Fuji Boldly Goes and Reviews the Star Trek Films

[Fuji Vice]

Since the 12th Star Trek movie just made it into theatres, I thought it would be nice to go back and look at all the ones that came before it. Hopefully there's some Star Trek fans around here, or else I guess I'll be talking to myself in here!

Star Trek: The Motion Picture


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An alien phenomenon of unprecedented size and power is approaching Earth, destroying everything in its path. The only starship in range is the USS Enterprise--still in drydock after a major overhaul. As Captain Willard Decker readies his ship and his crew to face this menace, Admiral James T. Kirk arrives with orders to take command of the Enterprise and intercept the intruder. But it has been three years since Kirk last commanded the Enterprise on its historic five year mission... is he up to the task of saving the Earth?

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If you’ve never heard of Star Trek before I have but one question…where the hell have you been living for your entire life, under a rock? Yes indeed, the odds of coming across someone who hasn’t at least heard of one of the most popular film and television franchises of all time are as likely as Commander Spock cracking a smile. It’s been around in one form of media or another since its inception way back in 1966 and while its popularity has waxed and waned over the years there’s no denying its cultural impact. Originally designed as a way for creator Gene Rodenberry to use science-fiction to make broad social commentary on issues of the day, the show has morphed into a global brand that rivals any other media franchise out there. However, this is not the story of the Star Trek franchise, but rather the films that were inspired by it. Over the next couple of weeks we’ll be looking at all of them, up to and including the most recent film, 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness. Hopefully many of you have already seen these films and will have fun reminiscing on them with me while those of you that haven’t will be inspired to seek them out and enjoy them as much as countless others have. Our first film is Star Trek: The Motion Picture, released to great fanfare in 1979. Star Trek had already gained a wide degree of popularity in syndicated television form, but this film, modeled on a script from an abandoned second series, was set to take the franchise to a whole new galaxy. The only question left was if it would succeed financially while still appeasing the legions of fans that had been clamoring for it for years?

"Kind of makes you want to hum the Star Wars theme doesn't it?"
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Series creator Gene Rodenberry turned to experienced director Robert Wise (The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Sound of Music, West Side Story) while he supervised the script, which was written by noted science-fiction author Alan Dean Foster and television writer Harold Livingston. The story itself was actually a recycled plot from the abandoned show “Star Trek: Phase II†and it definitely seems like it, though that’s not really a good thing. Unfortunately the script just doesn’t have enough depth to it to maintain itself over the films 2+ hour runtime. To compensate for this, Wise foolishly decided to show as many expensive special effects shots as possible, clearly inspired by the success of Star Wars just a couple of years earlier. The problem with that was that Star Wars actually had a fleshed out story that cohesively tied the effects together to create a perfect balance. By contrast, Star Trek: The Motion Picture seems almost like a way for the studio to recoup the enormous financial costs of designing models and effects for the abandoned Star Trek: Phase II show. I’m not kidding when I say that there are times where it takes ships literal minutes of screen time to fly from one place to another, and don’t even get me started on Spock’s trip to the heart of V’Ger. If this had been a television episode, it would have worked quite well, as the themes of Star Trek are well represented and explored. Unfortunately, an episode of Star Trek was only 45 minutes long, so I’m pretty sure you can figure out why it doesn’t work as well as it should. Regardless, it’s a very well made film and certainly a nice looking one, but style over substance has never been what made the Star Trek franchise successful.

