Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Genre

Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Director

Leonard Nimoy

Country

USA

Cast

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Robin Curtis, Catherine Hicks, Jane Wyatt, Mark Lenard, Brock Peters, Robert Ellenstein, John Schuck, Joe Lando

Storyline

To save Earth from an alien probe, Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) and his fugitive crew go back in time to 20th century Earth to retrieve the only beings who can communicate with it, humpback whales. 

Opinion

I was told there is an unwritten rule amongst Star Trek fans that the odd numbered films are never as good as the even numbered films. This fourth entry in the series proves that.

"Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" is an exciting, charming and funny turn for the franchise, and lighter than its predecessors.

The premise of the story is kind of bizarre - a threatening alien space vessel is destroying Earth in an attempt to communicate with an extinct species - but it turned out to be very good. The story flows very nicely, and passed the first half hour made of dialogue and little else, the film is a lot of fun. Sure, there are some plot holes. A lot of plot holes to be honest - the first that comes to my mind is how come no one found the ship -, but the humour makes up for this lack.

Spock, dressed like a hippie because he lost his uniform, made me laugh out loud a lot of times as he tries to understand human behaviour, as well as the crew as they try to find their way through 21st century Earth.

Between a laugh and another, and despite the silly plot, the film makes a commentary about man's greed and selfishness, and his destruction of life. It is indeed the man the real villain.

The special effects are spectacular, and the action leaves room for humour, but who said that a great sci-fi film has to be action-packed and violent? Nobody, that's who said that.

Yet again directing, Leonard Nimoy does a terrific job and brings some depth to the plot; he also does a great job as Spock. William Shatner has the biggest role but has the least of fun as he has to carry an unlikely love interest. The rest of the cast does a good job as well.

Live long and prosper