Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home - Review

Since it's release in 1986, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home has been generally lumped into the "good" even-numbered Trek movies... ie, most people like it. The movie was praised by most critics, scored at the box office, was embraced by the general Trekkie community, and even found a following among non-Trekkie film goers. By all accounts, the movie was, and still is, a pretty big success. That said, every so often I come across someone (often a Trekkie) who swears that this movie is terrible and the worst in the series. The reasons as to why often vary, some criticizing the lighter tone, some the environmental themes, or some just called it plain cheesy. I personally loved this one as a kid, and was curious to see how it held up as an adult. How does Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home pan out 26 years later and from an adult perspective? Let's find out...

Star Trek IV picks up a few months after the events of it's Star Trek III. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) lives once again, and has since regained both his intelligence and motor skills, but lacks his understanding of basic human emotions and struggles to remember his past. Nonetheless, he agrees to once again rejoin his friends and crew in returning to Earth... where Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) awaits trial for his actions in the previous film, which led to the destruction of the USS Enterprise. Upon departing, Starfleet comes across an unknown alien probe floating through space and destroying everything in it's path. Nobody can stop or communicate with it because the probe is sending out an unintelligible message that can only be understood by a Humpback whale... only problem is that the Humpback whale has been extinct for centuries. When Kirk hears of this development, he commandeers the late Commander Kruge's Bird of Prey, assembles his usual crew, and travels back in time to 20th century San Francisco to find a humpback whale, bring it back to their time, and save the world from certain doom.

So when looking at that premise, it's fairly easy to see why there are some people that like to dismiss this movie. I'll even admit, there are times I wonder why it works as well as it does... and believe me, I do truly think this movie works. Still, it's kind of interesting why a film that broke so far from the styles of it's predecessors is so entertaining. Considering how the previous movies had such dark and dramatic themes, the shift to lighthearted comedy was pretty drastic. Also, for a series that was centered around space travel and discovering odd or unknown planets, setting the film in 1986 San Francisco was an odd choice. Plus, the "Save the Whales" inspired plot can, at times, come off as a bit preachy and cheesy. Still, there's just no denying that the film is straight-up entertaining. Sure, it wasn't as risky or daring as Wrath of Khan, but people often forget that the original series, more often than not, had a light-hearted sense of humor, with some episodes more comedy-orientated than others. Plus, the story itself has some interesting subtext that fits in nicely with the series' trademark creative writing. Ultimately, the main theme is of communication, how it can both separate and unite humanity. When the alien probe approaches Earth, everyone assumes that it's message was meant for them as a death threat... when in reality, it was the opposite. Any deaths or damages it caused wasn't a result of malice, but simply a misunderstanding. This plot hasn't exactly set the Sci-Fi world on fire, but there's definitely some profundity hiding within the script that often goes overlooked. Even if that's not your cup of tea, the film still falls back on some great character interactions and some really funny jokes. The interactions between the crew are as great as always, plus the jokes are never at the expense of the classic characters. In other words, you're never laughing at them, but rather with them. It's got it's cheesy moments, but it just plain works.

The cast once again pretty much hits it out of the park. While the previous two films showcased some of the actors ability to demonstrate their capacity for drama, this film gives them the opportunity to let loose and do some comedy. Most of the jokes come from the fish-out-of-water scenario with the Enterprise crew in the 20th century. William Shatner (whether intentionally or not), has generally shown that he has some great comedic ability, and this film puts them to good use. Leonard Nimoy also gets a couple good chuckles, since as a Vulcan, he's probably the most out of place in the crew. One of the show's main source of humor, DeForrest Kelley, gets some of the better jokes too, namely his rants on 20th century medicine (was there subtext in that... maybe, not sure). Walter Koenig as Chekov gets one of the more memorable lines in the film too as he walks around San Fran asking it's residents how to find the "Nuclear Wessels." Overall, the actors have probably never been better than in this film, as they all looked relaxed and like they were having a fun times making this movie. Once again, Leonard Nimoy scores as a director thanks to the solid performances.

