Fans of the franchise, this is how your fan fiction looks on screen. This is a wholesome fan experience with a simple but an enchanting storyline. For the newbies (who have not seen a single movie of the franchise), watch this as an independent space-travel movie and you won’t complain. Get your shields up and boldly go where no man has gone before.

There’s nothing remotely path-breaking about this film, but the visible affection of the actors for the characters they’re playing makes Star Trek Beyond more enjoyable than any third film in a franchise has a right to be.

There’s plenty going for Star Trek Beyond when the only thing holding it back is its formulaic approach. But you don’t always have to go where no man has been before.

All in all, director Justin Lin’s take on J.J. Abrams’ reboot of the franchise, while taking it back to basics, fails to do little else but give you the faint promise of excitement, but never fully delivering.

The balance between wit, irreverence, philosophy, blockbuster tropes and action is deft, but if only the plot had been more convincing.