Movie Review #3: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Disclaimer: My reviews will contain many spoilers (and, as a result, this disclaimer). In fact, it's a pretty in-depth review. So if you don't wish to be spoiled, be sure and watch the movie before reading my review.

The year is now 1982, three years since the first Star Trek film hit theaters. The first movie was good, but nothing like fans were expecting. It was low on action and too familiar to one of their episodes. But despite Star Trek: The Motion Picture being a glorified rehash of an episode ("The Changeling"), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was a sequel to the episode "Space Seed." It's not necessary to have seen the episode in order to understand the movie. They exposit enough information to catch up anyone who hasn't seen it. But I'll briefly explain the episode for greater understanding in this review.

The Enterprise, under command of Captain Kirk, discovers a "sleeper ship" adrift in space containing a group of genetically-enhanced supermen, under the command of Khan Noonien Singh, from the late 20th century. They are the last remnants of the "Eugenics Wars," sent into space in cryogenic hibernation. When they are revived by the Enterprise crew, they soon decide to try and commandeer the ship. Needless to say their attempt fails and they are sentenced to exile on planet Ceti Alpha V, a perfectly stable planet, capable of sustaining life. Before the event ends, however, Khan has successfully wooed an officer on the Enterprise, Lt. Marla McGivers, and convinced her to try and help his cause. Lieutenant McGivers opts to go into exile with Khan rather than undergo a court-martial. Spock comments at the end that he'd like to see what Khan makes of Ceti Alpha V in 100 years.

Plot

The U.S.S. Reliant, under the command of Captain Terrell, is sent by space station Regula I to investigate planet Ceti Alpha VI for usability in a new prototype life-creation machine called Project Genesis. Before Project Genesis can be used, they must make certain there are no lifeforms that would be killed, or nothing changed in their habitats. Terrell and Pavel Chekov (formerly of the Enterprise, recently transferred to the Reliant) beam down to the planet.

They make a startling discovery. They soon discover the remains of the S.S. Botany Bay, which Chekov remembers with horror. No sooner do they realize their plight than Khan and his supermen capture the two. It turns out they have actually landed on Ceti Alpha V without realizing it. Ceti Alpha VI exploded and shifted the orbit of Ceti Alpha V, also making it become inhabitable. Khan uses the only remaining indigenous lifeform, Ceti Eels, to take control of Terrell's and Chekov's minds. Khan is going to seek revenge on the man who stranded him and his crew there, Captain James T. Kirk. (And for trivia buffs, this is where the most notorious inconsistency of Star Trek shows up. Not only does Chekov recognize the Botany Bay, but Khan tells him he "never forgets a face" and recognizes Chekov. However, "Space Seed" was in the first season of Star Trek and Pavel Chekov didn't join the show until the start of the second season. However, this is easily explained away since Chekov wasn't transferred, so he was likely on the ship when the episode occurred.)

[Major spoiler coming up] Khan takes over the Reliant and maroons its crew on Ceti Alpha V. He then causes trouble for Regula I, using them to bring Admiral Kirk to the area. Meanwhile back on Earth, Saavik, a Vulcan trainee, is undergoing the Kobayashi Maru no-win scenario. Spock "dies" during the simulation (which was actually a response to leaked information that Spock was going to die in the movie -- they figured they'd kill him off at the beginning of the movie, then surprise moviegoers when he actually dies later on).

Kirk convinces Starfleet Command to allow him to take the Enterprise, complete with untested training crew, to investigate Regula I and the Genesis Project itself.

This movie is actually the first in a trilogy of sorts. At the end of the movie, Khan activates Genesis and it causes a new planet to coalesce out of a nebula. Spock's body is fired via photon torpedo casing into orbit of this new planet, which directly leads into the next film.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack this time was composed by James Horner. He did a phenomenal job here. Every piece of music fits the mood just right.