As for what doesn't work... well, there are a couple of things. Since most of the film is set in the present day, it's not exactly a huge effects extravaganza, and that might turn some off. The scenes set in space look fine, but none of the visuals are amazing by any means. There aren't as many sets or alien worlds too, most of the filming took place on-location, which is a double edged sword for some. The visuals and production design aren't as creative or imaginative but if you're not a fan of obvious sets (which have sometimes plagued this series) you'll be happy... depends which one you prefer. While most of the humor works, there are one or two scenes where the jokes just fall flat, but that's pretty rare. How you'll respond to this film ultimately comes down to how you prefer your Star Trek. It's not as suspenseful, there's no major villain, and there's little actual "Star Trekking" but if you can accept that it tried something new and different... you'll be surprised how well it works.

There's not much more I have to say about Star Trek IV, other than it's kind of awesome. Yeah, it's not the most action packed, and some of the environmental themes can be a bit heavy-handed, but the natural performances, an interesting premise, and the humorous tone make it work. Sometimes, change can be good, as this is a perfect example. This is probably the most purely enjoyable of all the Trek films, so if you haven't seen it yet, I'd definitely say give it a watch.

My Score: 4 out 5!

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - Review

1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture was seen as something of a disappointment. While not totally without merit, the film was criticized for it's tedious pacing, reliance on effects, and for doing away with most of the traits that made the TV series so endearing. While it made some money at the box office, it's numbers weren't what the studio had hoped, and as a result, they were reluctant about making a sequel. After series creator Gene Roddenberry was booted off the project (as he was generally blamed for the problems with the first film) and a significantly lower budget was provided, the sequel was green-lit and went into production. The movie, titled Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, while technically a canonical sequel to the 1979 film, generally ignored the previous film's events, and instead was more of a follow-up to Space Seed, a first season episode of the TV series. The film once again managed to recruit the series' primary cast members, but wasn't able to recruit the same prestigious behind-the-camera crew of the first, instead hiring the relatively unknown director Nicholas Meyer. Despite the cut budget, a lack of interest from the studio, a less prolific director, and the still bitter reception of the first film, the film was released to theaters in 1982... and Star Trek has never been better!

Taking place in the 23rd century, years after the USS Enterprise completed it's "five year mission," some of the ship's original crew have gone their separate ways. The Enterprise itself has become a Starfleet training ship, with Spock (Leonard Nimoy), the ship's former Commander, now serving as the Captain and primary instructor to his Commander-In-Training, Lt. Saavik (Kirstie Alley). The aging Admiral James T. Kirk, former Captain of the Enterprise, boards the ship one last time to oversee a routine training mission before he settles down from space missions. After reuniting with most of his original team, including Spock, McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and others, the mission becomes anything but routine when Kirk faces off against a former enemy. Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban), a genetically altered "superman" once defeated by Kirk, returns seeking vengeance and universal domination. With time as a factor, Kirk and crew must hurry to defeat one of Starfleet's deadliest enemies.

Many fans (and non-fans for that matter) generally consider Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan to be the best entry in the Star Trek movie series... and honestly, I'm right there with them. Not only is Wrath of Khan the best Trek movie, but it's arguably the best "thing" in the whole Star Trek franchise... dare I even say, even one of the best Sci-Fi movies ever made! I know that might seem like a bit generous, but every time I watch this movie, my admiration for it continues to grow. The plot is solid, the themes are interesting, the characters are well developed, the villain is unforgettable, the pacing is near-perfect, and the action is memorable. It took all of the best elements from the TV series while taking advantage of it's expanded movie run-time and budget to further explore some interesting themes and dynamics. After the mixed reception of it's predecessor, some thought that the Star Trek franchise was dead, but this film proved that it still had plenty of life left in it and rejuvenated the series... and after watching the movie, it's easy to why.

When all is said and done, Wrath of Khan mainly succeeds on the strength of it's story. Most of the film is centered around Admiral Kirk, as he deals with age, regret, and overcoming his past. Despite the fact that this movie is 30 years old, I still won't spoil anything, but I will say that the way his past life is explored is legitimately moving and interesting. The past rivalry between Kirk and Khan fits in perfectly with such themes, adds a great hero/villain dynamic, and never comes off as overly dramatic or schmaltzy. The filmmakers took some real chances here too, adding some legitimately moving dramatic moments that sometimes moves people to tears... again won't spoil anything, but I really have to get them credit for trying something so risky. There are also some great interactions between Kirk, Spock, and Bones (something that was often neglected in the first film) that gives the film some much needed levity and explanation. As mentioned, the Hero Vs Villain face-off scenes are near perfect, with Kirk and Khan having some suspenseful and nail-biting interactions. Oddly enough, neither Kirk or Khan are ever in the same room with one another, instead limiting most of their communication with each other via communicator or screen. It would have been cool to see them face-off in person, but whatever, what works just works!

