On 8^th September 1966, the first episode of Star Trek (1966 to 1969), “The Man Trap” (Daniels, 1966), first aired. Since then, Star Trek has become a massive cultural phenomenon, spawning numerous continuations and spin-offs to become, perhaps, the most influential science-fiction franchise of all time. Accordingly, the 8^th of September has been deemed “Star Trek Day”, the perfect excuse to celebrate this massive sci-fi franchise.

Released: 9 June 1989
Director: William Shatner
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Budget: $26 million
Stars: William Shatner, Laurence Luckinbill, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, and James Doohan

The Plot:
When Mister Spock’s (Nimoy) hitherto-unknown half-brother Sybok (Luckinbill) takes the USS Enterprise hostage with his empathic powers, Captain James T. Kirk (Shatner) must prevent him from a seemingly suicidal mission to find God at the centre of the universe.

The Background:
Despite a worldwide gross of almost $140 million, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Wise, 1979) was a critical disappointment that Paramount blamed on Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Thankfully, the franchise recovered with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Meyer, 1982), commonly considered one of the best Star Trek movies, and Paramount eagerly capitalised with what became the then-lowest-grossing third entry, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (Nimoy, 1984). Still, positive reviews justified a fourth film, which saw star and director Leonard craft a light-hearted time travel romp, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (ibid, 1986), which proved a critical and commercial success. Thanks to his contract, star William Shatner was promised the chance to direct the next Star Trek film and took inspiration from charismatic, but misguided, televangelists for the story. In his initial drafts, Sybok was known as Zar and the biblical elements were further emphasised in the conclusion when “God” transformed into a more Satanic form. Producer Harve Bennett insisted on changing the script, which Roddenberry also had issues with, and subsequent redrafts and budgetary concerns excised the rock monsters planned for the finale. Shatner allegedly favoured a grittier and more realistic aesthetic and the production team apparently redesigned many sets, including the Enterprise bridge. The film’s effects were handled by Associates and Ferren, with the budget increasing due to Shatner’s insistence on viewing much of the test footage. Sean Connery turned down an offer to star as Sybok so the role went to Laurence Luckinbill when Shatner was impressed by his portrayal of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier’s $63 million box office fell way short of Star Trek IV’s and made it the lowest-grossing of all the feature films! This was reflected in the overwhelmingly negative reviews that criticised Shatner’s direction, the inconsistent tone, and the poor special effects. Luckinbill’s performance was praised, however, but even Shatner expressed dissatisfaction with the finished product, which is often considered one of the worst in the franchise. That didn’t stop Paramount greenlighting a sixth film the following year, though it did lead to a brief scramble to recover from The Final Frontier’s poor reception.

The Review:
The Enterprise-A crew starts The Final Frontier in the midst of a well-deserved shore leave. Well, except for poor Commander Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Doohan), who misses out on a vacation with blossoming love interest Commander Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) to help get the comically malfunctioning Enterprise-A up to scratch. The state of the Enterprise-A is a recurring issue throughout the film and primarily serves as both a comical situation (Kirk struggles with the turbolift doors), an obstacle to be overcome (Scotty works tirelessly to fix the inoperable transporters), and as a convenient way to handicap the crew for dramatic impact. Kirk and his away team cannot be beamed out, for example, and rely on shuttlecraft to journey to and from the Enterprise-A and the questionable nature of the ship’s weapons and shields means even Klingon Captain Klaa’s (Todd Bryant) outclassed Bird of Prey is a potential threat. Unfortunately, this threat remains a secondary concern; we never see the Enterprise-A battle Klaa so it’s a moot point. The ship’s also more than capable of travelling at warp speed and all its sensor systems are operational, so it’s only systems that would limit the film’s action that erupt in a shower of sparks. The film also, surprisingly, hand waves the recurring trope of the Enterprise constantly being called to dangerous situations, no matter their condition. When Kirk mentions the “mess” that the Enterprise-A is in, Fleet Admiral Bob (Harve Bennett) states he has “no experienced Captains” in close proximity to Nimbus III and “needs Jim Kirk”.

Though in a far better place, mentally, than in previous films, age is still taking its toll on Captain Kirk. Whereas “other men” have families to spend shore leave with, he spends his camping in Yosemite National Park with Spock and the miserly Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Kelley) since they don’t have anyone else. While Kirk fills his time with unnecessary risk-taking and Bones chastises Kirk’s foolhardy disrespect for life, Spock prefers to test his hoverboots and contemplate the lyrics of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”. It’s while subtly mocking Spock’s misunderstanding of Earth customs that Kirk reveals a morbid belief that he’s destined to die alone, something which has left him somewhat emotionally empty and fearless. Despite his protestations about taking the malfunctioning Enterprise-A to address the hostage situation on Nimbus III, Kirk follows orders and finds new ways to get around the limitations of the script ship. He leads the away team in infiltrating the capital, only to find the hostages – the bitter St. John Talbot (David Warner), the disgraced General Korrd (Charles Cooper), and the alluring Caithlin Dar (Cynthia Gouw)) – have fallen under Sybok’s sway. Outmanned and outgunned, Kirk has no choice but to allow Sybok and the entranced diplomats safe passage to the Enterprise-A, where Sybok demonstrates his unique empathetic abilities. Even when faced with Sybok’s power, which causes visions of a person’s “hidden pain” to manifest visually, Kirk remains defiant. In one of the film’s best scenes (and of Shatner’s Star Trek career), Kirk launches into an impassioned tirade and vehemently rejects Sybok’s offer: “I don’t want my pain taken away! I need my pain!” Convinced that Sybok is a “con man”, at best, and “mad” at worst, Kirk both refuses to join him or co-operate and adamantly tries to talk him out of breaching the “Great Barrier” since Sybok claims to be on a mission from “God”. Kirk’s scepticism is briefly rocked when the Enterprise-A breaches the Great Barrier, but only for a moment. Just as he shrugged off Sybok’s allure, Kirk questions the authority and legitimacy of the “God” (George Murdock) they find on Sha Ka Ree. Again, Kirk feels untouchable, even when faced with a supposed deity, simply because he has not only seen more than enough to make him fearless and also because he’s “not alone” and therefore cannot die.

The Final Frontier is pretty significant for Spock since it not only explores aspects of his childhood he actively chooses not to discuss but also revolves around the complex relationship between him and his hitherto-unknown brother. Unfortunately, these elements aren’t as developed as I’d like and it’s telling that Sybok has never been mentioned again in Star Trek lore (as far as I know). What little we learn of their past is told through vague exposition and a surprisingly emotional confrontation when, after being forced to relive the pain of his father’s (Jonathan Simpson) disapproval of his half-human nature, Spock also rejects Sybok’s repeated offers to join him. Though he condemns Sybok for betraying the logical principals of Vulcan culture and violating Federation law, Spock still hesitates when ordered to kill his half-brother, showing he’s not at completely above emotion, and clearly grieves for Sybok in the finale. Bones is mostly played as the comic relief and peacekeeper of the three, scolding Kirk for reprimanding Spock’s hesitation and offering bitter commentary on their poor social lives. However, Sybok reveals that Bones’ cantankerous personality stems from a tragic and horrific event in his past where his sick father (Bill Quinn) begged to be spared of his slow, painful death. Though conflicted, Bones ultimately disregarded his Hippocratic Oath, only for a cure to be found shortly after. It’s a harrowing scene that explains a lot about McCoy’s curmudgeonly disposition, and is effectively related, especially when Sybok criticises Kirk for not realising the dark pain residing in his friends. We also get a recurring sub-plot where Scotty avoids Sybok’s influence and helps Kirk and the others escape from the brig, and a fun moment where Commander Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) commands the Enterprise-A. Otherwise, beyond Uhura showing her naked allure and suddenly being hot for Scotty and Lieutenant Commander Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) acting as Sybok’s right-hand once the charismatic Vulcan gets his claws into him, the rest of the crew assume their usual roles and get slightly less to do as the film’s geared more towards philosophical and moral debates rather than space battles.

Sybok has an alluring charisma, for sure. Even without his empathic abilities, the Vulcan has a silver tongue and easily talks down armed foes with his captivating words. Influencing individuals on an emotional level, Sybok encourages them to “share their pain” in what’s essentially an extension of the traditional Vulcan mind meld. Using his empathic abilities, Sybok brings out a person’s deepest pain and encourages them to face it, share it, and be free of it, leaving them so grateful to be free of their burden that they pledge themselves to his mad cause, abandoning loved ones and principals in the process (but, crucially, retaining their core personalities). Seen as a renegade, Sybok was cast out from Vulcan for embracing emotion and has embarked on a lifelong quest for Sha Ka Ree (what we would call “Eden”). Having been sent visions and instructions from “God”, Sybok recruits followers to breach the Great Barrier and commune with the All-Mighty to understand the meaning of life, and then spread that wisdom to others. Thus, Sybok is not a traditional villain or a violent man; he chastises Chekov for inciting violence in Nimbus III, practically begs Kirk and the others to follow him, and uses reason and words rather than weapons. Sybok is no less dangerous in Kirk’s eyes, however, since the sceptical Captain believes they’re heading for disaster following Sybok’s mad ambition. Because Sybok represents a more philosophical and moral villain, The Final Frontier once again relies on the Klingons as a more traditional threat. Unfortunately, the upstart Klass is a far cry from the cold menace of Captain Kruge (Christopher Lloyd). Bored of destroying space debris, Klaa intercepts the Enterprise-A to test his mettle against a real opponent. Klaa’s threat adds a time limit to most scenes, forcing Sulu to manually dock the shuttlecraft so the Enterprise-A can escape to warp, but the two ships don’t engage in a space battle and Klaa’s threat is easily neutralised once Spock demands Koord reprimand his arrogant subordinate.

