Star Trek the Motion Picture

Star Trek The Motion Picture is a 1979 science fiction film directed by Robert Wise and based on the popular TV series created by Gene Roddenberry. It reunites the original cast of the show, including William Shatner as Admiral James T. Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock, and DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard McCoy. The film follows the crew of the starship Enterprise as they face a mysterious and powerful alien entity that threatens to destroy Earth.

Summary

The film begins with a Klingon attack on a massive cloud-like object that is approaching the Federation space. The object easily destroys the Klingons and continues its course. Meanwhile, Kirk, who has been promoted to admiral and assigned to a desk job, learns that the object is headed for Earth and that only the Enterprise, which has been undergoing a major refit, can intercept it. He convinces his superior to let him take command of the ship, demoting the current captain, Willard Decker, to first officer. Kirk reunites with his old crew, including Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov, and prepares to launch the Enterprise. However, the ship is not fully operational, and Kirk faces some resistance from Decker, who is more familiar with the new systems.

Along the way, the Enterprise picks up Spock, who has failed to achieve the Vulcan state of logic and has sensed a connection with the alien object. The object, which identifies itself as V’Ger, sends a probe to the Enterprise, which abducts the ship’s navigator, Ilia. A robotic replica of Ilia, with her memories and personality, appears on the bridge and informs the crew that V’Ger wants to communicate with the “Creator”. The crew deduces that V’Ger is actually Voyager 6, a NASA probe that was launched in the 20th century and was lost in a black hole. It was found by a machine civilization, which upgraded it and gave it a new mission: to learn all that is learnable and return the information to the Creator. However, V’Ger does not recognize any carbon-based life forms as intelligent, and considers them an infestation that must be cleansed.

Kirk decides to take the Enterprise into the heart of V’Ger, hoping to find a way to stop it. Along the way, he develops a bond with the Ilia probe, who regains some of her human emotions. Spock also attempts to mind-meld with V’Ger, but is overwhelmed by its vastness and complexity. He realizes that V’Ger is in fact a living machine that is seeking its own identity and purpose. He also discovers that V’Ger needs a human touch to complete its journey.

The Enterprise reaches the center of V’Ger, where they find the original Voyager 6 probe, still intact. Kirk tries to establish contact with it, but V’Ger demands to see the Creator in person. Kirk realizes that he is the Creator, as he has the code to transmit the data that V’Ger has collected. He enters the code, but V’Ger is not satisfied. It wants to join with the Creator and transcend its physical form. Decker, who has fallen in love with the Ilia probe, volunteers to merge with V’Ger, hoping to give it what it needs. He and the Ilia probe enter the Voyager 6 probe, and a bright explosion occurs. V’Ger disappears, leaving behind a new star. Kirk and the crew celebrate their victory and resume their exploration of the galaxy.

Analysis

Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a film that tries to balance the spirit of the original TV series with the demands of a big-budget blockbuster. It succeeds in some aspects, but fails in others. On the positive side, the film features a compelling premise, a loyal cast, and impressive visual effects. The film explores the themes of identity, purpose, and communication, as well as the relationship between humans and machines. It also pays homage to the TV series, with references to the characters’ histories, personalities, and catchphrases.

However, the film also suffers from a slow pace, a thin plot, and a lack of action and humor. The film is mostly a series of long and dialogue-heavy scenes, with the characters staring at the screen or the viewscreen, or wandering around the ship or V’Ger. The film lacks the excitement, adventure, and fun that made the TV series so popular. The film also fails to develop the characters beyond their familiar roles, and does not give them much to do or say. The film focuses more on the spectacle than the story, and as a result, it feels cold and distant.

Conclusion

Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a film that has some merits, but also some flaws. It is a faithful adaptation of the TV series, but it is also a dull and boring one. It is a film that appeals more to the fans of the franchise than to the general audience. It is a film that is worth watching, but not worth remembering. It is a film that is not the best, but also not the worst, of the Star Trek films. It is a film that is, in a word, average.