The standard to which all Trek movies are measured, TWOK rights all the wrongs many felt were committed by the first film. Personally, I think the first film is a science-fiction gem, but its polarizing vibe is understandable. Even though “The Motion Picture” was a box-office hit, grossing over $100 million, the internal squabbling with creator Gene Roddenberry and his constant battles with the writers, the actors and the runaway budget forced the studio to be frugal the second time around. With Roddenberry kicked out on his ass never to be involved in a Star Trek film ever again; television producer Harve Bennett, (his credits included, “Six Million Dollar Man,” & “The Bionic Woman,”) was hired to give Trek, a cheaper, yet necessary jolt of creative energy. His mission, was to resurrect Trek’s humanity. Watching every single episode of the original series, he came away asking whatever happened to Khan from “Space Seed?” With an idea in place, Nicholas Meyers was hired on as Director and Jack Sowards as screenwriter who took Bennett’s idea and polished it into a stream-lined, taunt militaristic, exhilarating sci-fi action adventure. Meyers, who was known as quick script doctor and having never seen the series and with no attachment to the property, saw Trek for what it was and applied his take; heavily influenced by C. S. Forester’s “Horatio Hornblower” & Patrick O’Brian’s “Master and Commander” series of novels, Meyers took the crew balls-deep into the military way of life and played up the gun-boat diplomacy angle. Even the battles were of the sea-faring kind as in the climatic showdown in the Mutara Nebulae. Notice too the detail of the loading of torpedoes and Spock’s military funeral, a clever injection that left fans energized, but a touch creator Roddenberry would grow to resent. The final yet most important element were plenty of character moments. The first film’s characterizations were fine, but didn’t delve much below the surface, (Spock was conflicted, Kirk frustrated, McCoy grumpy) that left many fans cold. None seemed to have a worthwhile arc and were mostly humorless. Here the film begins with Kirk in his mid-life crisis, turning 50, his career has taken him as a far as he can go- perhaps too far, as it has removed him from where he really wants to be; with his crew, at the command of starship. Even Spock tells him so, “Captaining a starship is your first, best destiny. Anything else is a waste of material.” The excellent character moments come from Kirk’s agitation as McCoy tries to cheer his friend up and Spock giving him much needed sage advice. For the ignorant few, Khan’s story began as a first season episode in 1967, Khan Noonian Singh a genetically engineered superman and fugitive from Earth's Eugenic wars of the 1990s, escaped to space in 1996, where he and his followers were in suspended animation until being discovered by the USS Enterprise some three-hundred years later. Khan soon attempted to hi-jack the Enterprise only to be Foiled by Kirk and Spock. Khan's punishment was to be banished to Ceti-Alpha V, secluded from civilizations, but given a chance to create his own. Stranded on a barren world for fifteen years, Khan’s wife, former Enterprise historian, Marla Givers, dies which triggers Khan’s hatred turning him into a seething, cauldron of pissed off male machismo, bruised ego and wounded warrior. He doesn’t see his own arrogance as his downfall, but only James T. Kirk, who is the center of his rage and all those years on the wilderness planet, and now- a laser beam focus of pure, unadulterated hate is his only outlet. A force to reckoned with, Kirk’s payment to Khan will be in blood. Flash forward fifteen- years later, (thirteen-years after TMP) while on a sciencetific mission for the U.S.S. Reliant testing the capabilities of the newly developed Genesis device, Captain Terrell and First Officer Pavel Chekov unwittingly stumble into Khan's camp. After putting slug-like creatures in their bodies in order to control them, Khan hi-jacks the Reliant and sets out on a revenge kick to kill the man who stranded him and his people on the barren world. He raids Space Station Regula 1, steals the Genesis device and lures the Enterprise into a carefully orchestrated trap. Admiral Kirk now a Starfleet instructor, is on routine maneuvers with the latest batch of cadets. Khan ambushes the Enterprise killing several cadets and forcing Kirk into a corner. Once the plot is in motion the action never lets up as Kirk and Khan have a battle to the death. We know who will win, but for the first-time viewer one of the casualties is unexpected creating one of the most defining moments in the franchise and in pop-culture in general. Director Meyer keeps things moving at a brisk pace, never lingering too long or unnecessarily as the tension is constantly felt throughout with Khan at first chasing the Enterprise and then to the final showdown with the Enterprise versus the Reliant and the Genesis device. The climax of the film- in the Mutara Nebulae is reminiscent of the WWII-era U-boat actioners, of the 1940’s and 50’s and the pirate movies of the same time starring Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn. The flawless action is anchored with excellent acting, especially by The Shat himself