Review: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Hey there Chaos fanatics! I know it's been a while, but I've come back to my reviews of the Star Trek movies. Yep, it's been a long time coming, but I've been busy with Warhammer 40K, other movies, etc. However, I did not forget my promise: that I would review all the original Trek movies. So, here we are- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. The question before us is this: is TUC a proper sendoff for the old cast, or is it a let down rushed to coincide with Trek's 25th anniversary (in 1991)? Let's find out, by going where so many have gone before...

Personal Background: Strangely enough, I did not see this Trek in theaters when it was initially released- I don't quite remember why now. I do remember renting it on VHS from the local video store (Ha! Remember those?). Upon first viewing, I liked it, but wasn't thrilled over it- I was only what- 13 years old? However, over time, I grew older and learned to appreciate the racial, political, and military complexities that form the core of this film. Now, it's one one my favorites.

Basic Plot: The movie begins with the USS Excelsior (Captained by Sulu himself- he finally got that promotion) near the Klingon/Federation Neutral Zone, on a routine science mission, when suddenly a tremendous explosion has occurred within the Klingon system. A moon, Praxis, has suffered an environmental disaster and is now gone. This could ruin the Klingon home world and their empire.

For certain, the Klingon empire cannot afford to both clean up the environmental damage AND maintain their large army. The Klingon leader, Gorkon, proposes peace to the Federation. Kirk and crew are dispatched to meet the Klingon Chancellor and escort him to Earth for negotiations. Kirk is reluctant, as he hates the Klingons, particularly because of his son's death at the hands of Kruge (in TSFS). Indeed, there are many who are opposed to this peace (for several reasons), desperate people how will do anything to prevent a Federation/Klingon peace deal, which Kirk finds out to his peril. The Klingon Chancellor is assassinated en route to Earth, and the blame is placed on Kirk, with Kirk being put on trail and given a life sentence on a Klingon prison world. Kirk and crew must try to figure out who is really responsible for the murder, clear Kirk's name, and most important of all: attempt to restore the peace talks before a full-scale war breaks out between the angry Klingons and the Federation.

Themes/Concepts: There are several complicated themes playing out in this movie. First, it is certainly a parable for the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ending of the Cold War. Although the USSR did not formally end Communism until 1991 (which is when the file was released), the USSR had lost its Eastern European satellite states in 1989, and the Chernobyl disaster certainly helped to weaken the Soviet empire- it is obvious that this movie is using that for inspiration. It is quite fitting, considering that the Klingons seemed to be stand-ins for the Communists in the original series: vaguely Asian, a military dictatorship, and with episodes showing Kirk help native peoples resist Klingon rule (Vietnam?)- oh yeah, the Klingons were the 23rd century version of the Communist nations alright. It was only fitting (and brilliant) to play the story in this way.

However, TUC is not just a simple allegory for the fall of Communism. The movie really centers on a more complex theme: how do you embrace your enemy after years (decades) of hostility and warfare? That is applicable to any war; any enemy that has left deep scars. Besides Spock, no one from the Enterprise crew is thrilled at the prospect of being nice to the Klingons. Again, this is where Roddenberry's ideas of a "enlightened humanity" is just that; many of the episodes belied the fact that humanity is trying, but has a long way to go. TUC shows that in spades- Chekhov, Uhura, Scotty, Bones, and Kirk himself all find derogatory things to say about/to the Klingons, some of which is borderline racist. The fact is, Kligons and humanity have been hostile towards each other for decades. This movie asks the clever question: what if that long war is over? How would both sides look at one another (and themselves) if that conflict that defined them was at an end? It's a great conceit, and it works great in the film.

The other theme regards just how similar humanity and the Klingons truly are. There are good and bad guys on both sides. Kirk is bitter, but not bloodthirsty- he will not allow peace to be sabotaged, even if he doesn't agree with it. The Klingon Chancellor is not overly fond of humans, but he sees that his people NEED peace if they are to survive. Then, there are those who want war- both humans and Klingons, who work together to attempt to, at worst engineer a conflict, or at least stop the peace talks from succeeding. I'm not spoiling anything by stating that the Klingon Chang represents that other side- willing to do anything to avoid peace with his enemy.  At the end, Kirk realizes this truth, and fights to both clear his name AND protect the emergent peace.