"The gangs all here...and boy do they look stupid!"
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One of the major coups of the producers of the film was to reassemble the entire principal cast from the original television series, something that had never been done before to that point. Indeed it would prove to be one of the most important factors to the success of the film, as the rabid fans just wouldn’t have accepted new actors in the roles of their beloved characters. As the cast is definitely an ensemble, there aren’t many standout performers, though we do need to take a brief moment to look at a few of them. First of all, William Shatner, who plays Admiral James T. Kirk, is well-known as one of the all-time great over-actors and here he’s at his absolute best. The scene where Spock first enters the bridge is a prime example of his hilarious “style†of emotive acting. Spock himself, played by Leonard Nimoy, actually seems pretty wooden here (even by Vulcan standards) and doesn’t seem to add much to the film until the climactic mind meld with the antagonist. The rest of the principal cast is their usual solid selves, with standout performances from James Doohan as Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott and DeForest Kelly as Chief Surgeon, Dr. Leonard McCoy. I’d also like to give a shout out to George Takei’s work as Mr. Sulu, if only because of how stoned he looks when Kirk first arrives on the bridge! Meanwhile, a couple of new faces show up to help drive the film forward, Captain Matt Decker, played by Stephen Collins and Ilia, played by Persis Khambatta. These two also appear to have been abandoned characters from Phase II, though if you look at them closely you’ll see that they eventually became Commander Riker and Deanna Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Collins is actually quite good as Decker and has some strong chemistry with Shatner, while Khambatta is fucking hot; no I mean SMOKING FUCKING HOT!!!!

"See what I mean?"
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Before 1979, fans of the series had only been able to enjoy the adventures of the Enterprise crew on small tube televisions and so a lot of the grandeur of the series may have been lost in translation. Star Trek: The Motion picture changed all that, as Wise created a larger-than-life presentation of the Star Trek experience. More often than not, this plays out like a gigantic love letter to every facet of the original series, from the characters to the Enterprise itself. However, while the film does its level best to focus on the characters and the effects, the story that ties the experience together represents both classic Trek and some of the deeper sci-fi films of previous decades. If there is one complaint here, besides the extended effects shots I've mentioned before, it's that the film itself is almost too similar to an original series episode entitled "The Changeling". I felt that the original idea was expanded on properly, but that it just screamed of the writers not wanting to rock the boat too much, something that doesn't come as much of a shock to me. Clearly they were more interested in sticking with the tried, tested and true formula and ramming as many effects down our throats as possible, which I'd say they succeeded at. This minor issue aside, I really enjoyed Star Trek: The Motion Picture on this re-watch and while I don't think it's the best in the film series it is by no means the worst.

"Boldly going towards big blue things for years."
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Star Trek: The Motion Picture was shot on a budget of $46 million and earned over $139 million at the box office, very respectable numbers and certainly enough to warrant a sequel. It should also be noted that the film features the introduction of the now-iconic Star Trek theme, one perhaps even more recognizable than that of the original series, the music later serving as the opening theme to the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" television series. For this alone its legacy is firmly cemented in Star Trek lore, but the truth of the matter is that it’s just a great first chapter for the film series and one that allowed it to get off on the right foot. Once that first step was taken, the sky was the limit and as we’ll see in our next review, things could only get better. 7/10.

"Next time...KHAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!"
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[Wangman Page]

I actually felt that this was a decent trek into the final frontier with the original cast. Although not the best of the 12 films to date but it was decent. I would still rank the next one higher than this one and feel that they have many untold tales and journeys that we could have witnessed, but with all good things age takes away what could have been with this cast.


Great review Fuji.

 

[Fuji Vice]

I actually felt that this was a decent trek into the final frontier with the original cast. Although not the best of the 12 films to date but it was decent. I would still rank the next one higher than this one and feel that they have many untold tales and journeys that we could have witnessed, but with all good things age takes away what could have been with this cast.


Great review Fuji.

Thanks man, I definitely have a greater appreciation for it now than when I was younger. The older I get, the more tolerant I am of long, slow-moving films, provided the payoff is worth the wait. I'd say it's worth the wait with this movie, even if it isn't as good as some of the others in the series. It's entirely possible that the next movie in the series will be the highest score I give one, but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Wangman Page]

Thanks man, I definitely have a greater appreciation for it now than when I was younger. The older I get, the more tolerant I am of long, slow-moving films, provided the payoff is worth the wait. I'd say it's worth the wait with this movie, even if it isn't as good as some of the others in the series. It's entirely possible that the next movie in the series will be the highest score I give one, but we'll have to wait and see.

I am feeling that way too. Now I would think the next one would get a great score and I have a feeling a certain next generation will either match or surpass the score, but we will have to see.

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[Fuji Vice]

I am feeling that way too. Now I would think the next one would get a great score and I have a feeling a certain next generation will either match or surpass the score, but we will have to see.