The Nitty-Gritty:
It’s tiresome to mention it, but there’s a popular notion that odd-numbered Star Trek movies are worse than the even-numbered one. While I mostly agree, I disagree in this case. It’s definitely not as good as the last three movies, but I’d much rather watch it than the next two and I’ve always had a soft spot for it. Part of this is Laurence Luckinbill magnetic performance (he makes for a charming and loquacious antagonist), part of it is the melancholy, haunting score courtesy of Jerry Goldsmith, and part of it is the relationship between Kirk, Spock, and Bones. The Final Frontier offers some of their best filmic moments, from Bones worrying over Kirk’s safety to Spock being weighed down because of the “marshmelons” they ate, to the anger Kirk throws towards Sybok when Bones is tempted by the Vulcan’s power. I’m glad they spend most of the film as a bickering threesome as it really emphasises how they’re like family.Kirk even refers to Spock as his “brother” by the end and acknowledges that they’ve become a substitute family. I love how they’re so familiar with each other that they disregard rank (though Spock does this reluctantly) and that Bones uncharacteristically defends Spock when he refuses to kill Sybok. The scenes of the three locked in the brig and escaping up the turbolift shaft are both light-hearted fun and an engaging glimpse at their relationship since Kirk is personally upset that Spock never told him about his half-brother. While we get some insight into Spock and Sybok’s past, with the implication that Sybok had always been a manipulative influence who bullied Spock, we don’t get as much detail as I’d like. A flashback or two over Nimoy’s narration would’ve been nice, but much of this relationship is tainted by the fact that it’s never brought up again, as though Star Trek would rather we forget about Sybok and this film. The best evidence of this is that the Enterprise-A travels to the centre of the universe in just under eight hours, something we know is impossible based on the perilous and lengthy journey of the USS Voyager, lending credibility that much of The Final Frontier are open to interpretation.

The Final Frontier’s reputation probably isn’t helped by some questionable effects. While the models all look great, they are recycled from the previous movies and it’s tiresome seeing the Enterprise-A threatened by another Klingon Bird of Prey (and that the well-seasoned crew are continually stumped when the ship cloaks). The composition effects are woefully subpar so it’s probably a good thing we don’t really get a space battle. Even Spock’s hoverboots are a laughable effect, used alongside an obviously slanted camera angle or a suspicious turbolift shaft that’s clearly hiding cables to move the actors. There is a big action set piece on Nimbus II, however, where Kirk and the away team storm the city and get into a firefight with Sybok’s acolytes (on horseback, no less). Kirk even tangles with a bizarre cat woman (Linda Howard) to give Shatner a fight scene, though is just kinda ends when he tosses her into a water tank. Sybok captures Kirk and the others with ridiculous ease since he has more men and weapons, encounters no resistance on the Enterprise-A (as it conveniently has a skeleton crew), and isn’t involved in any physical altercations with the crew due to his pacifist nature. Instead, he and Kirk (and Spock, to a degree) debate their beliefs, with Kirk disputing the fantasy of Sha Ka Ree and Sybok talking to Kirk as though he were a confused and naïve child. Though incensed at having his ship taken from him, Kirk is powerless to intervene beyond defiantly escaping the brig and trying to alert Starfleet Command. However, his undeniable curiosity and desire to “boldly go where no man has gone before” sees him willingly return to the bridge once the Enterprise-A reaches the Great Barrier where, ironically, Sybok gratefully returns command of the ship to him, if only so Kirk can see that the unreasonable Vulcan was right all along.

To the amazement of the crew, the raging cosmic storm at the Great Barrier proves to be an illusion and, upon breaching it, the Enterprise-A reaches Sha Ka Ree, a fabled holy land where creation is said to have originated. Curious, Kirk has Spock, Bones, and Sybok travel with him to the surface, discovering a barren wasteland. Just as even Sybok begins to doubt his journey, the earth quakes and a gigantic, semi-holographic visage appears bathed in an ethereal light. “God” assumes the guise of kindly old manto to “meet their expectations”. While Bones is stunned by the All-Mighty and Spock is quietly fascinated, Sybok is overjoyed to see that God is not only real, but everything he expected Him to be. As “God” compliments Sybok, it asks how the group penetrated the Great Barrier and becomes intrigued by their starship. Blinded by his faith, Sybok promises that the Enterprise-A will serve as the deity’s “chariot”, so that “God” spread wisdom to the galaxy, however their jubilation is interrupted by Kirk’s simple question: “What does God need with a starship?” When “God” questions Kirk’s identity, Kirk’s cynicism increases and, angered by the mortal’s disbelief, the deity blasts Kirk with its eyebeams. Shocked at this cruelty, both Bones and Spock repeat Kirk’s question, earning similar reprisals and leaving Sybok horrified that his God would act so callously. The being reveals that it’s some unknowable, eldritch creature that’s been trapped on Sha Ka Ree for an eternity and yearns to be free. Assuming Sybok’s form, mirroring the Vulcan’s arrogance and blind ambition, the creature threatens to kill them all unless the Enterprise-A is brought closer. Dejected by his mistakes and desperate to make amends, Sybok begs his brother for forgiveness and embraces the creature, sacrificing himself to overwhelm it with his pain. This is only a temporary reprieve for the shellshocked crew, however, as is the barrage of phaser fire from the Enterprise-A, as the creature returns and turns its wrath on Kirk after he has Bones and Spock beamed out. Luckily, General Koord orders Klaa to stand down, saving Kirk’s life when he was sure he would die, and leaving the three to ruminate on the true nature of God and return to their shore leave.

The Summary:
I’m fully aware that I’m in the minority of people who like Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, and I’m okay with that. It’s definitely better than the first and sixth movies, for me, and probably about on par with the third, honestly. Like The Voyage Home, it’s a bit more of a light-hearted adventure for the most part, with an emphasis on the banter and bickering between Kirk, Bones, and Spock to emphasise that the Enterprise-A crew (especially these three) are a tight-knit surrogate family. Yet, for all the pratfalls with Spock’s hoverboots and Scotty bashing his head, there are some deep ruminations on mortality and what it means to be human. Kirk’s dour outlook on his inevitable, lonesome end really speaks to the life he’s chosen for himself. I personally find it very inspiring that he chooses to live with his pain rather than take an easy fix since all his experiences, good and bad, have shaped his personality. Sadly, this theme is somewhat underbaked, as are many aspects of The Final Frontier, specifically Spock’s relationship with his random half-brother. I’d love to see this explored further somewhere so if there’s a book or something that delves into their past a bit more, please let me know, as Sybok was a fantastic character. I loved his enthusiastic and exuberant presence, his boastful confidence and pacifist nature, and the idea that he’s riding a fine line between confidence and madness. I do think the Klingon threat could’ve been removed, perhaps in favour of the Romulans or additional screen time showing Kirk and the others trying to overthrow Sybok’s control of the Enterprise-A. It’s a bit suspicious how easily they reach and breach the Great Barrier but I’ve always enjoyed the showdown with “God”, Kirk’s fearless defiance of the creature, and the endlessly quotable script in this horribly under-rated Star Trek movie. It could’ve been better, for sure, but it’s a personal favourite of mine and I do think it needs a bit more love for the positives and that the negatives need to be better explained to me as I just don’t think it’s as bad as people say!

My Rating:

Pretty Good

Are you also a fan of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier? What did you think to Kirk’s bleak outlook on his inevitable death? Did you enjoy the additional focus on the Kirk/Spock/Bones dynamic? What did you think to Sybok and the snippets of exposition we get into his past with Spock? Were you also frustrated to see another Klingon threat? What does God need with a starship? Which Star Trek captain, crew, show, or movie is your favourite and why? How are you celebrating Star Trek Day today? No matter what you think, leave your thoughts down below, support me on Ko-Fi, and go check out my other Star Trek content.

On this day, 8^th September 1966, the first episode of Star Trek (1966 to 1969), “The Man Trap” (Daniels, 1966), first aired. Since then, Star Trek has become a massive cultural phenomenon that still endures to this day, spawning numerous continuations, spin-offs, and ancillary media to become, perhaps, the most influential science-fiction franchise of all time. Accordingly, the 8^th of September has been deemed “Star Trek Day” and is thus the perfect excuse to dedicate some more time to, and celebrate, this massive sci-fi franchise.

Released: 26 November 1986
Director: Leonard Nimoy
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Budget: $26 million
Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Catherine Hicks, DeForest Kelley, Walter Koenig, and James Doohan

The Plot:
After resurrecting their crewmate, Captain Spock (Nimoy), Admiral James T. Kirk (Shatner) and the USS Enterprise crew face a court martial for mutiny. However, when an alien probe threatens the Earth, Kirk seeks redemption by time travelling back to the 20^th century to acquire the only thing capable of stopping it: long-extinct humpback whales.

The Background:
Although Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Wise, 1979) grossed almost $140 million, it was met with mixed to negative reviews that a disappointed Paramount blamed on Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Luckily, the franchise bounced back with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Meyer, 1982), widely considered one of the best Star Trek movies, and Paramount was eager to capitalise with a third entry. Although Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (Nimoy, 1984) was the lowest-grossing Star Trek movie at the time,  positive reviews encouraged the development of a fourth film. Although Nimoy was granted additional creative input, star William Shatner was initially unwilling to return, leading to talks of a prequel movie. When Shatner signed on, Nimoy aimed to craft a fun, light-hearted time travel adventure and initially planned for Eddie Murphy to have a starring role before Shatner insisted on having a love interest. Industrial Light & Magic created the film’s models and optical effects, including the mysterious alien probe, though many sets and effects were allegedly reused from previous films. The Voyage Home was the first Star Trek movie to extensively film on location, specifically in and around San Francisco, though the whales were brought to life using cutting edge robotics courtesy of Walt Conti. With a box office of $133 million, The Voyage Home proved to be a financial success. Reviews were equally positive, with the film’s comedic tone, performances, and insightful message counting it amongst the best of the franchise.

