Star Trek III and IV

Up next we have Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, released in 1984.


Scribe's Remind Me Why They Killed Him Off Just to Bring Him Back Review:

It took me a long time to love this film as much as I currently do. My mom was quite literally obssessed with it. As a Trekker (the preferred nom de geek) she was devastated when Spock died saving his shipmates in the previous installment.

When the film was released on home video, I would wake up to the opening flashback sequence nearly every weekend for what seemed like years. Yet, when I'd first seen it, Trek III served to remind me why I was slowly becoming a casual fan of the series.

This was also the darkest of the six original films in tone as well as lighting. First time director Leonard Nimoy does a damn good Ridley Scott impression, creating what is effectively a film noir involving crushed souls and the opportunity for redemption.

The Genesis Device's legacy continues to cause problems as well. Despite Kirk's belief that Spock is dead on the surface of the newly formed Genesis planet, his son the scientist has a dark secret he's keeping regarding his role in the creation of the torpedo used to create life from lifelessness. It is a secret that can turn it into a weapon of destructive force. However, one Klingon, a misguided patriot, has decided it already is a weapon and races to aquire it for his own people.

Shatner has never been finer in this somber film, his usual quirks and scene-mugging subdued to the point of nigh-extinction. The visuals are great, thanks to the wise decision to start using ILM on the previous film, and the story, while predictable in some spots, still has the ability to shock and awe, in one scene in particular I won't reveal to those who might not have seen it due to living in the sewers for the past 20 odd years!

***** out of *****

GREEN'S UNSTABLE EXPLODING PLANET REVIEW:

Finally realizing that Spock mind-melded with McCoy before dying, Admiral Kirk and crew purposefully disobey Starfleet orders when they leave Earth to bring Spock's body back to Vulcan, risking their careers in the process. An over eager Klingon commander seeks to claim the secrets of the Genesis Device for himself as an ultimate weapon.

This is the first of two consecutive Star Trek moviess directed by Boston, Massachusetts native Leonard Nimoy, who wonderfully displays his directorial talents here. It's an excellent film that successfully bridges the gap between my two favorite films in the original cast films.

What will forever taint this movie for me came when I was in college in the late 1980's or early 1990's. I was watching a Rodney Dangerfield comedy club show on HBO that featured many (at the time) up and coming comedians. During one of the acts, one of the comedians noted that Commander Kruge is played by Christopher Lloyd, who for many years played Reverend Jim on the television series "Taxi". He did an imitation of Kruge in the drunken/stoned voice of Reverend Jim that was so spot on good that I still have difficulty in my mind separating the two characters. I don't get that sensation in anything else I've seen Christopher Lloyd in. It's kind of weird how our minds associate stuff like this.

Some other interesting cast notes from this film that I noticed were John Larroquette ("Night Court") as the Klingon Maltz and Miguel Ferrer ("Robocop" and "Crossing Jordan") as the First Officer. Robin Curtis, in her screen debut, does an adequate job replacing Kirstie Alley as Lt. Saavik.

**** out of *****


This was followed by Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, which was released in 1986.

Scribe's Save the Whales Review:

This was the Trek film that appealed to fans and non-fans alike. By wisely deciding they'd gone a little too far into fan-boy/girl territory, the producers realized it was time to lighten up the mood with a story for everybody.

Time travel tales were always among the more popular ones on the original series, so that is what Nimoy and company did. Directing for a second time, Nimoy also reprises his role as a newly ressurected Spock who must re-learn all the human minutiae he's picked on over the decades.

The plot is hippy-dippy central. An ancient space probe arrives tearing the Earth's oceans apart and killing all power sources looking for...something. The Enterprise crew, now mutineers awaiting their day in court, speed back to Earth in their stolen Klingon vessel when they hear the probe's transmission. Turns out it is speaking in whale language. Only problem there is whales are extinct in the 23rd century.

It's a relatively simple matter to slingshot around the sun and travel back to 1986 where whales are still alive and bring them back to their present to tell the probe to go away, everything's cool.

But---say it with me --- wacky antics ensue and nothing is as simple as it seems. This results in some truly funny moments, especially Kirk teaching Spock about 20th Century swearing. Not my favorite in the series because it was a little too mainstream, but a great film none the less.

**** out of *****

GREEN'S CETACEAN BIOLOGIST WANNABE REVIEW:

On the return voyage to Earth, the Enterprise crew, forced to fly home in a Klingon Flea-trap, ummm...Bird of Prey, learns that the Earth is being damaged and on the verge of being destroyed by an alien probe (that looks like a giant Slim Jim) whose communications humans cannot understand. Kirk and crew are forced to identify the creature that can successfully communicate with the probe so they can, as McCoy said, "tell the probe what the hell to go do with itself."

This installment is right up there with "Wrath of Khan" as my absolute favorite films in the original cast Trek movies because the story took me (and many other people) totally and quite pleasantly by surprise. What we end up with is a brilliant contemporary commentary on how man has become careless and irresponsible with the earth and other living creatures that inhabit it, neatly and inoffensively packaged as a Star Trek film.