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

There's definitely one Next Generation movie that rises above the rest, although I seem to remember only disliking one of them. There's another couple with the original cast that I think will score high, based on memory...and one that's going to get raked over the hot coals. : Anyhow, I'll have the next movie up tomorrow, I'm starting to like this every other day schedule for reviews.

 

[Wangman Page]

There's definitely one Next Generation movie that rises above the rest, although I seem to remember only disliking one of them. There's another couple with the original cast that I think will score high, based on memory...and one that's going to get raked over the hot coals. : Anyhow, I'll have the next movie up tomorrow, I'm starting to like this every other day schedule for reviews.

There are a couple I would rake over the coals but one in particular comes to mind. Damn you Fuji now I will be up all might waiting for the next review in anticipation................guess I can wait........taps foot.
















Falls asleep.


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[Fuji Vice]

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan


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On a mission to locate a lifeless world on which to test the "Genesis" device, an object capable of instantly transforming a barren world into a habitable paradise, the U.S.S. Reliant's Captain Terrell and Commander Chekov beam down to Ceti Alpha VI to investigate a singular object which may represent life. There, they discover the planet is in fact Ceti Alpha V, and also the remnants of the Botany Bay, the vessel housing a marooned Khan Noonien Singh a 20th Century genetically-engineered superman with an unquenchable thirst for the blood of his old nemesis, Admiral James T. Kirk. Capable of controlling Terrell and Chekov and commandeering the Reliant, Khan sets out to both capture the Genesis device and exact revenge on Kirk and the Enterprise crew.

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Star Trek: The Motion Picture had made a lot of money for its producers, but it had met with little to no critical acclaim, something that bothered them enough to make some drastic changes prior to shooting the inevitable sequel. First off, series creator Gene Rodenberry was jettisoned and executive producer Harve Bennett took over the reins, writing the original outline for the sequel. At the same time, the studio felt that previous director Robert Wise made the film too grandiose and sought a more minimal approach, eventually settling on a director more known for this style. Finally, they looked to make the sequel a lot more serious than its predecessor, focusing on dramatic themes that were heavily underscored in the original series. The end result of these efforts is Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, not only one of the finest Star Trek films ever made but one of the finest pure science-fiction ones as well. Emphasizing its major theme of life and death and the effect that it has on not only the individual but the entire world around them would prove to be a stroke of genius. These themes are at the forefront throughout the film, and are never obscured by the special effects or action, something that was a major problem with the first one. A film that packs a major punch and demands repeat viewings, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is an emotionally draining, yet ultimately satisfying film.

"Starring some of the extras from The Road Warrior."
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Directed by Nicholas Meyer and written by Jack B. Sowards, the intention of the producers to go in a more minimal direction was easily realized by these men’s talents. Meyer’s direction is spot on from beginning to end, heavily stressing the major themes throughout. There’s a wonderful moment early on in the film where Kirk and McCoy have a conversation about getting older while the whole time an old clock creepily ticks away in the background. This attention to detail cannot be understated, as it is small things like this that allow the film to remain relevant more than 30 years after its initial release. Meyer also has a very good understanding of directing action sequences, preferring to focus on the emotion of the individuals involved in the battle rather than the battle itself. This in turn allows us to view these participants on a different level than simply foot soldiers, our connections to them that have already been established are enhanced to an even greater degree and when bad things happen to them we feel it much stronger than normal. Sowards script, with un-credited re-writes from Meyer, further heightens this emotional impact by forcing us to examine the characters from a much deeper perspective than ever before. Even though the original series was rooted in this kind of pathos, the work here takes it out a whole new door and utilizes the talents of the cast like never before.

