Greetings, my fellow Trekkies and those of you that just stopped by to hear a Rihanna sing!

More on that in a bit, but first let me apologize for waiting so long before again discussing the third Star Trek film in what has just been recently dubbed as the “Kelvin Timeline”.

More on that later, but first let me apologize to you for these initial apologies as I know they are keeping you from hearing the sweet sounds of Rihanna. Those of you that continue to play the home game know that I am a Star Trek fan through and through. Hell, I myself have journeyed far and wide to undiscovered parts of the mind and soul if only to bring to you the very concept of appreciating even the lesser Trek films floating around out there (I still like Star Trek V). I don’t take my Trek lightly, is what I’m trying to say to you, as I have always appreciated its imaginative vision of the future filled with discovery, glorious/painful conflicts, and thoughtful looks at the growth of not only the human race as a whole but the characters who lead the charge into the unknown. There are also Tribbles, which automatically give the Trek Universe a leg up on all the spacey competition out there.

And now, after all that, I’ll let you hear Rihanna sing for a bit.

So, the first trailer for Star Trek Beyond featured the Beastie Boys and successfully pissed off many, many wonderful people and intrigued many, many other wonderful people. As for myself, I thought the trailer was fine and dandy for the most part. I saw through the thick cloud of damage control and witnessed some funny bits as well as the promise of grand adventure on the landscape of a new frontier, which is what this series has supposedly been building towards. You can see it here in case you missed it:

The second trailer featured nary a Beastie Boy but plenty of beastie men and their termite spaceships. More than that, though, we got a moment (which you see in the above trailer) in which Kirk is having a drink with Bones. And they’re talking. They are having a conversation. Now, I’m not expecting Justin Lin to deliver to us the space version of My Dinner with Andre, but I can’t help but let the warm blanket of naivety drape over me, if only for a few moments. What if what we are witnessing in this trailer is a part of an actual scene? What if there is an entire scene that lasts about 5 minutes or so that just focuses on those two people talking? There’s no rush to dilute the conversation with required exposition, and the director takes the time to film it beautifully. When the scene is over, we will have a deeper understanding of our characters, and that understanding will make the upcoming adventure more thrilling than any photon torpedo or pop song ever could. Because we will know these people and want to continue knowing them, and that feeling is a type of magic that can bring a film to Warp 9 and BEYOND.

I know this may sound absurd, but I’ve seen it work, and in films that also bare the name Star Trek. In a scene like this, if you pay attention, you will not get bored. You will find a sort of entertainment you dared not dream. Escapism and confronting bold realities can be one and the same thanks to the power of cinema and performance. Realization has the ability to supply you with more adrenaline than any of the other action and spectacle pushers on the block. But if that doesn’t work for you, you can always look at the phasers and revel in the dry wit of Dr. McCoy. Nothing wrong with that either.

I’ve heard a rumor that cerebral blockbusters are out of fashion. I don’t think that’s true. You just have pay attention, that’s all. This new Star Trek movie may be a letdown or it may not. The trailer above once again features a look at something potentially fun and exciting, and the Rihanna song adds some spice to the proceedings, even if it does give off a weird James Bond vibe. It’s a little odd but it ain’t bad. Like I said, it could be fun, but for folks like myself that continually clap the Star Trek Universe on the back with great affection, I’m hoping for something more. I’m hoping for something memorable. And an adorable Tribble or two wouldn’t hurt either.

(Screenshot via YouTube)

- Greg McIver, YH Contributing Writer