Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES
The battle for peace has begun
The crew of the starship Enterprise fights not to win battles, but to end them forever.
On the verge of peace. On the brink of war.
An accident on the Klingon moon Praxis forces the reluctant Klingon Empire into a peace treaty with the Federation. Kirk, despite his mistrust of the Klingons after they murdered his son at Genesis, is forced to escort a Klingon cruiser carrying the Klingon Chancellor to Earth for the meetings. During the voyage the Klingon cruiser is attacked, and Kirk & McCoy are taken prisoner after the Chancellor is murdered by two Starfleet crewmen. Spock immediately begins an investigation, while Kirk & McCoy are sentenced to life on Rura Penthe - a deep-frozen asteroid. Spock, meanwhile, has discovered that a Klingon Bird of Prey - one that can fire when cloaked, and under the command of Kingon General Chang - is the ship responsible for firing on the Chancellor, and the 2 assassins came from the Enterprise. A rescue of Kirk & McCoy is successful, after which they discover a conspiracy among Starfleet, Klingon, and Romulan officials whose plan is to incite a full-blown war! The Enterprise & Excelsior - under the command of Hikaru Sulu - head for a deadly rendezvous with General Chang at the peace summit to prevent war from breaking out...but will they be too late?
| William Shatner | Captain James T. Kirk |
| Leonard Nimoy | Captain Spock |
| DeForest Kelley | Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy |
| James Doohan | Captain Montgomery "Scotty" Scott |
| Walter Koenig | Commander Pavel Chekov |
| Nichelle Nichols | Cmdr. Uhura |
| George Takei | Captain Hikaru Sulu |
| Kim Cattrall | Lieutenant Valeris |
| Mark Lenard | Ambassador Sarek |
| Grace Lee Whitney | Commander Janice Rand |
| Brock Peters | Admiral Cartwright |
| Leon Russom | Starfleet Commander in Chief |
| Kurtwood Smith | Federation President |
| Christopher Plummer | General Chang |
| Rosanna DeSoto | Azetbur |
| Nicholas Meyer |
7.20 out of 10 (18248 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Very, very nice. Great note to go out on.
posted on 18 Aug 2009This final adventure of the original crew for the Enterprise is ALMOST their best one! Again, it is the even numbered Trek adventures are the best.
What makes this movie so nice is that it actually FEELS like a movie, the references to the television series are toned down to a bare minimum and the script is ladened with tons of references to Shakespeare, making this an almost operatic sci-fi flick. This is the closest, the classic stars of Star Trek ever got to making an actual movie that wasn't in direct correlation with the television series. William Shatner gives a commendable performance as Capt. Kirk, although his best one is in The Search For Spock. DeForest Kelley is wonderful in his final outing as Bones. Leonard Nimoy is also great to see in his final appearance as Spock. The one character though who gets his much deserved moment in the spotlight is George Takei, Sulu final gets his captaincy and commands the Excellsior. James Doohan, as always is pleasure to watch on screen as Scotty. Uhura is given some valuable lines in this movie instead of her usual 'Hailing on all frequencies Captain.' While Checkov is given some decent screen time as well. It is always nice to see everyone of these characters in the spotlight and having that sense of family about them.
This movie captures that essence. With impressive visual effects, and great acting by other familiar faces in the Star Family, this Trek movie will be one to watch over and over.