The Review:
Following a touching dedication to the tragic fate of the Challenger and the title sequence (featuring a suitably bombastic and celebratory score by Leonard Rosenman), The Voyage Home opts to recap the events of the last two films by way of a Starfleet tribunal concerning Kirk and his crew’s actions. Thanks to footage from the previous movies somehow being presented as video evidence, the Klingon ambassador (John Schuck) reframes Kirk as a terrorist who murdered a Klingon crew and stole their ship and accuses him of developing the Genesis Device as a weapon of mass destruction against the Klingon people. Luckily for Kirk, Spock’s father, Ambassador Sarek (Mark Lenard), is on hand to defend Kirk’s actions and equally condemn the aggression of his Klingon enemies. Although Kirk is guilty of violating many Starfleet regulations, the Klingon is dissatisfied and disgusted and vows that there will never be peace between the Klingons and Starfleet “as long as Kirk lives!” We then return to the planet Vulcan, where Kirk and his crew have been exiled for the last three months. In that time, they’ve made some modifications to the Bird of Prey they commandeered in the last film, christened it the HMS Bounty, and have unanimously agreed to return home to face the consequences of their actions.                           

Seemingly no longer burdened by his midlife crisis, Kirk is more weighed down by the inevitable dishonourable end of his Starfleet career than even the death of his son. We get one scene where Lieutenant Saavik (Robin Curtis) tells Kirk about David Marcus’ (Merritt Butrick) bravery and Kirk looks a little forlorn and that’s pretty much it. He doesn’t seem traumatised or grieving and is instead focused on atoning for his actions and helping Spock to reacclimatise to the crew. Since his resurrection, Spock has been testing his intelligence and reasoning ability to retrain his mind and get himself back up to speed. Though seemingly the same logical half-human Vulcan as ever, he’s still a little out of sorts. He’s perplexed by the relevance of his feelings and the illogical nature of his humans, who sacrificed everything to save him only for him to have regressed slightly thanks to his rebirth. While Kirk is confident that Spock will regain his full memories and personality, cantankerous Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Kelley) isn’t so sure and is the first to point out how unnerving it is that the status quo has been restored like nothing happened. Feeling a sense of kinship with his Vulcan companion that he’s never had before and curious to discuss his experience with death, Bones is aghast to find Spock as stubborn as ever, a quality the Vulcan shares with Kirk as both are seemingly dead set on ignoring the doctor’s wry commentary on and objections to their situation. Interestingly, The Voyage Home is the first Star Trek movie since the dreadful first film to have an otherworldly threat that doesn’t that humanoid form. The alien probe (a pretty basic, cylindrical structure) floats through space continuously broadcasting an incomprehensible signal that is eventually identified as being whale song.

The mysterious probe defies all known sensor readings and explanations and disables the power systems of every ship that comes into contact with it, leaving them powerless and adrift and slowly succumbing the asphyxiation. After disabling both starships and spacedocks, the probe arrives at Earth and wreaks havoc with the atmosphere. This not only devastates all technology and power systems but also whips up destructive planetary storms and causes a thick cloud to block out the sun. With the Earth ravaged by the probe’s attack, Starfleet command have no choice but to warn all ships to stay away from the planet since they’re unable to communicate or engage with the probe. Though equally baffled by the probe’s signal, Spock theorises that it isn’t inherently hostile and that it’s actually trying to communicate with an aquatic lifeform. This allows Commander Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) to filter the signal and confirm Spock’s suspicions that only whales can respond to the probe. Since humans have hunted whales to extinction and an attack on the probe is deemed futile, the crew have no choice but to pull off a “time warp” by slingshotting the Bounty around the Sun at incredible speeds, a strangely simple concept that is almost laughable in its execution but, thanks to Spock’s “computations”, brings the crew to San Francisco, 1986. Determined to keep a low profile, Kirk and Spock head into the city to locate the source of the whales. Luckily, a bus billboard directs them to Cetacean Institute, a whale-themed facility where “George” and “Gracie” are under the care of cetologist Doctor Gillian Taylor (Hicks). Disgusted by man’s proclivity for hunting whales to the brink of extinction and the ineffectual means of preventing such heinous actions, Gillian greatly cares for George and Gracie, who have been kept in captivity since wandering into San Francisco Bay as calves. Gillian is heartbroken that the whales will soon be released into the wild due to budgetary concerns, which will put them at risk, and is astounded when Spock not only enters the whale enclosure but reveals that the whales are equally fond of her, and that Gracie is pregnant.

Spock’s mind meld allows him to explain the situation to the whales and gain their consent, and sparks Gillian’s curiosity to the point where she throws caution to the wind and relates her concerns about the whales’ safety. Despite Spock’s amusingly blunt honesty and his notable charisma, Kirk is forced to tell Gillian the truth to win her over and she’s surprisingly chill about his crazy story, primarily because it’s the only viable option she has to keep her beloved whales safe. One positive about The Voyage Home is that it actually gives the rest of the crew something to do for a change; the crew split into teams and sent across San Francisco with specific tasks relating to the success of their mission. Commander Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Doohan) teams up with Bones and Lieutenant Commander Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) to reconfigure the Bounty’s cargo bay into a whale enclosure, while Commander Pavel Chekov (Koenig) and Uhura are tasked with locating Naval ships to recharge the crude Klingon Dilithium crystals that power the Bounty. Though confused by the era and time displacement, the crew eventually bungle their way to success despite the natives being confused by Chekov’s questions regarding “nuclear wessels”. Alongside Bones, Scotty poses as a professor and meets with Plexicorp manager Doctor Nichols (Alex Henteloff) and provides him the formula for “transparent aluminium” in exchange for using his facilities to build the whale tank in an assumed example of a predestination paradox (i.e. Scotty was fated to provide the formula). While Sulu is relegated only to acquiring and piloting a helicopter to transport this tank, Chekov ends up hospitalised while acquiring the nuclear photons, resulting in a brief bit of drama as the crew infiltrate the hospital so Bones can wake him from his coma.

The Nitty-Gritty:
The Voyage Home is clearly a far more light-hearted film than its predecessors. After battling to defend the Earth from certain death, facing down a deeply personal enemy, and sacrificing everything for their comrade, it’s nice to have a fun, whimsical adventure that offers wry commentary on the state of society in the obnoxiously excessive 1980s. Despite this more light-hearted tone, there’s a strong environmental message at work here. Humanity is doomed to destruction in the far future thanks to overhunting humpback whales and their arrogance to assume that extraterrestrial life would only be interested in communicating with humans, and there’s a clear commentary on the beauty and wonder of these magnificent creatures that that are still tragically low in number. However, despite the catastrophic threat posed by the alien robe, there’s a distinct lack of stakes here. Wonky time travel logic means that the crew don’t even face the danger of a ticking clock and can effectively take as long as they like to acquire the whales since they can just travel back to the future at any time. Thus, the drama comes from them bungling through 1986 culture to recharge and prepare the Bounty and Kirk’s attempts to woo Gillian into aiding them in bringing George and Gracie to the 23^rd century before they’re let loose into the wild.

One aspect of The Voyage Home that has always irked me is how cheap the production is; almost everything is recycled from the last two films, including the crew’s wardrobe, the sets, and the models. I can’t totally begrudge this as it makes sense, in continuity, to carry these elements over but you’d think that Kirk and the others would’ve had some Vulcan clothing after spending three months there! This is most obviously felt in the fact that the film largely takes place in 1986 thanks to some janky time travel physics, meaning a lack of space action and battles. This is a bit of a shame as the model work and practical effects remain as charming as ever and the depiction of time warp, through the use of surreal imagery and conflicting sound bites, is very interesting. I also liked seeing the crew on the dingy Bounty and forced to adapt to its less refined Klingon specifications, and that the ship was almost shaken to pieces by travelling at such impossible speeds, but it spends most of the film parked and cloaked in Golden Gate Park since the focus is more on the comedic shenanigans of placing the crew in the primitive then-modern day. There’s a fair bit of comedy to be had in this setting, though; the crew are like fish out of water and are confused that whales are in the city (since I guess zoos aren’t a thing in the future), puzzled by the clothing and “colourful metaphors” of the less civilised inhabitants, and with little idea of the concept or value of money and the primitive technology of the time. This leads to some of my favourite scenes of the film, such as Kirk and Spock encountering a particularly abrasive bus passenger (Kirk Thatcher), Scotty trying to communicate to the PC through the mouse, Chekov’s madcap infiltration of a military submarine and subsequent interrogation, and Bones’ grumbling disregard for the primitive medicine of these “Dark Ages”. Still, it is a bit disappointing that so much of the film is set in 1986; it makes for some fun moments, but it hardly screams big-budget sci-fi adventure, and the focus is more on comedy and awkward interactions between the crew and the inhabitants of the time.

