Review of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) by Kevin B — 19 Sep 2011

Not only is this the best of the Star Trek movies, but one of the best movies period. The filmmakers really explore what they can do with these characters without the restrictions of television, to create a movie that is exciting, suspenseful, and very heartwarming.

Star Trek II starts off with Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) promoted to Admiral and having a mid-life crisis of sorts. It's his birthday, and he longs for the days of his youth exploring the galaxy. When he gets an opportunity to take the Enterprise out for a testing run for new recruits, he naturally can't resist.

From there, he encounters Khan (Ricardo Montalban), an old nemesis from the television series. The years have not been kind to Kahn, as he's lost everyone he's ever loved on a desolate planet and vows to get even with Kirk for his pain. Montalban plays him subtly at times hissing out his lines. Still, with every seething delivery, you can feel the hatred he has for his nemesis.

Several new characters are introduced, include a young Kirstie Alley as a Vulcan lieutenant, and Kirk's old flame who surprises him with the presence of his adult son. The returning characters all feel comfortable to settle back in with, and the often-discussed finale still emits emotion after numerous viewings.

This more than makes up for the disappointment of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and sets the bar extremely high for the follow-up sequels.