Review of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) by Grant H — 30 Jul 2012

It's the best of the entire series, with Wrath of Khan coming in second. It's the least action-oriented but in terms of directing, it's easily the most sophisticated - subtle, nuanced, graceful. Many fans rag on it for straying too far in mood and pacing from the weekly amped-up thrills of the original series. Yet this was never meant to be just another episode, plus the filmmakers wisely avoided jumping on the already hugely popular Star Wars-antics bandwagon. This film goes for the cinematic; recognizing that 2001: A Space Odyssey had risen the bar in thought provoking sci-fi and setting forth with its own, similar lofty ambitions, but without losing its own identity. The premise that drives the film isn't easily packaged; it requires a certain degree of insight and meditation from both the characters and the audience. And each of the characters, particularly the main three, are given numerous quiet moments to reflect upon the situation, express their thoughts and engage one another dynamically.

Robert Wise, DP Richard Kline and the production design team gave the film - the look of the Enterprise and her crew - a more refined, more credible atmosphere. The campy primary colors of the TV series (and even the subsequent films, in some cases) was replaced with a Baroque-like palette via Metrocolor, on a high quality 35mm stock. The 2.35:1 aspect ratio mixed with a number of split diopter shots brings a classy abstract quality to the bridge. The whole film has a rare kind of future-antique look and feel.