Characters/Acting: The acting is solid in TUC. Though no one is as "flashy" as they had been in say TWOK, all performers give strong performances without any of the bad humor that had been on display in the previous two entries. It's great to see Sulu with a command of his own, and Uhura gets more to do than just "hailing frequencies are open", which is a plus. The standouts are:

Once again, Shatner surprises here in an angry but appropriately subdued performance. Kirk is suspicious of the Klingons and is afraid of peace, no doubt, but just under the surface is his pain over the death of his son at the hands of Klingon Commander Kruge in TSFS. It's not a boiling anger- its a dull, unending pain that Kirk feels: "I'll never forgive them for the death of my boy". Shatner doesn't overplay it- his pain is there, palpable, but without being overwhelming. When Kirk realizes that he's been set up and peace is at stake, he sees how wrong he's been, and is filled with a righteous fury as he attempts to uncover the conspiracy and save both the Federation and the Klingon Empire. It is not his best performance (that's TWOK), but its close.

Nimoy does his best work here also since TMP and TWOK. In STII, Nimoy invested Spock with a new understanding, of sorts. Though he's still Vulcan, he is more accepting/understanding of his own humanity. Then, when he "died" and came back, his Spock was off- either re-adjusting to life or what have you. In TVH and TFF, Spock was just a bit off. Now, he's back with that same serene balance that he had in TWOK. That serenity is broken just once, when he discovers just who is a part of the conspiracy: an angry Spock is a frightful thing to behold. Even better for Spock though, is that he is now following in his father's footsteps, slowly becoming a diplomat (he is instrumental in opening negotiations with the Klingons). Perhaps his father was right all along, eh?

DeForest Kelly isn't given as much to do here, sadly, though he provides great comic relief while he and Kirk are trapped on a Klingon prison world- "you've got him right where you want him" always makes me laugh. McCoy's best scene though is when he's on trial, and he emphatically tells the court that he tried to save the murdered Klingon Chancellor. Kelly was always able to sell McCoy's humanity and compassion, and that is very evident here, one of the best bits in the movie- when the judge tells him to be silent, you can see the pain and frustration in his eyes so well, that it is through McCoy that you see exactly what's at stake in this.

The last standout is Christopher Plummer as Chang. On the one hand, he does very well making Chang an enemy to be reckoned with- he's intelligent, dedicated to his cause, and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his aim. His acting in the dinner and  courtroom scenes are simply fantastic. Unfortunately, it was decided that he should quote Shakespeare half the time... now, to me, this is too much like Khan quoting Moby Dick... why repeat such a device? Chang was strong enough, that this quoting was just unnecessary, as it added nothing to the character.

Special Effects: Overall, the special effects in this movie were on the light side of effects. Notably, this movie introduced the so-called "Praxis effect", which is a huge concussive blast that precedes the big explosion. The effect was actually later added to Star Wars when the Death Stars were blown up. The other big effect sequence was when the gravity was lost on the Klingon ship and the assassins barged in to kill the Chancellor, with everything suspended in the air- pretty cool, if not mind blowing. The last battle between the Chang's ship is interesting because it involves both the Enterprise and the Excelsior, but it is far too brief and rather simply done to be a major special effect.

Musical Score: The music in TUC is, like the movie itself, not too showy or wild- it is however brooding and atmospheric, which is just what was needed. It makes the film into a very serious affair, but also quite realistic. This isn't an action movie- it is a murder mystery and political thriller, and the score is appropriate for such a movie. It is not as memorable as other Trek movie scores, but it gets the job done.

 Lasting Legacy: First, and foremost, this was the last film to feature the entire original cast. There are absolutely several "passing of the torch" moments in the movie- as TNG was already airing, the audience already knows there will be other starships with the name Enterprise. Interestingly, one of the things that viewers found interesting about TNG is that a Klingon is a member of the crew in the 24th century. This movie actually shows HOW peace was achieved- the Kitomer Conference becomes a part of TNG cannon instantly. Great way to tie them all together. This movie also contains the seeds of Spock's role in the 24th century as an ambassador- which would have huge implications in TNG, as well as the Abrams "Star Trek" movie.

Overall, I'll give Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country 3 1/2 out of 4 Marks of Chaos. It's a great way to close out the series, and is an appropriate swan song for the original crew of the Enterprise. I hope you have enjoyed these reviews. I wonder what I'll do next? What's that you say? You want me to review the TNG movies? I don't know about that... I'd like to take a break from Star Trek for a bit. But, perhaps in the future I will...

