December Bonus Review #3 Star Trek III: The Search For Spock

I’ve talked about Star Trek on multiple occasions. I’ve reviewed the animated series, first film and second film. It’s also a franchise I’ve referenced more times than I care to go back and check. It’s a franchise I very openly have a lot of affection for, in terms of the classic series, Next Gen & DS9. And now I’m looking at the third film based on the original series, The Search For Spock.

Story:

We open where Wrath of Khan left off. Spock is dead. The Genesis device is in Star Fleet’s hands and the planet it left behind is being studied. The Enterprise is on her way back to Earth when Doctor McCoy starts demonstrating some concerning behaviour like breaking into Spock’s old quarters and talking like him. Meanwhile, a group of Klingons have learned about Genesis and they intend to take the device by force so that the Federation can’t leverage it against them.

There are a few issues with this film. First of all, we discover that ambassador Sarek wants Doctor McCoy brought to Vulcan as he possesses Spock’s “Katra” but this important Federation ambassador can’t arrange passage to bring McCoy to Vulcan for some reason. There’s also a line about how Kirk has had a very distinguished command based off of logic. Which is kind of laughable. Kirk is the Captain who was known for “Cowboy Diplomacy”, bending Star Fleet’s rules on a regular basis and seducing/ being seduced by alien women so often that you have to hope Federation medicine can eliminate VD. Logic my tuchus.

That being said, the film holds up really well overall. The exploration of how to deal with something as powerful as the Genesis device is compelling. The fact that the Klingon concerns are fully legitimate and make a lot of sense really works to the film’s favour. Kirk and his crew may have to take action for reasons that come across as contrived but the way the film works off of their skills and gives them individual chances to shine is a real treat. It also manages to keep a real sense of tension based on them having to rescue the rejuvenated Spock from Genesis within a time limit. I also appreciate that Kruge, like Khan before him, doesn’t fall for Kirk’s very blatant attempt at baiting him

Characters:

The original series cast are all very well written in this. The antagonists are also very compelling. It’s clear that the idea of the Federation gaining power through using the Genesis device as a weapon is horrifying for Kruge and his crew. They see themselves as being forced into action for the future of their species, their world and their way of life. Then we have the Federation. They make a lot of decisions in this film that we, the audience, are very clearly not supposed to agree with. However, those decisions actually make a lot of logical sense in context.

Cinematography, Visuals & Effects:

This is a very good looking film. It doesn’t have the epic space battles of Wrath of Khan, but the effects, ship designs, and overall cinematography all look good. The one thing that really doesn’t work is the bit where Kruge falls to his death. That shot has not aged well.

Acting & Music:

The acting is very good. We have the seasoned talents from the original series, but without resorting to cheesy elements to make it look like a series for kids. Christopher Lloyd is amazing as Kruge. He conveys so much about the character’s complexity solely through his mannerisms and the way he delivers his lines. The music is really good. James Horner did an Excellent job of capturing the Trek aesthetic.

Final Thoughts:

I feel like Search for Spock is a bit under-rated because it follows on the coat-tails of Wrath of Khan and just doesn’t hold up as well as that film. It’s still a great Star Trek film with lots of compelling ideas, intrigue and high quality sci-fi adventure. I’d give this one an enthusiastic 8/10.

May Bonus Review: Blake’s 7 Series 1

Blake’s 7 is one of the BBC’s classic science fiction programs. It started in the late 70s ad ran into the early 80s for a total of four series. It was created by Terry Nation, a man who also worked on Doctor Who back when that was actually worth something. He even created one of the most iconic enemies for that franchise, the Daleks. Does this hold up as well?

Story:

We open with our protagonist, Roj Blake being called out for a mysterious meeting. He’s told that the government is controlling the population with drugs in the water & food, not the same ones that turn the frogs gay according to cranks but real ones. He’s also told that he was a leader in the resistance before he was captured and had his mind tampered with to make him a symbol for the regime. He’s skeptical until soldiers barge in and shoot the entire unarmed resistance. They take Blake prisoner and he soon finds himself framed for a crime he didn’t commit and en route to a prison on the world of Cygnus Alpha.

Things take a slight turn for the better when he and a pair of other prisoners, Jenna & Avon, are sent to examine a potentially dangerous ship. They manage to survive its trap and gain control over it. With a highly advanced craft at their command, Blake sees the potential of mounting a resistance against the federation while Avon thinks him a crusader and a fool. From there we follow Blake’s ragtag crew of criminals while they try and damage the federation using guerrilla tactics while evading pursuit.

The series doesn’t have much wrong with its narrative. I like the way it subverts a lot of standard sci-fi plots by simply making the antagonists competent. Blake and his crew aren’t shown as being able to match the federation. Rather, they’re shown as barely escaping them while making a nuisance of themselves. Which is an interesting take since most series like this take great pains to show you that the heroes have some chance, even if a slim one. I also like that the series manages to have a sense of fun alongside its air of futility. Which it manages by not dwelling overmuch on how little of a chance they have and by celebrating their small victories. The series is also really good at setting up interesting scenarios and challenges for the crew.

Characters:

Another strong suit of the series lies in the characterisation. Blake may be a crusader, but his crew all have their own reasons for sticking around. Avon, for example, likes the rest of the crew on a personal level, but he sticks around because he wants control of the ship. The rest  of the crew has motivations more along the lines of having nowhere else to go or being taken in by Blake’s idealism. Every single character has a back story that explains why they’re in the position they’re in and both Jenna and Blake get some elements of their past used in episode narratives. Even the antagonists get some moments of humanity, with Travis becoming upset over a friend of his at one point.

Visuals:

This is definitely the area that has’t aged well. Like with any old science fiction work, the effects are dated and the set pieces can most definitely look cheap. It holds up  better than the original Star Trek but not by as much as it should, given that it came out around a decade after that series ended. The fight choreography can also come across as slow and cumbersome.I’ll give full credit that the designers clearly had ambitions and a very limited budget and I wouldn’t say the series ever looks bad.

Acting and Music

The acting varies a bit. Most of the cast is quite good. Paul Darrow is absolutely phenomenal. Gareth Thomas, Michael Keating, Jacqueline Pearce  & Stephen Greif are all really good. Then you have Owen Aaronovitch & Sally Knyvette who are kind of weak. Not bad, but certainly not on par with everyone else. Dudley Simpson composed the theme tune for the series and it’s bloody amazing.

Final Thoughts:

In the areas that matter most, Blake’s 7 remains a science fiction classic for good reason. The characters are interesting, the writing is superb and the cast, by and large, is excellent. If you’re a fan of really well done sci-fi and can appreciate the classics, give it a go. But if you want your sci-fi to have all the latest and most expensive special effects, it’s not going to be for you. As for me, I’d say the first series is a strong start and I’m going to give it a very well deserved 8/10.