Good film but some gaping holes
posted on 28 Jul 2009Ok, I am a Star Trek, and as such I probably watch the shows and movies a little bit closer than your average viewer. Maybe I watched 'The Undiscovered Country' a little to closely because I came up with a whole bunch of errors that might just interest you. I AM NOT giving away any of the story here, but if you don't want to know anything that happens in the film, maybe you'd better exit out now. Here goes:1). The First Officer of the Excelsior says "I have an energy wave at 204 mark 6 port sir! When we see the Excelsior however, the energy wave hits her on her starboard side.2). Why is Janice Rand already on her feet while Sulu is still clawing his way along the floor of the Bridge to his chair after the energy wave hit?3). Why didn't the Excelsior's sensors detect the explosion on Praxis? The first hint of trouble came when Sulu's coffee cup fell on the floor!4). Just after the Enterprise has left Space Dock we see Kirk in his quarters putting his bags away. Suddenly, Valeris arrives and informs him that they are almost at the rendezvous. How long does it take Kirk to put his bags away?!5). When Kirk is wrestling with Martia (in Kirk disguise) they roll on the snow towards McCoy's feet, but in the next shot they roll straight over McCoy's chest.6). When the Enterprise meets Gorkon's ship and Kirk invites him and his crew to dinner, we see Chekov at his usual seat next to Valeris. But then, after Kirk leaves, Chekov has some how jumped to Kirk's chair when he says "Guess who's coming to dinner".7). When Gorkon's ship is hit by a photon torpedo (seemingly from Enterprise) we see the Enterprise's Bridge with at least half a dozen people suddenly rushing to their seats. Where did all these people come from? Were they all just standing around at the centre of the Bridge waiting for something to happen?8). At Kirk and McCoy's trial a Klingon witness says that "After the first shot we lost our gravitational field. I found myself weightless..." Actually, it was after the second photon torpedo that the Klingon ship lost its gravity.9). Just after Chang's ship cloaks upon arrival at Khitomer we see Kirk pacing around the Bridge, awaiting the inevitable battle. The clock above the viewscreen shows that it is 0:4:37:06. However, when he wanders past Uhura's station her clock reads 0:4:35:31. 10). When Gorkon's ship is damaged by the torpedos that seem to come from Enterprise, we hear Chekov say, "She's still lisitng." The clock above the viewscreen shows 0:1:38:49. But when Chang appears on the viewscreen the clock shows 0:1:29:16.11). In the end credits, Uhura is listed as Uhuru.Apart from all that, the film is still highly entertaining and a worthy conclusion to the original crew's adventures together.
Best trek movie!
posted on 01 Jul 2009It even leads directly into the first episode of Sex in the City! Go figure.Honestly, though I love almost all of the Trek feature films, even the lesser ones, Undiscovered Country does one thing that is tough to do with a slightly campy Sci Fci flick. Its suspenseful. Most of the other trek films, though good, are not really the type of movie that make you grip your seat. It makes you feel some emotion. Its also intelligently written and avoids egregious story mistakes.By the way, I beg for more Star Trek movies. Nemesis was not the way to go down. LET FRAKES DIRECT!!!!
The story is engaging with good subtexts, the action is exciting, the performances roundly good and, most importantly, it is fun
posted on 16 Jun 2009The Klingon empire is on the edge of destruction but not by the sword by but the destruction of a power planet and the pollution of the empire's atmosphere. The Klingons approach the Federation to talk peace and Kirk and the Enterprise are dispatched to rendezvous with their Chancellor to escort him and his entourage to the peace talks. After a night awkwardly "entertaining" the Klingon party, they return to their ship when, out of nowhere, it appears that the Enterprise fire on the Klingon ship before two crew members board to assassinate the Chancellor. However this leaves Kirk and McCoy the prisoners of the Klingons with the Federation unable to reach them for fear of derailing what little is left of the peace process. Meanwhile Spock tries to piece together what happened and rescue his friend.After the rather flat part V, it was a positive sign to see writer of the superior parts II and IV and director of II returning to the film series. And indeed it proved to be as this was yet again fuel for the myth of the "odd number curse" of the Star Trek films as it turned out to be one of the stronger of the original films. The plot is a great bit of action with its basis in political conspiracy while Spock gets to play Sherlock back on the Enterprise. The parallels with real life peace movements and the difficulties of preparing for peace are interesting but not forced down your throat. Many viewers will get the references to Adlai Stevenson in the Cuba Missile Crisis ("don't wait for the translation"), the use of the famous Nixon proverb and generally the theme of Kirk struggling to come to terms with the idea of peace after so many years of war and loss to the Klingons; however if you don't get them it doesn't matter.The action works well and is delivery with confidence by Meyer but it also helps that his script does make for a strong story (unlike the fifth film for example). The humour of the film is much better as well as it is an addition and doesn't feel out of place (again, like it did in the fifth film). There are some nice touches in here but my personal favourite is the reference to Shatner's ego in the "I can't believe I kissed you" line (again a welcome awareness within the series after Shatner ran amuck across the fifth film). Shatner is much better here than before. He is reigned in and is still hammy but he has material to work with and he does well. Nimoy has fun with his investigation while Kelley provides the usual stuff in a good way. Support from Doohan, Nichols and others is as good as always. Cattrall is OK while Warner has more to do than in the last film. Dorn makes the link to the next generation of films and, importantly, the film is given a good "baddie" in the shape of Chang. Picking up from Khan, Plummer delivers a deliciously hammy villain, complete with Shakespeare quotes, and provides a great adversary for Shatner's Kirk.Overall then a fitting sign-off for the original crew and one of the stronger of the original films. The story is engaging with good subtexts, the action is exciting, the performances roundly good and, most importantly, it is fun.