"Hey baby, I wanna' go where everybody knows your name."
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While William Shatner is never going to win any awards for his acting ability, his work here is quite simply the best he’s ever done. His performance, particularly in the film's most emotionally-charged scenes at the end of the film, captures a range rarely seen in film, and he absolutely nails it. His final dialogue during the eulogy manages to distill the entire film down to its pure essence in one brief moment, a truly remarkable achievement for Shatner in the role. Leonard Nimoy’s Spock is also at his level best here, ever inquisitive about the nature of humans and their need for self-sacrifice while maintaining his stoic, logical air throughout. Indeed, even at the climax, Spock is still using logic to argue a suicidal decision made on his part, a brilliant play on the character’s true nature. The rest of the original cast returns for another kick at the can as well as future Cheers star Kirstie Alley as a Vulcan and Bibi Besch as a former flame of Kirk’s and the inventor of the device that drives the plot forward. However, the anchor in this film is the performance of Ricardo Montalban in the role of Khan Noonien Singh, Kirk’s nemesis and the catalyst for the events in the film. Montalban originated the role in the television series episode “Space Seed” and here he expands on it greatly, imbuing the character with even more venom and hatred than ever before. The best part about Khan is that he’s one of those classic villains who feel their actions are totally justified, and honestly it’s hard to disagree with him when he tells his tragic story. Here is a man who is seeking the wanton destruction of the entire federation and you can’t help but understand and empathize with him and his situation, a testament to Montalban’s incredible portrayal.

"We ain't on Fantasy Island now bitches."
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Arguably the most unique feature of The Wrath of Khan is that the film isn't really about Khan at all. Certainly his presence lends to the film the dramatic aspect of the picture and serves as the vessel through which the primary plot revolves, but his is of only secondary importance to the main life and death theme prevalent throughout. The Wrath of Khan, from the barren wastelands of Ceti Alpha V to the rebirth of Regula, from the reemergence of a forgotten foe to the loss of an old friend, deals with life's most basic yet also most mysterious principle and does so with a level of flair rarely seen in any film, let alone a Star Trek one. The main idea of the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few, or the one, will be at the core of the next two films in the series as well, and it is established strongly here. However, once we get past the heavy handedness of the themes on display, it’s important to remember that The Wrath of Khan is also a seriously kick ass movie. From the disgusting ear slugs used to control Terrell and Chekov to Kirk’s epic battle with Khan, outsmarting him at a game he is much better versed in, to the touching, final moments between Kirk and Spock, nothing feels wasted here. In fact, there is nothing wasted and at the end of the day there is a reason why this film is widely regarded as the greatest Star Trek one of them all. Quite simply put, if you’ve never seen this movie you’re really doing yourself a disservice as it is one of the finest efforts ever put to film and a truly emotional experience, something that we all need every once in a while.

"You should see how dirty the windows are from this side."
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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was shot on a budget of $11.2 million and earned over $97 million at the box office, great numbers but obviously not the whole story. It also met with widespread critical acclaim, with some calling it the film that “saved Star Trek” after the dismal reviews of The Motion Picture threatened to shelve the sequel. I’m not sure that Star Trek needed saving since it was already an established brand by then, but if this is the film that did it then that’s just another accolade you can add to its already impressive list. Not only a great science-fiction film, but simply a great one on every level, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan should be required viewing for all movie lovers and it is absolutely deserving of my highest recommendation and my highest score. 10/10.

"Tomorrow...we're searching for this."
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[Fuji Vice]

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock


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After the events of the previous film, the tired and emotionally distraught crew of the USS Enterprise returns to spacedock for repairs. While there, Captain Kirk is approached by Spock's father, Sarek, who asks him why he betrayed Spock by leaving his body on the Genesis planet instead of bringing it back to him. Sarek then reveals that Spock has placed his katra inside Dr. McCoy and can be brought back to life, but his body must be recovered first. The Enterprise crew sets out to find Spock, risking their careers and their lives in the process, as a renegade Klingon commander has made it his personal mission to steal the secret of the Genesis planet for himself.

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The commercial and critical response to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan had been overwhelmingly positive and so it didn’t take very long for Paramount to commission the third film in the series. Although the Spock character had been “killed off” in the previous film, the decision was also made to make the third one about his resurrection. In this way, the films could come full circle, taking the opposite approach of the “needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few” message from Star Trek II. In this case, the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many, as the entire Enterprise crew puts their lives on the line to save their friend, Spock. At the time, I’m sure this theme wasn’t as obvious to the viewers as it is today, but the fact remains that telling a sequential story that builds on the previous one was definitely the right way to go. While Star Trek III: The Search for Spock doesn’t quite live up to the excellent standard set forth by its predecessor, it still manages to be both an entertaining and logical story in the film series. It also allows us the opportunity to see some fine work from the main cast, strong direction from a first-timer and some pretty decent special effects for the time period. While Star Trek III: The Search for Spock isn’t the most well-remembered of the films, it does serve its purpose as the middle part of a trilogy and generally comes across as a solid addition to the series as a whole.

