Star Trek: Beyond has some strong fan support and it’s baffling

Star Trek: Beyond continues to be a polarizing film.

Some fans love Star Trek: Beyond. Some fans don’t. The film marked the last entry into the J.J. Abrams-led film series that was affectionately called the Kelvin Timeline. Affectionately named so, due to the U.S.S. Kelvin served as the first starship fans see in Star Trek (2009). It also served as the home for James T. Kirk’s family prior to his birth (technically born on a shuttle that disembarked from the Kelvin).

Beyond was the last in that film series and was arguably met with the most split response from fans. While personal tastes are subjective, the film was not without its faults and not without its charm. The film introduced fans to new worlds, new aliens, and new villains. All good. It also, however, played into constant tropes (caring about a new character who is just there to die), and leaning on things like style over substance and classic songs from the 80s.

It was every good about classic Trek and everything wrong with the Abrams Trek in one film.

Yet, there’s still overwhelming support for Star Trek: Beyond.

Just recently, Screen Rant posted their Star Trek: 10 Reasons Beyond Is The Most Underrated Film article, and it’s rather baffling. Never mind that the writer insulted fans who didn’t like the film by referring to them as close-minded. (If fans who enjoyed it are “open-minded’ then the inverse is…Exactly.)

It also has some really cheap reasons to suggesting it’s “the most underrated” film in Star Trek canon. The gorgeous visuals? How many Trek films don’t (for the time they were produced) have gorgeous visuals?

Heck, before the Rick and Morty clone of Star Trek: Lower Decks came along, there wasn’t one bad-looking Star Trek property in the bunch.

The writer also puts Jaylah’s debut and Anton Yelchin’s last performance as reasons to like the film, which is fair. Those are two reasons to watch the film. Jaylah is fantastically played by Sofia Boutella and Yelchin was always one of the best parts of the new trilogy.

Especially in Into Darkness, as he ran around as Scotty’s replacement as head of engineering. It was great comedy and really showed his versatility as an actor. He’ll forever be missed.

If you like the film, like the film. No one is saying you can’t, but come on, the most underrated?

That’s a stretch not seen since Dhalsim.