THROWBACK REVIEW: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

The beginning of The Voyage Home begins with a very touching dedication to the seven lives lost aboard the Challenger.  We've just hit the 30th anniversary of that disaster, and thirty years later, this film remains one of my personal favorite Star Trek films.  The Voyage Home goes into new waters for Star Trek as a franchise, blending a clever science fiction story in with some very funny comedy and the finished product that director Leonard Nimoy gives us is more than satisfactory.  While some elements may not be as strong as others, the good far outweighs the bad in this film, and it gives a satisfactory ending to the dubbed "trilogy" of Star Trek films that began with Wrath of Kahn.

And I gotta say for as much praise as I will give this film, it's very ironic that this is one of the only Star Trek films that barely features the Enterprise.  Most of the story focuses on the crew aboard their captured Klingon Bird of Prey, which they name the HMS Bounty.  With the Enterprise being destroyed last film, we don't get a shot of the newly constructed Enterprise-A, until the very final shot of the film.  Yet this film is still awesome.  When you make a Star Trek film, and barely show the Enterprise at all, yet still come out on top, you know you've done good. So huge props to Nimoy there.  He certainly knew how to write this story, and make it entertaining.

Now that's not to say that the film is without problems.  I've heard many people complain about the environmental message which only seems forced.  And yeah...it does seem forced.  Nothing against the whales, being a lover of the ocean myself, there are many animals that I am concerned about when it comes to their status as endangered...but Humpbacks are not endangered.  The film ventures into fiction at that area, which is kinda weird.  Why not direct the attention towards a species that really is endangered?  Such as certain species of Orca, or as they mention in the film, the Blue Whale, which actually IS endangered? I guess a Blue Whale wouldn't fit on the Bird of Prey.  I'm just kinda nitpicking here, because the movie is so entertaining that it's easy to give a pass on the environmental message. It is cleverly done, even if a little forced.

I've also heard some people say they don't care for the comedy, and that's a point I just brush aside.  Star Trek may not be known as a comedy, but when they write good comedy, it shouldn't just be brushed aside.  And a story about a crew from the 23rd century, trapped in the late 20th century is just RIPE for comedy.  And the writers took advantage of it, because the results could be nothing short of phenomenal. From Kirk shouting at a Taxi driver who nearly ran him over "Double dumb-ass on you!" to Spock nerve pinching a punk rock fan unconscious on the bus, to Scotty talking to an old Apple computer, "Hello, computer1", to Dr. McCoy getting disgusted by 20th century medicine, which is honestly one of the funniest scenes in the movie.  It is absolutely hilarious when Kirk's crew is walking around in their red Starfleet uniforms in the heart of San Fransisco, past people wearing aviators, and other 80's apparel.  They stick out like a sore thumb, and the crew barely cares about it.  What is there not to love? You can try and bring up an argument with me on how that doesn't feel like Star Trek, but you know what? Comedy happens to everyone. If you're from the 23rd Century, and don't have a clue how life works in a time two hundred years before you, you're going to run into comedy.

For a while, this was one of my favorite Star Trek films, and it still is.  Watching it again, I can't really find much wrong with it aside from small little nit pickings. Why is Time Warp so simple?  Why was their return trip not as rough as their entry trip? Other smaller questions like that.  But for what it is, it's a strong film, and probably one of the better Nimoy films.  And it's a shame that his success with Star Trek III and Star Trek IV would become a little controversial to fellow actor William Shatner, who wanted a piece of the pie...but that's a whole different movie all together, and one we'll get to next time.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home earns a three and a half out of four stars with me.  It's storytelling is incredible, and it provides a most satisfying conclusion to the trilogy that started with Wrath of Kahn two movies ago.  The characters are the same lovable characters you've come to know and love, and the comedy is easily some of the best that Star Trek has ever done.  Honestly, I don't think there's a funnier Trek movie or episode out there, and I'm glad for it.  Whether you watch it in I sequence with the other movies, or as a standalone film, it is going to be enjoyable all around for the lovers of Star Trek and science fiction. If you think I'm kidding...well to quote Spock, "The hell I ain't."

Please feel free to suggest a film for me to review in the future.  Leave a comment down below on how you feel about this film, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3.5/4