I love this film, to me Star Trek II
isn't just the best Star Trek film, nor just one of the best sci-fi
film's ever, it is one of my all time favourite films due to its epic
story that really raised the stakes for the Enterprise crew.
The film is less a sequel to Star Trek:
The Motion Picture and is a continuation of the episode Space Seed
from the first series of the show. Space Seed was about the crew of
the Enterprise finding the SS Botany Bay adrift in space, a ship
launched from Earth during the 1990's, on board they find Khan
Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban), a genetically engineered
superhuman who once ruled a quarter of Earth. Khan and his crew,
along with the help of the Enterprise's historian Lieutenant Marla
McGivers attempt to take over the Enterprise, they fail but Captain
Kirk shows mercy. Going against regulations Kirk chooses to drops them off on Ceti
Alpha V instead of taking Khan and his crew to be imprisoned on Earth. Ceti Alpha V is a harsh world but one suited to Khan and his fellow
superhuman's skills that he can form his new kingdom over, he also
allows McGivers, who has fallen in love with Kahn to go with them saving her from a court-martial. The episode ends with Spock
noting it would be interesting to return in 100 years to see what
Khan and his people have made of the planet.
A good episode and satisfying end for
Khan and his people, but little did fans at the time know that
fifteen years latter they would see the after math of Kirk's blatant
disregard for the rules. Producer Harve Bennett watched every
episode of the original series in preparation for Star Trek II and
gravitated towards the character of Khan, choosing to bring him back
for the villain, writing the first treatment for the film.
In the film we see Chekov aboard the
USS Reliant, doing survey work to find a planet suitable for testing
'the genesis device', he and his Captain beam down to what they
believe is Ceti Alpha IV, at first they find what they expect, a
desolate desert, but soon discover some cargo containers. After
exploring the containers and Chekov's realisation that these are the
containers from the Botany Bay they are captured by Khan, who
explains that Ceti Alpha IV exploded, shifting the orbit of V making
it this uninhabitable wasteland. After seeing most of his crew die
at the hands of parasite creatures, including McGivers who Khan had
married, he has vowed revenge against Kirk, blaming him, now him and
his crew have stolen the USS Reliant he sets out to have his revenge.
There is so much to the film I don't
even know where to start, as well as the themes of revenge and the
past coming back to haunt there is also themes of age, loss,
obsession and sacrifice, and they are all woven into a tight knit
story. Khan is a great villain, never believing what he is doing is
wrong or evil, he thinks his revenge is just and never realises how
consuming his obsession has become.
The space battles are awesome too, not
the high speed jet like battles but slower, more nautical like two
submarines, the tension builds and builds and I'm on the edge of my
seat no matter how many times I watch it. The first time Reliant
attack the Enterprise, nearly destroying her the dread is high and
the moment where Kirk agrees to discuss their surrender is a shocking
moment, we rarely see Kirk at the end of his rope like that.
Oh course the famous
KHAN! scream is one of the films most famous moments, and despite how
it has been parodied over the years in context the scene is epic, the
video of the scene is at the bottom, check it out yourself!
Oh
course one of the most memorable and shocking scenes was Spock
sacrificing himself to save the ship, followed by his funeral and
Kirks moving eulogy. Even though I know he comes back to life in the
next film I still tear up ever time Kirk says; 'Of my friend, I can
only say this: of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his
was the most... human.'
I
could go on all day about what I love about this film, I haven't even
mentioned Savvik, David and Kirk's emotional scene at the end of the film, the
scenes when Kirk, McCoy and Savvik beam aboard Regular I, and so many
other great moments. This is a film I recommend everyone watch, even
if you are not a Star Trek fan!
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