1991 / 109 Minutes / PG
Reviewed by Dale J. Nauertz

“You know what six movies average out to be really good? The first six ‘Star Trek’ movies!”- Fry, “Futurama”

Fry is generally something of a bonehead, but in this case he’s absolutely right. I dug “Star Trek: TMP” though it had some slow moments, loved “Khan”, thought “Search for Spock” was adequate though lacking, had a blast watching “Voyage Home” and thought “Final Frontier” was a goofy mess. But the good outweighs the bad and I had a lot more fun watching these six “Star Trek” films than I expected to. I undertook this experiment because I was excited to see the new film and wanted to have a little more understanding of these characters before I plunked down in the theater. Also, I wanted to see if they made any more sense when viewed sequentially than in the haphazard way I watched them before (I had actually seen all six of these movies before this little experiment though, aside from “Khan”, I’d generally greeted them with a shrug).

Regarding the first point, I do understand these characters a little better than when I began…though aside from Kirk, Spock and Bones I find them to be a little underdeveloped. At least “Final Frontier”, for its myriad faults, did try to flesh out Uhura, Scotty and Chekov a little better (the operative word being “try”). Maybe I should go back and try watching the original series, maybe that developed the rest of the crew more satisfactorily…but that seems like a lot of work. If I like the new movie, maybe I’ll give that a try. But I’m already working through about three different TV series on DVD as is, so I’d really, really have to like the new movie to commit to yet another one.

Regarding the second point, I would say that the movies definitely make a lot more sense when viewed in order…though it turns out that “Final Frontier” is a lame non-sequitur that doesn’t really need to be seen at all. It adds nothing to the narrative flow of the other films, it isn’t referenced in the sixth one, it’s not very good. Hence it’s absolutely skippable.

“Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country”, however, is my second favorite film involving the Original Cast. It’s more than just an apology for the fifth film, it’s a great film that fires on all cylinders. For one thing, it goes back to doing what “Star Trek” has always (by all accounts) done best: it deals in metaphor.

When this movie was made, the fall of the Berlin Wall was fresh in everyone’s minds and the Soviet Union was collapsing. Without knowing it, school kids were on the cusp of having to learn a lot of new maps. The Cold War was officially ending. Like Bond movies, the original “Star Trek” series began during the height of the Cold War. Not surprisingly, “Trek” introduced a stand-in for the Russians into its universe: The Klingons. Klingons were proud warriors who spoke a different language and had a different set of ideals than the rest of the Federated Planets (or so I have gathered). They provided a constant source of conflict. So this movie made the timely step of mirroring real world events by having the Klingons suffer a collosal energy-related mishap (cough, Chernobyl, cough) that had a massive negative impact not only on their economy but on their entire way of life. After the explosion of a vital moon, the Klingon race is given only fifty Earth years to live. Sensing no alternative, their leaders reach out to the Federation for help and offer what the Federation has wanted from them for decades (possibly centuries): Peace.

Kirk, wary of the Klingons since the death of his son, is skeptical to say the least. “Let them die,” Shatner says, channeling his inner Archie Bunker. He and several other members of the Starfleet brass don’t want their longtime enemy moving out of the Neutral Zone and into Federated space. They feel it’s a massive trap. And even if it’s not, they wonder how long it will be before the warlike Klingons resort to their old ways and start some trouble. So when the Enterprise fires on a Klingon diplomatic vessel shortly after an ill-advised dinner party, no one is too surprised…except for Kirk.

Kirk and Bones are subsequently accused of murdering the Klingon ambassador and, after a quick and unfair trial, are sent to freeze their asses off on a penal colony nicknamed “the Alien Graveyard”. Meanwhile Spock, certain of their innocence, begins turning the ship upside-down for any evidence that might exonerate the captain and his one-time katra-holding doctor buddy.

By providing an emotional connection between the “Trek” universe and the real world, Nicholas Meyer and his collaborators hit upon a winning formula and, for my money, provide the best plot that any of these movies have had, supplying great opportunities for suspense, insightful social commentary and cool action sequences in equal proportion. The dialogue is sometimes a bit cheesy (which has always been “Star Trek”’s achilles heel) but the script is filled with moments that are unlike anything we’ve seen from this series before: Kirk and Bones in an intergalactic jail, Spock playing detective, Sulu in a leadership role. It’s a refreshing change of pace.

On the acting front, “Trek”-newcomer Kim Cattrall (who was Meyer’s original choice for Saavik in “Khan”) is onhand as a very Saavik-like Vulcan lieutenant and does a serviceable job. David Warner co-stars as a Klingon ambassador who’s equal parts Lincoln and Gorbechev. He imbues the role with a quiet dignity that he wasn’t allowed to display in his lame appearance in “Final Frontier”. Also onhand is Iman as a friendly fellow prisoner that leads Kirk to freedom (or does she?). Her exotic looks are a perfect fit for the character and she actually gives a decent performance. As for the regulars, Shatner hams it up a bit more than he did in “Khan” but much less than he did in “Final Frontier” and he even gets to fight himself, which is fairly entertaining. Plus, it’s nice to see Kirk get dragged through Hell for a change. I guess it’s just the comeuppance that audiences demanded after sitting through “Final Frontier”. The Hairpiece actually has to display a measure of humility and admit that, gasp, he was wrong! Hell, even Spock displays some vulnerability and proves that even Vulcans can screw up from time to time. Sulu gets to helm a starship of his own, which is more than he’s ever been required to do before, but the others basically do what they’ve always done…aside from the fact that we get to see what lousy diplomats they make.

The film also has a great villain in General Chang, played with extreme theatricality by Christopher Plummer. Plummer is easily the best villain the series has had since Montalban’s iconic turn as Khan. Although, if anything, he’s maybe a little TOO much like Khan. They both share a propensity for quoting classic literature, chew an excess of scenery, and hate Kirk (naturally). Plummer seems to be giving Shatner a run for his money in the hammy acting department and, if you ask me, he quotes Shakespeare a little too often. He barely has any original dialogue, in fact, and while this is fun to watch, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit his overdone Shakespeare quotes get annoying after while. I’d prefer it if he’d taken the tone of his performance down a notch or two but, hey, at least he’s trying. There are other villains in this piece as well, but I’d be ruining some pretty clever twists if I gave them away, so I shall remain silent.

The film is engaging, thought-provoking and highly entertaining. “Star Trek” (and, by extension, the entire space opera genre) doesn’t get much better than this. The movie even offers a fitting send-off for these beloved characters after nearly three decades of screen time. It’s a great capper for an entire era of “Trek” and even slips in a neat introduction to the “Next Generation” gang, who would take the reins in the next movie. All in all, a great ending to an uneven, but enjoyable, series of films.

Though, all things considered, I still prefer “Star Wars”.

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