December Bonus Review #4: Star Trek 2- The Wrath of Khan

I’ve reviewed the first Star Trek film and it’s no secret that I have a fondness for the franchise. This time around I’ll be looking at the film that many consider the best of the franchise, Wrath of Khan. And we’ll see if I concur with that perception.

Story:

The starship Reliant is on a mission to find a planet with no trace of life in order to find a suitable testing site for the newly developed Genesis device, a machine that can terraform an entire planet in mere moments. Commander Chekov and Captain Terrell beam down to what they think is Ceti Alpha VI only to find that the very slight life signs they noticed came from the genetically engineered Khan and his people. Who proceed to capture the pair and begin their campaign of revenge against the now Admiral James Tiberius Kirk.

This film deals with two major themes. The first is the obvious revenge theme. Khan’s obsession with repaying Kirk for leaving him and his crew marooned is a big driving force for the film and it’s handled very well throughout. The second big theme is aging. This is introduced early with Admiral Kirk talking about how old he feels and how the adventures he used to have are a younger person’s job. All while his closest friends try to reassure him that he’s still young and he has more to offer. This theme is also handled brilliantly.

This film has excellent pacing with slower, tension building moments as well as quick more action focused moments as the narrative demands. There are some really good details like Khan’s bookshelf and literary quotes both being used to give insight into the characters and to provide foreshadowing. The film is also highly compelling from start to finish with an ending that’s very intense and bittersweet.

The only thing that slightly bothers me about the narrative is the way Captain Terrell sacrifices himself and it gets completely glossed over.

Characters:

Naturally, the main crew of the original Star Trek all make an appearance and their dynamics are very strong. Particularly among Kirk, Spock & Dr. McCoy. Khan makes for an excellent antagonist and I really appreciate that you see some pushback from his people who would rather take Genesis and go than risk engaging the Enterprise. You also get some other interesting characters like Saavick, Doctor Marcus & Captain Terrell.

Cinematography, Visuals & Effects:

The film looks very good. The ship models are great. The action sequences flow very well. The shots are excellently established and choreographed.

Acting & Music:

The acting is fantastic. Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montaban, Kirstie Alley, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, William Shatner and the rest of the cast all deliver strong performances. James Horner’s soundtrack is fantastic.

Final Thoughts:

I will fully agree with the opinion that this is the best Star Trek film and among the greatest sci-fi films of all time. Everything is well put together. The acting is stellar. The character dynamics work brilliantly. It’s a fantastic experience all around. I’m giving Wrath of Khan a 10/10.