REVIEW: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

It has been too long since I last reviewed a movie, and seeing how the last movie I did (Emoji) kinda dampened my spirit, it was nice to go back to the theater, and return to a galaxy far far away. Disney's third Star Wars film is here, and there's been a lot of hype and buildup for this film. Disney themselves seemed so confident in director Rian Johnson, that they've already given him his own separate trilogy, despite this trilogy not even being finished yet. What kind of film were we in for? Well if you remember last time, I thoroughly enjoyed JJ's glorified rehash. Yes, it's a rehash, but it's damn fun. There's nothing wrong with that. Yeah I probably gave it a bit high of a rating, but I did remember thinking that this movie would need to go into new territory if it wanted that same praise. So... does the Last Jedi deliver?

Well... despite a few vague similarities, it pleases me greatly that The Last Jedi really does seem like Disney's first major bullseye in the Star Wars universe. It doesn't just retread familiar territory, it explorers new territory that I wondered if diehard fans would even accept. This is a very bold film that pays off in more ways than one, and just keeps going and going. It's great to see characters like Poe, Finn, and Rey back at it again, while getting introduced to new characters in the process. And of course, it's great to see the old timers back in the saddle again (unless your name is C-3PO... I'm almost willing to bet he'll die next film).

Now before I get too far ahead, fair warning that you will notice a few similarities in this film to Empire, and even Return of the Jedi. There are similarities. The beginning of the film, the Resistance is on the run from the First Order, Rey is getting trained by Luke. It's all there. But they take this material and go about executing it in probably all the right ways... and even a few ways I'm not entirely sold on. There are certain scenes that my logistical mindset was scratching my head on. Only in Star Wars I guess. But I won't say anything there.  You'd think with certain similarities, that this movie would be predictable, but it's the exact opposite! There were twists I didn't see coming at all! This makes this likely one of the best films to come from Star Wars in decades! And unlike Force Awakens, it doesn't rely so heavily on nostalgia and fan service for you to get your kicks.

Now, at the end of Force Awakens, we got to see the return of Mark Hamill and I remember groaning when the film ended, because I wanted to see what Luke's contribution to this story would be so very bad. And man does this story deliver. Luke in this film can deliver some of the absolute best moments of the entire franchise I feel. He's badass and renowned, yet at the same time, he's gotten rather snarky and it makes for some genuinely great comedy in this film. And the way he goes Scott expanding the lore in this movie about the Force is absolutely beautiful. But that's literally all I can say here because I refuse to spoil his story. It's done just so incredibly well. You won't be disappointed. Guarantee that.

The action? It's there as always. Now that said, I do think the action of Force Awakens and Rogue One was a bit better. Here, it can be a bit more tame. I don't really feel like I'm in the scene as I did in Rogue One if that makes sense. But that said, it is still a lot of fun.

I think if I'm gonna criticize anything in this movie, it's that there are times this film feels oddly out of place in the Star Wars franchise. I don't wanna say too much, but there are times it feels like you're watching an entirely different movie. This can be both good and bad. And during these particular scenes, I did feel that the morality that these films are not exactly the best at graying in kinda stand out in the wrong way. It gets a bit preachy in certain areas actually that just kinda felt silly to me, but in the same way, the film's unpredictability can make for twists in this area that will make your eyes widen.

I could go on about what I loved in this movie, but in the spirits of keeping it spoiler-free, I need to wrap it up. This film is easily the strongest film to come out of Star Wars in decades. Better than any prequel,  better than the other Disney films, I'll go out on a limb to say this is on a level of excellence in the same ways of Empire Strikes Back. Is it as good? Probably not, but I believe most fans will definitely applaud the effort of this film by the time the credits start rolling,  and it's for this reason, I award The Last Jedi with a solid three and a half star rating out of four, and it just barely misses the full rating. Barely. This is one of the years most entertaining films and an absolute joy to behold, and sets up the final film of this trilogy up nicely. Let's just hope JJ Abrams is up to the task. Until then, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3.5/4

REVIEW: Star Trek (2009)

Do you guys have any idea how stoked I am to finally be writing this? Honestly you don't. I love talking about controversial entertainment like this. Let's dive right in!

