Jan
12
“Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” Review
Filed Under Cult Films, Movies
It’s rare that the fourth film in a franchise isn’t the weakest in the series and released more than a decade after the movie three. That’s standard operating procedure these days, but in the more sequel-friendly ’80s, things were different. The “Star Trek” movies were a cash cow for Paramount, and the studio couldn’t crank them out fast enough. That said, “The Voyage Home” is not only the most financially successful “Trek” film, it’s one of the best.
The crew of the late USS Enterprise have been in exile on the planet Vulcan after the events of “The Search for Spock.” During their return trip to Earth aboard a hijacked Klingon Bird of Prey, Admiral Kirk and Co. learn that a space probe has entered Earth’s orbit and is inexplicably tearing the planet a new one. Kirk and the crew soon find out that the alien probe is reaching out to an extinct (in the 23rd century) species of whale. So, they slingshot around the sun and travel to 1986, where they need to find a pair of humpback whales in order to save the Earth of the future. I’m sure the environmental message of the film would cause some folks to roll their eyes, but “Star Trek” has always been a fairly liberal-minded franchise.
Nevertheless, the “save the whales” theme isn’t overtly preachy and is essentially a MacGuffin that brings the crew of the Enterprise to a “primitive and paranoid culture,” where comedic antics ostensibly ensue. I imagine they could’ve scooped up a couple whales in the open ocean. But where’s the fun in that? Dropping Kirk, Spock and the rest in Downtown San Francisco is a recipe for great comedy, humor that doesn’t undermine the integrity of the characters. Some would argue that the film is played too broadly, that the joke is on the heroes. I’d disagree. The joke’s on us. The movie is modern satire and brilliantly captures the spirit of the show, particularly the bit about exploring “strange new worlds.” Nothing could be stranger than America in the mid-’80s.
Special mention should to go Spock, who walks away with the film. His use of “colorful metaphors” had me on the floor.
This is the last great “Trek” film. I’m partial to movies six and eight, but the subsequent entries never quite achieved the same heights as this film. However, I am masochistically looking forward to revisiting movie five — Shatner’s directorial debut.
Next: “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.”
-Brad Lohan
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[...] “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” Review [...]
[...] of quality, “The Voyage Home” is a damn fine “Trek” film (read my review here) and was the most successful series installment until the 2009 reboot outgrossed it. I think this [...]