Kirk and his crew travel back in time to 1980's San Francisco to save a pair
of humpback whales to communicate with a probe that threatens Earth. ACTION/SCI-FI
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Star Trek IV:
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When I first found out that Star Trek IV was about saving the whales, I thought it was going to be some dumb, tree-hugging, hippie nonsense. Imagine my surprise when this turned out to be one of my favorites so far in my surprise Star Trek marathon. In this film, we get to see the crew of the Enterprise far out of their element, walking around 1980's San Francisco. That alone makes for some great moments, but even more so, it continues the ongoing story of Spock's resurrection.
After reviving Spock, the Enterprise crew return to Earth to face charges of mutiny. But they find Earth on the brink of destruction by a giant probe emitting a strange noise. They realize the noise is a whale call, but humpback whales are extinct. So, they decide to go back in time to the 1980's to find a pair of whales to save Earth. I know it sounds stupid, but trust me, it's done very well. Kirk and Spock befriend a marine biologist, while Chekov is arrested by the U.S. military for being a Russian asking about nuclear vessels. Scotty invents super plastic, and Bones can't believe how primitive the hospitals are. It's all great. The Voyage Home embraces the inherent silliness that Star Trek often ignores. Plus, the environmental message is quite endearing. Whales end up saving Earth, and even though we never find out what the probe was or what it wanted, the film's character development and satisfying trial ending for the crew helps round out one of the best in the franchise. |