For those who have absolutely no idea, the Star Trek reboot films have been the talk of the Star Trek communities nowadays. It has completely split the Fandom right up the middle. You either love them, or you hate them. I've encountered one too many discussions about how people love the darker tone which can reflect our post-9/11 country right now, or how people absolutely despise the..."J.J.-verse". Well where do I stand? I'm not entirely sure myself. Each film has their strengths and weaknesses. And each one has given me something to enjoy. 

But to avoid ten paragraph reviews, I'm going to get a few of the more common debates out of the gate right here, right now. Whether you agree with these points or not...well...I'm not gonna debate too much about them. HERE WE GO!!!! I like the new layout of the Enterprise, I think the new cast does a great job at portraying their roles, I don't at all mind all the lens flares, while it seems to be the most controversial topic, a lot of the action is very well done, and finally, I really don't give a damn whether or not you think it fits the vision of Gene Roddenberry. Because let's face it, if everything everywhere had to fit the original vision of their original creator, a lot of franchises like Star Wars or Stargate would straight up suck- Have I pissed anyone off yet?

Okay let's get serious. In all seriousness, Star Trek needed the little break it got after Nemesis, and Enterprise. While I've yet to see any Enterprise episodes, I've heard enough fanboy hate to know that Trek needed a break. Some new blood. Something...new. Enter director J.J. Abrams who came up with a little idea of creating an alternate time line, which in all honesty....I'm all for. Now before I get too many hate comments, let me just say, that no, I don't hate the primary time line. I'm just a HUGE fan of alternate realities, time lines, and I won't lie, the plot of this movie is the ultimate story I can think of when time travel goes horribly wrong. I find it really kinda cool to see that the hero fails to fix it. This new dark tone does in fact mirror a lot of what our country felt in the post 9/11 days, and correct me if I'm wrong, but Star Trek kinda likes mirroring recent events. From the Klingon Empire mirroring Nazi Germany of the Original Series, to Undiscovered Country mirroring the end of the Cold War, just to name a relative few. I've heard people call this reboot mirroring "exploitation". So what do they call that other stuff? And again, don't even bother bringing up "oh it's not Roddenberry's vision". Refer to the previous paragraph. 

Now I will say this, that yes, fans do give this and the next film legitimate criticisms that I actually kinda sympathize with. Whether it's a relative few plot holes (all of which are explained in deleted scenes or the prequel comic....come on J.J.), or how the amount of action just doesn't fit at times, or how Starfleet doesn't quite act like Starfleet  (more on this point in the next review). One point I've heard is that these films don't reflect Star Trek spirit in terms of moral standpoints and whatnot, and all I'm gonna say is this.  Leave that stuff to the show, because I pay to watch a movie for a fun adventure. Nearly every Star Trek movie or there has been based on an adventure, and those that tried to be something else kinda failed. Wrath of Kahn, Search for Spock, Voyage Home, First Contact....all adventures. I guess you can say Voyage Home had a moral, but everyone seems to criticize it. In fact the ONLY film I can say has both a good adventure and moral standpoint is Undiscovered Country. So what do people have against this adventure? Because I can easily follow it, I have a lot of fun with it, and while it's not perfect...I'm glad it was the first Star Trek movie I saw in theaters. 

The only thing I really have a problem with in this particular movie, is the fact that write quite frankly, I'm kinda done with Kirk and Spock. They had their time in the limelight. But even this isn't do much a hindrance with this movie, because this story that was given was just way too fun not to enjoy. Each cast member portrays their character very well, even if there are a few moments I still kinda scratch my head at (like the Spock Uhura relationship). And despite everything, this movie does portray a very fun new beginning for Kirk and his crew, from Kirk cheating at the Kobayashi Maru, to the intimidating Romulan/Borg ship (comic expansion), to Nero, who is one of my favorite Star Trek villains to this point. The action in this movie is spot on, and even if it's a little excessive, it at least fits, unlike some of the action in Nemesis. 