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"Relax folks, it’s only a model."
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This time around, producer Harve Bennett wrote the script, though his philosophy was to start from the end and work his way back to the beginning. This way he could create a shocking development for the grand finale and then be able to accurately set it up throughout the course of the film. While this obviously wasn’t the first time a script was written this way, it definitely works to great effect here and as such the film has a very deliberate flow. Bennett’s work is focused almost solely on character development and more often than not he kicks grandiose effects-laden scenes to the curb in favour of it. Once again this proved to be a very good idea, as the more we see and hear these characters the easier it is to find ourselves empathizing with them and their plight. This also has great effect in some very emotionally charged scenes towards the end of the film and helps to enhance the performances of the actors playing the roles. Meanwhile, Leonard Nimoy’s Spock may have been “dead”, but the man himself was not. In fact, he took the role of director on this film after being offered the job by Bennett, and while he was a novice it doesn’t show in the slightest. Expertly pacing the film for maximum effect and making use of some strong albeit traditional film techniques, Nimoy was able to show that he was more than just a dude who wore pointy ears. His direction along with Bennett’s screenplay, are two major reasons why this film worked as well as it did. The third reason? Strong performances from everyone involved, as the entire cast really brought it this time around.

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"I didn’t realize Vulcans were also members of The Polyphonic Spree."
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While he had long been a bit of a joke in Hollywood circles for his blatant over-acting, William Shatner more than proved that he was capable of showing some serious restraint with his performance here. Kirk is obviously a bit of a caricature and a pretty fun-loving character for the most part, but here he has a real sense of both purpose and direction. His obsession with saving his friend ultimately ends up costing him the life of one very close to him and his response to the news of this characters death is quite simply his finest work in the role. He doesn’t throw his arms up and shout to the heavens, he simply stumbles back and crumples to the floor, defeated as never before. Shatner himself has remarked that this is his favourite moment as the character and I’m not going to argue; the scene is quite compelling. The other principle cast member to shine here is DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy, as he gets the chance to do a bit of a dual role due to Spock’s katra being placed inside his body. Kelley gets the lion’s share of memorable moments in the film and really does a great job at balancing the two warring personalities within him, never letting one dominate the other for too long. George Takei also has a couple of really good moments as Mr. Sulu here, including a great scene where a security guard calls him “tiny” just in time for Sulu to kick his ass. Christopher Lloyd, who most of you know as the lovable Doc Brown from “Back to the Future”, portrays the evil Klingon Commander Kruge, and while I kept expecting him to call for a Flux Capacitor in Klingon I still felt he did as good a job as possible in the role. He’s just bad enough for you to hate him and in a Star Trek film, a bad villain is a good thing indeed.

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"Seems like the cover of the Klingon version of Explorers to me."
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The main reason that Wrath of Khan succeeded where The Motion Picture failed was the decision of writer/director Nicholas Meyer to have the characters age and gain an understanding of their own mortality. Nimoy also understood this, as well as the grief that older people feel for fallen friends, and so mines this material as much as possible throughout the first act. It's not the happiest way to start the film off, but it certainly raises the stakes as far as the emotional impact is concerned and allows us to easily buy into the concept. As we've all aged along with these characters, it stands to reason that we have a certain degree of care for them and come to think of them as members of our own family. When they're threatened, we feel threatened and when they succeed we feel like celebrating along with them. This is pretty simple logic, but it isn't utilized properly in every Star Trek film and so a lot of credit has to go to Nimoy here. Unfortunately once we move into the second and third acts of the film, Nimoy seems to forget this excellent set-up and turn the movie into more of a Star Wars style space-opera. That wouldn't be a bad thing, save for the fact that it’s hard to put your emotions in check after being put through the ringer for the first 45 minutes of the film. By the time the good guys triumph and Spock returns from the dead (no way that's a spoiler) it’s hard to muster up the strength to care, which is ultimately disappointing. Still, if you're looking for a good time with your old buds from the Star Trek universe, you can look no further than The Search for Spock for entertainment value. Plus it's pretty much the only odd-numbered Star Trek film that's really good, so it also has that going for it!