who takes a lot of guff for his “style,” but in the confines of Trek he’s never been better by mixing heroic pride with a surprising amount of vulnerability. All the actors are in top-form, genuinely relaxed and comfortable with their roles. The character moments seem more honest and genuine this time out. Most importantly, the 3-pronged relationship of Kirk/Spock/MCcoy, that harkens back the best moments of the original series, is the films focus and brings it to life. Kirk representing the muscle, Spock the brain and McCoy the heart. We get to know them again and understand why they have been pop-culture icons for 40 plus years now. Leonard Nimoy plays Spock with just a touch of sardonic wit and DeForest Kelly as Dr. McCoy proves to be his perfect illogical foil, they engage in several trademark debates. The rest of the cast do exactly what is expected from them. James Doohan (Scotty), has a couple of fine moments as he witnesses the death of his nephew, Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Nyato Uhura), George Takei ( Hikaru Sulu), & Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov) are all on hand and are very good, but only Chekov and Scotty have more than a few token scenes. The movie's best and most important performance is by Ricardo Montalbahn as Khan, a stewing cauldron of vengeance and one-upmanship. Movies like this are only as good as it's villain. Montalbahn takes the character right to the very edge, playing him with passion and zeal. An iconic, larger-than-life character that has the qualities of Lear, Ahab and Lucifer all rolled into one. It's an entertaining performance that gives the film it's tension and dramatic weight. Khan is never played full-blown evil, just a guy who knows exactly what he is doing and knows exactly what he wants- right and wrong have nothing to do with it. Khan goes from charming to menacing in a split second; he’s smart and very literate as his love for Melville’s Moby Dick is ironic. Every line delivered by the actor sounds as if it’s his last, making nearly every word memorable, at least in Geek circles. And yes, that is the man's real chest. The sparring between Kirk and Khan is equally impressive considering the actors were never in the same room together; they only see each other via view screen and brought together in the editing room. In addition to bringing back Khan, three new characters are introduced. Lt. Saavik (future "Cheers" regular, Kirstie Alley) the sexy half-Vulcan, half-Romulan protégé` of Mr.Spock. And two figures out of Kirk's past--a son David (Merrit Buttrick) and his ex-lover, Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch). Alll are good especially Alley, in her feature film début. Even though the films budget was cut by a third, down to $11 million, it does not show. In fact, it helps, little tweaks are made for a superior look; gone is the garish lighting, bland pastels and clinical whites, replaced with warm more aesthetically pleasing tones and burgundy uniforms replace the ugly grey space pajamas to better represent its militaristic style. The insides of the Enterprise are adjusted to suit the films warlike mentality. The previous film seemed a little too Kubrickian and cold. This time around a real world dimension is added playing up the original series "Gunboat Diplomacy". All of this was done much to Roddenberry’s chagrin, who proposed his own Trek screenplay idea that had the crew traveling back in time to 1963 to try and stop the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, an idea that was hotly rejected. Meyer builds on what Robert Wise created with a fun, yet sophisticated, slightly darker tone. Although it seems Trek has finally matured from a cult TV series, to a nicely budgeted motion picture, those appealing aspects still remain and the themes of mortality, duty, honor and friendship are ingeniously woven in to create an emotional journey that is hard to forget.
The conclusion after all these years still packs an emotional wallop. The best ending of all the Trek films (referenced with great affection in the classic episode of "Seinfeld" with the death of George‘s finance, Susan) features the death Mr. Spock. A controversy among the "Star Trek" fans at the time, Paramount studios received protests and due to negative test screenings objecting to his death, re-shoots were made to make the film's ending less final, but somewhat hopeful. Mr. Spock sacrificing his life for that of his crew proves that "Star Trek" can still touch the heart by being honest, gentle and poignant. The best scene in the movie is the final one where Kirk watches as his old friend lay dying. All those years together come pouring out as Spock and actor Nimoy, (temporarily of course) say goodbye. Both actors have never been better and take their characters and the franchise to a whole new level. It took years to get to know these characters, for the writers and actors to hone them just right so as they became extensions of ourselves and when the credits roll, we feel a palpable loss. "Star Trek II" is a top-notch, fast-paced adventure underscored with a highly memorable, grand, if strangely familiar James Horner score. The best film of franchise is one of the best of its genre and one of the finest films of all time.