But for me the films strongest point comes from Leonard Nimoy, in a performance I like to call the ultimate finale (if not for his rather forced cameo next film). Once you see him on screen, you immediately smile, you immediately sit yourself down, and you love each and every second he's on screen. Like I said, if it wasn't for his forced cameo in the sequel, this would have been the perfect performance for him to leave the franchise on. Especially in the films final scene, which is easily one of my favorite scenes in all of Star Trek, when we see the Enterprise boldly going where no one has gone before, to Nimoy excellently voicing that iconic monologue. It left me on a high, and only wanting more. Whether I got more? I guess you'll have to check in next week for that answer. 

But when all is said and done, this is a film that is easily one if my favorite films of the franchise, and honestly I feel the reason it gets so much hate, is the fact that people will worry that the future of Star Trek will be based on this new time line. Well after doing my own research, all answers point to no. This seems to just be a fun little trip, so all I'm gonna say is sit back and enjoy the ride while we wait eagerly for our new series in 2017. But for this movie, this reboot, Star Trek earns a three and a half star rating out of four. It's flawed, but it does so much right that I can forgive said flaws. The acting is good, the story is great, the visuals are easily amongst the best out there, and the music is absolutely phenomenal. Massive points to Michael Giacchino for the musical score here. If you don't like it for some of the reasons I've stated above, there are some of those I can relate and sympathize with, but I'll quote a favorite critic of mine here. If you're gonna hate something for the sole reason of it being different, I kindly ask for you to go beck to your corner of the room that remembers your Utopian time period which never existed. Star Trek is, and always has been a flawed but enjoyable series to follow, and this film was absolutely no different. 

Boy I can't wait to see the hate come pouring in here. 

Please feel free to request films you'd like to see reviewed. Leave a comment down below expressing your own thoughts and opinions on this movie, and as always, thanks for reading. 

Final Verdict: 3.5/4

One more guys. One more film before July. We're wrapping up ourTrek-a-thon next week, hope you'll read then!

THROWBACK ALBUM REVIEW: St. Anger by Metallica

What is the worst album you've ever heard?  That's a hard question to answer, because there is a LOT of bad music out there, all for different reasons, under different genres, by different artists, with different traits that make it awful.  One of the things I've learned in my time of writing critiques, is that certain things that are bad, have a certain amount of enjoyability perhaps buried in them.  A bad movie can be fun to watch for hilarious acting, or ridiculous story, or whatnot.  A bad video game can be enjoyed after popping open a beer and watching a glitch fest of hilarity ensue.  However, I've been reviewing music for a very long time now.  I don't do it as often nowadays, but I used to review music a lot, in my post High School years.  Music was my life back in the day, and I loved recommending music to others, or warning others to stay away from certain music.  And that part of me still lives today.  I make plenty of mixes, in hopes of showing off good music to other people, and of course, I spotlight old music every Thursday for the Throwback Thursday Ressurection Jukebox special thing I do on Google+. In my experience of music...I can tell you that bad music is not so easily enjoyed. You can't just pop open a beer, sit back, and listen to a bad pop album. You're still going to hate it. Which brings me to one of the most controversial albums of all time, by a band I used to absolutely idolize.

Metallica in high school was life.  They were in many ways to me...the band that could do absolutely no wrong. And I'll go ahead and admit that when I was in high school, it was a good time to be a Metallica fan.  My sophomore year, they released Death Magnetic. That album, though not perfect, remains one of my favorite albums they've done, and to me, one of their best. However before that, there was a lot of bad aftertaste from the album that came...beforehand...and that was the infamous St. Anger album.

I used to defend the hell out of this album, and it was dumb fanboy love at it's absolute finest. Growing up, not only have I drifted away from Metallica as my music taste broadened a bit, but I've come to realize...hey...St. Anger ain't all it's cracked up to be. But listening to it again, is it their absolute worst? ...well...no....there's always Lulu to lower the bar even further, but even without Lulu I won't call it their worst.  Honestly I don't know where to rank it.