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"Way to almost kill me you douche."
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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock earned $87 million on a budget of just $16 million, which was slightly down from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan’s numbers but still quite respectable. More than just financially successful, the film also proved that Leonard Nimoy was capable of telling a good story with these characters and so he was asked back to do the next film, which we’ll be looking at in a couple of days. In the meantime, I think a score of 7.5/10 is fair for this film. It starts off strong and only really lets you down once the big action stuff starts, though some people love that so for them it shouldn’t be seen as a negative. See you in a day or two with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

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"Next time…there be whales here."
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[Wangman Page]

Not sure how I missed wrath of Khan in these both were great and Wrath probably the best in the whole Trek universe. I also think they wanted to bring Spock back because he was the level headed guy unlike Kirk nor the overly dramatic McCoy.

Great job on these.

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[Fuji Vice]

Thanks. Actually, when I was listening to the commentary for III, Nimoy mentions that he was so excited by how good Wrath of Khan was that he basically demanded to be director so he could bring himself back properly. He also says he ghost-wrote the script with Bennett, which makes sense to me given the way they bring the character back. That commentary is actually one of my favourites of all the Star Trek ones, Nimoy is really insightful and you can tell how passionate he was about the project.

Should have The Voyage Home up tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest.

 

[Fuji Vice]

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home


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After the destruction of their ship and the rebirth of Commander Spock, the full Enterprise crew is resting on Vulcan while preparing to return to Earth to answer for their crimes against both Starfleet and the Klingon Empire. However, before they can get there, an unidentified probe enters Earth’s solar system and begins shutting down every mechanical device it comes into contact with. Discovering that whale songs are the only way to communicate with the probe and realizing that these whales are extinct in their century; Kirk devises a dangerous plan to travel back in time and commandeer some whales to help save Earth.

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Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home marks the end of the unofficial trilogy of Star Trek films that began with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and continued with Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Unlike those two films, this one is much more a comedy, albeit one that still manages to take itself seriously at the most opportune moments. Realizing that the characters growth had become stagnant from a dramatic standpoint, the creators sought to give them a little more humour to work with and thus the idea of sending them back into our time period was born. Time travel films had long been fairly popular science-fiction fare, from the original Time Machine to the excellent thriller, Time After Time. However, none of these had chosen to look at the hilarity inherent in putting people from the future into a time that they would clearly not understand. Star Trek had done something similar to this before in the Original Series episode “A Piece of the Action”, which featured Kirk, Spock and McCoy stuck on a planet that mimicked the 1920’s. However, in this situation, the filmmakers chose to take it one step further and put our intrepid crew into the very world we ourselves inhabited, the 1980’s. The end result is not only one of the most underrated comedies of the decade; it’s also my personal favourite Star Trek film and one that I can watch whenever it’s on.

"If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear a headband to cover your pointy ears."
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This time around, the writer of The Search for Spock, Harve Bennett, enlisted the services of co-writers Steve Meerson (Back to the Beach), Peter Krikes and Wrath of Khan writer/director Nicholas Meyer to help author the story he co-wrote with Leonard Nimoy, who returned to direct. The team of writers would prove to have a lot of chemistry and the inclusion of Meerson and Krikes definitely helped to bring out the more comedic elements of the script. At the same time, Meyer’s contributions to the time-travel aspect were well served. After all, this is the same guy who directed the movie I mentioned above, Time After Time, so it’s not like he didn’t “get” the concept. To make a long story short, this is pretty much the most entertaining Star Trek script ever written, though I wouldn’t go as far as calling it the absolute best. Meanwhile, Nimoy was clearly comfortable with his position in the director’s chair at this point and turned in an even better effort than his work on The Search for Spock. More than anything else, his understanding of the characters is even more pronounced here than in the last film, and he manages to get career performances out of the majority of them.

