Star Trek Beyond: 10 Reasons It's Better Than Into Darkness
2. Less Lazy "Homages" To The Originals
A key complaint from many fans was that Into Darkness crossed the line from homage to straight-up self-plagiarism with many of its "references" to the original movies.
The sticking point was how closely the movie's third act reflected Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, to the point that it just seemed like a lazy rehash rather than putting some effort into the script and actually coming up with something original.
Though Beyond does contain more subtle nods to the series' past, it's thankfully much more confident to function as a standalone movie without being overly tethered to its legacy. It certainly tones down the egregious navel-gaving and fan service, even if at the same time it holds what came before in an affectionate regard. It's all about balance, and Beyond nails this where Into Darkness didn't.