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.

September Bonus Review: Star Trek The Animated Series

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the Star Trek franchise. The original series, Next Generation and Deep Space 9 all hold a special place in my heart. Especially Next Gen which I would personally count as one of the greatest sci-fi series ever made. But there’s a piece of Star Trek history that frequently gets overlooked to the point where a lot of people don’t know it even existed, the animated series based off of the original series. This cartoon only ran for twenty two episodes in the early 70s as a follow up to the adventures of the original crew. Let’s have a look.

Story:

We all know the basic premise of Star Trek, even those among us who haven’t seen a single episode. Space is the final frontier and these are the voyages of the Enterprise. Which seeks to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilisations and to boldly go where no one has gone before. The cartoon is a set of further adventures for the crew after the original series ended.

The cartoon’s biggest problem is actually the exact same issue the original series suffers from. Mainly that it can be overly corny and cheesy. It may not have any single example as egregious as Spock’s brain being stolen as a super computer but it does have Spock’s mind being split between his regular body and the body of a giant clone as well as an episode where they cross over into another universe that follows the laws of magic.

With that being said, the series also shares the originals’ biggest strengths and the two major factors that have made it so beloved even after fifty+ years. First off, a lot of the episodes do have philosophical undercurrents and explorations that are quite fascinating. They are slightly toned down since it goes for a younger demographic but they’re definitely still present. The second big thing is that, even though it can be overtly goofy, it’s a lot of fun and consistently entertaining.

Characters:

Most of the cast from the original series is present. Captain Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Dr. McCoy, Uhura, Sulu, even Nurse Chapel. The only character we don’t see is Chekov. Instead we get two alien characters Arex, who looks a bit like ET and M’Ress, a lioness looking character. The new characters are fine but the ones you’ll really be watching for are the classics both because of their prominence in the original series and because they get a lot more screen time. Arex and M’Ress are both firmly relegated to minor support roles. The animated series also has less development for their single episode characters as a result of the episodes having half the runtime and not being able to do as much in that regard.

Art:

The artwork is definitely dated and it uses a lot of techniques to cut down on animation like prolonged shots and recycling images. That being said, the cartoon does have a big advantage over the original series. Namely that they can go further in terms of making characters and locations that look truly alien. There are some amazing designs in that regard that were definitely ahead of their time.

Sound:

The main cast from the original series all reprise their roles. Shatner, Nimoy, Kelley, Nichols, Takei, Doohan, & Barret all do excellently. It’s worth noting that both Doohan and Barret pull extra duty with Doohan voicing Arex as well as a shit load of minor roles and Barret voicing M’Ress, the Enterprise computer and others. The music is in line with the original series’. Which is definitely a positive.

Final Thoughts:

Is Star Trek the animated series worth tracking down and watching? It is if you’re a fan of the original series. It has the same kind of entertainment factor, excellent voice work and a lot of really strong moments. It’s also definitely nice to follow up with all your favourite Trek characters from the original series, unless your favourite character happens to be Chekov. For myself, I give it a solid 7/10.

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.

December Bonus Review #3 Star Trek: The Motion Picture

The original Star Trek was a classic that helped define sci-fi television alongside the likes of Doctor Who and the original Star Wars trilogy. The original series ended in the late 60s and the first film came out around a decade later. Oddly enough, not many people talk about the first Star Trek film. The second film, Wrath of Khan, gets talked about a lot and so do Search For Spock, The Voyage Home, Final Frontier & Undiscovered Country. But this one seems largely forgotten. Let’s find out why.

Story:

We open with a group of Klingons, seen for the first time in their more iconic makeup, confronting what looks to be a cloud of energy and getting nowhere in the process. Star Fleet is made aware of a life form of great power headed for Earth. The Enterprise is sent and Captain James Tiberius Kirk is pulled off of desk duty to command her. He’s joined by Sulu, Chekov, Mr. Scott and Uhura. He also has Doctor Bones McCoy drafted into service. Meanwhile, Spock is on Vulcan when he hears an intelligence in space calling out to him and he catches a ride to the Enterprise to join them in confronting it. Thereby filling out our cast.

The fundamental flaw with this film is the pacing. They spend a long time showing off that they’ve gotten a substantial special effects budget for the first time in the history of the franchise. They drag things out with some scenes that don’t matter and when you get to the action, a lot of sequences are more than twice the length they actually need to be. Which makes it feel like they had a script for an episode they never used and just padded it to be more than twice as long as it was.