"Yeah, double dumb ass on you ya' damn double dumb ass."
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Unlike other Star Trek films, The Voyage Home is truly an ensemble piece, with a little something for every Enterprise crew member to sink their teeth into. While William Shatner’s Captain Kirk and Nimoy’s Spock still get the main story arc of the film, the real highlights are definitely found within the sub-plots involving these unsung crew members. For instance, outside of getting a slug shoved in his ear in The Wrath of Khan, Walter Koenig’s Chekov hadn’t really done anything of note in the other films. However, here he gets a chance to have a little fun with his Russian accent, asking people where he can find nuclear “wessels”, which ends up being pretty damn funny. DeForest Kelley also gets an absolutely classic scene where he laments 20th century medicine in front of two doctors in an elevator. This scene really has to be seen to be appreciated but the truth is, it’s still only second best to the one involving Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott, portrayed by James Doohan. You see, Scotty (as he’s affectionately known) wants to access a Mac II but seems to have trouble getting it to respond to him when he addresses it like he would a computer on the Enterprise. When the 20th century gentleman he’s working with suggest he use the mouse, Scotty responds by attempting to talk into it, which is hysterical no matter how many times you’ve seen it. Oh and for good measure, Catherine Hicks, who would go on to be menaced by Chucky in Child’s Play, shows up as a love interest for Shatner…man is he lucky or what?

"Hello computer? Hello COMEDY!!"
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While it marks the end of this chapter in the lives of the Enterprise crew, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home can also be seen as a new beginning, as the foundations for the rest of the films in the series would be laid here. For starters, the emphasis on comedic storytelling would be seen in the rest of the series (including the Next Generation films and the Abrams reboot) albeit to a less obvious extent than seen here. Second, the idea of using the films as a platform to talk about social issues of the day (in this case the pointless hunting of whales) would be seen several times later in the series, particularly in Star Trek: Insurrection’s youth-obsessed culture story. Finally, the camaraderie and relationships between the characters would be firmly entrenched in this film and that’s obviously something that’s become a major hallmark of the series since then. Outside of these contributions to the Star Trek film series, The Voyage Home is simply one hell of an entertaining and funny movie and easily the most fun time you’re going to have with these characters. In all honesty, this is the one Star Trek film where the cast feels most like old friends coming over to your house for a drink and some laughs, and I believe that’s why it’s looked at so fondly among fans of the series. It’s just a little less inspiring than The Wrath of Khan and is about on par with First Contact. As far as Star Trek films go, that’s pretty good company to be in, so if you’ve never seen it before by all means dive in and experience the joy and wonder of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home for yourself. As long as you’re a fan of the franchise and these characters, I can think of no reason why you wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I have over the years.

"The truth about what happens in the Bermuda Triangle."
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Shot on a budget of $21 million the film ended up grossing $133 million at the box office, making it the most profitable Star Trek film to that point. It also met with resounding critical success and so the executives at Paramount were quick to set the wheels in motion to make yet another film. For that one, they’d turn to another actor in the series to direct, with decidedly mixed results. However, we’ll wait to discuss that one later as today I’m going to give The Voyage Home a solid 8.5/10 and beam myself back up to the Fujiprise until next time.

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"Tomorrow, a laughing Vulcan?"
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[Wangman Page]

Another good review and another decent film. The. Next one is one the ice planet I think and if so wasn't a favorite of mine but serviceable. Scottty couldn't give it all she's got.

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[Fuji Vice]

Another good review and another decent film. The. Next one is one the ice planet I think and if so wasn't a favorite of mine but serviceable. Scottty couldn't give it all she's got.

Unfortunately the next one is not on the ice planet, its the one where they go looking for "God". Probably the worst of the TOS movies, but at least the review should be good for a laugh. :

 

[Wangman Page]

That's right I didn't like that one either.

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[Fuji Vice]

That's right I didn't like that one either.

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I'm watching it right now and.....oh boy is it bad. The special effects look like something a five-year old could make.