Although Kirk could head to the open sea to get the whales they need, he’s determined to take George and Gracie since it’s not only “better” for everyone but also much easier. Scotty makes the modifications to the Bounty, Sulu acquires a helicopter, and Uhura successfully recharges the Dilithium crystals, but Chekov is injured escaping military custody and the window for acquiring the whales becomes narrower when they’re unexpectedly released early. Gillian is finally convinced to trust Kirk when she learns of the whales’ early release; beamed aboard the Bounty, Gillian quickly overcomes her confusion and awe of the future technology to provide Kirk with the means to track the whales. However, he makes a detour to rescue Chekov from the hands of “butchers” (with even Spock voicing his approval of the effort since it is the “human thing to do”). Although Kirk insists that Gillian can’t come with them, she leaps into his transporter beam and accompanies the crew as they track George and Gracie to Alaska, where they arrive in time to defend the whales from pirates, transport them aboard, and successfully return to the future based on Spock’s “best guess”. Upon arrival, the Bounty is immediately crippled by the probe and crashes into San Francisco Bay where, after a dramatic pause, they answer the probe and cause it to leave Earth space, thus ending its threat and restoring power to the ships it crippled. In the aftermath, Kirk and his loyal crew face the court martial but, in light of their heroic activities, Starfleet shows leniency. Kirk is demoted to Captain and given command of a new ship, the USS Enterprise-A. After bidding farewell to Gillian as she disappears forever to join the crew of a science vessel, Kirk and his crew return to the bridge of their iconic ship and prepare for new adventures into the great beyond.

The Summary:
I’ve never really been much of a fan of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Even as a kid, I felt like it was a bit of a step back since I mainly watch Star Trek for fun, space-based actin and adventure rather than comical jaunts to the past or dull political intrigue. Still, there’s a lot of heart and charm to this film; the cast are all clearly having a lot of fun wandering the city streets and interacting with everyday people, and this is reflected even in the normally stoic Spock, who can’t help but show his joy in the finale. The environmental message is very on the nose, but I think it works as a bit of a wakeup call regarding our place in the world, and the universe. The very animals we hunt to extinction could be all that’s saving us from destruction, which is a relevant message, but the film delivers it a little awkwardly. For instance, George and Gracie’s bloodline probably won’t last long enough to defend the world if the alien probe returns and it’s a bit impractical to keep time travelling for more whales. Luckily, I don’t think Star Trek ever returned to this plot point, or used Gillian again, but this sadly makes The Voyage Home even less relevant. I would’ve liked to see more emotion from Kirk, maybe explore his grief over his son’s death, and a bit more emphasis on Spock’s renewed life. The status quo was restored a little too fast, robbing the film and characters of some potential depth, and the reliance on comedy only exacerbates that. I like the feeling of light-hearted relief, but I’m hardly invested in the mission as there’s no sense of urgency or threat. Ultimately, The Voyage Home is like an extended epilogue to the last film that serves only to restore the crew to their rightful ship and ranks. The message is poignant, and the film is enjoyable at times; I liked that most of the crew actually got something to do and had some little side missions. However, I prefer the more intense space operas of the other entries so I can’t rank this one much higher.

My Rating:

Pretty Good

Are you a fan of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home? What did you think to the tonal shift towards comedy? Did you enjoy the time travel plot or did you also think it was a bit of a cheap follow-up? What did you think to the environmental message and the depiction of time travel? Would you have liked to see more focus on Kirk’s grief and Spock’s rebirth? Which Star Trek captain, crew, show, or movie is your favourite and why? How are you celebrating Star Trek Day today? No matter what you think, leave your thoughts down below or leave a comment on my social media and check out my other Star Trek content.

On this day, 8^th September 1966, the first episode of Star Trek (1966 to 1969), “The Man Trap” (Daniels, 1966), first aired. Since then, Star Trek has become a massive cultural phenomenon that endures to this day, spawning numerous continuations, spin-offs, and ancillary media to become, perhaps, the most influential science-fiction franchise of all time. Accordingly, the 8^th of September has been deemed “Star Trek Day” and is thus the perfect excuse to dedicate some more time to, and celebrate, this massive sci-fi franchise.

Released: 1 June 1984
Director: Leonard Nimoy
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Budget: $16 million
Stars: William Shatner, Christopher Lloyd, DeForest Kelley, Robin Curtis, Merritt Butrick, and Leonard Nimoy,

The Plot:
Still reeling from the death of his friend, Captain Spock (Nimoy), Admiral James T. Kirk (Shatner) is shocked to learn that Spock placed his “katra” in the mind of Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Kelley). Determined to reunite Spock’s spirit with his restored body on the Genesis planet, Kirk defies Starfleet’s direct orders but soon comes into conflict with a hostile Klingon, Kruge (Lloyd), who wants Genesis’s secrets for himself.

The Background:
Despite grossing almost $140 million, Paramount were disappointed with Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Wise, 1979), which was met with mixed to negative reviews. Since the studio placed most of the blame on Star Trek-creator Gene Roddenberry, it fell to Harve Bennett to pen the far more critically lauded sequel. Although Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Meyer, 1982) made less at the box office than its predecessor, it was incredibly influential and is widely considered one of the best Star Trek movies. Paramount’s eagerness to capitalise on Wrath of Khan’s success was matched by Nimoy’s renewed interest in his iconic character and the actor readily agreed to return and to direct the third film. Bennett and Nimoy collaborated on the script to come up with a plausible way to bring Spock back from the dead using inspiration from the television show, and it was Bennett who came up with the idea to destroy the Enterprise to subvert audience expectations. With a slightly bigger budget than Wrath of Khan, the filmmakers were given more money for special effects scenes; Industrial Light & Magic produced the effects and models for the film, including an elaborate Spacedock and a large and threatening Klingon Bird of Prey, though many of the interiors were redressed sets to save money. While friendship, specifically the bond between Kirk and Spock, was at the heart of the film, Nimoy wanted The Search for Spock to be operatic in its scope, and to develop the Klingon species beyond the television show to be allegorical stand-ins for Soviet Russia. With a worldwide box office of $87 million, The Search for Spock was the lowest-grossing Star Trek movie at the time; reviews, however, were generally positive. Its grandiose scope was praised, as was the direction and chemistry between the actors, though the film has been criticised for being overplotted and arbitrary. In the years since, The Search for Spock has gained something of a cult following; while I often regard it as inferior to The Wrath of Khan, some believe it’s an under-appreciated entry in the series and have attempted to sing its praises as a result.

The Review:
I hate to be cliché, but The Wrath of Khan is definitely my favourite of the classic Star Trek movies (although, truth be told, I have a soft spot for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Shatner, 1989), which I feel is an under-rated entry). I think a lot of this is because The Motion Picture was so dreadfully God-awful, and the second film just nailed the characterisations and atmosphere that I was looking for in a Star Trek film. It also helps that Spock’s death was so tragic; Kirk’s eulogy is still one of the most heart-breaking scenes in cinema for me, even though I know full well that Spock returned just two years later. It’s interesting to me that The Wrath of Khan included a tease for this; it’d be so easy to retroactively extend the recap of the last film at the start of this one with new footage of the “Remember” moment between him and Bones, but the producers clearly never intended Spock’s death to be permanent when they made Wrath of Khan, which you could argue diminishes Spock’s sacrifice somewhat but I’d still say it’s a deeply emotional scene regardless. If Spock’s death hit me hard, it practically cripples Kirk; in the last film, it was stated that Kirk had “never faced death” and that he didn’t believe in a “no-win situation”, meaning he was arrogant enough (even in his advancing age) to think that he could think, fight, or talk his way out of any situation to avoid having to face such a loss. Consequently, Spock’s death hit Kirk like a brick wall and he’s still carrying the grief and guilt of that loss at the start of this film, despite having discovered and built a fledgling relationship with his recently discovered son, Doctor David Marcus (Butrick).

Already struggling to cope with the loss of his dear friend, and feeling like he’s left a part of himself on the Genesis planet with Spock’s corpse, the suggestion from the last film’s finale that Kirk has rediscovered his zest for life has been replaced with a sullen despair at how empty the Enterprise feels with Spock dead and David and Lieutenant Saavik (Curtis) off exploring Genesis. In addition to these concerns, and the strange behaviour of Bones, Kirk is astounded to learn from Admiral Morrow (Robert Hooks) that the Enterprise is to be decommissioned rather than refit since Starfleet feels “her day is over”. This continues the themes of age established so well in the last film and, when his attempts at diplomacy are rebuked since Starfleet has designated the Genesis planet as top secret, Kirk is compelled to steal his ship to reunite Spock’s spirit with his body. This mission is only made possible thanks to the arrival of Spock’s father, Sarek (Mark Lenard), who initially believes Spock passed his katra to Kirk and rebukes the Admiral for leaving his son’s body behind. Reviewing footage from the last film and realising that Spock’s soul dwells in McCoy, Kirk is once again reinvigorated and happily defies Starfleet orders to try and make up for his previous failure and restore his beloved friend. Kirk is stunned when Bones starts begging (in Spock’s voice) for help and to be returned “home” to Vulcan. Bones’s mind has been fractured by Spock’s consciousness, which intrudes upon his normally grouchy demeanour and results in some amusing scenes where Bones (who was routinely aggravated by Spock’s cold, logical nature) despairs over the illogical nature of alcohol and unsuccessfully attempts to perform the Vulcan nerve pinch. The Search for Spock gives Bones the rare opportunity to be more than the cantankerous ship’s doctor; Kelley now channels Nimoy’s mannerisms and line delivery into his performance, and Bones is left both perplexed by his condition and resentful towards Spock for lumbering him with such a burden in, what he sees as being “revenge for all those arguments [Spock] lost” to him.

