At the end of our previous Star Trek movie review, I made the bold claim that one of the best films in the whole franchise would be up next.
And not only will I not walk back that statement. I’m going to amplify it.
Though The Wrath of Khan may be the best Star Trek movie on a technical level, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is my favorite.
Star Trek VI was released at a weird transitional period in Trek history. The Original Series was almost a quarter century in the past, while TNG had come into its own as a cultural force. Those factors and others most likely explain why this entry in the series tends to be overlooked. And it’s this one more than any other which my commenters say they haven’t seen.
Which is a grave sin of sci fi omission, since if you haven’t watched Star Trek VI, you’re missing out on one hell of a good time.
Because ST VI truly is a show with everything. And it’s got something for everybody to enjoy. You get political intrigue, courtroom drama, a cozy mystery, a prison break – and of course, spectacular space battles.
And unlike too many other kitchen sink movies, they got this one pitch perfect.
The stellar film making competence starts with the characters. ST VI incorporates and builds on ideas from prior entries in the franchise – including Star Trek III”s alternate title – foremost of which is letting the characters act their age. We pick up with the Enterprise crew late in their careers, when most of them are looking forward to quieter lives after Starfleet. The sense of a crew who’ve worked together for decades and built strong bonds over that time comes through clearer and more naturally than in any other Trek film.
But just as that crew is about to stand down, they get one last assignment from Captain Spock. The Klingons, who’ve been a thorn in the Federation’s side for three movies now, find themselves in crisis. An industrial disaster of interplanetary proportions has devastated their energy supply. Unable to afford continued war with the Federation, the Klingon Empire has offered Starfleet an olive branch.
And the man chosen to receive that diplomatic gesture is James T. Kirk.
Whose son was murdered by Klingon officers.
But Kirk follows orders and pulls escort duty for the Klingon chancellor’s ship. At dinner, he indulges in verbal sparring with the Chancellor’s military advisor, General Chang. This one scene establishes the Shakespeare-spouting Klingon as Kirk’s equal – his shadow, to be more precise. Both men are distinguished warriors forged in the generation-long war between their cultures. And neither is prepared to bury the hatchet just yet.
Which turns out to have dire implications when, shortly after leaving, the Chancellor is assassinated.
Under the weight of damning evidence against the Enterprise crew, Jim and Bones surrender to Chang. In rapid succession their own government abandons them to avoid an interstellar incident, they’re convicted in a Klingon show trial, and they’re sentenced to life terms in a work camp on a frozen moon. It’s up to Spock to solve the Chancellor’s murder, exonerate his shipmates, and prevent shadowy forces from plunging the quadrant back into war.
For an after-the-fact picture of the stakes, see the classic TNG episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise” which takes place in a timeline where the Klingons and the Federation kept fighting into the 24th century, and the Klingons rallied to near-certain victory.
Not that you need to watch that TV episode to enjoy Star Trek VI, because what’s not to like about this movie? You get some of the best dialogue in any Star Trek production, political thrills to rival a Tom Clancy novel, and a mystery that beats any Data or Odo whodunit. All in a single 110-minute package.
And we’re treated to the last of the super-crunchy submarine warfare in space battles made famous by WoK.
The only demerit I can give this film – by no fault of its own – is the absence of Mister Saavik from Star Trek II, III, and IV.
Although that’s not quite the case, since she was originally meant to be included. Behind-the-scenes disputes led to Saavik’s replacement with another character, LT Valeris.
It’s not a major blemish on the movie, though. Because 1) Valeris is a rare substitute hitter who knocks it out of the park, and 2) it’s easy to do what I do and just pretend she’s Saavik.
For real, the two have so much in common as to be interchangeable. Both are:
- Among the few Vulcan females whose names don’t start with “T”
- Lieutenants
- Brunettes
- Spock’s protégés
- Enterprise bridge crew members
It’s like the movie wants you to equate both characters. Which makes sense, because keeping Saavik in the same role would have made the third act turn an even bigger gut punch.
As it stands, Star Trek VI comes to a thrilling climax. And a combination Wrath of Khan/James Bond/Scooby Doo resolution that satisfies as a standalone ending, even while giving TOS a proper sendoff and creating a smooth transition to TNG.
And that is why Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country receives this blog’s highest recommendation.
