Review of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) by Will H — 13 Aug 2011

Leonard Nimoy, back full-time as Spock and given more creative control, directs Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and with it, delivers a film that may the closest of all to the spirit of the Original Series, cheesiness and all.

This installment completes the story arc begun in Wrath of Khan and continued in Search for Spock (forming the unofficial Star Trek Trilogy), but goes in a considerably lighter direction than its predecessors.

To hardcore Trek fans, this is one of the best films. To casual fans, this will forever be known as "the one with the whales". The plot of the space probe desiring contact from the now-extinct humpback whales is goofy and very nearly demented, but it allows for a less somber storyline that, for once, doesn't have a villain at the center of the proceedings.

Instead, it tells a "fish out of water" tale when the Enterprise crew returns to 1986 (present day at release time) in the Klingon Bird of Prey from the last film in order to obtain two of said whales to save the planet from the probe, at the same time repopulating the 23rd century with them.

This storyline allows for a film that is pretty much a science fiction comedy, and surprisingly, it's pretty damn funny. William Shatner demonstrates superb comic timing as Kirk, with a couple of classic lines such as "double dumbass on you" and "Is that a lot?" when referring to $100 for his reading glasses.

Nimoy, despite his character's stoical nature, manages to get a few zingers out as well, such as "hunting a species to extinction is not logical" and his question to Kirk about 20th century profanity.

DeForest Kelley is always funny as McCoy, but is even funnier here with the comedic material, such as his frustation with 20th century medicine, even hilariously comparing dialysis to the Dark Ages and surgery to the Spanish Inquisition.

What's really remarkable about this one, though, is that the whole cast gets a few moments. From James Doohan as Scotty saying "there be whales" to Walter Koenig as Chekov arguing with the naval interrogator over who's name he's asking, as well as "nuclear wessels", pretty much every cast member gets a few choice lines, and it really helps the crew feel complete.

Mark Lenard and Jane Wyatt return as Spock's parents as well, and the ending includes an important footnote in Star Trek history regarding Spock's relationship with his Vulcan father, calling back to the Original Series episode "Journey to Babel".

The ending as a whole serves to finally, after four films, return Star Trek to its original status quo, as Kirk is demoted to Captain and becomes the leader of a new Enterprise. It returns Star Trek to its roots, and delivers one of the best films in the series, maybe second only to The Wrath of Khan.

The Voyage Home, indeed.