Released: June 1982
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Rated PG
Run Time: 113 Minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Science Fiction/Action
Cast:
William Shatner: Admiral James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy: Spock
DeForest Kelley: Dr. McCoy
Nichelle Nichols: Uhura
George Takei: Sulu
Walter Koenig: Chekhov
Kirstie Alley: Saavik
Ricardo Montalban: Khan
Bibi Besch: Dr. Carol Marcus
Merritt Butrick David
Paul Winfield: Terrell
Growing up as a kid in the 80s and early 90s, I was exposed to a lot of movies including Alien, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars. I was also introduced to the wonders of Star Trek. I don’t remember who or why, but I found Star Trek to be as nearly as compelling as Star Wars, just in a different way. Star Trek has a tremendous legacy going back 50 years, starting with the original series that aired during the 60s. It was unlike anything that anybody had seen before. Not only did you have an international crew which included an African-American AND a Russian, but you also had an alien with pointy ears. Not only did Star Trek change television as people knew it, but it also gave us a positive glimpse into what our future could hold. That was, is and will continue to be the essence of Star Trek. Sadly, the original series was cancelled after 3 seasons, but the show had already left its mark. When Star Wars hit theaters in 1977, Paramount Pictures scrambled to come up with something of their to rival George Lucas’s masterpiece. Star Trek: The Motion Picture was released to mixed reviews in 1979, despite being a success at the box-office. For the next film, the budget was a lot smaller and Gene Roddenberry’s influence was pushed to the side. In 1982, the first sequel to Star Trek: The Motion Picture was released. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was critically acclaimed and is regarded as the best Star Trek film ever made.
Some time after the events of the original film, Star Trek II sees James T. Kirk promoted to admiral and Spock to Captain. The film opens as young Vulcan Lt. Saavik as she takes the Kobayashi Maru test. Sometime later, the USS Reliant, with Commander Chekhov and Captain Terrell, is orbiting a planet called Ceti-Alpha 6 in hopes of being able to test an experimental terra-forming torpedo called Genesis. Exploring the planet, they come across some cargo carriers. Realizing that these containers held the ruthless criminal known as Khan Noonien Singh and his people, Chehkov and Terrell are captured. For those who may not know, this is not the first time that Khan has shown up in Star Trek. The Wrath of Khan, in many ways is a sequel to the original series episode, Space Seed, where Khan attempts to hijack the Enterprise. This film acts as a natural continuation of that episode and in the context of the films, it works very, very well. The situation with Khan is not the only thing that’s happening here. We see Kirk in a later stage of his life where he misses being able to command a starship. There are a lot of themes that run concurrently throughout the film: The passage of time, mortality and revenge. While the film is certainly far more action-packed than its predecessor, Star Trek II still remains a true Star Trek film in every way.
Even in 1982, 12 million bucks was a very small amount to make a movie, and yet, Star Trek II managed to feel grand and epic in terms of its story and visual aesthetic. Gone are the goofy uniforms of the previous film. Instead we have a more militaristic Starfleet. The uniforms are uniquely detailed and have some subtle differences and colors for each rank. The set designs are also fairly minimalist, but it works extremely well. The visual effects, including the Mutara Nebula are among the finest that have ever been produced by Industrial Light and Magic. While some elements of the film have been recycled from The Motion Picture, including the departure of the Enterprise from space dock, it still feels like its own movie.
The performances on display here are some of the best in the entire franchise. Even William Shatner gives his best performance as Kirk. All the main characters from the previous film are here: Uhura, Scotty, Sulu, Chekhov, and Mr. Spock are all here. Leonard Nimoy IS Spock, there’s no getting around it. As much as I like Zachary Quinto as Spock, there can be no replacing Mr. Nimoy as the character, even three years after Mr. Nimoy’s passing, his presence in this film is absolutely phenomenal. DeForest Kelley was as awesome as ever as the good doctor. Everybody brings their best and the film as all the better for it. The real showstopper of the film, though, is Ricardo Montalban reprising his role as Khan. Every good hero needs a great villain and Khan is one of the greatest villains in cinema. Ricardo’s charisma and intelligence really shine through with this character.
The action in The Wrath of Khan is extraordinary. While the ground combat is pretty good, the space battles are incredible. I would describe the space battles in Star Trek as the space equivalent of naval warfare with large battleships. The tension comes from the fact that it’s essentially a cat-and-mouse chase that happens to have some big explosions. The first battle with the Reliant basically renders the Enterprise immobile. This is one of the most interesting aspects of the film, in my opinion. Kirk got beat at his own game in the first round with Khan, and the results are pretty destructive. The final battle is the most epic, because it is very much back-and-forth. It’s made all the better, because both sides can’t really see anything because of the nebula. It’s all “best-guess.” That makes for a very intense action sequence.
Since this movie’s been out for a few decades now, I don’t think I need to tell anybody about Spock’s death. While the opening training sequence was a bit of a “gotcha” moment, Spock’s real death towards the end of the film was one of the most heartbreaking and controversial moments in Star Trek. You can’t just kill Spock, that’s not right. But that’s exactly what they did, mostly because Leonard Nimoy didn’t want to play the character again. It wasn’t until after seeing people’s reaction to the scene that Mr. Nimoy felt he made a mistake. Honestly, it was a very ballsy move, killing a main character like that. Every time I see it, it still kind of hits me pretty hard. It’s not only heartbreaking, but it is also a very touching tribute to what the character stood for and why he was willing to sacrifice himself. It is one of the greatest moments in cinema as far as I’m concerned, even though Spock comes back in the next film.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is considered by many to be the greatest Star Trek film ever made. To be truthful, I tend to agree. I loved the original film, even with all of its faults, but the second film is what really gave the franchise a new lease on life. It re-energized the fan-base and it made people realize that you really can risks in a movie like this and have it pay off. In my honest opinion, The Wrath of Khan stands the test of time as one of the greatest science fiction movies in modern cinema and one of the greatest sequels ever made. It’s also one of the few films that I can’t find ANY fault with. This film is as close to perfection as you can get. With great performances, a riveting story, and thrilling battle sequences, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a film that is a must-own for anyone who considers themselves a movie buff.
My Final Recommendation: KHHHAAAAAAAANNNN!!!!!!! 10/10