Now...I will say this.  The production of St. Anger...is garbage. Attrocious. Pitiful. I can go on, but I won't. But combined with the frustrating tone of this album the frustrating lyrics, and the times that Metallica was going through, it strangely...produces a unique charm.  And I don't like putting it that way because I feel as if those who detest this album are gonna accuse me of being a fanboy...guys I haven't listened to Metallica in full for a while now.  I'm too busy fanboying over Pink Floyd or some other old band.  So hear me out.To fully understand this album, we need to go back to the early 2000's, and take a look at what exactly Metallica was going through...

Band therapy, Jason Newsted's departure, James Hetfield's rehab, the drama between them and Napster, and in many ways, that's just the tip of the iceberg.  Watch the documentary, Some Kind of Monster, and you can see a bit more what exactly each member was thinking.  So when I hear James shouting off key, I'm wondering if he's even singing.  It sounds like he's just raging.  The lyrics to some of these songs, when delivered right in songs like Frantic, St. Anger, or even songs like Shoot Me Again, can be pretty...intimidating. Now that's not to say that there isn't a fair amount of...crap.  Because though I used to really really relate to songs like Invisible Kid, I've come to realize that coming from a band like Metallica, they're fucking silly. My World has some cool moments, but overall, it's a knock-off song.  And Purify?  I'll rip more on this song later, but those lyrics don't even make sense.

More on the production. From note one you can likely hear the problem.  I don't really mind the down-tuning so much, as it does give the overall album a darker tone, but they don't really experiment much with it, and when they do experiment, the results can be atrocious, such as the infamous loosening of Lars' snare drum.  A fatal mistake, Lars.  Being a drummer myself, saying the drum heads aren't in tune is an understatement. There are times that snare is just wailed upon, and you cringe at each and every hit. Purify.  Remember that song I was just talking about? A few seconds in, Lars is only hitting that snare...as hard as he can.  I'll give you a moment to rub your faces. Another common complaint is the lack of guitar solos.  Now this is something I wouldn't mind so much, again if they did something to compensate or experiment with. Songs like Frantic don't need solos.  And the song Some Kind of Monster has some jam sessions that aren't too bad to listen to. But as you go further and further into the album, you begin to hear a sense of repetitivity, and that's because there is no solo.  And exhibit A....fucking Purify. There is a section of this song where a certain riff is repeated over 20 to 30 times.  I'm not exaggerating.  That is ridiculous.  Okay I'll stop ripping on Purify...it's too easy.  It might as well be said, it's pretty much the absolute worst Metallica song they've put out.  So what other song can I rip for repetitivity?  How about the album's final song...in which for the last few moments of the song, James decides to shout the single word "Kill" I'm willing to bet over 40 times. 

Put all this together with atrocious production (and thankfully this would be the final project with Bob Rock), mediocre lyrics, and frustrating times, I have only one thing to say.  Why was this album released when it was?  I ask this because there is material here that isn't half bad.  There's a lot of material I actually really like, but if Metallica really wanted this album to come out on top, if you ask me, it really should have been delayed.  Had this album come out a year or two later, perhaps the results would have been better.  Instead, the pros are outweighed by the cons.  But I will say this...despite everything I've said negative...I can still listen to it in full. Now, I'm not gonna say it's a favorite album, because I gotta pace myself, but I find this album strangely satisfying to listen to when I have a shitty day.  And this is kinda how I feel Metallica felt when releasing this.  Dealing with all the shit they were dealing with, I feel that St. Anger was the album that they just poured everything...all that negativity into, and just gave it to us.  Did they care?  I don't know.  But I think of it as a necessary evil because Death Magnetic certainly kicked ass.  Listening to St. Anger on a downer day can be...strangely...cleansing I feel.  At the end of the day, a shitty day is a shitty day, but I like to think of this album as a ritual to exorcize those demons I have that build within me when I feel only rage and frustration at the world.  That aweful production, those angry frustrated lyrics, darker tones in guitar, and aggressive play style strangely helps me cope.  From beginning to finish.

