Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan

Star Trek Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

I knew 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan' had reached celebrity status in the pantheon of science fiction films when I was watching 'Daddy Day Care' recently and saw the memorable scene where the day care dads re-enact 'The Wrath of Khan' as a puppet show for the kids. All I could think of was 'Wow! How can I become young again and go to that day care!!!' 22 years later, and this movie is still going strong! It is powered by a very high octane mixture of outstanding ship-to-ship space battles, incredible music and soundtrack, tons of nautical references that will make any Navy buff proud, a cliffhanger ending worthy of the Star Trek series, and an outstanding performance by William Shatner as the indominatable Captain Kirk. This entire film should be bronzed and put in the Library of Congress under a glowing lamp in the entrance foyer. Who can forget Ricardo Montalban as a taunting Khan who chases Kirk round the nebula while quoting extended passages from 'Moby Dick'? Who can forget the tragic human moment of Captain Kirk, in his arrogant swash and bragger, running the Enterprise against the enemy Reliant with the shields down? This is the type of film that demands to be owned and watched on DVD - accept no substitute! Any science fiction fan who does not have this film in their collection should be strung up by their fellow DVD breathen and sentenced to a long and harsh sentence of watching 'Step Mom' on VHS.

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My Favorite Star Trek Film

Like the recent film, this was an attempt to reboot a moribund franchise, and did so beautifully. The characters are treated with affection and respect and with a plot that both pays homage to the original series but works as a stand alone in a way few of the other films do. I think this works as a terrific space opera even if you're not ordinarily a fan. So many of the Star Trek villains are cardboard. By picking out a villain from the original series to hang their plot on, they gave him a menace and resonance beyond the usual and I loved the exploration of Kirk's character, his arc here. The film also features arguably the most moving scene in the entire franchise involving him and Spock. The pack of all the original series film is a great value, but if you only want one Star Trek picture, this is the one to choose.

Pure Treekie

In my estimation, this DVD is by far the best Star Trek film I have ever seen. It is the one that gets closest to "the heart of the matter." It's the Star Trek film where everybody are dealing with very real human emotions. Shatner, as the iconic Captain Kirk, faces his greatest adversary in the form of Khan and faces his mortality. He comes into his own in this film because there's a kind of resolution to things in this volume that's not in the other ones. Star Trek,,, Live Long and Prosper!

Wow!!

Let me just start off saying that I am NOT a Treekie, nor was I ever. I did not see Star Trek I, and had no desire to. I accidentially saw this movie and fell in love with it. The special effects for it's time are incredible, the story line is awesome and Ricardo plays one nasty bad guy! You can't help but really care about the Enterprise and it's crew and I still get teary when Spock dies. That funeral scene is a real tear jerker, every time. Kristee Alley was awesome as Svaak, it's too bad she got greedy and didn't do ST3. This movie makes you HAVE to see ST3.

Have some baked beans with that ham

This one rocks. After the great looking but pointlessly existential (sorry for the redundancy) Star Trek: The Motion Picture (which evidently opened concurrent with Star Trek: The Opera) this is a great return to form with Shatner just beginning the Fat Elvis phase we know and love him for. This movie works for a few reasons: 1) Things blow up. There is nothing worse in Star Trek than when some writer thinks we give a hoot about the character's interior life. No we don't. We are here to watch things blow up. 2) Shatner v. Montalban: who can overact more. My money goes to Montalban who it seems has a career as long as Bob Hope's has an old pro's grace with the hammy dialogue. This is not to take away from Shatner's cured loin-of-pork performance. It really is six of one, half a dozen of the other. 3) It had a subplot. Also of note is a svelte Kirstie Alley who plays a cute Vulcan know-it-all who learns it is better to ignore protocol and regulations and watch a crew of students perish because of Kirk's insouciance. More fun: figure out which ''unknown'' will die in a later scene. This one has it all and there is even something for the die-hard who pays way too much attention to this stuff. Love it, love it.

After 20 years the magic is back.

Classic Trek at it's best, after 20 years the magic is back. Cool villain Khan is back to terrorize the universe. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) was pretty dull. Ok, so it was a reunion after 20 years that the old crew got back together, I guess that's a good excuse for a less than thrilling movie. The first half of the movie is everyone being excited to being back together again, and a whole lot of oh and ah pictures of the Enterprise. Once the plot tries to takes off on its own there's not much here. After waiting 20 years for the ''reunion tour'' many Trek fans had to wonder if the magic could be restored to this cast of characters. Well, finally, with Wrath of Kahn, it has. Many give credit to Director Nicholas Meyer for bringing the life back to the franchise. Maybe the magic returns because of the magical presence of Fantasy Island magician Ricardo Montalban who does a fabulous job of reliving the character he did some 20 years earlier in the Original Series episode (Space Seed). Maybe, after the first movie all the pieces fell together, the crew found itself in form in the second movie of the Original Series ''reunion tour'' and all we loved about the Original Series had made the transition to the big screen. Simple plot with enough classic Trek melodrama, cat and mouse games between Kahn and Kirk, to please any Original Series fans. Enough action and adventure for anyone not a true Trek fan to have something to enjoy. A must have movie for any SciFi collection.

