Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

*** ½ out of ****

I was born in 1970, so there really has never been a time when Kirk, Spock and McCoy weren't a part of my life. Thanks to syndication, when I was a kid I could watch an episode of the original Star Trek series pretty much whenever I wanted. And I wanted to a lot. Then came the movies, The Next Generation and the TNG movies, all of which I loved. No doubt I was a bona fide Trekkie (though never oddball enough to refer to myself as a Trekker).

So when my 11 year old son, who had never shown any interest in Star Trek, suddenly asked if we could watch the movies together, I was inwardly rubbing my hands together with glee. And I could help him avoid the pitfalls – especially by first starting him off "The Wrath of Khan" instead of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”, which is the most horrible film you could possibly show to a newcomer to the franchise. It would certainly make him think the whole Trek thing was a snore. So Seti Alpha Six, he we come....

Even with all the Star Trek universes we have seen, there is nothing quite like the character dynamics of the original series. That's why the first Star Trek movie was so disappointing – it tried so hard to be impressive looking that it forgot the interpersonal relationships that made the original series so great. Happily, “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” realizes the strengths it has and plays directly to them throughout, certainly making it one of the most enjoyable science fiction films ever made.

The Enterprise is starting plans for a new 5 year mission. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) will no longer be captain, as he has accepted a promotion and is now an admiral of Starfleet. Cadets are training to prepare to be the new crew under his watchful eye. He is approaching his 50th birthday and clearly feels that his time has passed, but he is rueful of the loss of his youth. Even Spock tells him it was a mistake to accept promotion - that being a starship captain is where he belongs. This remains a powerful theme throughout.

Meanwhile the Enterprise's old navigator Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) has been assigned to the USS Reliant. The Reliant's mission is to find a planet suitable for testing of “the Genesis Device”, a powerful subatomic reactor that can reorganize lifeless matter into living organic cells. During this search, on planet Seti Aplha Six, Chekov accidentally stumbles onto the crew of the space freighter “Botany Bay” led by Khan Noonian Singh (Ricardo Montalban). If you're a fan of the original series, you'll remember them as the genetically engineered rebels banished to space in the episode “Space Seed”. Over the 15 years since their encounter Khan has grown to hate Kirk for marooning him and his crew on a desolate planet, and takes this opportunity to seek his vengeance.

What I love most about this film is how the characters revel in their true age, instead of trying to disguise it as they did in “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”. And, of course, I love the way the characters fall back into their old roles during times of tension. DeForest Kelly as Dr. McCoy and Leonard Nimoy as Spock were never better than they are here. Add to those relationships a fascinating storyline and a powerfully acted role for Montalban, and it becomes something really special.

Much has made of the conclusion (and I think after 33 years I can take the chance of the spoiler here that Spock dies saving the ship), and rightfully so. It's well written and even better played, and you feel a real sense of loss. Even Kirk's sad but somehow uplifting elegy makes your heart ache. Of course, the final scene of the movie leaves you anxious and excited rather than sad, which I still think was a bit of a copout (the sequel would have been every bit as good without the “we can't leave the audience without hope like that” ending of Wrath of Khan).

I absolutely realize that “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” and “Star Trek: First Contact” are probably the best films in the series, but “Wrath of Khan” is my favorite. I would venture to say it's the favorite of almost everyone that grew up watching Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, Scotty and Uhura on TV, as it was the film that was most like the original series. Fun, exciting, soulful and just wonderful on every level, this is the film that should be used to introduce any new fan to the franchise.

So welcome to the Star Trek universe, my son. You're going to love it here......