Honestly, it’s been tough for every subsequent movie since Wrath of Khan to top the malicious menace and scene-stealing threat of Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán) but The Search for Spock certainly gives Kirk’s most infamous rival a run for his money with Kruge. Although Star Trek movies overly relied on the Klingons as a persistent antagonistic force, this maniacal Klingon commander is probably their most memorable villain thanks to the grandiose and operatic performance by Christopher Lloyd. Barely recognisable under the Klingon’s heavy make-up, Lloyd exudes menace and is absolutely captivating in every scene thanks to a barking, sinister eloquence. Kruge’s cold-blooded ruthlessness is established right away during his introduction when he casually executes his lover, Valkris (Catherine Shirriff) since she viewed the Genesis data. A cruel and calculating villain who is determined to bring honour to himself, his crew, and the Klingon Empire, Kruge commands absolute authority onboard his monstrous Bird-of-Prey; when his gunner (Bob K. Cummings) lands a “lucky shot” on the Grissom, Kruge is outraged and vaporises the Klingon since he “wanted prisoners” (this immediately paints him as going against Klingon tradition as Kirk stated in the last film that “Klingon’s don’t take prisoners”). Having witnessed the destructive potential of the Genesis Device, Kruge is obsessed with obtaining the secrets of Genesis for himself and use it as a weapon to establish himself as the premier Klingon force in the galaxy. So consumed by this desire is Kruge that he refuses to listen to pleas for mercy; gleeful at having David and Saavik as leverage to force Kirk to give in to his demands, he thinks nothing of ordering one of them killed and, in that moment, earns Kirk’s wrath after his proxy (Dave Cadiente) murders David in cold blood.

Spock’s death is like a heavy weight baring down on the entire Enterprise crew; Commander Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) reluctantly takes Spock’s place as interim Science Officer for their journey back to Spacedock, made possible thanks to chief engineer, Commander Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (James Doohan). Although the Enterprise suffered massive damage in the last film, Scotty fixes it up for the trip back and promises to fully repair it within two weeks (rather than eight). Despite receiving a promotion to Captain and being assigned to Starfleet’s greatest ship yet, Excelsior, Scotty is dismayed about the Enterprise’s decommissioning since he has put so much of himself into the ship and is only too happy to assist Kirk in stealing the Enterprise. Although Commander Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Lieutenant Commander Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) are instrumental in freeing Bones from Starfleet custody (Sulu even gets a quick fight scene out of it) and stealing the Enterprise, the crew still don’t get much to do other than stand around, frantically pilot the ship, and react with dismay when David is killed, though they willingly stand by Kirk out of sheer loyalty despite knowing that they will all face a severe court-martial for their actions. Since the Genesis planet is such a scientific wonder and a controversial subject, Morrow forbids any talk or travel to the planet. David and Saavik are onboard the science vessel Grissom and marvel at the various terrain, weather, and geological properties of the planet. Notably absent is David’s mother, Doctor Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch); Kirk takes her place as the narrator of the Genesis Device and David is now the principal scientist behind the technology, which is revealed to have used experimental “protomatter” to stabilise the device and create “life from lifelessness”. Despite her cold, Vulcan logic, Saavik is clearly disgusted by David’s recklessness, which has resulted in the planet becoming violently unstable and teetering on the bring of destruction, spawning mutated parasitic lifeforms, and had the unexpected side effect of restoring Spock’s body and forcing him to rapidly advance from a child, to a youth and, finally, to a full-grown adult. Essentially a mindless, agonised, and confused form, Spock is comforted throughout his tumultuous changes by Saavik but incapable of anything other than tortured screams as his body rapidly changes and he suffers the painful effects of “Pon Farr”. The Search for Spock introduces some interesting twists to Vulcan society; it is apparently the way of their species to transfer their consciousness to another before death, but it’s not made clear how their katra is normally restored to their body as the ritual is said to not have been performed since “ages past”(“and then only in legend”, hardly inspiring confidence) and it’s not as if dead bodies are routinely restored to life like Spock’s was here.

The Nitty-Gritty:
The Search for Spock was probably the most ambitious Star Trek movie to date in terms of its visual effects; model shots and traditional cinematic techniques like matte paintings and practical props are aplenty here, though admittedly many ships are repurposed from previous Star Trek movies. While the space battles aren’t as prominent as in the last film since the Enterprise is in no condition for combat and is manned by a skeleton crew, Kruge’s Bird-of-Prey still makes an impact with its fearsome design and destructive phaser blasts. Much of the film is set on the tumultuous Genesis planet, a man-made world best by chaos; snow, desert, forests, and mountains are scattered haphazardly across the surface and conditions constantly change in violent ways. The planet appears to be directly tied to Spock’s physical and mental wellbeing, meaning when he suffers the agony of Pon Farr the climate shifts and ominous thunderstorms blare overhead. This allows for a great deal of variety in the film’s locations, and we even get to see a little variety off-planet as Bones tries to charter a ship in a seedy bar and Kirk and the others have to liberate him from a holding cell at Spacedock. Spacedock itself is finally explored as well, and much grandeur is made of the Excelsior, which results in some amusing scenes when Scotty sabotages the trans-warp ship and the Enterprise barely manages to escape from Spacedock before crashing into the doors.

Despite having devoted himself to the ideals and expectations of Starfleet, Kirk doesn’t hesitate to defy Morrow’s direct order; although he emphasises that he doesn’t expect his loyal crew to follow him further than to the Enterprise, he’s grateful for their support in journeying to Genesis even though he knows that it means they’ll all face punishment for their mutinous actions. Still, the chance to reunite Spock’s immortal soul with his restored body is seen by Kirk as worth the risk but comes to cost Kirk more than he bargained for. Although the Enterprise manages to put up a fight against Kruge’s Bird-of-Prey, a stalemate ensues when Kruge threatens his hostages to learn the secrets of Genesis. When the Klingons attempt to kill Saavik in a demonstration of power, David desperately defends her and is killed in the process. This loss hits Kirk hard; seeing Kirk collapse in stunned shock, his distressing cries of “Klingon bastards…you’ve…killed my son!”, is disturbing not just to his crewmen but also the audience. After a lifetime devoted to gallivanting across the stars and having missed out on most of David’s life, Kirk was just finally starting to build bridges with the misguided scientist when Kruge’s order ripped him away from him with a violent callousness that only galvanises Kirk’s hatred for the Klingon species for years to come. As if this tragedy wasn’t bad enough, Kirk is forced to sacrifice his beloved ship; since the Enterprise is still suffering from her battle with Khan, the ship ends up summarily disabled by Kruge’s firepower and Kirk is forced to activate the self-destruct sequence to take out Kruge’s boarding party. Thus, for the second film in a row (and for a second time in a row), Kirk (and the audience) are forced to endure a disastrous loss; the visual of seeing the iconic starship burst apart and then careen through the sky as a flaming husk is a powerful one, one that is just as harrowing for Kirk as the loss of his friend and son since he’s literally giving up the most important aspects of himself to bring Spock back.

Still, the sacrifice enables Kirk and his crew to beam safely to the Genesis planet, where they’re stunned to see Spock restored and suffering from his unnatural aging. Despite the planet being ravaged by severe storms, Kirk takes the time to cover up his son’s body, and then lures the callous Klingon commander to the planet’s surface by promising him the knowledge he desires. Although Kirk convinces Kruge to beam the others to the Bird-of-Prey, Kruge spitefully refuses to take Spock along and, refusing to back down even though the planet is literally being torn apart around them, a final confrontation between Starfleet’s most celebrated commander and the vindictive Klingon ensues. Naturally, Kirk is no physical match for the superior Klingon, but he’s fuelled by a need to avenge his son and protect his restored friend; this, in addition to the constantly shifting, “exhilarating” landscape, essentially means the two are almost on equal ground. With flames and lava spewing around them and the ground cracking apart, Kirk ultimately sends his hated enemy plummeting to the molten rock below when Kruge refuses Kirk’s attempt to save his life. Feigning Klingon, Kirk and Spock are beamed to safety and his crew easily take control of the Bird-of-Prey and pilot it to Vulcan. There, much to Sarek’s dismay at Kirk’s losses and gratitude for his heroics, the Enterprise crewmen witness an ancient ritual in which a wizened Vulcan priestess, T’Lar (Dame Judith Anderson), successfully transfers Spock’s katra from Bones’s mind and into Spock’s restored body. Although T’Lar stresses that the “fal-tor-pan” poses a great danger to both Bones and Spock, the re-fusion is successful with very little fuss and fanfare and, while understandably confused, Spock soon recognises his friends and crew as they joyfully gather around him, grateful to have their companion returned to them despite the heavy price they paid.

The Summary:
There’s a stigma that all the odd-numbered Star Trek movies are “bad”. I can somewhat understand this given how terrible the first film was and how some seem to suffer more than others, but I’ll never concede that the ultra-dull Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Meyer, 1991) is better than The Final Frontier (because…it’s not!) and, similarly, The Search for Spock also bucks the trend a bit. I think the biggest issue facing this film is that it followed the universally lauded Wrath of Khan, and the entire thrust of its plot is undoing one of the most memorable and impactful moments of that film (and in all of Star Trek), all of which place the film at a severe disadvantage from the get-go. I think viewing it now, with the benefit of hindsight and in the grand scheme of things, helps to elevate The Search for Spock’s stock somewhat; the film is a great continuation of the themes and characterisations established in the last film, and aims to be a feel-good coda to Wrath of Khan’s dour ending. The conclusion of The Search for Spock largely delivers on this, with the crew’s elation at Spock’s return being evident but the film is actually one of he bleakest and most tragic Star Trek movies. David, a character who really got the shaft and could’ve been moulded into a young, fresh-faced addition to the aging cast, is unceremoniously killed before we ever really get the chance to know him and what could be more impactful than the death of a beloved character like Spock than seeing the Enterprise go down in flames? The film also seems to undo or walk back many of the messages of the last film, with the needs of the one now outweighing the needs of the many, but the underlining message of The Search for Spock seems to be one of hope. If you have a chance to redeem a mistake or save a loved one, you must do everything in your power to fulfil that, whether that means defying your superiors or sacrificing your livelihood. It’s a poignant theme that definitely underscores the bond between Kirk and Spock, but I can understand how it’s a little muddled amidst all the tragedy that befalls Kirk in service of this mission. Ultimately, The Search for Spock is a pretty decent third entry; it’s worth it for the amusing moments, Christopher Lloyd’s stellar performance, and the continuation of Kirk’s character development into a more jaded individual. While it doesn’t quite live up to the standards of the last film, I still rather enjoy it as one of the more under-rated Star Trek films.  

