Boldly go where no one has gone before, into the mind of Star Trek star and social media darling George Takei. With To Be Takei,Director Jennifer M. Kroot takes a fairly open look at the fairly open actor, who has become a gay rights activist since coming out of the closet.

The documentary takes an earnest and often humorous look at Takei’s life, ranging from his experiences living in American internment camps during World War II to his early roles in John Wayne films and Star Trek. Tack on his unlikely rise as an Internet star and his more likely transformation into activist and you have a pretty damn interesting man being profiled.

To Be Takei is a breezy hour and a half and treats its subject manner in an entertaining fashion, which isn’t hard given that George Takei is by natural law an entertaining person. Contrasted against his husband Brad, who is more straightlaced in all the right ways to make him the perfect partner, Kroot paints a fun and seemingly encompassing portrait of her subject.

In the scheme of documentaries, To Be Takei isn’t going to shake the world. I personally prefer documentaries that bring to light something dark and disturbing, and for that reason To Be Takei resonates as a cute distraction more than anything else, but Trekkies, Trekkers and anyone who wants to learn about an interesting man will find more than enough to enjoy here.

Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.