‘Star Trek Beyond’ crew shows strength in diversity

It was a surprising announcement when Justin Lin was selected as the director of the next film in the long-running "Star Trek" franchise, "Star Trek Beyond."

Lin is not really known for the more cerebral side of filmmaking, having directed the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth installments of the "Fast and the Furious" franchise.

And while those films evolved into a sturdy series all its own, they were dedicated to blowing minds, not expanding them. And, even though J.J. Abrams’ reboot of the series seemed to steer things onto a more action-oriented path, the last chapter, "Star Trek Into Darkness" seemed to aim directly for a more personal, paranoid tone that left many fans feeling as alienated as a Vulcan at a Brony convention.

While, globally, we seem to be in very dark times, "Beyond" offers us a pleasant diversion from the dystopia, which may further put off the die-hard Trek heads, but offers a chance for the U.S.S. Enterprise crew to unify and demonstrate just how their teamwork helps to conquer interstellar adversity.

It may seem slightly more airy than the latter-day television episodes, but it echoes in tone some of the original series' more optimistic episodes. "Beyond" brings the team together as a surrogate family, allowing each of its leads an opportunity to stand out. In the opening, Kirk (played by Chris Pine) seems restless with the rather eventless horizon of deep space.

But that boredom barely sets in before the Starfleet gang gets attacked by a swarm of alien ships and crash lands on a planet ruled by tyrannical leader Krall (played by Idris Elba). It's all quite thin, dramatically, but "Beyond's" strengths are in its moments that veer from the central plot. The crew is allowed some downtime, where we glimpse members spending time with family and friends, and this illustrates why we've spent so many decades with these characters. From John Cho's stoic Sulu to Karl Urban's crusty Bones to Zoe Saldana's strong-willed Uhura, each member gets time to stretch their legs here.

Most importantly, the film embraces the core franchise's concept of recognizing and accepting our diversity and bonding to face adversity. It may seem quaint, but in a time when we are being isolated by our differences, this is exactly the voyage we need right now.