Leonard Nimoy returns to direct this film and again does a superb job. Catherine Hicks is very believable as Gillian, the cetacean biologist with a soft heart for hard luck cases. I love the scene where Gillian first picks Kirk and Spock up in her beat up green pick-up truck.

Trivial cast notes that interested me from this film were Madge Sinclair, who, according to imdb, became the first female Starship captain shown in any Star Trek television show or movie, in her role as the unnamed captain of the U.S.S. Saratoga. Kirk Thatcher, who played the hood on the bus, wrote the song "I Hate You" that is playing on his boom box. He also provided the voice of the Vulcan computer and served as an Associate Producer of this film.

***** out of *****

Star Trek I and II

The scribester managed to snag himself the boxed set of original cast Star Trek movies and suggested that we watch and review 'em all for you! I figured, why the heck not? As a bonus, American Guy has agreed to add his bonus review on some of these movies but couldn't guarantee he'd watch 'em all. We're each going to write a paragraph long review for each film, so we won't entirely bore you to tears. Unfortunately, that's proving harder to do than I thought. Deal with it.

The first of the series is "Star Trek: The Motion Picture", which was released in 1979.

GREEN's BETTER THAN EXPECTED REVIEW:

The only other time I watched this movie was sometime in the early 1980's and I did not like it at all because I thought it to be too long and boring. That being the case, my expectations this time weren't any better. I was actually dreading watching this film to be honest.

Much to my surprise though, it wasn't as bad as I had feared it would be. The Director's Edition, at 136 minutes, is better than the theatrical release of this film but still waaaay too long, especially for the non die-hard Trekkie crowd, like at the beginning when we're looking at the USS Enterprise for, what seems like an eternity. The story takes too long to get interesting. Once invested though, it was better than I remembered it to be, primarily because great philosophical questions are raised as a part of the story. Philosophical questions that are eternally and universally relevant today but will not be discussed here, for obvious reasons.

Watching some of the end credits, I found the following names attached with this film interesting: John Dykstra, because he also worked on the original Star Wars film (Episode IV) in the same capacity, serving as the Special Photographic Effects Supervisor. Noted author Isaac Asimov was a Special Science Consultant for this movie. In the cast credits, Mark Lenard played the Klingon Captain. Lenard is better recognized as Spock's Vulcan father, Ambassador Sarek. Majel Barrett here plays Dr. Chapel. Barrett also played Deanna Troi's mother in TNG, is the voice of the Enterprise's main computer and was Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's real life wife. According to IMDB, Indian born actress Persis Khambatta (Lt. Ilia) died of a massive heart attack at the tragically young age of 47, in 1998.

Unfortunately I don't have time to view any of the special features included with the DVD. Maybe if I snag myself a boxed set like scribey-wibey has, then I'll make the time to watch. Perhaps my initial low regard for this film stems in part because I was young when I first watched it as a kid and because most of the sequels are superior in every way.

*** out of *****

SCRIBE'S MAMMARY LANE REVIEW:

I first saw this movie when I didn't have any pubes. Sadly, that was about a week ago but I have 'em now, ladies. Sprouted like a hill of beans. Now I gotta buy a larger size of underwear!

OK, maybe not but dammit, I was determined to find a way to work my pubes into a Trek review at some point, might as well be in the beginning. I loved this movie when I first saw it as a child. Until then, Trek seemed like a really old, cheesey and boring show. But when the film was released and I realized it could be done on a Star Wars scale, I fell in love with the whole concept.

If I have any negative criticisms of the film, they are brief and simple: Slow-paced and too much time devoted to characters who won't be in the sequel, if you catch my drift. Other than that, it is a great film and a fitting return of a crew of legendary spacefarers.

****1/2 out of *****

The second film in the series is "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", released in 1982.

GREEN'S GENESIS DEVICE REVIEW:

Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant!

This film is masterfully drawn from episode 1.22 of the original Star Trek television series (aired 16 February 1967), "Space Seed", in which Kirk and the Enterprise crew defeat Khan and his gang and leave them to colonize a distant planet. Fifteen years passes and during a scientific research mission, a Federation starship accidentally discovers the remains of Khan's ship, the USS Botany Bay, marooned on the planet. Khan siezes control of the ship and sets off to seek revenge against Admiral James T. Kirk.

The original television episode was compelling and from start to finish, this film is equal to the task. Ricardo Montalban is superb in his reprise of Khan. Notable in the cast is the big screen debut of a thin and attractive Kirstie Alley as the Vulcan Lt. Saavik. This, along with Trek IV, are my favorite installments in the original cast films.

***** out of *****

AMERICAN GUY's STUNNING ONE WORD REVIEW:

KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Truly one of the best lines in cinema history!)

**** out of *****

SCRIBE'S SCENERY CHEWING REVIEW:

This was the one that convinced audiences that Star Trek was a viable franchise. The movie studio was already convinced based on the financial success of the first film.

However, wisely realizing that the original film was far too cerebral for mainstream movie audiences, new poducer Harve Bennett decided to recapture the feeling of the more adventurous TV show episodes. The results are not mixed. This was an operatic, thrilling return of the crew of the Starship Enterprise featuring some of the most glorious scenery chewing a la Montalban and Shatner one will ever see!