Until next time...

Movie Review: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Hey there Chaos fans. I'm back with my semi-regular review of the Star Trek movies. This time, we're going to look at the infamous Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, directed by William Shatner. So, is this the legendarily bad movie that nearly killed the franchise, or is it a fun, albeit cheesy movie that gets knocked way too much? Let's dive on in and find out...

Personal Background: I saw this movie when it came out in 1989. I was like, 10 or 11 years old when I saw it over the summer. I remember liking the movie then. I can't say if I loved it, but I do recall it fondly from my youth. As I got older, I came to appreciate ST II (as a kid it was scary!) and the like, and came to see the flaws of STV very strongly. Nevertheless, I have always maintained  a spot in my heart for this one, warts and all.

Basic Plot: Well, the crew of the USS Enterprise are on shore leave on Earth, waiting for the new Enterprise to be repaired (yes- the 'new' ship has lots of bugs to be worked out- leading to some funny and some not so funny moments). Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are out mountain climbing and camping (as odd as that sounds). Kirk is then ordered to cancel shore leave and head to the planet of Nimbus III- a planet co-operated by Humans, Klingons, and Romulans, There has been a revolt on the planet, and the 3 races' ambassadors have been taken hostage. Kirk and crew must go and rescue them quickly, as a Klingon ship has also been sent to the scene, and the Federation fears it might spiral violently out of control.

The architect of the "revolt" is a vulcan renegade called Sybock. This man may be one of the most complicated antagonists in Trek. Sybock has rejected logic, and instead has embraced emotion. Sybock's embrace of emotion has also given him broader psychic powers than regular Vulcans; Sybock is able to read people's minds, seek out their pains, secrets, and vulnerabilities, and thereby manipulate them. All of this has led him on a journey to find God. Not "find" him metaphorically, but literally. Sybock believes that, based on the religions found in all sentient life, that God really is on this plane, in the center of the galaxy. But the center of the galaxy (like the edge of it) has a great barrier, which can destroy almost any ship. To that end, Sybock plans to start a riot on the "Planet of Galactic Peace" and force a starship to come to him.

Kirk and crew arrive, and they are overpowered by Sybock and his army of people that his powers have "brainwashed". At one point, Spock gets the drop on Sybock, and Kirk orders Spock to shoot him. Spock refuses, and we learn that Sybock is Spock's half-brother. With Sybock on-board, he begins to brainwash the rest of the crew, and he makes his plans to head to the center of the galaxy and breach the barrier.

Kirk, Spock, and McCoy try to stop Sybock, but he foils their attempt. Finally, Sybock lays all his cards on the table, explaining that his quest to find God will change everything; galactic peace will be obtained, and all life will learn the true glory of God. At this point, Sybock attempts to brainwash the three, by exposing their dark sides. We learn that McCoy euthanized his dying father, and that even at birth, Sarek felt disdain at Spock's  half- humanity. When it's time for Kirk, he resists the attempt, telling Sybock that his pain can never be taken away. Before Sybock can go further, they have arrived at the barrier.

The ship gets through, and they find a planet at the center. Kirk decides to then aid Sybock, by going down with him to investigate. Sybock heartily agrees, as he simply wants to show everyone the truth. The three and Sybock go to the planet, which is oddly rocky and barren, with no signs of life. As they walk, the sky grows dark violently, and suddenly, and a being of light appears, claiming to be God. However, when questioned, the being attacks Kirk and Spock. Sybock quickly realizes that this entity is a liar, it is simply an evil creature seeking to escape it's planetary prison. Sybock then decides to sacrifice himself so that his brother and the others can escape.

Of course, the crew escapes certain death, as usual, and the entity is destroyed. The crew is left to reflect on this adventure, with Spock mourning the death of his brother, and Kirk explaining that God exists in every heart. The movie ends with the crew going back to Earth to complete their shore leave.