Buried beneath all the padding, there are some interesting ideas. The reveal about the entity is nicely done. The idea of the original Enterprise crew getting back together for a new mission is solid. It’s just difficult to get really immersed in it because it feels like all those good ideas are buried under a shit tonne of nothing.

Characters:

I’ll start by saying that I actually do like the original Star Trek and I appreciate the characters it has. So, there’s a certain amount of “oh, it’s great to see them again.” And, in general, the film does do a good job of recapturing what made the characters so memorable and the dynamics that worked so well in the series proper. I also do think the way Captain Decker and Ilia are handled is a bit compelling. It could be really good if they were more developed characters but they actually don’t get that much screen time before major things start happening that change things for them.

That being said, I have a couple major problems with the way the film handles them. First off, Kirk has McCoy drafted, knowing he doesn’t want anything more to do with Star Fleet. Which comes across as a complete dick move and not like something Kirk would actually do to his friend. And the film never really addresses this violation of boundaries besides having a brief conversation betwixt them where Kirk says he needed Bones and the good Doctor just lets it go. It also bothers me that Kirk basically uses the situation to force his way back into command of the Enterprise.

There’s also a bit of awkward dialogue. The Deltan navigator comes aboard and the first thing she mentions is her vow of chastity. Just, out of nowhere. Did she hear that Kirk had a slight problem keeping it in his trousers around attractive alien women and just thought she’d get it out the way?

Cinematography, Visual Effects:

For the late 70s, these are some impressive special effects. And I’m not saying that because it looks far better than the original series. That’s a given when you have a decade of special effects advancements and a proper budget. It legitimately does look really good for the time. The biggest issue with the film in the effects department is actually the wardrobe. This film is a bizarre outlier in that the characters wear uniforms unlike any they’d worn before or after. My guess is that audiences didn’t like the change and that’s why the later original series films all feature those iconic red uniforms.

Acting and Music:

The acting is pretty solid. Nimoy, Shatner, Kelley, Doohan, Nichols, Takei, and Koenig all know their characters really well and have playing them down. Khambatta does a really good job in her role as well and Collins is solid. The biggest issue is that some of the dialogue is a bit wooden. Which is also an issue with the original series, to be fair. And there aren’t that many scenes with wooden acting but there are enough to make it noticeable. Jerry Goldsmith’s music is fantastic.

Areas of Improvement:

1. Instead of having a bunch of slow sequences that don’t really do anything, use the extra time to better develop your characters, their relationships and the situation. Make the scenes feel like they merit a film instead of just being there for padding.
2. Instead of having Doctor McCoy get drafted at Kirk’s behest, have Kirk meet with him and convince him to come back to duty. It would give you the whole element of the Doctor coming out of retirement without putting it at the expense of Kirk’s characterisation. And it would be a better use of screen time than long, dragged out special effects shots.
3. Give Decker and Ilia more character development. When you have two characters who have a hinted at pre-existing relationship and then things start spiraling for them, a big part of what makes it work is how well they’re developed at that point. And when things start going awry for these two, it doesn’t have the impact it should because they’ve had maybe five minutes of screen time together at that point.

Final Thoughts:

So, the reason this film doesn’t get talked about that much seems obvious to me. It’s slow to the point of being boring. Is it the worst film in the franchise? No, Abrams took the franchise to levels of rubbish it had never gone before. Even if you just look at the original six films, this isn’t the worst. But the film that is is bad in a way that’s really memorable whereas this one isn’t bad it’s just forgettable. So, I’m giving it a 5/10. If you’re someone who’s getting into the franchise and you want to watch the films, you can honestly skip this one completely and not miss out on anything of value. It’s light on plot and character and heavy on showing off the special effects. Which aren’t nearly as impressive by today’s standards as they were back then.

December Bonus Review #1: Star Trek: Next Gen/ X-men Second Contact

Some crossover ideas just don’t work even when you hear them. Like combining Final Fantasy with random Disney worlds or having The Looney Tunes, Muppet Babies, Ninja Turtles, Smurfs, Winnie The Poo, Chipmunks, Garfield and Alf all combine forces to talk about Marijuana or having Archie meet the Ninja Turtles. On the surface, this seems slightly better than those but not like something that could work well. I love Star Trek: Next Gen and I have a great fondness for the X-men. The book was brilliant for that decade when Chris Claremont was writing it. However, they just don’t seem like they’d mesh well. But let’s take a look, maybe it’s better than it sounds.