My Rating:

Pretty Good

Where does Star Trek III: The Search for Spock rate for you amongst the other Star Trek films? What did you think to it as a follow-up to The Wrath of Khan and do you think it succeeded, or failed, to match its predecessor? Did you enjoy Christopher Lloyd’s portrayal of Kruge? What did you think to his ruthless methods, the killing of David, and the destruction of the Enterprise? Were you happy to see Spock’s return or do you feel like the cost was too great? Which Star Trek captain, crew, show, or movie is your favourite and why? How are you celebrating Star Trek Day today? No matter what you think, leave your thoughts down below or leave a comment on my social media.

On this day, 8^th September 1966, the first episode of Star Trek (1966 to 1969), “The Man Trap” (Daniels, 1966), first aired. Since then, Star Trek has become a massive cultural phenomenon that still endures to this day, spawning numerous continuations, spin-offs, and ancillary media to become perhaps the most influential science-fiction franchise of all time. Accordingly, the 8^th of September has been deemed “Star Trek Day” and is thus the perfect excuse to dedicate some more time to, and celebrate, this massive sci-fi franchise.

Released: 4 June 1982
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Budget: $12 million
Stars: William Shatner, Ricardo Montalbán, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Kirstie Alley, Bibi Besch, and Merritt Butrick

The Plot:
In the midst of dealing with a mid-life crisis, Admiral James T. Kirk (Shatner) and the crew of the starship U.S.S. Enterprise face their greatest threat yet when the genetically engineered tyrant Khan Noonien Singh (Montalbán) escapes from a fifteen-year exile to exact revenge on Kirk and acquire a powerful terraforming device named “Genesis”.

The Background:
Although Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Wise, 1979) grossed nearly $140 million, Paramount were disappointed that it didn’t perform better and Star Trek’s first big-screen outing was met with mixed to negative reviews. Paramount placed the blame for The Motion Picture’s failure on Star Trek-creator Gene Roddenberry’s many rewrites and, after rejecting his idea for a time travel plot for the sequel, removed him from the follow-up’s production and left him with the purely ceremonial position of “Executive Consultant”. Thus, it fell to Harve Bennett to put together the idea for the sequel, which would be much more focused on themes of old age and friendship. After familiarising himself with the television show, Harve settled on the character of Kahn (who first appeared in the episode “Space Seed” (Daniels, 1967)) as the natural choice for a compelling villain. The script went through numerous revisions, the most significant of which coming after the script was leaked; while many of the sets and models from The Motion Picture were repurposed and reused, the Starfleet uniforms underwent a dramatic redesign to fit the film’s more nautical atmosphere. Although Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan’s $97 million worldwide gross actually meant that it made less than its predecessor, it also cost a lot less to make and was received far better as critics praised the character interactions, Montalbán’s performance, and Captain Spock’s (Nimoy) poignant send-off. The film went on to be incredibly influential and is widely considered to be one of the best Star Trek movies.

The Review:
The film famously opens with what can retroactively be seen as one of the most layered and blatant pieces of foreshadowing in all of cinema; Vulcan newcomer Lieutenant Saavik (Alley) commands the Enterprise in the infamous Kobayashi Maru, a purposely-unwinnable scenario design to teach Starfleet recruits that they will inevitably face a no-win situation when out in the field. Opting to cross the Neutral Zone and thus provoke conflict with the warmongering Klingons, Saavik’s decision sees the death of the entire bridge crew and the destruction of the Enterprise. When James T. Kirk, still an admiral like in the last film, ends the simulation to provide his feedback, he explains to Saavik that it was more a test of character to see how she (and the other trainees) cope in the face of mortal danger, but also cynically states to Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Kelley) that “galloping around the cosmos is a game for the young”.

Immediately, then, we’re introduced to a couple of themes that become increasingly important: the first is that Kirk, despite all of his close calls and adventures, has never truly faced his own death (we later learn that, while he’s the only Starfleet officer to have ever bested Kobayashi Maru, he did so by cheating since he doesn’t believe in a no-win situation) and that Kirk is struggling with his feelings of inadequacy and redundancy. Indeed, the film begins on Kirk’s birthday, an event that Bones likens more to a funeral than a celebration; Kirk is despondent to learn that his eyesight isn’t what it once was and that he now requires glasses to read and feels too old and worn out to be where he belongs (i.e. at the command of a starship). Bones candidly calls Kirk out and encourages him to get back his command before it’s too late; Kirk’s reluctance to entertain the notion is soon rendered mute, however, when he is ordered by Starfleet Command to reassume command of the Enterprise to answer a distress call from the Regula I space station (as always, the Enterprise is the closest ship in range). Unlike in the first film, where Kirk muscled his way back into a position of command when he was unsuitable for the role and floundered with the ship’s new capabilities, here he is initially willing to allow Spock to remain as the ship’s captain but it’s clear that Kirk feels a spark of his old self once he sits back in his chair.

Speaking of Spock, a few things have changed for the loyal Vulcan; first, he’s now the captain of the Enterprise and is directly training the ship’s new crew. Saavik, being a Vulcan, is something of a protégé of his and he seems far more comfortable and less conflicted in his loyalties to Vulcan and Starfleet. Ever the logical pragmatist, he remains on the Enterprise while Kirk and the others beam onto Regula I but is the only one smart enough to recognise a flaw in Khan’s attack patterns that helps Kirk turn the tide against his foe during their climatic space battle. McCoy gets a little more play as he accompanies Kirk to the space station, while Hikaru Sulu (Takei) and Lieutenant Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) don’t really get all that much to do beyond their standard roles as helmsman and communications officer, respectively. Similarly, Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (James Doohan) spends the majority of the film battling to re-route power and keep the Enterprise from falling apart from the engineering room, but expresses heartbreak at the toll Khan’s attack has taken on the ship.

Surprisingly, it’s Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) who gets a fair amount of screen time in the film’s early going; now a first officer aboard the Reliant, Chekov is the one who picks up signs of life on a planet he (and the rest of the Reliant) believe to be Ceti Alpha VI and, since Doctor Carol Marcus’ (Besch) terraforming Genesis device requires a completely lifeless planet for its deployment, he accompanies Reliant captain Clark Terrell (Paul Winfield) to the surface of the barren, chaotic world that is ravaged by tumultuous sandstorms. Considering that Chekov wasn’t actually seen in “Space Seed”, it’s something of a blunder that he first recognises the wreckage of the Botany Bay and then the man himself (in hindsight, maybe swapping Chekov for Sulu would have eliminated this mistake), but it allows the under-rated Russian officer to play a pivotal role in the film’s early going by helping to exposit information on Khan both to the audience and the Kirk. As for Carol, she’s one of Kirk’s many former flames now devoted to the unlimited potential of the Genesis device, which promises to create life from death and turn barren worlds and moons into lush, hospitable environments. Her son, David (Butrick), is equally instrumental in Genesis’ construction but is wary of Starfleet; he fears that they (or someone else) may try to appropriate the device as a weapon and is initially antagonistic towards Kirk since he has no idea of his true parentage.

David’s fears become all too real when Khan learns of the device from Chekov and Terrell; an enigmatic and charismatic villain, Khan is both eloquent, charming, and loquacious while being absolutely out of his mind. Sadistic and cruel, he delights in lording his physical and intellectual superiority over others and uses any means at his disposal (from disturbing, mind-controlling eels to commandeering the Reliant for his own uses) to achieve his goals. Gifted with genetically engineered strength and intellect, Khan is eager to relive his glory days from over two centuries ago and believes that he is destined for conquest and power. His men, especially Joachim (Judson Scott), have sworn to live and die at is command and obey his orders without question; however, Khan’s obsession with besting Kirk blinds him to all other concerns. Indeed, Joachim plays Devil’s advocate by suggesting that escaping their exile is proof enough of Khan’s superiority and that they should take the chance to flee unopposed into the galaxy but Khan adamantly refuses to deviate from his obsession with avenging himself upon Kirk. Believing that Kirk is testing him, and consumed by his fanatical desire to make Kirk pay for outsmarting him and unintentionally causing the death of his wife, Khan initially plots not to kill his foe, but to hurt him and leave Kirk as helpless as Khan as his crew were on Ceti Alpha V.

The Nitty-Gritty:
One of the many ways that Star Trek II excels and set the standard for subsequent Original Series movies is in the greater focus on the amusing and complex friendship between Kirk, Bones, and Spock. Each of them share a degree of banter and familiarity that makes for a very relatable and realistic relationship between the three; while they maintain a degree of professionalism in the line of duty, Bones isn’t afraid to call Kirk out in front of other officers and Spock is duty-bound to point out any logical observations even when they imply a greater threat to the crew. Additionally, the banter between the crotchety Bones and the impassive Spock makes for some entertaining exchanges between the two, and also gives Bones an opportunity to speak out against the destructive and moral implications of the Genesis device (indeed, it’s somewhat odd that Starfleet would allow such a device to be created since Carol is effectively playing God and potentially creating a weapon of mass destruction). Of course, it’s Spock who shines the most of the three; he willingly insists on handing over the Enterprise to Kirk (since, as a Vulcan, he “has no ego to bruise”) and, like Bones, submits his opinion that Kirk made a mistake in accepting his promotion since it’s his best destiny to command a starship. Finally, Spock showcases a great deal of emotion throughout the film; he is clearly protective and proud of his trainees, expresses grief at the losses suffered from Khan’s attack, bends the rules to deliver exaggerated repair times to Kirk, and surprisingly declares his affection and appreciation for the captain in a touching scene between the two.

