‘Star Trek Beyond’ on Combo Pack

Category: Blu-ray's and DVD's


startrekbeyond
The new crew of the Starship Enterprise first hit the big screen in 2009. Chris Pine (Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Spock), Karl Urban (Bones), Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Simon Pegg (Scotty), John Cho (Sulu), and Anton Yelchin (Chekov) brought the iconic characters back to moviegoers. They reunited in 2013 for Star Trek Into Darkness. Now in Star Trek Beyond they again bring the crew of the Enterprise to life in a new story that is filled with plenty of fun and a lot of special effects.

This movie epitomizes the core of the Star Trek universe: that all kinds of beings can live in harmony. The Enterprise visits a man-made base in space, which is described in the bonus features as a “proxy earth.” This base, Yorktown, is a Utopian location where all kinds of aliens coexist in peace.

Then the crew is sent on a rescue mission to an unexplored planet, Altamid, where they encounter the possible destruction of humanity, as well as one of the original spaceships, the Franklin. It’s on this planet they also encounter Krall (Idis Elba), a man of secrets and hatred. They also meet Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), an alien that befriends the crew and aids them in defeating, or trying to defeat Krall from using the ultimate weapon against the Yorktown.

The bonus features examine the characters as well as the history of the franchise. Director Justin Lin grew up with the franchise and brings his own love of the characters to the screen. The movie was co-written by Simon Pegg, who also costars in the film.

Bonus features explore the heart of the movie, including the relationship between Bones and Spock, who are opposites in character but ultimately make a great team. The sets are also examined in detail. Instead of simply turning the camera, a revolving set of the Enterprise was built so as the ship was spinning out of control, the actors had to actually maneuver themselves to stay upright.

For the Yorktown the filmmakers went to Dubai where a futuristic city was pretty much already set up. The green screen sets were also used and they created Krall’s command center in the middle of a rock quarry. Watching the bonus features adds a lot to the background of the film and demonstrates the dedication of the filmmakers to the franchise.

This being the 50th anniversary of the franchise called for something special. So what did they do? They created 50 unique alien races for the film. How’s that for dedication and commitment to the love of the franchise? A gag reel and deleted scenes are also included.

There is one more bonus that will touch the hearts of viewers. It is a tribute to Leonard Nimoy (the original and iconic Spock) who passed away during the writing of the screenplay, and Anton Yeltsin (Chekov) who passed away after the film was completed.

Star Trek has been a beloved franchise with several spinoff series’ as well as this new crew stepping into the shoes of the original cast. Sci-fi is at its peak with this series. Through the years it has reflected man’s hopes and desires that a peaceful existence is in our future. While it often is difficult to think that way, given the horrors happening on this planet, Star Trek offers the hope of a bright future. Live long and prosper.

The combo pack includes a Blu-ray, a DVD, and Digital HD. The film is also available on other formats. It is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter