Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Kirk and his crew prepare to return to Earth aboard their Klingon ship, christened the Bounty, but meet with a hostile probe tearing the planet apart. The solution? Time warp to the 20th century to rescue a pair of humpback whales, who just might be able to communicate.
It's the whale movie! Hard not to love, since it's the funniest Star Trek production to date. The humour comes not only from the inevitable fish-out-of-water premise (gaining an extra dimension in contrasting the ease of the 23rd century with what we consider "conveniences"), but from within the characters. It's also the best use of the ensemble cast in the films, with everyone not only getting a "moment" but gaining some depth. We know Sulu's a real pilot, Scotty's got brains, Chekov really is a bit quirky. Gillian is the only prominent new face, certainly more fun than Ilia, Carol, or Saavik, but a bit of a "dip".
The old Kirk-Spock-McCoy dynamics are back in place, with the doctor teasing the Vulcan and the captain showing concern for his friend. He might be right to worry, since Spock is disoriented even before the time warp. Choosing the best scenes and jokes comes down to subjectivity; personally we like the whale tour and mind meld, the debate over Italian dinner, the colorful metaphors, and the "nuclear wessels." There are dozens more, all well executed and many furthering the plot. Though Nimoy emphasizes the theme of communication, the "save the whales" message does come off as heavy-handed, plus a relatively safe and simple theme compared to Kirk's struggles in The Search for Spock. The time travel issues seem not to be issues for the characters, who take many liberties. (Transparent aluminum, anyone?) But then, The Voyage Home aims not to challenge the mind in any area but simply to delight, a success. It also bookends the II-III-VI trilogy, giving Spock some peace and absolving Kirk's crimes. Yet unlike the preceding films, it stands well on its own, and is the best to watch with your non-Trekkie friends.
Themes: Conservation, communication, compassion, balance, restoration.
Production: On-location shooting has always worked wonders for the limited budget Star Trek series, and this is no exception. It's terrific to see Kirk and Spock stroll down real city streets rather than running around in fake foliage. The few special effects are convincing, with the Bounty appearing over the fishing boat a highlight. The street clothes haven't aged well, looking more dated than anything worn by the real citizens of 1986. Music is light and fun, reminiscent of the incidental pieces used in TOS.
Spock: This might be called Spock in a Nutshell. Indeed, his entire journey (in TOS and in the films) is repeated and condensed. He's able to confront the old human-Vulcan and logic-emotion problem from an adult perspective, not burdened by childhood memories, duties or expectations. He's allowed to decide who and what he wants to be. He's also correct in stating this can't be learned through textbooks or computers. Through his friends, and the populace of 20th century Earth, he can see what he's getting into with this human thing.
He begins as he did in childhood, with a distant father offering Vulcan discipline and a mother emphasizing emotional development. He climbs aboard the Bounty just as he signed aboard Starfleet. His early literal-mindedness recalls the days when he told an overenthusiastic young lieutenant to consider having his adrenaline removed. He bickers with McCoy, and doesn't immediately warm to Kirk. It's unclear exactly how knowledge and memory is regained, whether these things are being triggered or if we're starting from scratch, but the latter seems likely. In the end, we have someone just as comfortable with both branches of his heritage as the Vulcan in The Wrath of Khan, who has friends and feels fine. It's mildly disappointing that Nimoy, as director, presents us with nothing wholly new in Spock, when the potential is so rich. Yet he realizes that the character can't automatically pick up where he left off before dying, and Spock's journey of rediscovery is a satisfying summary of past struggles.