Since we spend a great deal of time onboard the Enterprise, Reliant, and Regula I, it’s a good job that the sets look so good; though similar (or, in many cases, practically identical) to the first film, they’re shot and presented in a way that’s far more pleasing to the eye. In the first film, everything seemed too panoramic and brightly lit for such bland and uninspiring locations. Here, though, the bridge is seeped in an almost ominous darkness that allows the blinking lights and glowing consoles to really pop out and separates it from the more colourful Reliant and Regula I. Since I grew up watching science-fiction films of this era, I’ve always had a fondness for the impractical anachronisms of early-Star Trek; they hadn’t completely abandoned actual buttons and levers and the technology looked far less futuristic as a result, giving everything a tangible reality that helps to sell the illusion. At the same time, Star Trek II feels much more like a big-budget version of the show with its sets and environments; the first film felt like it was trying too hard to be different and change things up for the cinema screen, but Star Trek II hits the right balance between familiar and cinematic. It also helps that the Starfleet uniforms look far better in this film; no longer the bland, dull, uninspiring grey and beige attire seen in the first film, the crew are decked out in a striking maroon red ensemble that (despite the old-fashioned bell bottoms) would become the standard for the remainder of the Original Series films. The deviation more towards a naval/military look for the uniforms also helps Khan and his men stand out even more; having been marooned on a desolate planet for fifteen years, they’re decked out in shredded clothing that gives them the appearance of primitive savages that not only betrays their cunning and guile but also makes for a stark contrast once they seize control of the Reliant for themselves.

Of course, it’s 1982 so some of the film’s special effects still look a little dodgy; while they’re far better overall compared to the last film, some shots of space and planets like Ceti Alpha VI don’t hold up as well as others but that’s to be expected and I’m hardly going to knock the film for the technology of the time. Plus, one of the biggest complaints I had about the first film was the lack of any actual, exciting space battles and Star Trek II more than makes up for that once Khan takes control of the Reliant; since Kirk has no reason to suspect that his old foe is controlling the ship, he and the Enterprise are taken completely off-guard when the Reliant opens fire on them, crippling the Enterprise and causing a number of deaths. Both ships, and space stations like Regula I, are of course represented by extremely impressive model shots; the Enterprise and Reliant circle and engage each other like humongous warships adrift at sea, which is only fitting given the film’s thematic parallels to Moby-Dick; or, The Whale (Melville, 1851), and Kirk and Khan more than make up for their lack of actual screen time together through an ever-escalating game of cat and mouse between their two ships and their respective captains. However, if you need further proof of the superiority of this film over the original, you need look no further than Kirk’s arrival on the Enterprise for inspection and the ship’s departure from the space dock; in the first film, this took about two ice ages but, here, it’s just a quick sequence for us to marvel at the depiction of the Enterprise before the plot gets underway.

Kirk is stunned when Carol sends a garbled transmission accusing him of trying to steal her work; like Spock and Bones, he’s fascinated by the implications of Genesis but is clearly torn between reuniting with Carol as their relationship fell apart when she distanced not only herself from him and his spacefaring adventures but also her son. The film implies that Kirk knew that he had a son out there in the galaxy all this time, but he’s seen to be more than startled to find David on Regula; David is initially antagonistic towards Kirk because he believes Kirk is responsible for the death and chaos wrought by Khan, which stems from a deep-rooted distrust for Starfleet and their military. Seeing how much David hates him deeply hurts Kirk, who sees in the boy a life he could have had if he hadn’t been busy chasing around the galaxy. However, when Khan leaves them marooned in the centre of the planet, the two begin to bond and David’s mere presence and existence has a rejuvenating effect on Kirk, who finally has a lasting legacy to leave behind. I always felt like David got dealt a raw deal in the Star Trek films; he really had the potential to breathe new life into Kirk’s character and to potentially lead to a new generation of Starfleet officers taking command of the Enterprise but was unfortunately robbed of any of this by being unceremoniously killed off in the very next film simply to foster additional animosity between Kirk and his foe.

Although Khan appears to be victorious and takes control of Genesis, Kirk is able to outwit him and then taunt him into taking the Reliant into a dangerous nebula. With their experience in navigating and battling in three-dimensional space, the Enterprise is finally able to land a crippling blow to the Reliant that mortally wounds Khan and kills his crew; forced into his own no-win situation, Khan refuses to give up and activates the Genesis device, determined to take his hated enemy with him. As the Enterprise has no hope of escaping the blast without their warp drive, Spock takes it upon himself to enter the engine room and restore power to the ship, incapacitating Bones and subsequently ignoring the doctor and Scotty’s warnings of the lethal radiation leaking from the core. Thus, the film comes full circle as Kirk is forced to look death in the face; separated by a pane of transparent glass, Kirk is helpless to help his dying friend, who delivers a heartful goodbye in which he reaffirms his affection for his captain and asks him not to grieve before succumbing to radiation poisoning. In the aftermath, Kirk is deeply affected by Spock’s noble sacrifice, delivering an emotional eulogy in which he pays tribute to Spock’s humanity and bravery, but finds his zest for life and adventure reinvigorated from the entire experience; finally being forced to face death has made Kirk all the stronger, and he has new reason to keep going in the form of David…and to hope, since Spock’s body is jettisoned down to the surface of the lush and vibrant world that formed from the Genesis device.

The Summary:
There’s a reason Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is so beloved among Star Trek fans; its themes of life, death, and rebirth are as prominent now as they were when it first released and it delivers both as a fantastic Star Trek film and an engaging and poignant sci-fi film. This makes it a far better introduction to the film series, and the franchise in general, than the first film thanks to it dropping the slow, introspective pacing of its predecessor in favour of an emotionally charged, intense showdown between Kirk and one of his most influential and persistent foes. Although Khan and Kirk sadly never meet in person in the film, it’s hardly a negative as there’s something far more powerful in them trading threats and taunts through the viewscreen and matching their wits against each other in space combat. Arguably, Ricardo Montalbán’s performance as Khan has never been surpassed in subsequent Original Series films and he makes an immediate and lasting impression even without knowledge of his prior appearance in the show. Furthermore, Kirk’s vulnerability and relatability as a character makes him far more layered and human than in the first film (where he was a condescending egomaniac) and even the series (where he was a charming and arrogant womaniser); seeing him feeling the effects of his advanced age and losing his zest for life is incredibly significant to grounding the film in relatable themes and it’s a nice change of pace to see him both face his worst nightmare and gain a son in his quest to reignite his enthusiasm. Of course, Star Trek II earns its reputation through Spock’s emotional sacrifice alone; although this was immediately undone in the very next film, it doesn’t detract from the character’s touching end and went a long way to adding actual stakes to the Enterprise’s conflicts beyond disposable “red shirts”. Honestly, if you only watch one Original Series film, it’s got to be this one; Kirk and the crew would go on to have a few more film outings, a couple of which were pretty decent, but it’s hard to deny that this is the best of their six dedicated cinematic outings and it’s just as great now as it was when I first watched it as a kid.

My Rating:

Fantastic

Where does Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan rate for you amongst the other Star Trek films? What did you think to Khan’s dramatic return to the series; were you familiar with his previous appearance or, like me, were you introduced to him here? Were you a fan of the film’s themes of age, the inevitability of death, and the allusions to Moby-Dick? What did you think to the cat and mouse game between Kirk and Khan and would have have liked to see them face off in person? How did Spock’s death affect you at the time and do you think he should have stayed dead? Which Star Trek captain, crew, show, or movie is your favourite and why? How are you celebrating Star Trek Day today? No matter what you think, sign up to leave your thoughts down below or leave a comment on my social media.

On this day, 8^th September 1966, the first episode of Star Trek (1966 to 1969) first aired, that being “The Man Trap” (Daniels, 1966). Since then, Star Trek has become a massive cultural phenomenon that still endures to this day, spawning numerous continuations, spin-offs, and ancillary media to become, perhaps, the most influential science-fiction franchise of all time. Accordingly, the 8^th of September has been deemed “Star Trek Day” and is thus the perfect excuse to dedicate some more time to, and celebrate, this massive sci-fi franchise.

Released: 7 December 1979
Director: Robert Wise
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Budget: $44 million
Stars: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Stephen Collins, and Persis Khambatta

The Plot:
Some time has passed since the conclusion of Star Trek; James T. Kirk (Shatner) has been promoted to admiral and the U.S.S. Enterprise is now under the command of Captain Willard Decker (Collins). When a mysterious and destructive alien cloud known as V’Ger approaches Earth, Kirk reassumes command of the ship, reuniting with his crew in the process, in a desperate attempt to discover V’Ger’s origins and intentions.