Classic Trek at it's best

After 20 years the magic is back. Cool villian Khan is back to terrorize the universe. Simple plot with enough classic Trek melodrama, cat and mouse games between Kahn and Kirk, to please any Original Series fans. Enough action and adventure for anyone not a true Trek fan to have something to enjoy. A must have movie for any SciFi collection. (*****)

A Great Star Trek II Drector's Edition Movie!

Star Trek II'' The Warth of Khan Director's Edition is a wonderful Science Fiction adventure!This is a great Star Trek Movie! This film is the sequel to the Star Trek classic episode ''Spacee Seed''. Khan (Ricardo Montlban) wants revenge on James T. Kirk (William Shatner)and the starship, USS Enterprise. for exiling him to a barren Wasteland. This set includes exclusive interviews with the actors and director Nicholase Meyer! I love this DVD set! It is so good! Highest Possible Recommendation!

The start of the trilogy.

Star Trek II, III, IV are the strongest in the series of original cast movies. VI is a finely done ending, but these three ''treks'' support each other. Since the day of Melville's ''Moby Dick'', there hasn't been a classic, simple, and enganging story of revenge and hatred. Nick Meyer's directorial takeover from Robert Wise (ST:TMP), was a good choice since Meyer likes to lay back on his classic-story roots. He portrays the characters, for the first time, as human...not forever youthful heroes. The Kirk-Khan rivalry take the vengeance scenario to new heights as past and present come together. ST II is about the acceptance of loss, the past that comes full circle, and the bystanding people who get caught in the middle. The Wrath of Khan remains, by far, the best in the series...and a chilling awakening of a realistic storyline. It may be sci-fi, but you can be assured the tale hits home.

This is the one to see...

This is by far the best Star Trek movie to date. A film even that non-trekkies will love. Action packed with a little bit of humor this film follws up an episode of the original series titled ''Space Seed'' in which the Enterprise encounter a 20th century deep space vehicle. On the ship are cybernetically engineered humans. One...which name is Khan tries to hijack the Enterprise but fails. Kirk then dumps tyhe Botany Bay's survivors on planet Ceti Alpha 5. The film follows Kirk on a training mission on the Enterprise while the space ship Reliant is finding a lifeless planet for the test detination of a missle called Genesis which when detinated on a dead rock in space will make it suitable for whatever life capable of flourishing on it. When Chekov and the Reliant's Captain Terrell beam down to check out a life reading Khan and the survivng Botany Bay Crew take the two officers hostage,beam up to reliant,and hijack the ship in search of Kirk for revenge. While on the training mission Kirk recieves a message from a former lover named Dr. Carol Marcus.When she implies that Kirk is trying to take hold of Genesis Kirk contacts Starfleet and is ordered to alter course to Space Lab Regula One while Khan is also headed toward it. Khan arrives but does not find Genesis and kills all of the crew except Carol Marcus,her son David,and a crew member.While headed toward Regula One Enterprise encounters Reliant under Khan's control. The two battle it out and Enterprise drives off the Reliant. While arriving at Regula One Kirk,McCoy and Savikk (the new Enterprise helmsman) beam over only to fin Chekov and Terrel under the influence of an insect which makes them easy to reason with. When Kirk finds out that someone beamed downt to Regula the group decides to follow. On Regula they find the Marcus' and find out that David is Kirk's son. While Khan talks to Terrell the animal starts dying and Terrell in extreme pain turns the phaser and kills hinself. Chekov also in pain is knocked unconcious and the animal is removed. Kahn then beams up the Genesis missle.Kirk and the remaining group are beamed up to Enterprise. While Enterprise heads toward the Mutara Nebula (in which shields and phaser targeting are unavailable due to ion storms) to even things up. When the Reliant is badly damaged and only Khan which is badly injured remains Khan activates the Genesis missle in a last attempt of revenge. The Enterprise becomes aware of the situation and tries to make it out but can't (the warp dive is not working because of heavy radiation). Spock goes to engineering to fix the warp drive but but dies after he does. The Enterprise warps out in time to avoid the explosion. Spock's body is shot onto the newly formed Genesis Planet and the Enterprise heads home. Directed by Nicholas Meyer and written by Harve Bennett this is the one to see.

