The First 'Star Trek Beyond' Trailer Is Explosive

I know you've all been waiting for this as long as I have, so let me get right down to it. The first Star Trek Beyond trailer was released on Monday morning from Paramount, and it looks like it’s The Fast & The Furious: Enterprise Drift. That’s because the explosive new Star Trek Beyond is from F&F director Justin Lin, and even an amateur fan can see that this new installment in the Star Trek series — the first film sans J.J. Abrams as director, though he stayed on as a producer — is heading in a different, more action-packed direction. And that’s quite a change for diehard Trekkies.

Still, it’s good to see Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Bones (Karl Urban), Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and the rest of the crew, even though they are all five seconds away from death in the trailer. Beyond promises intergalactic battles, Kirk riding a motorcycle Evel Kinevel style, and explosions galore. Unfortunately, there’s no trace of Idris Elba as the villain in the first trailer (unless he is the voice telling Kirk the "frontier will fight back"), but there is an alien Sofia Boutella, and she looks like she’s kicking ass, literally.

While it does look like a fun space caper, Star Trek Beyond seems less interested in the prime directive of boldly going where no one has gone before, and more in the narrow escape of the Enterprise crew from space baddies. It’s set to a soundtrack of the Beastie Boys’ "Sabotage." Apparently, though, that's exactly what writer and cast member Simon Pegg wanted: to amp up the blockbuster appeal of the reboot, with more flashy action. These screencaps from the trailer show that pretty well.

1. Old Friends, Back Again

The beginning of the trailer is light and hopeful, with some banter and back-and-forth on the bridge while Kirk cranks up the Beastie Boys. Spock is skeptical. Love you, Spock.

2. But... Stuff Gets Blown Up ASAP

That "Welcome Back, Starfleet" feeling doesn't last too long: in the first moments of the trailer, the Enterprise is swarmed and destroyed (sob), and the crew is flung apart, literally. "We got no ship, no crew; how are we gonna get out of this one?" Kirk asks. Wow, bringing out the big guns.

3. Explosions

Like, A LOT of explosions. The pyrotechnics budget knew no limit on this film.

4. How Dare They Hurt Spock?

I know everyone gets roughed up in the trailer, but why wound Spock so bad? Are they trying to break hearts the world over?

5. Kirk On A Hog

One of the most Fast/Furious scenes in the trailer is Kirk getting impossible air in a motorcycle stunt.

6. This Ominous Crowd

What's happening to all these Starfleet members, and who is herding them around?

7. More Explosions

It's impressive, in a trailer that's only about a minute and a half, that Lin managed to pack in quite a few explosions to really drive it home that Star Trek Beyond is going to be a space-action flick.

8. A Literal Cliffhanger

Scotty is not doing so hot.

9. A Badass Sofia Boutella

The best thing about the Beyond trailer is the first look at Sofia Boutella's fierce new character.

So, basically, the gist of the first Star Trek Beyond trailer is that it's going to be mostly explosions and action sequences, and maybe less emotional themes or philosophical exploration. AKA: more "new" reboot style, less of the old Star Trek of the past. And even though I'm disappointed there's no Idris Elba in the first trailer, that's going to hold a lot of appeal for a lot of people.

Star Trek Beyond premieres July 2016.

Images: ParamountPictures/Youtube (10)