I can't really add much to my review that hasn't already been written about this film so I will briefly list the things I have come to appreciate about it, especially as I've grown older and hopefully improved as a writer:

1. The ethical debate over the Genesis Device and its ability to "create life from lifelessness."
2. The idea that Kirk's arrogance and negligence created a potentially lethal threat in the vengeful Khan.
3. The fact that the crew acknowledged getting older gracefully.
4. The moment Kirk places his granny glasses on to look at a readout screen.
5. The fact that director Nicholas Meyer found a way to have a dogfight between two gigantic starships by making the action occur in a nebula.
6. Kirstie Allie's boobies in her Starfleet uniform.

***** out of *****

Apocalypto (Contains a Spoiler)

GREEN'S LIFE SAVING ECLIPSE-LIKE REVIEW:

A peaceful Mayan village is attacked and destroyed by invaders and its residents brutally murdered or taken captive. One man, Jaguar Paw, manages to hide his pregnant wife and son in a deep pit before joining in the defense of his village. After great struggle, he is captured and led to the great Mayan city where he and the other male captors are to be used for human blood sacrifice to appease the Mayan gods. As Jaguar Paw is set to be sacrificed, a solar eclipse comes and the Mayan priest declares the gods are satisfied with enough blood for now.

Jaguar Paw and the other captives are led to believe they will be freed if they can reach the distant cornfields. Three of Jaguar Paws friends are murdered while fleeing for freedom. Minus a close call, Jaguar Paw manages to escape. Thus begins the most harrowing and adrenalyne filled chase, as Jaguar Paw is pursued by Mayan warriors through the jungle, over a waterfall and through a quicksand-like mud pit. One by one, Jaguar Paw is able to out think and kill all but two of his pursuers (the remaining two are spellbound by the ships of arriving European explorers) as he races to reach his family and restore his tribal way of life.

This movie is nothing like I thought or expected it to be. With the title "Apocalypto", I thought the film was going to be some variation on the coming Biblical apocalypse. Thankfully, this movie is about as far from that as you can possibly get! For his second consecutive directorial effort, Gibson masterfully leads his viewers through a film without a word of English being spoken. As with The Passion of the Christ, it does not matter that we are forced to read subtitles throughout the film to understand the spoken language. The imagery is powerful and words are not needed. Here we are introduced to a group of hunters belonging to a peaceful village that is suddenly exposed to massive, horrifying violence by an attacking tribe. The tragedy of families brutally murdered and ripped apart is intense. The captives being led away from their homes and to eventual sacrifice on the altar of the Mayan gods is a sad commentary on the wanton savagery of this ancient South American culture.

Amid all of the blood. violence and savagery, this is a story of a man's courage and desire to escape bondage and death to save his family and their way of life which is all at once powerful and awe-inspiring. I must admit, it took me a few minutes to digest the magnitude of what I had just spent two plus hours watching. Was this film a waste of my time or just simply brilliant?

On a number of films, I've questioned Gibson's acting ability, and rightly so. After this masterpiece, one can no longer legitimately question his storytelling or directorial skills. This film puts him firmly in the company of the great directors of the last twenty-five years.

***** out of *****

SCRIBE'S GROIN-TINGLING, WORLD-ALTERING REVIEW:

Wow! Not at all what I was expecting and that's a good thing!

Permit me to explain: I was definitely expecting a good movie, just not a great one. Gibson has finally broken free of the only thing I felt hemmed in his directing skills, namely an over-reliance on symbolism and slow-motion camera work. Unlike Green, I've always considered him to be a great actor, but as a director his growth has been slow. Apocalypto reveals he has finally arrived.

He also continues to impress me with his choice of muse. Instead of just making another, albeit good, pro-Christian film, Gibson turned his attention to the ancient Mayan civilization.

Apocalypto shows us things that many of us might not have known. Not only do we see the utter brutality of the somehow sophisticated Mayan culture at the twilight of its decline as a civilization, but we also see how the more peaceful outlying villagers were treated as little more than fodder for their inane sacrificial practices.

Anyone who has studied the Mayans knows they had a highly developed astronomical knowledge. It is interesting to watch the city's holy man use that knowledge to impress the mouth-breathers with false entreaties to the gods to restore light during an eclipse. Much like the "miracles" of certain other religions, this is a mere parlor trick designed to keep the masses in line.

The thread holding this film together is the desire of the young warrior Jaguar Paw to escape captivity and return to his wife and 1.5 children. Sadly, there is another character whose more sympathetic portrayal makes him a bit more interesting, perhaps the only minor misfire in what is otherwise a masterpiece.

Since the ending has already been spoiled, I'll expound on one stroke of brilliance that truly impressed me. At the very end of the film, we realize this is all taking place mere days before the arrival of the Spanish explorers. Not only do we know something terrible is about to happen, but the movie tells us who those first two "Indians" were that greeted the Europeans.

To echo Green, this film places Gibson firmly in the company of the great directors of the last two decades. I can't wait to see what he does next.

***** out of *****