Just watch it.
Then experience another political thriller/space battle saga in my hit mech series.
Easily the second-best Trek film. (There was a time when I considered First Contact for that slot, but that one hasn’t aged nearly as well.)
And it also had one of the most memorable teasers I’ve ever seen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKfkkhEbUlY
That’s fair. Back in 96 I put First Contact in the #2 spot as well. And odd as it sounds, I think it deserved the silver back then. But having just rewatched it, I have to conclude that it was a product of its time.
And time has vindicated The Undiscovered Country, with its repudiation of End of History theory and vindication of the Klingons’ concerns.
Undiscovered Country remain my second favorite Star Trek movie. I remember seeing it in the theater while my boat was doing yard availability in Charleston. The naval shipyard there was fighting to survive post Cold War closure (it failed) so the inspiration of the end of the Cold War hit home.
It was a thrill touched by sadness that we were seeing the heroes I grew up with on channel 4 every day at 4pm for the last time. Sulu’s semi breaking of the fourth wall telling Kirk it was good to see him in action one more time was what I wanted to say to them.
It is this bittersweet nature, the knowing it is goodbye, that holds UDC a hair behind WOK. The latter was the return of a friend who last time I’d seem him hadn’t been quite himself with a promise to take the adventures of my youth it I my early adulthood.
I was lucky to have many such heroes. It saddens me the vast effort to ensure my nieces and nephews don’t have anything like them. Yes, I have Pyle to give them and original Trek and Star Wars and Heinlein juveniles, but nothing new to be their own.
I love this one, too. It’s my favorite Star Trek film. Not only is it well made, but it also wraps up the Original Series story in a very satisfying moment.
I also like the way the film looks at TOS and laughs it in a good natured way. From Kirk kissing the good looking woman and Bones asking, “what is it with you, anyways?” to Spock asking Kirk if they’ve grown so old and inflexible that they’ve outlived their usefulness and then pondering that it might constitute a joke, the film manages to indulge in self examination without navel gazing. In fact, Spock’s line is probably my favorite from the whole film and it’s definitely my favorite scene.
I enjoyed your summary, too. You seem to like it for the same reasons that I do and you pointed out some trivia that I didn’t know, like casting Kim Cattrall. I’m looking forward to your reviews of the Next Generation films
Well said. The Undiscovered Country may not have Wrath of Khan’s brilliance, but you just can’t beat it for sheer entertainment value.
A common thread that I and the commentariat have noticed running through the best Trek movies is a standout villain. The cream of the crop are capable, well-informed, and make compelling arguments. Though he’s often overshadowed by the likes of Khan and even Kruge, General Chang ticks all three boxes.
“A common thread that I and the commentariat have noticed running through the best Trek movies is a standout villain.”
Not necessarily just the movies–DS9, the standout of the post-TOS series, had a nice deep bench of villains, especially in comparison to the other shows.
And since you bring it up … yes, I will be reviewing the Next Generation films.
Interesting. I can’t say that I’ve ever actually truly watched Trek, bar incidentally watching the Voyager episode “Year of Hell” once, but I’m interested in seeing the series from the point of view of a fan who isn’t a secular liberal like so many.
Glad you’re getting value from these posts. Point of order, though: While I enjoy certain Star Trek movies and occasional episodes, I don’t consider myself a fan of the franchise as a whole.
Fair point. Being a “Star Trek fan” in the general sense is usually a bad thing.
Bingo. The series has good moments, but they really don’t outweigh the bad, and while individual films and episodes are absolutely worth watching (and its best work is as good as anything), overall the series was intentionally deconstructive of society.
That’s one reason I enjoy ST VI more than WoK. The former outright refutes the End of History narrative, makes a strong case for the right of a people to exist and have their own culture, and demolishes the Federation’s spotless image.
This film has the best Angry Spock.
No mind control shenanigans and no jj tantrum.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoZIuLfQhg0
Brian,
I enjoyed that one too. Christopher Plummer hamming it up with Shakespearean bombast about letting the dogs of war slip while the torpedoes flying toward the Enterprise was such a blast. That movie was enjoyable, the political intrigue, the murder mystery and so on were all well integrated.
xavier
The fact that this isn’t Saavik means she doesn’t become one of the baddies after we all came to like her, so I’m okay with the change.