a fond goodbye and a fun, near-classic Klingon story
posted on 12 Mar 2009Star Trek 6, a little like the most recent Indiana Jones installment, knows its time is up and takes out the last gig with some dignity and fun. Nicholas Meyer, on his second and last assignment from a Trek film following 'Khan', is up to the task to make this a rousing film for the fans, and for those who, yes, might be somehow looking for a neat conspiracy plot. The premise is simple: three months before retirement Kirk is asked to escort a group of Klingons, with the old crew of course and begrudgingly by Spok's vouching, to a peace conference. Things are a little uneasy in this trip, but there's a big problem that occurs when someone/something fires on the Klingon ship and they immediately accuse, try and convict Kirk. What happened? The mystery becomes one of those clever little stories of detective fiction (Meyer and the writers were apparently inspired by Sherlock Holmes), while there's some good contemplation going on about past wounds open (i.e. Kirk's son's death by Klingon) and going gently into that good night. Hence, as mentioned, a bit like Indy 4. But unlike Spielberg's film, this one sometimes gets sluggish midway through with the plotting, and of course the acting isn't always that great (Kim Cattrall works well at one beat, which here is being, well, Vulcan). Yet there's lots of excitement and suspense, the dialog often works much better than it ought to, and we even get a couple of classic visuals from the franchise: the attack scene on the gravity-deprived Klingon ship from the two 'people' in the spacesuits, and the sight on the surface of the snow-covered blizzard planet (that latter image stuck with me for many years after first seeing the film in the theater as a kid).Is it a great Trek film? Maybe not quite as successful as 2, 3 and 4, but more-so on par with the first film. Which, in a way, is fitting: wrapping around the original series saga makes for a little emotional viewing, but its fought back by some quality entertainment (and, of course, Spock and McCoy always kick ass, even in limited capacities this time around).
The last good Trek
posted on 22 Feb 2009In 1979, Star Trek: The Motion Picture pretty much demonstrated that Star Trek works best as a feature with a budget in the tens of millions behind it. But that is only part of the puzzle. Without a solid story of human drama in which credible characters are searching or fighting for something, even the best-conceived science fiction cannot work. The failure of new series to capture that unknown element of the original cast can be traced back to this one simple fact.The Undiscovered Country is not perfect. It has been said that Star Trek is a conception of the military according to what Roddenberry wishes it was like. In Roddenberry's military, junior officers can ignore their orders if their conscience dictates, and face little in the way of consequences. In a real military organisation, this would be at least the third time Kirk would face a court-martial, and the first for Sulu. Which brings us to another problem with Star Trek in general. The principal cast being at every major event in the universe is stretching credibility beyond its outer limits. Sending a captain who is known for ignoring the rules when it suits him, and is mere months from retirement, to a vital negotiation mission with one of the Federation's most vehement enemies, shouts at the top of the lungs that the writers don't care about credibility.Setting that aside for a moment, however, let's work at what does work. It has been said many times that in order to predict the future, the past must be examined. The Undiscovered Country is filled with references to human history, although the quotes about Shakespeare in the original Klingon would embarass any writer who wasn't desperate to get something on his resumé. The tension between Human and Klingon, the show trials, the political conspiracy, these are all things we see time and time again in our own past. Credit is due to the Star Trek franchise for acknowledging that this will probably be the case for another 2000 years in the best case scenario.Everyone puts in their best performance for this episode, but the biggest surprise of the show is George Takei. In a few short sequences, he gives the impression of a man who was born to command a starship. He does a better job of it, in fact, than at least two followers who have had years in the role to try and convey it. Christian Slater's brief cameo would have been funnier if he could have worked one of his better-known lines into it, but it is amusing just to contemplate the idea of him in space.In the end, there is only one Star Trek feature that can honestly be said to be better than The Undiscovered Country, this being The Wrath Of Khan. In all, I gave The Undiscovered Country a nine out of ten. This is a solid effort that allows the human quality to outshine the effects, rather than the other way around.
Great sendoff for the original crew
posted on 24 Dec 2008With a great story, a strong villain, exciting space battles, well written dialogue and a nice sense of interaction among the Enterprise crew members, Trek 6 gives the original cast of Star Trek a great movie in which to make their farewell.The movie finally does justice to the Klingons, who we have seen in many of the earlier films but really were not too well developed as characters. A disaster on a Klingon moon forces both the Klingons and Starfleet to realize that they no longer can afford to be enemies. Kirk has a big problem with this, because some six or seven years earlier, the Klingons killed his son, David.Warning -- spoilers may follow. The Klingon leader plans to attend a peace conference on Earth. However, he is assassinated before the talks can begin, and Kirk is arrested. The plot was inspired by the collapse of the Soviet Union, with the Klingons being the "Russians" and the Federation as the "Americans". The trial scene makes this parallel pretty clear; Gen. Chang, played by Christopher Plummer, has the manner of a Soviet military dictator.It is also interesting to see Kirk trying to change his ways and become more accepting of the Klingons, who killed his son. So we have some welcome character development, which is an asset.As Chang, Plummer is the best Trek villain since Ricardo Montalban chewed up the scenery as Khan. The intensity between Plummer and Shatner is terrific.
I also liked Kim Cattrall as Lt. Valeris. As usual, Shatner overacts, but so does Plummer, so they sort of cancel each other out.One complaint: Parts of the story require some of the Enterprise crew to look stupid. Valeris is constantly offering suggestions and advice that these seasoned veterans should be coming up with on their own.The special effects are great, both the space battles and the assassination sequence on the Klingon cruiser. Even by today's standards, the effects are impressive.This movie is a great sendoff for the original crew. It's good that the filmmakers learned from the mistakes of Trek 5 and were able to let the original cast go out with glory.
The worst of the lot.
posted on 21 Nov 2008If you thought Trek V was bad, take a look at Trek 6-The Undiscovered Country. Talk about crap! The major problems in this flick are so numerous that they make the few smaller problems of Trek V pale by comparison. Let's take a look:-The galley scene, which shows real food being cooked, doesn't work at all. There's not enough room on a starship to store real food. And how about that alien with the bare feet making the food? Very sanitary. -Weapon alarms on a warship? That's like putting motion detectors in a gymnasium. Why didn't the alarms go off constantly? -Valeris leads the investigation into the murders and discovers that the killer is....Herself!!! She must be the stupidest Vulcan of all time. The Vulcan Criminal Justice System must be the laughing stock of the galaxy if it's this easy to get caught. -An object at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by some force. This Law of Physics hasn't been discovered by the Klingons yet. That's why the sitting Klingons start to float in the air as soon as the gravity cuts out. (They also squeal little girls too. How Macho.) -The Enterprise is trying to sneak into Klingon space to find Kirk on Rurapentey Prison Planet. A Klingon outpost asks them what they are up to. The (stupid) Enterprise people reply- "We're condemning food." The Klingon says, "Okay, have a nice day," or words to that affect. Good thing the Enterprise ran into the stupidest Klingon in the galaxy or they might have gotten caught. (A pattern is developing.) They had to look up Klingon words in "books." It's been stated everywhere that books are a very rare thing by the 24th century. Spock gave Kirk a book for his birthday and Kirk was astonished that he found one. Yet they happen to have a half dozen Klingon-English dictionaries on board. How stupid. -At Kitomer, the Klingons are watching the Ambassador. Among them is Gorkon's daughter, who wants to kill Kirk more than she wants to breath. In walks Kirk and his friends and they walk right past the daughter, even saying "Excuse Me" to her!! The other Klingons just let them pass without a blink. Kirk should have been filleted on the spot. Here's the killer of her father walking past her to kill someone else.I could go on, but I don't want vomit on my keyboard. Trek V may be flawed, but it has a good, solid story. The direction is also good. The camera is in the right place, and everyone is on their spots. What more do you want? The ending was supposed to have gargoyles chasing Kirk after the demon was killed, but Paramount got cheap and cut the budget. The scenes with Sybok sharing Spock and McCoy's pain are very powerful. I'm sorry, but this is one of the better Trek films. It's certainly better than Insurrection, Nemesis and Generations.
excellent!
posted on 09 Nov 2008Even-numbered Star Trek movies tend to be the best, and this one was no exception as it followed the last adventures of the original cast. It was a perfect send-off for such characters as McCoy and Spock. The peace summit between the Federation and the Klingons was outstanding, as were Kirk and McCoy's escapades in the arctic-like prison. Everyone will love this gem of a movie.*** out of ****
If I were human, this would be my favorite Trek
posted on 03 Nov 2008Ah, not only is 'Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country' my favorite "Trek" film, it's one of my all time favorite films. And no, I don't consider this a "guilty pleasure." It was actually a masterpiece on its own. The dialogue – the lines in the film are countless (I found myself quoting practically 85% of the film – yeah, I've seen this film two dozen times already) – was great, the pure adventure, the mystery, the comedy, the special effects and the depth of characters all added to the greatness of this film. A lot compare this film to 'The Wrath of Kahn' due to the style and most likely due to the same director of both. Maybe it was the lack of good special effects, (it was 1982 for 'Khan's' sake, anyways) but the story in 'VI' was excellent, the comedic tones precise and the mystery/suspense was dead on. This was a fitting end to the original cast – unlike the horrid attempt by William Shatner in 'Final Frontier.' Since 'The Next Generation' was well under its way on TV – 4 years, by this point – they definitively wanted to tie up the loose end of the Klingon treaty and the old crew. Old crew, my arse. They were the best cast and most entertaining to watch. (Yes, I like Picard and Data, but for comic relief, adventure and mystery, I'll stick with the original.) The plot deals with Spock volunteering basically the last voyage of the original Starship Enterprise to escort the high counsel of the Klingon empire to Earth to sign a peace treaty after an accident leaves them vulnerable and near-death. Things go awry when supposedly the Enterprise fires and kills the Klingon leader. Kirk and Bones are tried for the crime and so the adventure begins. Hilarious, but also the movie screams adventure. Highly recommended, even for non-trekkies.
Overrated but decently entertaining entry in the series
posted on 04 Oct 2008Solid, decent send-off for the original cast, but definitely a crew that needed to retire. The actors and characters are both laughably out of their time and out of their element. Although the story is intermittently interesting (albeit moreso than I had expected), it was frequently too flat for attention. I'm still puzzled as to the hatred incurred by Star Trek V, as it's just as good if not better than this film, and this wasn't boring for the most part, but it proves instantly forgettable. They needed to hand the mantle over, and although they apparently do in the next film, really, they should have handed it over long ago, as these old fogies just can't get the job done.{Grade: 7/10 (B-/C+) / #18 (of 24) of 1991}
The plot involves a peace conference between the Federation of Planets and the troublesome Klingons.
posted on 28 Sep 2008One of the more successful Star Trek movies, the sixth installment benefits mightily from the writing and directing of Nicholas Meyer. Meyer is a big part of the reason Trekkers maintain that the even-numbered films in the franchise are the best. He wrote and directed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and co-wrote (with unsung producer Harve Bennett) Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Here he and four other co-writers utilize the Chernobyl incident and a dry wit to keep things interesting. Another new twist: this time around, star William Shatner shelves his usual histrionics and machine-gun delivery for a more subtle approach, and except for the talented Walter Koenig, the normally reliable supporting cast chews the scenery. The worst offenders are Nichelle Nichols, James Doohan, and especially the late DeForest Kelley, who seems incapable of delivering a line without putting a spin on it. Still, the rousing score and supporting actors (including Christopher Plummer, John Schuck, and Kurtwood Smith) are first rate. There's also a warm tone to the proceedings that gives the gallant original crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise a fitting send-off. They deserve it: For 25 years, they entertained viewers well.
A battle has begun...to end a war!
posted on 05 Aug 2008After many years of fighting the klingons, and a few years after they killed his son...Captain Kirk is to escort the klingons to earth to make peace. In this wonderfully made epic, Kirk must overcome his hatred for the klingons, stop assassination plots, and obstacles in his latest mission. This time around, 25 years since the show...you won't believe how old these characters have gotten. Kirk is heavier and now has silver gray hair, I actually find this cool considering I like to see how my favorite characters have aged, even if you go and watch the first film made 12 years earlier and you'll still see a huge difference. On to other things, this movie has a wonderfully gritty tone and relentless pace, with so many great moments. I absolutely love the humor, considering they slip it in without ruining the story or the grittiness. In a nutshell, this is my third favorite Star Trek film in the series. I was surprised to find that it was pretty violent, and even a bit bloody for a PG rated film, of course the scenes where klingons were shot, their blood is actually purple...wow. Take my word for it, this is a kick butt movie that will satisfy any trekkie.
