Star Trek: The Motion Picture [1979 film]

Some think the fifth Star Trek film, Final Frontier, is the worst Trek film ever made. I think Generations and Insurrection are strong contenders. But actually, I think this should be the winner in the race for the bottom. Because this commits the cardinal sin--it's dull.

And the hell of it, it shouldn't be. Interesting things are happening with the central characters. Kirk (although you only learn this in the novelization) got married since the five year mission. McCoy shows up looking like a hippie after being shanghaied. Wherever he had been in the intervening years, I'm betting it wasn't Star Fleet. Yeoman Rand became a transporter chief and Chapel went from Nurse to Doctor. And Spock? Spock went to Gol to purge himself of all show more emotion. This should make for DRAMA! But no, this picture is so emotionally grey, so dull, so drearily boring, such a second rate attempt at 2001. Maybe it's those uniforms... show less

A giant, deadly spaceship is headed for Earth.

Although there's only one credited screenwriter, it was in fact written by committee, and it hurts for it. Script-wise, it's more like Star Trek's Greatest Hits (minus the action) than a story of its own. But the visuals! Trumbull should have been credited as the star; I'm pretty sure his effects get more screen time than the actors.

Concept: A
Story: C
Characters: B
Dialog: D
Pacing: D
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: A
Acting: B
Music: B

Enjoyment: B

GPA: 2.7/4

(Dec. 2011)

When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Captain James T. Kirk and his crew return to the newly-transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to stop the alien intruder on its flight toward Earth.

Adventure

Dubbed ¨Star Trek: The Motionless Picture¨! Come on... I saw this in the cinema and was blown away by the special effects. Director Robert Wise used 2001: A Space Odyssey as a template. Paramount Pictures spared no expense. This boldly goes where the television series did not venture. It is a cerebral story. The cast are back older and maybe even distant to one another. There has been a passage of time and in that time Kirk has been promoted and the Enterprise has had an extensive refit. A massive cloud of energy is heading towards Earth, looking for the creator. Kirk takes command of the Enterprise and heads straight for the energy cloud. This is a film that did not take an easy path. It was ambitious, it took risks. The money is show more there on the screen. It is a lot better than many of the previous or subsequent Star Trek productions. show less