The above is the plot, which sounds interesting and entertaining, and it is. The problem is, the movie also tries to inject a ton of humor into the proceedings. Sometimes the jokes are funny, but often they fall totally flat, and embarrass the actors involved. There are also goofy things here, like Spock's rocket boots, which, if they existed like that in the 23rd century, people would be flying around the world like Superman, not needing transporters or shuttle craft or anything. Further, Shatner can't seem to figure out how to strike a balance between humor and seriousness, and he sometimes forgets that this isn't the 1960s- all the actors are older, and some of the things they do is just ridiculous. There are so many bad jokes and goofs that they detract from the overall movie. In fact, they pile up and nearly overwhelm the movie.

STV does try to rise above that.

STV, with all of its faults, tries to explore big questions. First and foremost, does God exist in this futuristic galaxy? There have been some rather vague references in the series about religion as it is practiced by humanity in the 23rd century. It seems that Earth of the 23rd century is all about secular humanism (Roddenberry's intent), though there have been references to things like Christmas, marriage, etc. In this movie, Shatner tries to tackle that head on, stating that all sentient life has "myths" about the origins of creation and God. Intelligently, Shatner offers no clear answer. The thing at the center of the galaxy was not God, but that doesn't mean he does not exist... As Kirk says "Perhaps he's right here- the human heart". He offers the statement without any easy answers.

But there is more to it than just "we go looking for God" (which, interestingly, is an inverse of ST TMP, in which WE are god to V'Ger). This movie also plays with the themes of good and evil that exists in all of us. This movie questions the role of this eternal struggle in each and every person. Each of the main players has this internal conflict within them- not all have evil feelings, but they do have dark sides. Anger. Pain. Jealousy. Contempt. Ego. Each of the main characters demonstrate this theme. Kirk orders Spock to kill Sybock- and Spock can't just kill his brother, no matter the cost. McCoy confronts the decisions of his past and how they have "poisoned" him ever since. Even Kirk, who is supposed to be the strong man, has moral difficulty in resisting Sybock (indeed, he allows them to go through the barrier and escorts Sybock down).

Then there is Sybock himself, as the formalization of this question. Is Sybock good or evil? Some people say he's another "poor man's Khan", but this simply isn't true. He is not a "villain" in that sense at all. He is an extremist, but he's not a murderer. He has broken laws, but in his mind he is striving to prove a higher law- that God exists. He emotionally/mentally manipulates people, but he thinks he is doing it for the greater good. There is a duality in Sybock- he is not a cookie-cutter villain, and his goals are not based on revenge, or greed, or the like. He does bad things to achieve what he thinks will be the highest good. At the climax, this dichotomy becomes literal, when 'god' takes Sybock's image/form. There, his faults are laid bare- "my arrogance, my vanity", Sybock says. This 'god' symbolizes Sybock's self-righteousness gone out of control. When Sybock says enough and attacks this false 'god', you see he is fighting himself- good versus evil within himself.

STV has many, many, faults. The truth is though, that this movie has great themes and ideas, and they do come across well enough. I think the problem is that these 'big ideas' are surrounded by stupid jokes and bad director choices, which blunt these otherwise strong and compelling themes.

Characters/Acting: Well, here is a mixed bag. The regular crew members do what they can, but frankly, they have to do silly or embarrassing things. Kirk mountain climbing, Spock with rocket boots, Uhura dancing in the desert to distract the rebels, Scotty walking into an engineering pipe and being knocked out, etc. are occasionally painful to watch, especially since we like these actors so much.

What were they thinking?!

I do want to point out two performances that are noteworthy. First up is De Kelley as McCoy. This guy has always been the secret weapon of Trek, obscured by the flash of Kirk and the other-worldliness of Spock. The fact is, McCoy is the stand in for us- a regular guy in this crazy 23rd century world. In this movie, though, McCoy becomes our surrogate when confronting Sybock. The renegade Vulcan makes McCoy face his pain: the doctor committed Euthanasia on his terminally ill father. How many of us have lost a loved one to disease? How many of us wanted to see the suffering of a family member ended? De Kelley handles it brilliantly- his pain is our pain, and it's amazing to see him pull it off. The way he responds to the question of why he did it: "To preserve... his dignity" is delivered so well, so convincingly, that it gives me chills still. Of course, Kelley also knows when to hit the sarcastic humor button, such as "You don't ask the almighty for his ID" (a priceless line).