Story:

We open with the Enterprise crew returning to their time after the events of First Contact. But something goes askew and they end up in the past. They detect Shi’ar technology and realise that, not only shouldn’t it be there, but it’s their only hope of repairing their ship and returning home. This leads them to the X-men who happen to recognise the Enterprise name from that time they met the original series crew.

The two groups are approached by Kang who warns them that there are anomalies thanks to the Enterprise crossing over from another time and universe. They decide that even though he’s known to be evil, they can’t take the risk and set out to fix things.

Therein lies the first big problem with this crossover, Kang is lying. Yeah, that’s perfectly in keeping with his character but the Enterprise crew has Counsellor Deanna Troi on it. Now, for those of you unfamiliar with Next Gen, Counsellor Troi is half Betazoid. They’re an alien species that can read the minds of most species. As a half blood, she can’t read minds properly but she is an empath and she can sense things like, say, when someone’s deceiving her. There are several episodes where that comes up as an important plot point and she should sense immediately that Kang is lying to them but she doesn’t cause the whole plot of them travelling to Wolf 359 from Star Trek and the X-men’s Days of the Future Past wouldn’t happen if her abilities were working as they should. Shadowcat gets the same kind of treatment. At one point she phases through a Sentinel and they forget that she short-circuits machinery when she phases through it.

Another issue is just that the whole situation is a bit boring. They meet, decide to work together, fight some threats that should be kind of menacing but come across as kind of weak given how easily they’re dispatched. It all comes across as more than a little rushed. Although I will give them some credit for trying to give both teams equal time in the spotlight.

Characters:

Both of these casts should be great, in theory. Unfortunately, the writing from Abnett and Edgington doesn’t do them justice. They come across as pretty bland. And some characters, like Angel, don’t get to do or say anything. I’m not even kidding. Angel is there, but he seems to spend all his time in the background just standing around. I don’t recall him even getting a line of dialogue. Doctor Crusher doesn’t fare much better. They also don’t do much with the characters interacting. They go on missions together, sure, but they don’t talk much beyond very strict, business stuff. If I were someone who really wanted to read this crossover thinking it might be good, I would be very disappointed.

Art:

The artwork has its moments. The characters in general look decent enough. As do the backgrounds and action sequences. One issue with it is that the dialogue balloon placement isn’t the best and it can be challenging to figure out who’s supposed to be talking in large group shots. Maybe that’s where all of Angel’s dialogue is. There’s also a big artwork fail in a panel with Banshee and Commander Riker. To put it simply, they’re exchanging some dialogue while Banshee is clearly using his powers. For those who don’t know, Banshee’s power is a sonic scream. He literally can’t use it and talk at the same time. It would be like Cyclops shooting his optic blasts while reading.

Areas of Improvement:
This one is going to be a challenge, because I honestly don’t know how to make this a good crossover using what’s presented as a base. If I was writing something completely on my own, maybe I could manage it. So, I’ll kind of have to settle for suggestions that might have made it somewhat passable.

1. Reworking Kang’s Villainy. Honestly, I would have him use a combined force of Sentinels and Borg drones to steal the Shi’ar tech. You could keep the same villains, give both teams a reason to go after him and you wouldn’t need to drag a bunch of extra characters in just so they could have a cameo.
2. Let the Teams Chat. This comic could be way more interesting if the X-men and Enterprise crew had some real banter. Wolverine and Worf could talk about what it means to be a warrior. Storm and Captain Picard could talk about what his future’s stance on mutants might be. Shadowcat could talk tech with Geordi, or at least try to because I doubt he’d give her any real information even though she’s an enthusiastic nerd when it comes to technology. Having more banter would really liven the story up.
3. Give Angel and Doctor Crusher something to do. Seriously, if you’re going to be bothered putting them in, let them do something.

Final Thoughts:

Second Contact isn’t dreadful. It has pretty decent art, mostly. And there’s clearly effort put into making it an equal crossover. Unfortunately, the details are off, which puts in some pretty significant plot holes. The teams have weak interactions which, in turn, makes the characterisation come across as weak. But hey, maybe the actual novel they advertise at the end as a continuation is better. This comic is pretty bad though. I give it a 3/10.