I may just be in the minority there, but with this element, I cannot in my right mind, condemn this album as a failure in full.  That gets reserved for other albums.  While St. Anger isn't exactly on the money, I'm not going to say that it missed the target completely.  Even if it just grazed the outside of it. While it's not for listening on a casual level, it is an album I'd recommend if you just gotta rage a bit.  Because St. Anger DOES live up to it's name.  Metallica's return to its thrash roots does provide some emotionally raw anger that is easily heard in this album.  Give it a listen once in a while before you shelve it or return it to the library or whatever.  It's safe for the occassional listen.  Nothing more, nothing less. Or don't. I don't know anymore. 

Album Grade: C

THROWBACK REVIEW: Star Trek: First Contact

Star Trek: First Contact in multiple ways feels like this was the Star Trek movie that was made for me. It is one of the coolest adventures of the Trek universe, and easily the best of the Next Generation films of Star Trek.  Long have I praised this film, long have I defended it from the relative few who I have seen trash talk it.  And long will I continue to love and defend it.  I won't let some nitpicking fans ruin my love of this film, especially when I feel that a lot of their points that they try to make are debatable at best. Is Captain Picard out of character here?  Is there too much action?  Let's just take a look.

I will start this review out by pointing out ironically, my only problem with this movie.  The setting. At the end of Generations, we'd witnessed the destruction of the USS Enterprise-D, and we saw the crew getting picked up by a few Starfleet ships, before warping into the distance, ready to continue their many adventures.  Well, when First Contact starts up, where are we?  On the new and beautiful ship Enterprise-E.  But.....where did it come from?  This is my biggest question.  Why weren't we given a little introduction to this ship? I mean in Star Trek IV, when the crew is getting shuttled to their new assignment, we were given a glimpse at the newly constructed USS Enterprise-A. This gave us some insight as to the fact that the legacy of the Enterprise was only beginning.  Here, they're literally just sitting around a table, talking about their new ship and how they're ready to fight the Borg. I mean don't get me wrong, the Enterprise-E is a beautiful ship, but I would have loved to get to know her a bit before this movie.  An introduction scene or montage or something.  I mean heck, even the crew members like Geordi look different. His visor is gone.  We were given no hint that he'd be given implants instead of his visor before this.  And in his case, no one even bothers mentioning the fact that he decided to get implants or what led to his decision.  It's just a minor gripe about how they set up this movie that gets to me.  But by the time the movie gets rolling, this problem can easily be forgiven, because when we hear that the Borg are attacking Earth...well...who wouldn't be on board?

The opening battle between Starfleet and the Borg cube is one of the coolest scenes of these movies. Normally, Star Trek isn't a franchise I'd associate to put together a fun space battle, but this movie certainly went above and beyond to put this one together in which we get a small cameo by the USS Defiant, and even a very brief glimpse of the famous Millenium Falcon from Star Wars.  And while this battle may not be too visually spectacular when compared to the dogfights of Star Wars or whatnot, it's still a very impressive scene to have come out of Star Trek, before launching us into the main plot of the film in which the Borg send a probe back in time to assimilate Earth before humanity can launch their very first warp-capable ship, which would enable first contact between them and the Vulcans. The Enterprise, caught in this time warp, finds itself in the 21st Century, in a post-WWIII world.  Where we meet easily my favorite non-Enterprise character of the movie, Zephram Cochrane, played perfectly by James Cromwell.  James is an absolute riot in this movie.  I don't think I've ever see a guy play a depressed drunk quite like him. The crew of the Enterprise is tasked with assisting him in repairs to his ship, which is damaged during the Borg attack, and in just...well...helping him find that pride to actually do the launch again, though the hero worship doesn't help at all. Every emotion, every line that James says is just...so in character.  Even the franchise's only title drop in it's long history seems fine. James easily makes this movie worth watching.  He was perfect for the role of Zephram.