Not exactly Shakespeare but still top quality
posted on 27 Jun 2008The final Trek for the original crew of the Enterprise restores the talent behind the camera including Star Trek II's Nicholas Meyer as director and thus intelligence and high production values are back on screen after the stagnant Star Trek V. The Undiscovered Country is a generous cut of the franchise's sweet meat though it doesn't hold the same place in my affections as Trek's II, III and IV. The story is the series at it's best - a deft allegory of the fall of Soviet Communism with the old cast having to question their old assumptions about those 'Klingon bastards' who are now suing for peace with their Federation foes. The ensuing political double crosses, assassinations and space battles are far meatier and more interesting than anything in the previous film and this is all counterbalanced by something approaching poignancy given that the movie represents a final fling for our quasi-geriatric heroes. The direction and visual effects are top notch with Meyer getting the best out of the classic cast including a surprisingly descent turn from Shatner who rediscovers a bit of the old magic as a Kirk trying to reconcile his hatred of the enemy and his personal resentment against the practicalities of the peace initiative. Its really his movie, though Spock and McCoy have some good moments and Christopher Plummer's General Chang provides prime cut villainy with just a glint in his eye (literally just the one eye) and a stroke of his Klingon moustache. His propensity to quote Shakespeare is a bit of a hoary old cliché for your would-be enemy but it works nicely as a hallmark of a man who has invested in the culture of his adversaries in an attempt to best them intellectually. As a military man with an less than honourable agenda he's a far more convincing villain than any megalomaniac hell bent on world domination, partially because writers Meyer, Nimoy and Flinn understand that the real world grounding of the story invests it with a edge and a credibility that might otherwise be wanting. There are a few false notes - The Enterprise rescue of Kirk and McCoy has always felt a bit too clean and easy for my liking and the purple Klingon blood is just inaccurate for continuity purposes but I'll put my hands up to pedantry on that one. The major faux pas though is the final 'sign off' from the crew in which their signatures are 'written' across the screen. Its not the idea that's wrong its the fact we're looking at the actor's signatures and not those of the characters. It feels like a bit of mis-step because it betrays a misunderstanding of the fact that it's the characters that made the series fly not an interest in William Shatner, Deforrest Kelly and so on. From the moment I first saw it it never felt right to me but still, there you go. Gene Rodenberry just got to see this before he died and a good job too because I think he'd have been satisfied that his original crew had gone out on a something of a high note. He'd also never see the 4 movies that followed with the Next Generation cast and for that alone he may have got out at just the right time.
A blast from the word go!
posted on 05 Mar 2008This is a great movie. This is the last film for the original cast but its a great one. The film begins with a blast and keeps going from there. Leonard Nimoy is in the directors chair and describes this film as "depicting the end of the cold war" with the Klingons and Federation being the superpowers. This film also gives us an interesting look at ourselves as Kirk must confront the species that killed his son to Spock trying to be a bridge between the two peoples. The action is fantastic with Christopher Plummer from the Sound of Music quoting Shakesphere as he fires torpedoes at the Enterprise. This makes for a starship battle like no other. This is a must see for Star Trek fans.
