Review of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) by Ola G — 18 Mar 2017

In the year 2285, the USS Reliant is on a mission to search for a lifeless planet for testing of the Genesis Device, a technology designed to reorganize matter to create habitable worlds for colonization. Reliant officers Commander Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Captain Clark Terrell beam down to the surface of a possible candidate planet, which they believe to be Ceti Alpha VI; once there, they are captured by genetically engineered tyrant Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban). 15 years prior, the Enterprise discovered Khan's ship adrift in space; Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) exiled Khan and his fellow supermen to Ceti Alpha V after they attempted to take over the Enterprise. After they were marooned, Ceti Alpha VI exploded, shifting the orbit of Ceti Alpha V and destroying its ecosystem. Khan blames Kirk for the death of his wife and plans revenge. He implants Chekov and Terrell with indigenous creatures that enter the ears of their victims and render them susceptible to mind control, and uses the officers to capture the Reliant. Learning of Genesis, Khan attacks space station Regula I where the device is being developed by Kirk's former lover, Dr. Carol Marcus, and their son, David. Next up is the utter destruction of Kirk...

After the lukewarm reaction to the first film, fan response to The Wrath of Khan was highly positive. The Wrath of Khan was released in North America on June 4, 1982. It was a box office success, earning US$97 million worldwide and setting a world record for first-day box office gross. The film's success was credited with renewing interest in the franchise. Mark Bernardin of Entertainment Weekly went further, calling The Wrath of Khan "the film that, by most accounts, saved Star Trek as we know it"; it is now considered one of the best films in the series. The film's pacing was praised by reviewers in The New York Times and The Washington Post as being much swifter than its predecessor and closer to that of the television series. Janet Maslin of The New York Times credited the film with a stronger story than The Motion Picture and stated the sequel was everything the first film should have been. Variety agreed that The Wrath of Khan was closer to the original spirit of Star Trek than its predecessor. Strong character interaction was cited as a strong feature of the film, as was Montalbán's portrayal of Khan. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times and Derek Adams of Time Out complained about what were seen as tepid battle sequences, and perceived melodrama. While Ebert and TV Guide felt that Spock's death was dramatic and well-handled, The Washington Post's Gary Arnold stated Spock's death "feels like an unnecessary twist, and the filmmakers are obviously well-prepared to fudge in case the public demands another sequel". Negative reviews of the film also focused on the acting, and Empire singled out the "dodgy coiffures" and "Santa Claus tunics" as elements of the film that had not aged well.

After the lackluster critical and commercial response to The Motion Picture, series creator Gene Roddenberry was forced out of the sequel's production. Executive producer Harve Bennett wrote the film's original outline, which Jack B. Sowards developed into a full script. Director Nicholas Meyer completed the final script in 12 days, without accepting a writing credit. Meyer's approach evoked the swashbuckling atmosphere of the original series, and the theme was reinforced by James Horner's musical score. Nimoy had not intended to have a role in The Motion Picture's sequel, but was enticed back on the promise that his character would be given a dramatic death scene. Negative test audience reaction to Spock's death led to significant revisions of the ending over Meyer's objections. The production used various cost-cutting techniques to keep within budget, including utilizing miniatures from past projects and re-using sets, effects footage and costumes from the previous movie. Among the film's technical achievements is it being the first feature film to contain a complete sequence created entirely with computer-generated graphics.

I didn´t grow up with the Star Trek tv-show, however I had a Mr. Spock action figure from the tv-show as a kid and when "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" came out in 1979 that did catch my attention with more action figures. That film was a tedious and slow paced vehicle and not that intriguing as far as I remember. So I never saw "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" when it came out in 1982. The film is sort of a sequel to the episode "Space Seed" from the original series as Khan returns with a plan of vengeance against Captain Kirk and his crew. Yes, there´s somewhat a nostalgic feeling to it even if the film also carries a campiness like the tv-show did. The top moments are the battle of the mind between Kirk and Khan and Spock's sacrifice at the end. Moments that stands out. And it´s nice to see a young and beautiful Kirstie Alley as Vulcan Lieutenant Saavik. "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is ok in my book, but not something that sticks to me like it does to a Trekkie.