, and that’s best expressed in this latest installment of a series that could be called ‘Star Trek: The Abrams Generation.'”

Also Read: 'Star Trek Beyond': What You Need to Know Before Beaming Up for New Movie

Ty Burr, Boston Globe
“‘Star Trek Beyond’ plays like an episode of the old ‘Star Trek’ TV series. This, I submit, is what’s enjoyable about it. It’s longer, of course, with a different cast, a more hectic pace, and state-of-the-galaxy digital effects. But those boulders strewn across the planet on which the characters have landed look like Styrofoam even if some of them are real, and the dramatic stakes are the kind that get resolved in an hour with commercial breaks rather than two hours-plus of epic cinema. It might even feel like you’re back in your rec room, circa 1967, drinking Tang and waiting for the Tribbles.”

Also Read: Does 'Star Trek Beyond' Have a Post-Credits Scene?

Daniel M. Kimmel, New England Movies Weekly
“John Cho, as Sulu, and the late Anton Yelchin, in his final turn as Chekov, make the most of still underwritten parts, but Zachary Quinto as Spock and Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy absolutely soar, playing off of each other as well as off of Pine. Zoe Saldana gets to kick some alien butt as Uhura and newcomer Sofia Boutella is a welcome addition as the complex alien spacefarer Jayiah. She would be good to keep on in future entries.”

Dana Stevens, Slate,
“Among other things, the series included one of American television’s first interracial kisses–even if Kirk and Uhura were being compelled to smooch by evil godlike aliens. In our arguably more inclusive age, expanding that universe to include a gay character feels right — especially when that character is Sulu, played in the original series by the out-and-proud actor George Takei, who has insisted that his recent remarks objecting to the character’s newly revealed sexuality were taken out of context.”

Anton Yelchin and 13 Other Memorable Posthumous Movie Performances (Photos)

Anton Yelchin's sudden death last month has given the release of "Star Trek: Beyond" a heavy, unexpected dose of emotion, as fans will now be seeing him play Pavel Chekov for the final time. Deaths in Hollywood have turned several films into impromptu tributes to dearly-departed actors, serving as a final testament to their work.
By far the most famous posthumous performance is Heath Ledger's chilling portrayal of the Joker in "The Dark Knight." Ledger's Oscar-winning work showed just how evil and dangerous Batman's greatest adversary can be, as he sought to destroy humanity's ideals and drag Gotham down into nihilistic chaos.
Warner Bros.
Alan Rickman's final live action role was in the military thriller "Eye In The Sky." Rickman played Lt. Gen. Frank Benson, a British Army official who debates with Parliament members over whether they should attack a terrorist compound with a drone strike that might kill an innocent girl in the crossfire.

Also Read: Alan Rickman Honored by Harry Potter, John McClane in New Yorker Cartoon
Bleecker Street
Bruce Lee is now considered to be a martial arts legend around the world, but for much of his life his fame was mostly confined to Hong Kong. "Enter The Dragon," the first film released after his death in 1973, became his breakthrough hit.
Warner Bros.
Bruce Lee's son, Brandon, was tragically killed while filming the noir superhero film, "The Crow." Lee played the titular dark vigilante, who is brought back from the dead by a mystical crow to hunt down the gang that killed him and his wife. The film was praised for its bold visual style, with Roger Ebert declaring that Lee had made a cinematic marvel that surpassed that of his father's.
Miramax
Another star whose magnum opus came out after his death was famed bad boy James Dean. He got an Oscar nomination and worldwide acclaim for his performance in "East of Eden," but the teen angst classic that he is most known for today, "Rebel Without A Cause," was released a month after Dean died in a car crash.
Getty
Paul Walker, star of the "Fast & Furious" series, was also killed in a car crash, forcing the crew of "Furious 7" to retool the script. The film had Walker's character, Brian O'Connor, retire from Dominic Toretto's team and ended with Dom and Brian exchanging some parting words.

Also Read: Paul Walker Was Responsible for His Own Death, Porsche Says
Universal
Philip Seymour Hoffman had several films in the can when he died in February 2014, including a lead role in an adaptation of John Le Carre's "A Most Wanted Man." But his most prominent posthumous role was in "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay" as District 13 strategist Plutarch Heavensbee.
Getty
The 1961 Arthur Miller drama "The Misfits" is a melancholy milestone in movie history. The film features Clark Gable in his final performance, as he died 10 days after filming. It was also the last role for Marilyn Monroe, who struggled with substance abuse during filming and died 18 months after its release. Modern critics consider "The Misfits" to be one of the finest films in the careers of both actors.
Wikimedia Commons
Bela Lugosi is a legend of early horror films, which makes it somewhat ironic that his final project is one of the most infamous bombs of all time. Lugosi had been working with "Plan 9" director Ed Wood on other projects, but after Lugosi's death, Wood included some of the silent footage from them in "Plan 9" and gave him top billing.
Wikimedia Commons
Orson Welles is best known for "Citizen Kane," but the last role of his career is utterly bizarre. Released nine months after his death, "Transformers: The Movie" featured Welles as the voice of Unicron, a planet-sized robot who seeks to consume the entire universe.

Also Read: 15 Paycheck Roles That Huge Hollywood Stars Did for the Money (Photos)
Hasbro
James Gandolfini will forever be known for being the ultimate mob boss, Tony Soprano. But in his final film, "The Drop," Gandolfini played a crook who was far removed from Tony's confidence and power. He starred alongside Tom Hardy as Marv, a bar owner whose establishment keeps money for the Chechnyan mob.
Fox Searchlight
Along with Laurence Olivier, Spencer Tracy holds the record for most Best Actor Oscar nominations, with the ninth and final nomination coming for a film released six months after his death. That film was "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner," in which Tracy played the worried father of a white woman marrying a black man. The film became famous for challenging prejudice against interracial couples, as well as the limits of liberal tolerance.
Columbia Pictures
Peter Finch's final performance was as the mad prophet of the airwaves, Howard Beale, in the legendary satire "Network." Unlike the other films on this list, "Network" came out before Finch's death. However, Finch died before winning an Oscar for the role, making him the only actor to posthumously win an Oscar for a leading role.
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Tragic deaths have turned films like “Enter The Dragon,” “Furious 7” and “Star Trek: Beyond” into impromptu sendoffs

Anton Yelchin's sudden death last month has given the release of "Star Trek: Beyond" a heavy, unexpected dose of emotion, as fans will now be seeing him play Pavel Chekov for the final time. Deaths in Hollywood have turned several films into impromptu tributes to dearly-departed actors, serving as a final testament to their work.

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