Summary
- Idris Elba plays Krall, a Star Trek villain with a human origin.
- Krall seeks vengeance using alien tech in Star Trek Beyond.
- Krall's impact on the Star Trek franchise falls short compared to other iconic villains.
Released in 2016, Kelvin Timeline Star Trek movies, Star Trek Beyond continues the adventure begun in 2009's Star Trek, as the crew of the USS Enterprise truly gel together. Krall serves as an opposing force to the two Starfleet teams also stranded on the planet Altamid: one consisting of Mr. Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Dr. Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban), and the other made up of Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg), and newcomer Jaylah (Sofia Boutella).
To exact revenge upon the Federation, Krall uses the technology that was left behind by Altamid's native people, including machines that prolong Krall's life, and drones that attack as a swarm. Krall is hellbent on assembling a powerful weapon, the Abronath, but only has one half. Upon discovering that the USS Enterprise carries the other half of the Abronath, Krall captures the Enterprise and sets his sights on Starbase Yorktown, a bustling Federation colony. Throughout Star Trek Beyond, Krall speaks of his past as a dedicated soldier on a warlike planet whose government betrayed him.
Sofia Boutella: Star Trek Beyond’s Jaylah Actor Explained
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Idris Elba Played Krall In Star Trek Beyond
In Star Trek Beyond, Idris Elba's Krall is a seemingly alien villain with a surprising origin as a human named Balthazar Edison. Edison was a MACO veteran who ed Starfleet after the forming of the United Federation of Planets, but Edison's ship, the 22nd-century USS Franklin, crashed on Altamid. Krall's decidedly non-human appearance is due to the use of energy transference technology that prolonged Edison's life but gave Edison the physical features of his alien victims. Because Krall was once human, the warlike planet that Krall describes throughout Star Trek Beyond is, in fact, a pre-Federation Earth, and Krall's vengeance comes from feeling abandoned by the Federation.
As a MACO, Edison is a veteran of the Xindi Wars, which ties Krall back to the season-long story arc of Star Trek: Enterprise season 3.
Idris Elba is a prolific English actor whose role as Russell "Stringer" Bell in the acclaimed TV series The Wire made him more well-known to US audiences. Elba made the jump from primarily television roles to movies after 2007's 28 Weeks Later. Idris Elba's career spans genres, from action roles like Heimdall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stacker Pentecost in Pacific Rim, and the Fast & Furious franchise; to voice acting as Shere Khan in The Jungle Book and Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Elba has also taken on dramatic roles, starring as Nelson Mandela in 2013's Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and the Apple TV+ series Hijack.
Where Does Krall Rank Among Star Trek Movie Villains?
Krall Doesn't Have Much Impact On The Star Trek Franchise
Among Star Trek movie villains, Idris Elba's Krall doesn't rank particularly highly. Krall is relatively forgettable compared to villains who greater impact on the franchise with their repeat appearances. Ricardo Montalbán's Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan inspired Benedict Cumberbatch's turn as Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness. Three different versions of the Borg Queen appeared in Star Trek: Alice Krige, debuting in Star Trek: First ; Susanna Thompson in Star Trek: Voyager; and Annie Wersching in Star Trek: Picard. Krall also isn't a member of any Star Trek mainstay antagonists, like Klingons or Romulans.
Buried under layers of prosthetic makeup, it's hard to tell that Krall was portrayed by such a memorable actor.
Idris Elba's Krall in Star Trek Beyond was a missed opportunity. Buried under layers of prosthetic makeup, it's hard to tell that Krall was portrayed by such a memorable actor. Before the reveal that Krall was once human, Krall is fairly effective as a mid-level antagonist who opposes the USS Enterprise crew's story of teamwork. The most interesting thing about Krall is Krall's twist origin as Edison, which changes Krall's story into a commentary on the treatment of veterans as forgotten citizens. Unfortunately, the revelation comes too late in Star Trek Beyond and gets as lost as Idris Elba in the Krall makeup.
Star Trek Beyond
- Release Date
- July 22, 2016
- Runtime
- 122 minutes
- Director
- Justin Lin
Cast
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Doug Jung, Simon Pegg
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