Ethics

This is, at its heart, a revenge story. Khan blames Kirk for abandoning him on Ceti Alpha V (despite the fact he was originally intrigued by the idea of starting a new colony on the planet), and for the death of his wife as a result of the catastrophe involving Ceti Alpha VI. Most of all, for never checking up on him. Khan will stop at nothing to kill Kirk, including killing anyone who gets in his way. He uses Ceti Eels to wrap around Terrell's and Chekov's brain stems, leaving them very much open to suggestion. He steals the Genesis Project and the Reliant, marooning its crew on the now lifeless Ceti Alpha V. And in the end, his obsession with revenge is his own undoing.

There's also a thread running through the movie of growing older. It's Kirk's birthday. Spock first gives him a copy of A Tale of Two Cities ("It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...a message, Spock?") and then later Doctor McCoy gives him an antique pair of reading glasses. Growing older is inevitable for all of us, and we all must come to terms with it. In Kirk's case, he's allowed himself to get a promotion and a desk job when he really yearns to be out traveling amongst the stars. And with the death of Spock, not only does Kirk have to deal with growing older but for the first time in his life, he has to face death (he's cheated death, but never had to face it until his closest friend died).

The other major thread is the creation of life. Do we, as humans, have the right to play God and create living planets, create other lifeforms? ("In the wrong hands? May I ask, Mr. Spock, whose hands are the right ones?") McCoy would answer an emphatic no to that question, whereas Spock finds the concept intriguing.

Characters

The acting is much better in this movie. Whereas the acting was more "stiff" in the first film, everyone seemed much more relaxed here. It really felt like the crew was back with us again. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are back to the chemistry that we loved from the original series. The other characters (Scotty, Uhura, Chekov, and Sulu) were just as we remember them.

Chekov, again, has been transferred to the Reliant, under the command of Captain Clark Terrell (played by Paul Winfield). Even though he's under the influence of the Ceti Eels, he's still a Starfleet officer and a heroic man. When ordered to kill Captain Kirk by Khan, rather than kill a fellow officer he turned the phaser on himself when the pain of the eel became unbearable due to not following the order.

A new recurring character is introduced in this film, Lieutenant Saavik (played here by Kirstie Alley, probably best known for her role as Rebecca Howe on the sitcom Cheers; also, she did not return to reprise her role in future movies because she demanded too much money, so Robin Curtis would play Saavik in future films). Additionally, we see Dr. Carol Marcus (played by Bibi Besch), a former love interest of Kirk's. She and Kirk had a song, Dr. David Marcus (played by Merritt Butrick). Carol had told David about her father, but he, understandably, harbored a lot of resentment towards his father. However, having met him for the first time in this film and seeing that he's not the bad guy he always expected (in fact, he showed up to save the day, as usual), relations between him and his father have gotten off to a good start.

Now we get to the crux of the matter, Khan Noonien Singh (played by Ricardo Montalban). Ricardo Montalban played Khan in the original "Space Seed" episode, and here he reprises his role. He is a brilliant actor and played the part of Khan exceptionally. Obsessed with exacting revenge on Captain Kirk, it's an obsession that rules his life. After commandeering the Reliant, rather than enjoying his freedom and going anywhere he wanted to, the only thing on his mind is to get his revenge on Kirk.

Overview

There is a pattern that is said to have developed in Star Trek films: even numbered movies are excellent and odd-numbered movies are bad. I don't agree with this philosophy. Personally, I love every Star Trek movie, even the first one. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is on many top 10 lists of greatest movie sequels ever (and on lists of movie sequels that were better than the original). Star Trek: The Motion Picture was seen as such a lackluster movie that probably any sequel would have been better. But that didn't seem to matter; the ante was upped. Even though it didn't have that great an act to follow, a phenomenal movie sequel was still produced, one of the most beloved science fiction films ever.

Star Trek films have always been uncertain. They are made one at a time, with no guarantees that another one will be made. Thankfully, Star Trek is a successful enough franchise that it continues on and has given us 11 (so far) movies and five series'. Despite the fact there were no guarantees of a third, it was still left open for a sequel. And indeed, it would be the first of a trilogy of movies. If you haven't yet seen this movie, you owe it to yourself to see it.