One of the things people tend to complain about in this movie is the fact that Picard seems out of character, as he slowly descends into an obsession to destroy the Borg at the cost of...well...anything. I've read articles about how this once intelligent and level-minded leader, was turned into nothing but a man who just wanted to kill anything Borg, despite not ever showing this side before.  To that I say...really?  So his willingness to use a single Borg drone to carry a virus to eradicate the entire Borg race wasn't an obsession? In that same episode, his angry refusal to even speak to the Borg drone who was starting to show signs of individuality wasn't an out of character grudge?  Look I understand that in that episode, he did decide against his act against the Borg, and did in fact get to know the drone in question, but you gotta put into effect what exactly is going on in this movie.  Picard's entire way of life is at risk.  The Borg are threatening to end life on Earth as we know it, erasing everything we've done.  Now I will say that yes, Picard could have been more level-headed but all captains react differently in a crisis. Picard didn't want to lose the Enterprise, despite the fact that for all he knew, it was already lost. With everything the Borg had put him through in the entire franchise, I could easily see why he was so reluctant to accept defeat, and to destroy his foe in the only means left.  And to see him finally realize what he was doing in the end, I felt was very fitting.  When he starts quoting Moby Dick, before finally ordering the complete evacuation of the Enterprise it's easily one of the strongest scenes of the movie. I can only guess that people don't like this because it makes Picard, arguably one of Star Trek's strongest captains, appear weak. Weakness is a part of being a captain, and I find it interesting to see how captains handle this aspect. I mean....if you want an example to compare it to, Captain Edward Smith was supposed to have been the most experienced and talented Captain of White Star Line back in 1912. Yet when the Titanic struck an iceberg, even the talented Captain was weak in the time of crisis. It's just a thing that captains face, and I thought this movie pulled it off. 

As far as the action is concerned in this movie, you'll hear no complaints from me. I've long since grown a bit tired of hearing complaints about how much action should be in Star Trek. Now before I go on, yes, there are times when Star Trek action does very much feel out of place. And I will take note of it. But in this particular film, there was not one scene that felt out of place. Why? Well I guess it was how the scene was set up. I can't really compare it to action of Star Trek II or VI, because unlike action of those two movies which involves ship to ship combat, this action primarily takes place within the Enterprise, which is a move I absolutely love. The concept of the Borg beginning to take over the Enterprise is something that will keep you on the edge of your seat, especially when you begin to realize that the fight is a losing battle. But that tension is still present. When you watch the crew slowly walking through the halls of the Enterprise, past Borg drones, left and right, or when Picard and Worf are battling the Borg on the hull of the Enterprise itself? Man....it's so satisfying to see Worf slice through a Borg in zero gravity. 

But I think the best aspect of this movie, is finally seeing just how humanity meets the Vulcans for the first time. Now I will say that the climactic scene, which features the landing of the Vulcans feels a bit rushed into, especially after the climactic fight between the Borg Queen, Picard, and Data. The fight is resolved, and we pretty much suddenly see the landing happening. I would have appreciated just a little buildup, but the whole fascination between the humans and Vulcans alike is well done, and the music to the scene? Perfect. I've not talked much about the music of the films, but I really should. The musical score of this film, and Generations are fantastic. Regardless of what you might think of the movies, the music is very well done. Back to the scene, we've only had to imagine before this how First Contact could have played out. To see the humans and Vulcans finally meeting, engaging with one another, and experiencing each other's culture for the first time is a treat I really love. I absolutely love how the Vulcans react to Zephram's jukebox. 

At the end of it all, there's a lot I could talk about in this movie, from interactions between both Data and the Borg Queen, and Picard and Zephram's friend, Lily, but then this review would be longer than I'd like. All you need to know, is that I feel this is the one film of the Next Generation crew that got almost everything right. The strongest of the film's. And though there are a few minor gripes, it's nothing that made me dislike this film, or penalize it in ways other films did get penalized from me. Is it my favorite film? I dunno. Again, it's still hard to decide between this, and Undiscovered Country, but it's still a great film, for multiple reasons. 

Star Trek: First Contact, is issued with tough love, a three and a half star rating out of four. I want to give it that full four star rating more than anything, but I think it just barely misses that. Barely. While it does so many things that will make it rival other strong films, it does seem a little rushed in a few areas which does end up slightly hindering the experience, but it's still one of the best out there, and I will continue to preach that until the cows come home. From the action, to the acting, it still feels like the perfect Trek movie for me as a person. 

Please feel free to request a movie you'd like me to take a look at. Leave a comment down below telling me of your own thoughts on this movie or whatnot, and as always, thanks for reading. 

Final Verdict: 3.5/4

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