The Background:
I’ve mentioned previously that a big question facing many Star Trek fans is the choice between the Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 to 1994) and, thus, between Kirk and his successor, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). As the Original Series never seemed to be on television when I was a kid, I mainly watched The Next Generation and its subsequent spin-offs so the majority of my exposure to the original crew came through the feature-films. Although Star Trek performed well during its original run, it gained significantly more popularity during re-runs; however, production of a feature-length continuation was met with considerable difficulties and took so long to get off the ground that creator Gene Roddenberry even started shopping around a follow-up series, Star Trek: Phase II. The success of sci-fi epics like Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Spielberg, 1977) and Star Wars (Lucas, 1977) convinced executives that they could benefit from a big-budget, feature-length Star Trek film, which was largely adapted from an unproduced script for Phase II. Necessitating the construction of extremely expensive sets, the film’s script underwent numerous rewrites and changes, often with the input and under the scrutiny of the returning cast members. Although the film grossed nearly $140 million, Paramount were disappointed that it didn’t perform as well as they had expected and the film was met with mixed to negative reviews. Even now, the film is largely considered a disappointment and one of the worst in the franchise but, if nothing else, its negative backlash led to a dramatic course correction in how subsequent films were written and produced.

The Review:
Star Trek: The Motion Picture opens promisingly enough by introducing us to the all-new, far more alien and threatening designs for the Klingons that would go on to define the alien race in all subsequent Star Trek media. An aggressive, war-like race, their first thought upon encountering the V’Ger cloud is to open fire, which promptly results in the destruction of their crafts. While this is a decent enough way to introduce V’Ger and sell the entity as a threat, it’s not much of an engaging or entertaining sequence and this is largely to order of the day for the film. With V’Ger inexorably approaching Earth (and with the Enterprise, of course, the only ship capable of meeting it in time), Kirk manages to convince his superiors to give him back command of the ship in order to investigate the entity. Kirk, now and admiral, appears to have reassumed command of the Enterprise primarily to fuel his ego and to have a command once more as much as because of his experience with the strange and unknown. This, of course, brings him into conflict with the Enterprise’s current captain, Decker, who resents Kirk taking control away from him and believes (rightfully so) that Kirk’s previous experience with the Enterprise is no longer valid due to the ship’s recent refit; this turns out to be the case as Kirk gets a little lost touring the ship and is unfamiliar with its systems and capabilities since they’ve changed so much.

You might notice that Mister Spock (Nimoy) is not among the crew members for nearly an hour; indeed, Spock has left Starfleet and is labouring on Vulcan at the beginning of the film and only joins the crew after sensing V’Ger’s consciousness. Having worked to suppress his emotions in the ritual of Kolinahr, Spock’s character at first seems to have taken quite a dramatic step back as he is initially cold towards his crew mates, almost seeming like a stranger amongst them, but he eventually reacclimatises to the crew. As pragmatic and logical as ever, Spock becomes so fascinated by V’Ger’s unique form of consciousness and composition that he takes it upon himself to attempt to make direct contact with the entity and is overwhelmed by the influx of information in the process. Indeed, V’Ger’s cold, logical composition is a direct parallel to Spock’s often unemotional nature but, after mind-melding with the entity, it is revealed that the difference is that Spock’s capacity for emotion separates him from the entity, which is confused and incapable of understanding emotion or appreciating beauty.

While Doctor Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Kelley), Lieutenant Commander Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (James Doohan), Lieutenant Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig), Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), and Lieutenant Commander Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) all return in their familiar roles, there’s not a whole lot for most of them to do. Scotty gets a fair amount of time to shine in the early going as he introduces Kirk to the refitted ship and struggles to fix up the damaged engines and, while Bones only agrees to come along out of loyalty to his former captain, he plays a relatively influential role in pointing out Kirk’s disingenuous reasons for commandeering the Enterprise and commenting (in his trademark abrasive nature) on his rivalry with Decker. Unfortunately, there are far few moments for Kirk, Spock, and McCoy to interact, robbing the film of their amusing and love/hate relationship and making The Motion Picture a decidedly stale experience.

Instead, the Enterprise is manned by a larger unfamiliar crew, the most prominent of which is Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Ilia (Khambatta), a Deltan who acts as the ship’s navigator and has a previous relationship with Decker. Unfortunately, any chance of this relationship being rekindled, or of exploring Ilia’s personality, are quickly dashed when V’Ger abducts her, apparently kills her, and has a robotic duplicate assume her form and act as its emissary. Though now a robotic lifeform, the probe contains Ilia’s memories and experiences, which it is briefly able to reignite through Decker’s influence. The antagonistic force of the film, V’Ger, is the original “cosmic cloud”; a mysterious, incredibly powerful, and seemingly malevolent force that contains a form of consciousness far beyond anything previously encountered. Capable of launching devastating energy attacks, it overcomes its difficulties in communicating with its Ilia double and appears to be a sort of vast ship whose design and concept are more than a little reminiscent of the Borg. V’Ger’s goal is based upon a misinterpretation of the programming of Voyager 6 by an alien race of living machines to assimilate information and then return to Earth and “The Creator”, meaning that the entity is far from malicious and is, instead, a titanic machine that has gained sentience and is simply trying to understand its purpose and is little more than a demanding child. However, when V’Ger’s attempts at communicating with its creator go unanswered, it comes to believe that “carbon lifeforms” have infested the Earth and threatens to eradicate the infestation to fulfil its mission to return to its creator.

The Nitty-Gritty:
I think one of the things that always bugged me about this movie is that so much has changed between the Original Series and the Motion Picture. All of the familiar uniforms for gone, replaced with a dull, uninteresting outfits that are mostly grey and uninspired and, while you might think it’s good that the Enterprise has undergone a dramatic refit as it makes for bigger and far more elaborate sets (and, indeed, these are impressive), the film wastes so much time in introducing us to the ship. The model effects are top-notch, don’t get me wrong, and it really helps sell the awe, ambiance, and iconography of the Enterprise but my God! I still feel like I’m watching it even now, it went on for that long!

This is, of course, symptomatic of the era that the Motion Picture was made; sci-fi films, especially those set in space, loved their long, lingering shots and to build a sense of atmosphere and grandeur and I can respect that but it constantly grinds the film to a halt and gets in the way since the film seems more interested in showing off its impressive (if, obviously, dated) special effects and model shots than it does with actually moving the plot along. Pacing is a real problem in the film, especially in the first hour or so; it plays very much like an extended episode of the series, with the crew encountering numerous random obstacles in their otherwise straightforward journey and the film constantly featuring Kirk recording his thoughts in the Captain’s Log. Because of the refit, the Enterprise is in chaos as the crew try to get the ship ready for launch, immediately selling the idea that this isn’t the same Enterprise we knew from the Original Series and necessitating a quick tour of the film’s impressive sets. The downside to this, though, is that the transporters are dangerously malfunctioning, and the ship’s capabilities are limited, which mainly exists simply to fuel the animosity between Kirk and Decker since Kirk’s decisions almost get the crew killed when they randomly come across a wormhole.

The special effects are impressive and ambitious for the time, admittedly; as I said, there’s some lovely model shots at work and the Star Trek concept clearly benefits from having a much larger budget. Sadly, the film opts to have a rather underwhelming antagonist at face value; V’Ger is literally just an ethereal cloud of blue lights but, once the Enterprise penetrates its energy field, it is revealed to be a complex biomechanical entity, of sorts, that is extraordinary to look at and clearly took a lot of time to construct but its more abstract nature makes V’Ger more like a force of nature. This is best seen during Spock’s absolute head-trip of a journey into V’Ger’s vast core, where he witnesses all of the knowledge and experience V’Ger has accumulated over the years. This all culminates in a journey to V’Ger’s core, a frankly extraordinary set that is as grand and complex as it is bland; despite this, it’s a suitably cold, alien environment, with the remains of Voyager 6 sat at its core, that dwarfs the cast. In the end, Kirk and the others figure out that V’Ger requires a now-archaic signal in order to complete its mission but, having learned all that there is to learn (a somewhat contradictory assertion since V’Ger has somehow learned nothing of emotion or carbon lifeforms), it requires tactile human contact in order to “evolve” and, thus, Decker sacrifices himself to facilitate this. Yes, in the end, Star Trek: The Motion Picture basically becomes a rip-off of 2001: A Space Odyssey (Kurbrick, 1968) and Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are left to muse on the ramifications of this new, undisclosed lifeform.

The Summary:
God, what a bore-fest! I feel like I lost two hours of my life and fell into some kind of coma watching this film. There’s a reason that I haven’t seen it in about ten years; it’s just so boring, cold, and clinical…so drab and uninteresting. I can fully understand and appreciate that the seventies were a different time and that seventies sci-fi, especially, was very much about establishing an atmosphere and revelling in the vest intergalactic ambiance of outer space but Star Trek: The Motion Picture pretty much embodies all the worst aspects of Star Trek. Needlessly mired in philosophy and scientific curiosity it sacrifices not just action but characterisation in service of its plot and it’s truly a shame as there are glimmers of the rapport between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy that were so entertaining in the show and subsequent movies and the plot is actually rather fascinating. The idea of a living machine attempting to reconnect with its creator and evolve into a higher form is intriguing and the revelation that it was all because of an old Earth space probe and the suggestion of some vast race of sentient machines all has a lot of potential but it’s so poorly executed. For Star Trek’s big feature-film debut, The Motion Picture just played things way too safe and sucked all the fun and adventure out of Star Trek and no amount of impressive and ambitious sets, models, and special effects can save this one.

My Rating:

Terrible

Are you a fan of Star Trek: The Motion Picture? If so…why? What is it, exactly, about the film that you enjoy? If you’re not a fan, what was it that turned you off about the film? What did you think to Kirk’s portrayal as an egotistical, self-serving asshole? Did you like the new designs for the Enterprise’s interiors and the new characters the film introduced? What did you think to V’Ger; do you think it should have been officially recognised as being involved in the Borg’s origin or do you think it’s best left as one of those incredible space phenomena? Which Star Trek captain, crew, show, or movie is your favourite and why? How are you celebrating Star Trek Day today? No matter what you think, feel free to leave a comment down below.