It says a lot that as soon as The Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” started up in this first trailer for Star Trek Beyond, I was already in a bad mood. This reboot series is doing its best to make me hate The Beastie Boys. That’s pretty high up there on the list of unforgivable sins this new set of Trek movies has committed.

…But, I don’t hate this first look. It’s pretty clear that they are moving as far away from the “Into Darkness” tone of the last flick, and I at least appreciate that in this initial piece of marketing. It looks like the crew will be stranded on an alien planet, and that’s something that evokes some classic Trek scenarios. This series still can’t get away from big bad villains though, as Idris Elba looks to playing the pappy of that stupid creature Scotty was hanging out with in the first film. Still, he at least looks more fun than Nero or John HarriKhan. And whoever that tattooed frenemy is looks to be the most exciting addition to this entire series.

But, I think I’m just over this cast. The little scene with Spock and Bones should honestly work like gangbusters. It’s genuinely funny, but with Karl Urban and Zachary Quinto in the middle of it, I just can’t muster up the laugh that that scene deserves. Maybe it’s just too late for me with this iteration of Star Trek. I sincerely hope this has got some of you reinvigorated, but I just can’t reach that level of care. I do hope that I’ll rediscover that by the time I see the movie, but it’s going to be an uphill battle.

Star Trek Beyond tries to win me back on July 22.


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