James J. Kim's review of James T. Kirk's magnum opus
posted on 13 Feb 2008I love this film so much, that I had to write this second review. Mere words cannot describe the greatness of this film...the sheer magnificence of this film has to be seen to be believed...Yet I am here to share with you, all of you, the richness of this wonderful tapestry of cinematic endeavours which is greatly, and exaltingly known to us all as "STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY!"The Star Trek movie series is the only one that I know of that gets better and better with each successive entry, because "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" is better than parts I, II, III, IV, V that preceded it. In fact, this epic film is light years better than its subsequent episodic entries "Generations, First Contact, and Insurrection," that even to this day, the mere thought or mention of this film gives me goosebumps all over. Is it possible that any other film in the history of mankind can be this good??? (Yeah...right! Nothing in this vast infinite universe can uncrown this king of champions!) This is the best of its film series, and it is the greatest film ever made in the history of mankind (hyperbole), because it wraps up everything that came before it in a nice, big, pretty red bow, and man.....IT WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!1) It is gratifying as a viewer to see Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) finally getting his captaincy in this film. Captain Sulu at the helm of the USS Excelsior, from the very beginning, throughout, and at the end of the film reminds us that this film is REALLY HUGE, and so much bigger than anything we've ever imagined...that it takes 2 ships to usher in an era of peace that startsoff with a literal bang, and ends in a triumphant blaze of glory for the greatest battle for peace ever envisioned on film!2) The scene where James T. Kirk (William Shatner) explodes and tells his longtime friend Spock (Leonard Nimoy) his reasons for hating the Klingons...there were so many layers behind that scene, the sadness behind his fury, due to the longtime grief of carrying on the burden of the death of his only son David from "Star Trek III" at the hands of renegade Klingons. This is the same James T. Kirk who was "out saving the galaxy" while Captain Picard's "grandfather was still in diapers," the same James T. Kirk who brought his friend Spock back from the dead, the same James T. Kirk who had the guts to ask at the center of the galaxy "What does God need with a starship?" You can then just imagine that after doing his "bid for King and country," Captain Kirk has to face an empty chair (with his retirement) and an empty house (no one to face the future, and the undiscovered country with). I mean, how sad, tragic, and ironic is that? James T. Kirk (along with Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, Chekov) completed an unprecedented historic 5-year mission of space exploration, and after all did literally save our planet....twice!3) I cannot give anything big away in this film, but it is really shocking to findout that someone (I'm not giving anything away) who is close and dear to Spock's Vulcan heart is exposed as a traitor and one of the conspirators out to sabotage (from the Dutch word "sabo") a peace treaty that would unite the Federation and the Klingon Empire in a peaceful co-existence!4) This rich, multi-faceted, deeply-layered conspiracy story is so full of details that reaches far beyond its epic scope, that it really WOWED me! I mean, the hatred that has been builtup between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, and the full 25 years of their warring ways is felt, I mean felt like a BOOM, like KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM in one sitting of viewing this film, and resonated with me long (and I do mean, a LONG, LONG time) after the initial viewing of this film.5) Everything from the allegory of the fall of the Berlin Wall, end to the Cold War, historical analogies such as Richard Nixon, communist China, Adolf Hitler to the literary allusions to Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes, Peter Pan, Cinderella, The Bridge on the River Kwai, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, as well as references to its own rich TV episodes and movie series is quite nicely woven into the fabric of this magnanimous film.6) The tongue in cheek humor was so good, such as showing the tendancy of Kirk taking on an opponent bigger than his own ego (Blue-Face on Rura Penthe), the fact that Kirk has time to make a pass at an exotic woman in a "strange new world," (not going to tell you who???), and Kirk facing his own double again (ala "The Enemy Within" episode) are well-paced and a real treat for the fans who know a thing or two about the inside jokes of this popular, long-running franchise.7) The grey area, which is rarely touched upon in films, is nicely playedout in this film, where you realize that "not all good guys wear white hats, and not all bad guys wear black ones," (again, I don't want to give anything away) is a great dramatic device which is well-employed here, ranging from the themes of prejudice, fears of the unknown future, betrayal, as well as hidden suspicions between both factions of the Federation and the Klingon Empire (you'll definitely be surprised by who are involved!)8) The groundbreaking special effects, from the energy wave caused by the explosion of the Klingon moon Praxis, the globs of colorful Klingon blood floating in zero-gravity, as well as the exciting, climatic battle sequence between 3 powerful vessels is a gorgeous, heartpounding thrill ride that absolutely must be seen! The musical score by Cliff Eidelman is awesome, and evokes a sense of grandeuer to this epic storytelling.9) The richness of the dialogue in this film, as well as the powerful courtroom scene where the brilliantly maniacal General Chang ("The Sound of Music's" Christopher Plummer) verbally assaults Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy (the late DeForest Kelley), and the well-scripted dinner scene between our heroes and the Klingons adds a richness and a flavor to a film packed with boldness that "no one" should miss.10) Out of all the series out there...Oh, and I know that there are tons (such as Mad Max, Star Wars, James Bond series, etc.), this one by far has a fitting ending and a resounding conclusion that ends on a high-note, that nothing else can compare! The future of this film's saga is in such capable hands that it self-assuredly passes the torch of adventure (and excitement) to "The Next Generation" of heroes of Star Trek!You just simply have to checkout this film. It is everything that I have just said, and more...MUCH MORE! There simply is more than meets the eye here than what you believe "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered" is to be (or not to be). It is not just "another film" in the series. It is not just simply film #6 in the series. This is William Shatner's magnum opus as Captain James T. Kirk, and the highpoint of his long, illustrious career! "This is it...This is the best of all!" THIS IS THE STUFF THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF!SCORE: 10/10 for "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" (1991)
Classic!!!