The effects this time around are notably of a lesser quality compared to the grandiose visuals from it's predecessor, but they still work. Honestly though, the lavish visuals from the first probably did more harm than good, and if that film was evidence that visuals don't make up for a lacking story, this film is solid proof that the opposite is true. A visually dynamic but narratively empty film can only get you so far, but if a film has a solid script, characters, and pacing, some sketchy visuals are easy to look past. Still, that's not to say that movie looks bad, in fact I think it has a pretty good visual aesthetic. The production design, namely the look of the ship interiors, is memorable and detailed. The models used to render the ships still do their job as well. Ultimately, the filmmakers just knew how to put their lower budget to good use. The effects certainly don't have the first film's "epic" feel per se, but they're shot from well-chosen angles, the editing is swift and fluent, and none of the effects are overblown or overused. The first space battle between the Enterprise and the Reliant is an awesomely suspenseful and exciting bit of action and one of my favorite scenes in all Sci-Fi movies. It's one of the more action packed films in the Trek series, and hits pretty much all the requisite action beats it needs to. The film also featured one of the first instances of CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) that, while more than a bit dated, is still pretty cool to look at. Compared to today's cg-laden blockbusters and effects driven monstrosities, it's unlikely that these effects will blow anyone away, but like I said, that doesn't really matter. The effects work when they need to, and even when they don't, you can always fall back on the film's important strengths (of which there are plenty).

The only weakness the film truly has is the quality of some of the acting. Once again, the producers managed to recruit many of the series' original actors, and they are all of different calibers. Many of the returning actors are so set in the respective roles that they're able to reprise them with ease. William Shatner (mostly) once again reigns in some of his typical scenery-chewing tendencies and gives a relatively restrained performance. He's not always perfect but he shows strong emotional range during some of the movie's more dramatic scenes. Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley are solid once again as their renown characters, no complaints there. In a surprise casting choice, Kirstie Alley plays the Vulcan, Lt. Saavik. It's odd to see a comedic performer like herself in a Star Trek movie, but she does the whole emotionless Vulcan schtick fairly well, no real complaints. With all that said, there is one stand-out performer, and that is Ricardo Montalban, who absolutely owns every single scene as Khan. His intense and brooding performance just sells every ounce of hatred and rage lying within the character, and contributes a great deal of the film's most memorable moments. His role has become so iconic, that he's not only often considered the series' greatest villain, but one of Sci-Fi's greatest villains period. The rest of the cast is hit and miss, but even when the acting isn't totally up to par, there was never a point I was totally taken out of the movie.

So Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan... it kicks ass! Even with a few dated effects and a handful of flawed performances, the film scores huge thanks to a strong story, great character development, memorable action, and an iconic villain. There are tons of fans and audiences that will forever consider this the best film in the Star Trek series, and while it's always possible one might come along and take it's place, the film has got it's work cut out for it. If you haven't seen this one, do so!

My Score: 4.5 out of 5!

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Review

I haven't done a series review in a while (not since last summer when I reviewed the last seven Batman flicks), so now seems like a good time to do another. Since another Star Trek movie is on it's way, now seems like a good enough time to review all the Trek movies. Personally, I've never been a hardcore Trekkie (usually been more of a Star Wars guy myself), but I've enjoyed the Trek series. I guess I'm what's typically called a "Casual Trekkie." In addition to seeing all of the movies, I'm reasonably familiar with TNG, TOS, and Voyager in the sense that I know most of the major story-lines, can recognize the main characters, and have generally been a fan. That said, don't ask me anything about DS9 or Enterprise (not very well-versed in those series). But even though I've never been a massive Trek fan, I've still always had an appreciation for Gene Roddenberry's (the creator of Star Trek) series and always admired what he accomplished with it. So, for the next 12 days, I will be reviewing every Star Trek movie from 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture to this year's Star Trek Into Darkness. Without further ado, here is Trek's first foray into the cinematic universe...