The other performance of note is that of Lawrence Luckinbill as Sybock. It was rumored that Sean Connery was asked to play the role. And while Connery is great, he would have been the wrong fit here. As it is, Luckinbill has a tough role here. He is the antagonist, but he can't be villainous. He is an extremist, but he can't turn people off. He breaks laws and uses people, but he must remain sympathetic. This is a hard balance to maintain, but Luckinbill pulls it off. His Sybock combines just the right amounts of charisma, menace, righteousness, compassion, ambition, and hopefulness. Luckinbill is helped by his strong voice and height. He plays the role with earnest, and yet he has a twinkle in his eye. His disappointment in the evil entity (and his own failings) is memorable, even though the director does not give him a stronger and more proper coda. Again, any attempt to say he's "Khan-lite" is not doing the role or the actor justice, as it is a very different role.

Special Effects: According to Shatner, he was denied the money to do the special effects that he wanted, that he had envisioned more, but just couldn't get it on the screen. Some fans have even hoped to see a special edition with the effects improved/restored. Be that as it may, the truth is the effects on this movie as it is are very rough. At times, the special effects scenes are almost too well lit- that Klingon ship looks way too bright. As does the shuttle craft. Same goes for some of those matte paintings- I love matte work, but they look jarring in the way this film's lighting is composed.

Rather sub-par effects

On the other hand, though, there is some nice camerawork here in other areas. Kirk scaling the mountain in Yosemite is well shot. Further, the scenes on Nimbus III look really cool- its obviously a desert planet, and it looks quite barren. The city of Paradise itself is rough and tumble looking, not as good as say Mos Eisley, but it is evocative of some of the older Trek sets (but with more money, obviously). Its a grimy part of the galaxy, and certainly not as squeaky clean as Roddenberry had come to espouse. That makes it interesting, if not great. As for the planet beyond the barrier, it is just as bland and dry as Nimbus (on purpose or not, I can't be sure). It has a strange purple filter, but that's about it. Speaking of, the center barrier of the galaxy is not particularly interesting or threatening. As for the final showdown, the 'god' effect is actually pretty good, if not spectacular or intriguing. It simply gets the job done of conveying this entity.

Simple but effective

Ultimately, STV has rather poor special effects, and may be the weakest of the series on that front. However, STIV was mostly on contemporary Earth and had fewer effects overall, so make of that what you will. STV's effects are at best serviceable, which is too bad, as it could have been better with just a few changes during production.

Musical Score: Jerry Goldsmith has scored Trek before, and is solid here too. His music conveys a sense of excitement, even when the movie itself fails to do so adequately. Particularly the music when the shuttle craft is trying to get to the Enterprise and evade the Klingon ship gives the scene an extra jolt. The cue for the planet at the center of the galaxy is also a great mix of hope and foreboding, adding to those scenes, particularly when 'god' arrives. However, the score needs not be loud or action packed-  soft music also makes things interesting when Sybock explores McCoy's pain- the scene speaks for itself, with the music not getting in the way. Overall, a solid score, if not the best in the series at any rate.

Lasting Legacy: Oh boy! This is a good one! Hehe! STV failed to do big business at the box office (it made money, but was not as strong as ST IV), and was regarded by many as a failure. With Next Gen on the TV at this point, it seemed that the Original Crew are a bunch of has-beens. Unfortunately, the movie seemed to prove that, with these old people doing ridiculous things that should make them break their pelvis or something.That sounds harsh, but its true... Uhura dancing, Scotty slamming his head so embarrassingly, Kirk mountain climbing, etc.

As for the story itself, it contributed nearly nothing to the series that would endure. Indeed, Roddenberry himself came out against it- in fact, he denied that Sybock existed, thus throwing the whole thing OUT OF CANNON. Holy cow! That never happened before so blatantly in Trek, even when the series tweaked things episode to episode.

As an aside, IF Sybock is cannon, it makes Spock's drive to not feel emotion and suppress his human side all the more important, as he doesn't want to be like Sybock. Also, it makes Sarek's rejection of Spock's enlistment in Starfleet "logical", as Sarek doesn't want BOTH of his children to be outcasts from the Vulcan way. Interestingly, Spock comes to the same conclusion as Sybock in TMP (!) "Is this all that I am- nothing more... V'Ger is barren, cold- no meaning, no hope. Logic is not enough". Again- great ideas, but they are garbled in the presentation of STV. They are just not handled the way it should have been.