Wrath of Khan: The DVD Review

The DVD version of this movie is a bit disappointing. The transfer done of this movie could've been better. I noticed some degree of grain and washout on the disc I have. I recall my viewing of this movie at Washington DC's old MacArthur theater, in 70mm, was also a bit grainy. Maybe this was because the film wasn't shot in 65mm like ST:1 and was just a blow up from a 35mm print. Anyways, somebody should've at least cleaned up a good print, or found the original negative before transferring it to DVD. As is stands now, the picture shows its age. Paramount should be shamed for the lack of attention they have paid to the releases of the Trek films in this format. Since this is my first Trek DVD viewing, I will hold off final comment on the work done on the rest of them. Other films, from other companies have extras and other featurettes that add to the experience of watching old favorites again. We are only treated to the old teaser trailer with unfinished sound effects. I recall the broadcast version of this movie had extra scenes; Scotty acknowledging Peter Preston as his nephew, Saavik flirting with Kirk, etc. We also have no commentary, even in text, from director Meyer about why he shot scenes the way he did. There is no interview with the other cast and crew either. At least Paramount should've searched their own Entertainment Tonight archives for these interviews, if they weren't willing to get new ones from the cast of their remembrances of that film. Also, from a marketing standpoint, we should have had a trailer for the other Trek DVD releases. This would have increased visibility for other products out there. A missed opportunity. As for the movie experience itself, this is one of the better Treks. Its a solidly written film with decent performances all around. Even after all these years, the adventure still seems fresh and makes its impact. The production design leaves a bit to be desired. I know Paramount wanted to spend less $ after their experience with TMP. ILM's SPFX look good, especially the CGI Genesis planet sequence, but, the model work and FX from the previous movie were better executed (again Trumbull shot FX in a larger format capturing more detail).

Great, but with flaws

Let's get this straight right now-I love this movie. However, there are certain points that I will go into (nerdy, nitpicking points) that have lessened my enjoyment of the movie over the years. History of the film: This is basically a sequel to the very well done first season episode ''Space Seed''. That episode guest starred Ricardo Montalban as genetically engineered superman Khan Noonian Singh. Khan and about 80 of his genetically enhanced followers are beaten in the Eugenics War that followed their creation on Late 20th century earth and they launch themselves into space in a ''sleeper ship''. The ship is found by James Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise 200 years or so later. Khan allies himself with a woman in Kirk's crew and they attempt to take over the Enterprise but are thwarted by the woman's loyalties to her shipmates. Kirk exiles Khan, the woman and Khan's crew to the desolate Ceti Alpha V to, as Khan puts it, have a ''world to conquer.'' Star Trek II starts out with Kirk having a mid-life crisis. He is basically a desk bound Academy instructor. Dr. McCoy's advice on Kirk's birthday is ''Get back your Command.'' On the other side of the galaxy, Commander Pavel Chekov and his Captain, Clark Terrell and their ship the U.S.S. Reliant are looking for a lifeless planet to satisfy the requirement for a test site to launch Project Genesis. A device that can rearrange lifeless matter into something that will spontaneously create life (no real scientific explanation is given). Ceti Alpha VI is deemed a good candidate, so off they go to invesitigate. The Reliant actually finds life on Ceti Alpha so the Captain and Chekov beam down to find out if the sensors are faulty and instead of a lifeless planet, encounter Khan and his crew on Ceti Alpha V. Seems Ceti Alpha VI exploded and shifted the orbit of CA-V. Khan captures Terrell and Chekov, takes them over with little eels he puts in their ears and the rest of the film is a dog and cat chase between Kirk and Khan. No other spoilers will be given. I suppose I should say that the characters are as well drawn as they have ever been in a film, epiosode or novel. If you like the original series, then you will love this film. My beef is in the details. I know Walter Koenig was not on the original series when ''Space Seed'' was filmed but given that Chekov could have been ''below decks'' when introduced to Khan, how could Chekov have forgotten so vivid a tale as that told by ''Space Seed'' let alone that the Ceti Alpha system is where Kirk exiled Khan? For that matter, how could Kirk be so negligent in his duties that he not help Khan and his people when they were in need? In the movie, Khan mentions that the gravimetric shift in the system occurred ''six months after'' they were left there. Ceti Alpha was in Kirk's patrol sector and any disruption could have been picked up by Starfleet navigational beacons. It would have been easy for Kirk to get Khan and his people off of CA-V and relocated. Talk about bad sensors, the Reliant doesn't even pick up that there is one less planet in the system (and I doubt a planet would explode without a trace, there should at least be an asteroid belt where CA-VI was) let alone the fact that they are orbiting the wrong planet, scanning the wrong planet and picking up a life mass wholley inadequate for the one on the planet (accounting for Khan and his people). Genesis is never explained properly and seems more in the realm of magic than science and has only one purpose in the movie. The ships are treated like Spanish galleons. The photon torpedoes are shown being loaded manually and phasers are not beams but plasma bolts. All in all, if you like the characters and the interplay between them (Star Trek II features William Shatner's best performance in a film, period) and can get past the aforementioned inconsistencies, then you will like Star Trek II.

Great Film and a great take-off of a great TV episode

This is indeed one of the best of the six STAR TREK films and it brings back a villian from the TV series to put the TV + MOVIE 'eras' together,seeing this film is just like watching another great TV episode.This film went through many phases as far as storyline and title before it hit the big screen,but it really was worth the time and effort.A TRUE GEM IN STAR TREK HISTORY.

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