Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Whether you’re a diehard Trekkie or a regular moviegoer, everyone who has seen all of the “Star Trek” movies will tell you that the even-numbered films are good but the odd-numbered movies are not. Certain people will tell you that if you look closer that theory will be invalidated. On the one hand, everyone’s favorites “The Wrath of Khan” and “First Contact” are even, while on the other hand everyone’s least favorites “The Motion Picture” and “The Final Frontier” are odd. Brian Eggert stated in his review, “It’s not that the odd-numbered films are poor, though indeed one or two are; but rather, for some reason, they usually contain less actionized plots, and thus are less likely to serve up a blustering crowd-pleaser.” If you look at “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock,” released in 1984, which follows the movement of an Enterprises crewmember’s soul, or “katra” in the original Vulcan language. A spiritual journey is hardly a classic story for a big-budget blockbuster, which is probably why writer-producer Harve Bennett included some Klingon troubles for excitement.

Yet, the story is what Time critic Richard Schickel called, “the first space opera to deserve that term in its grandest scale.” Eggert said, “Indeed, Paramount Pictures didn't release another swashbuckler like the film’s immediate predecessor, but a weighty, sometimes cornball drama filled with themes of rebirth.” After everyone crying over Spock’s death at the end of “The Wrath of Khan,” Bennett began writing the script backward, starting with the final sequence of Spock’s rebirth and working his way back, since resurrecting Spock was the main reason Paramount signed on this sequel. Produced for $16 million, the studio kept the production cost (and even the production value) low. The devoted fan base guaranteed “The Search for Spock” would gross $76 million, giving another profitable release and setting the franchise’s future, regardless of unexcited responses.

Starting exactly where “The Wrath of Khan” ended, the film starts with Spock dead, having sacrificed himself to save the Enterprise and the crew, his body shot on a planet being created by the Genesis Device. This device creates life where there isn’t any, growing abandoned vegetation and atmosphere in wealth. With Spock’s body on the planet, he begins his rebirth. Meanwhile, the Enterprise has returned to Earth and stopped at a spaceport, the crew still mourning over the passing of their friend. Admiral Kirk has noticed that Dr. McCoy is acting somewhat strange. When Spock’s father, Sarek, played by Mark Lenard, arrives and hears of McCoy’s actions, he deduces that Spock must have transferred his “katra” into McCoy just before he sacrificed himself. Sarek tells Kirk he must recover Spock’s body and return him to Vulcan, where he will set up an ancient ceremony to return Spock’s “katra.”

Easier said than done. Back on the Genesis Planet, shameful Klingon Captain Kruge, played by Christopher Lloyd, wants to retrieve the life-bringing Genesis Device and recreate it as a weapon. On the planet, Vulcan scientist Lt. Saavik (Robin Curtis) and Kirk’s son David (Merrit Butrick), both characters introduced in “The Wrath of Khan,” find a Vulcan boy (Carl Steven, Vadia Potenza, Stephen Manley, Joe W. Davis and Steve Blalock, with Frank Welker providing the screams) aging rapidly, slowly growing into the ever famous Spock. Luckily, Kirk disobeys orders and quietly leaves with the Enterprise, with only the main crew, to stop the Klingons, recover the Genesis Device, and restore Spock’s “katra” from McCoy’s body to its newly reborn and rightful person on Vulcan.

Some awkward casting is very clear when Robin Curtis shows that she’s not Kristie Alley, who played Saavik in “The Wrath of Khan” and does not reprise her role in this movie. Alley supposedly wanted more money than was offered to reprise her first movie role from the last film. Paramount could have written her character out, but they re-casted the actress, a decision that made the film feeling erratic. Curtis’ presence is unnatural and stiff, too much even for a role to play a Vulcan. Additionally, as much as the Kruge character is needed to give some space action, his motivation is distorted, although Lloyd does great with one-dimensional roles.

Despite the late Nimoy being largely absent from the film, he appears on the poster and his name is on the director’s chair. Nimoy started his directing job for “The Search for Spock” after his positive experience on “The Wrath of Khan,” a film he originally said would be his last as Spock. Eggert said, “More than any other Star Trek film director, Nimoy renders all the characters with humanistic traits, which challenges the raw entertainment value of any photon torpedo battle. He captures how the actors and characters alike play off one another in a fixed rhythm—particularly Shatner’s Kirk and Kelley’s McCoy in this film—thus solidifying their permanent status in film and pop-culture history as genre icons. Doing this with sensitivity and consideration for the dramatic depth of the story is what makes Nimoy’s direction exceptional.”

Yet, there are creative choices that feel unusual to a movie and better fit for a two-part episode. For example, earlier in the opening credits we are treated to a recap of what happened in the previous film (Eggert said, “as though “Previously on Star Trek” should have opened the film”). Eggert goes on to say, “Such a generic intro hardly helps distinguish the film series from its television roots, but the visual splendor (save for some cheap-looking soundstage sets) and impressive effects make up for that. The aforementioned rigid acting and seemingly forced Klingon conflict also present unnecessary comparisons to the show.” Though, undeniably the studio fought for a villain, as saving Spock would not be enough to interest audiences that aren’t fans of the show – since “obviously” that would happen in this sequel. (After “The Wrath of Khan,” and even before it was released, fans wrote angry letters to Paramount against killing Spock.)

Despite all the problems, “The Search for Spock” is a nice, character-driven entertainment. Once again you would have to rethink the theory of ranking the “Star Trek” films by their numeric order, even-numbered good, odd-numbered bad. Eggert is right when he says, “Since The Search for Spock is the third film in the series, many waive-off its dramatic merits solely in support of this superstition, ignoring how the film elevates this franchise from mere adventure in the stars to a full-fledged theatrical experience, complete with a narrative that has us emotionally invested in familiar and lovable characters and their fates.” Helping the film out, audiences find out what kind of “Star Trek” viewer they are: Either they’re the type that allow themselves to get emotionally involved in the story, or they’re the everyday viewer watching only to see spaceships explode and the once in a while alien vaporized by a phaser. You can say I am in the former category.

Like I had already stated, this is the only odd-numbered “Star Trek” movie that I really recommend. It’s a good sequel, although the villain wasn’t a good follow-up to Khan. Lloyd is like a one-note villain, but a pretty good one, even with him going in a hand-to-hand fight with Kirk, like how it used to be in the original series. Kirk always had a number of physical fights with villains in the television show, as I have heard. A strong rivalry could have helped, but it’s still enjoyable, despite the fact that it can drag, since the big death scenes and strong moments will help the film feel operatic. Not as good as some of the others, but a nice sequel to follow “The Wrath of Khan,” so I give it credit for trying. Definitely check it out if you liked “The Wrath of Khan” because this film will not be a huge disappointment, even though I can understand why some people may find it boring.

Since Nimoy really hit a homerun with this movie, how do you think he will do since he returns as director for the next one? Find out this Friday for the next installment in “Star Trek Month.”