However, despite that aside, the movie's legacy is that of failure. Shatner himself said it best: he had his chance at the brass ring, and he blew it. Sure, he had not gotten the money to do the special effects as he wanted, and there was a writers strike issue, but the final product is the final product. This is considered the weakest entry in the Classic Trek series for all of those reasons.

Wait... I thought... I... was...God....

This movie ultimately is a missed opportunity. It had all the elements of being a solid entry into the Trek series- the themes of the duality of good and evil, the quest to find God, and living with one's 'pain' are great ideas, as is the notion of a renegade Vulcan. The problem is twofold- one, Shatner just didn't have the direction skill to put it together, and two- they kept going for humor like they did in ST IV, but the humor mostly falls flat. Can you imagine? An older crew, facing the end/retirement, literally going out to find God? That could have been amazing. Instead, we have rocket boots, beans, geriatric Uhura dancing, and an Enterprise that should have failed ALL safety tests (just for humor). I like this one better than ST IV believe it or not though- because it DOES try. It DOES play with bigger ideas, without giving clear or simple answers. If only the stupidity had been culled, this could have been a great one. Instead, I view it as a noble failure- big ideas that didn't get a proper set up. Unlike ST IV, which seemed to be designed to put butts in seats, at the expense of larger themes, continuity, or maturity. ST V had bigger ambitions, but it just didn't work. As a result, I give it 2 1/2 Marks of Chaos out of 4.

Movie Review: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Hey there, my dear followers of the Dark Gods of Chaos. I'm back with the latest in my reviews of the Star Trek franchise. Today, we'll be taking a look at Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. It's an even numbered Trek, so "logic" says it'll be good, but I don't hold with that, personally. So, is this the movie that made Trek fun again while also bringing that crossover appeal to Trek, or is it a sell-out that betrayed the maturity and seriousness that came before? Let's take a look then...

Personal Background: As a youngster, I was a fan of all things Star Trek, mostly due to my parent's influence, partly due to the fact that I loved science fiction stuff, even then. I had watched the earlier Treks at a young age (even if ST II was scary to me). However, even as a kid, I did not really care for this one, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. I saw this one in the theater as a kid, but it just didn't make the impression on my that the others had. Granted, I loved looking at the whales and I laughed at the funny stuff. But it didn't take hold of my childhood imagination the way that the other Star Trek movies and episodes did. Even now though, as an adult, I can't say its one of my favorites. Indeed, watching it recently left me torn- the actors do a spot on job, but the movie overall just doesn't grab me the way the previous entries did.

Basic Plot: Taking place after the events of the previous movie, ST IV: The Voyage Home finds Kirk and crew still on Vulcan. They are planning on going back to Earth and facing the consequences for their theft of the Enterprise. Meanwhile, Spock is recovering from his life and death experience and is trying to reconcile his Vulcan and human sides (which he had seemingly accomplished by ST II, but his recent trauma has impacted that delicate balance).

As Kirk and crew begin to journey back to Earth, a mysterious and alien probe appears, draining all energy sources in its path as it sends a signal to Earth. Once it arrives, it strengthens it's signal and is directing it on Earth's oceans. The signal is so strong, that it drains all of Earth's power sources and wreaks environmental havoc. As Kirk and crew approach, they pick up the signal, and Spock deduces that the probe is searching for humpback whales- which are extinct in the 23rd century. In order to save Earth, Kirk decides to take his crew and his stolen Klingon ship (thank God for the cloaking device) back in time to the 20th century in order to locate whales and then bring them back to the 23rd century and, in the words of McCoy "tell this probe what to do with itself".

This is pretty funny, actually.

With the crew back in the 1980s, ST IV becomes a "fish out of water" story, in which the crew is forced to blend into 1980s San Fran, overcome some technical problems, rescue some whales, and make it back to the 23rd century. The humor comes hard and heavy in this movie, as the crew find 1980s San Fran confusing, primitive, and just plain weird. The crew is totally out of place, and their misadventures cause them to be the butt of many jokes. Can they repair their Klingon ship with 20th century tech? Can they find whales and beam them into the Klingon ship? Can Spock and Kirk get across town without exact change for the bus? Can Checkov avoid being arrested as a Soviet spy in a Cold War world? Hey! This is the crew of the Enterprise, so what do you think...?