posted on 18 Dec 2007I think that STVI is the greatest Trek film ever. The reason I think it is better then ST:FC is because First Contact was on such a large scale; save all of humanity from oblivion. Well, that's nice and all, but STVI was a part of Trek history. Peace with the Klingons, who would have guessed it. Peace with the Russians, who would have guessed it. Which brings me to my next point, it parallaled current world situations (which is why I bring up the USSR). It's a brilliant movie that will last the test of time.
politics, explosions, McCoy...it's all good
posted on 06 Dec 2007This is the kind of story at which Star Trek excels. Screenwriters Meyer and Flynn cleverly used contemporary events (the end of the Cold War) as inspiration for a tale of peace-making between the Klingons and the Federation. No other science fiction series so successfully exploited headlines in this way. In many ways, "The Undiscovered Country" is the definitive Star Trek film, because the political overtones allow for a more unique, charged, and relevant story than "The Wrath of Khan." Perhaps "Khan" is better made, but at the end of the day, it has a garden-variety revenge plot which lacks the depth of this film."The Undiscovered Country" came out at the height of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"'s popularity, but thankfully it's not too tainted by the boring stink of that particular program (though I do find Sulu's reference to cataloging "gaseous anamolies" to be very Next Gen-like; and why would a battle cruiser be doing stupid stuff like that?). For the most part, this is Star Trek done the old fashioned way - big actors, big explosions, big messages. I like this style a hell of a lot better than the techno-babble intricacies of the later shows and films. Shatner and company are not particular hammy in my view; they're just warm, emotional, and fun characters. I have only two reservations about this movie. The constant quotations and classical references are fun at first, but tiresome as the movie draws to a close (on the other hand, you could say they're appropriate for a movie about cultural assimilation; Chang is afraid that the Federation will "take over" Klingon life, yet he ironically quotes nothing but human authors, proving that such assimilation has already begun!). Some of the supporting characters don't have enough to do; Chekov's lines are especially painful, as he mostly just explains things to the audience, and Scotty is a bit useless too. On the other hand, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy all get moments in the spotlight, and they're the ones we really pay to see.The final battle is fantastic, too. On balance, this is probably my second favorite Trek film, lagging behind number five (yes, really!). It strikes just the right balance between being shallow and deep, entertaining and enlightening. It's a shame that so few science fiction films can still do that trick.
blew away my expectations
posted on 28 Oct 2007wow.going into this movie,my expectations were pretty low.i though it would be a decent movie,but not great.well,i don't no if it's great or not,but it's pretty darn close.this one has it all.sure,there's action,and quite a bit of it.and there also plenty of excitement to go along with it.and in liberal doses of humour coupled with the high intensity and suspense factor and you have one heck of a fun film.there are also the added elements of intrigue and mystery,which the previous had little of,if any.this is also the darkest installment up to that point.i think it is also the most ambitious of the six films.for me,this movie ranked right up there with the fourth installment The Voyage Home.there are some nail biting moments here.this movie is a 4/5 for sure.
Once More Unto the Breach...
posted on 18 Aug 2009The sentimentalist in me refuses to call this a swansong. The original crew proved that, despite their age, they were in no way ready to be put to pasture. This movie, where Kirk's past comes back to bite him (his son's death at the hands of the Klingons), is a return to the more dramatic Trek, but with generous helpings of dark comedy (`Earth, Hitler, 1938.' `I've been dead before.'), and even making fun of itself at times (After an attractive alien woman lip-locks with Kirk, McCoy rolls his eyes and says, `What is it with you?'). The movie has plenty of fan-pleasing moments (Sarek, Colonel Worf, Sulu in command of the Excelsior…), a fast pace, a great villain (the Shakespeare-quoting Chang), great performances by the regular cast, and a wonderful score by Cliff Eidelman. Never, ever dull, Star Trek VI – The Undiscovered Country remains my favorite Star Trek movie.