Star Trek: The Motion Picture was the first film based on the legendary Sci-Fi series to hit theaters, arriving ten years after the end of the classic show. The film itself takes place three years after the USS Enterprise's original five year mission... this time called to investigate an unknown object clouded in a mysterious fog that destroys everything in it's path. The Enterprise's original Star Fleet Captain, James T. Kirk (William Shatner), now promoted to Admiral, returns to take command of the newly redesigned ship and lead the investigation. Former Enterprise crew members, and Kirk's personal friends, Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley), return as Science Officer and Medical Officer respectively to aid in the mission. With tension between Kirk and the ship's previous Captain, William Decker (Stephen Collins), the Enterprise crew works quickly to discover the secret of the alien object and stop it before it causes anymore damage.

There was a lot of hype surrounding this film in 1979, in addition to the series typical fan-base Sci-Fi found a renewed popularity after the success of Star Wars in 1977. In addition to the already mentioned actors, most of the series' original cast returned, including James Doohan as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov, Nichelle Nichols as Uhura, and George Takei as Hikaru Sulu. Series creator Gene Roddenberry produced the film, legendary sci-fi author Issac Asimov served as a scientific advisor, and Oscar winning filmmaker, Robert Wise (whose resume included films like The Day the Earth Stood Still, Sound of Music, and The Andromeda Strain), served as the film's director. With all of the talent on display both in front and behind the camera, plus a bigger-than-usual budget given to the film, you would think this film would be a Sci-Fi classic for the ages... if only that were the case. Even after 30 years, this movie is seen as something of a letdown. While a select few do offer this film some strong support, audiences and critics (both Trekkie and non-Trekkie alike) agree that the movie was not a success. Personally, I'm overall not a fan of this one... but there have been a few things about it I do admire.

Once thing I've always admired about Star Trek was it's ability to tell creative and challenging stories, even if lacking in money and resources. The Original Series, despite having an incredibly low budget and campy tone, made up for it's lack of production value with it's creative writing, endearing characters, and challenging-but-accessible scripts that tackled interesting ideas. This movie tried to be something special, I can definitely tell, and any of it's failures are not due to lack of passion or interest. In fact, I would say the main problem with this movie is exactly the opposite. It tries to do WAY too much, and while the film's script has some admirable and even provocative ideas, it's brought down by lack of development and abysmal pacing. Oh yeah, that last part is the film's biggest downfall... THE PACING IS UNBEARABLE! This movie just draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaags until it puts you to sleep. There's no two ways around this folks, the movie is just plain BORING! It clearly some inspiration from Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, but while that flick had a slow pace too, it works due to fully realized concepts, brilliant direction, game-changing effects, and an incredibly nit-picky attention to detail. The ideas Star Trek attempts to tackle here, ranging from philosophy, evolution, and religious themes are all commendable, but none are fully explored or developed. Even the actors, including the typically over-the-top William Shatner giving a more subdued performance, do little to liven up anything. When you're working with a script that provides little to it's characters, what do you expect? I guess they were trying to make Star Trek more of an experience than just a piece of entertainment, and while that was commendable, it clearly backfired. It's too bad, there was a lot of potential with it.

On the bright side the film looks pretty damn good, unfortunately it does little to add much to the overall experience. Working with a pretty high budget for the time, the filmmakers assembled some impressive models, sets, and effects... most of which hold up surprisingly well. The Enterprise received a makeover, but still retains the classic Star Fleet look made famous by the the show. You also get some neat trippy visuals and cool psychedelic moments. Sadly, this movie is a perfect example of why a film can't rely strictly on the strength of it's effects. As mentioned, the pacing is so slow, that being constantly subjected to ridiculously long takes with few cuts, that they loose their luster pretty quickly. They are impressive, but a movie can't survive strictly on it's visual effects, and this movie is proof of that concept. I will say that I did enjoy some of composer Jerry Goldsmith's musical score, namely the film's primary theme song that would eventually go onto be the theme for The Next Generation series. Unfortunately, even that doesn't add enough to make the film a success. It's too bad, despite the intense efforts of all involved, most of it just falls flat.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture was an ambitious and commendable effort that just doesn't work very well. I admire this movie more than I like it, since I do truly and honestly believe that movies like this can and have worked before. Unfortunately, whether it was a troubled production, too many conflicting ideas, or just it's own ambition, it will probably forever be seen as a disappointment. If you're a sci-fi nut, you might actually might something to like in the flick, but for everyone else, it's a pretty tough watch. Fortunately, this wouldn't be the last we would hear of the franchise, and what would come next would be something else entirely...

My Score: 2 out of 5!