The MacGuffin

Ultimately, the crew succeeds against the odds, bring whales to 23rd century Earth, which satisfies the probe and it leaves our solar system, restoring the power and the environment as it leaves; no apologies or explanations of ANY kind (this was the most MacGuffin-esq plot device ever used in a Trek movie). Nevertheless, Kirk and company save the Earth once more "from their own short-sightedness". And as for their  punishment for their previous transgressions, Kirk is demoted to Captain and the crew is reassigned to a new ship... a brand spanking new Enterprise (NCC 1701-A). The crew has truly "come home".


Themes/Concepts: The theme here, of course, is "Save the Environment". You see that once Spock realizes that the probe's signal is really whale song. From then on, the movie focuses squarely on that theme. In fact, at points, it seems to bludgeon you over the head with it. There's no subtext or subtlety here. This, in fact, is one of the most disappointing aspects of this movie. Each of the previous movies were about "something", but there were layers to those themes. With TMP it was "can machines come alive?" and "what role does humanity have in the universe?"- heady sci-fi concepts. With TWOK it was the nature of the "cycle of life and death", accepting your lot in life, and how hatred and vengence corrupts everything.Even TSFS had some themes, such as the possibility of rebirth, humanity doesn't have the power to play God. With TVH- we must save the environment. That's it. End of message.

A "Fish Out of Water" story.

Characters/Acting: This is what truly holds this movie together. These actors KNOW their roles, and play them to perfection. Each cast member gets something to do (although I feel Sulu gets the shortest role), and each actor gets to shine with either the humor or their doubts about this whole thing working out. The interactions between McCoy and Spock are a real highlight, as Dee Kelly shows genuine concern for Spock's well-being. For a time, they were mentally joined, and McCoy has a new appreciation for Spock, even if he still frustrates him. Shatner also does well, being the strong voice of action (despite his own confusion on life in the 20th century). However, all of the emotional baggage Kirk had built up for 3 films is totally gone. When Saavik tells Kirk details about his son's death- Kirk grunts, but that's about it. The script wants to keep things light. Unfortunately, this makes Kirk pretty two dimensional.

Surely he knew what he was getting into...

However, there is a problem with the whole "fish out of water concept" as it is portrayed here. The characters seem almost embarrassingly stupid. They say the dumbest things in reaction to being on 20th century Earth. They do things that ARE out of character for them, or just plain dumb. When Chekhov is captured at the naval base- he acts like a naive child, simply asking the interrogators "can I go now". Surely, he knows his history- the Cold War is on, and the US isn't going to just let a Russian onto their base. Even if he forgot Cold War history, Chekhov is smart enough to realize he is trespassing and would be detained- if some unknown person simply appeared in the star ship, Chekhov would put him in the brig for questioning. His response to the guards is just weak, just to get laughs- and not characteristic of Chekhov.

Funny- but not logical

Scotty and McCoy have a similar bit, as they are trying to obtain materials to build a "fish tank" on the Klingon ship. At an engineering plant, Scotty proposes to give the plant manager a 23rd century invention "transparent aluminum", in exchange for the materials. Scotty whips onto a 1986 Mac and speedily draws out the concept. I know Scotty is good- but really? He can do it on a 1986 Mac? Really? Oh, he tries to talk to it first, but then- bam! He types up the matrix in seconds. Really?! So, not only has Scotty damaged the time continuum, but he's also a Mac and not a PC guy... Uh Huh. And Scotty's rationale- "Maybe he invented the thing" is followed up by McCoy's sly "yeah..." is akin to Basil Exposition in Austin Powers telling the audience "Try not to think about it" in regards to time travel. Now, that's OK for Austin Powers, but for Star Trek... 

Another "colorful metaphor" is about to happen.

Again, the actors do their best, and the twinkle in their eyes and the zest of their line delivery prevent the jokes from overwhelming the proceedings. Indeed, Shatner gets some great legitimate jokes with "double dumb as on you" and "He did a little too much LDS". As for the supporting players, there are serious turns by both of Spock's parents (who are very welcome in this movie), and  1980s Gillian is as skeptical about all of this as I am, it seems. The actress does a good job of representing "the audience" here- this might be our attitude if we came across Kirk and crew today. Overall, the acting is great, though it strains under the demands of the script.   

The best special effect in the whole movie.

Special Effects: Sadly, TVH falls short in this area. Each Trek movie, whatever the budget, did manage to have some visual flair and special effects. Though TWOK had a small budget, it had great battles, the Mutara Nebula, and more. TSFS also had some nifty effects, including the theft  and subsequent destruction of the Enterprise, and the decaying of the Genesis Planet. This one, sadly, doesn't reach those lofty heights. The budget is clearly limited.But what's worse is the lack of imagination. The unknown probe looks totally bland- not only can't you tell what it is, you really are bored by the look of it. It has no visual flair, no sense of wonder either. It's just a tube with a golf ball coming out of it. That is very disappointing. The few shots of 23rd century San Francisco are OK, though again very limited. Same with the shots of Vulcan. The Klingon Bird of Prey stays cloaked for most of the film.The absolute BEST effect in the whole movie is when they de-cloak over the whaling ship- that's a fun and good looking bit. While some of the shots of the whales are good (Spock with them, Scotty beaming them into the Klingon ship's hold), there's not much else to them either. Overall, the special effects are very bland, and a low for the series.

Musical Score: This is a tough category. The music in this movie, by Leonard Rosenman, is perfectly serviceable. It is appropriately lighthearted and bouncy, particularly the "Chekhov's Run" theme  and when the crew first get to San Francisco. Unfortunately, we've had incredible and memorable scores from Goldsmith and Horner in the previous movies. These scores were epic in nature, grandiose in many ways (Goldsmith, in particular- he elevated the occasionally dull proceedings in TMP into something special with his majestic and otherworldly score). Again, Rosenman's score is just fine, though it isn't particularly memorable either.

It's as if nothing happened... the ship doesn't even look different!

Lasting Legacy: In terms of plot, this literally brought the crew "back home". Spock is back to (near) normal by the end. Kirk has been demoted to Captain (hardly a punishment for the man), and the crew gets their ship back. It's just like nothing happened in the past three movies. On the one hand, that's just like a TV episode would have been. On the other hand, it totally undoes all the major changes and thematic elements that occurred in the movies. That is what frustrates me about this movie, and Nimoy's direction the most. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy had all grown as characters- they faced enormous challenges that changed them in overt and in subtle ways. And yet, the end of this movie does away with all of that. They are on the bridge as if it were 20 years ago- nothing has happened, and they are exactly the same.

Of course, TVH has the reputation of being both "the moneymaker" and "the funny one". Indeed, TVH got a very large audience, due to the "contemporary" setting, the light humor, and the simple environmental message. When this Trek is brought up, non-Trekers know it as "Ah. The whale one". So yes, TVH did indeed make Trek more accessible to non-fans. However, what is more interesting, is that no subsequent Trek movie tried to go this route. All have had some humor, but none have ever gone balls out comedy like this one. Indeed, this is the other thing that bugs me about TVH and Nimoy's direction- this movie ALMOST jumps the shark. This one struts the line of self-parody and self-mocking. I can't believe that's what Nimoy intended, and yet, that's how it is throughout- the humor is a bit TOO much, threatening to make it into a total joke. Now, it doesn't cross the line into that, but it comes so incredibly close. Notice how no Trek movie ever again tries to go that far into comedy...


At any rate, the most telling thing for me is that I'd watch ANY of the original Trek movies BEFORE this one. Yes, even the infamous Star Trek V, flaws and all. It isn't about the humor. Some of the best episodes of Trek on TV are funny. Tribbles has a strong spotlight on Federation/Klingon politics, I, Mudd shows how robots would deal with a corrupted humanity by "taking care of them" in a paternalistic way, and A Piece of the Action, while absurd, shows an extreme example of why the Prime Directive is necessary. They mixed humor with strong and unique ideas. This movie however is almost too self-parodying for me in the humor department, and the theme of environmentalism is layered on so damn thick that it just beats you over the head. No grace. No subtlety. No truly grand sci-fi ideas. Even ST III had some of those things. Yes, the actors all do a wonderful job with it. They truly ARE these characters now, and could play them with conviction  no matter what the script calls for. I suspect that if they had dialed down the humor just a little, this movie could still have been funny without becoming a joke itself. Unfortunately, that is what this movie so nearly becomes, and I can't help but wonder how Nimoy, of all people, could have let it go down this path.

As a result, I give this 2 Marks of Chaos out of 4. The actors acquit themselves well, but this movie has too many problems to score higher for me.

Until next time...