Customer Reviews

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

5 star:		(75)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This is the kitchiest piece of junk in the entire series. Not only is the plot ridiculously unbelievable - they have to go back in time to get whales because of some strange ship they can't stop from destroying the Earth while searching for its extinct "cousins" - but it is almost completely lacking in any of the ST spirit. Though I am a big star trek fan, this is both silly and stupid, just a formula piece where Kirk yet again sets the Federation (well, at least not the entire universe) right with his well-placed and fails yet again at romance. But then, I love hard sci fi and deplore this totally predictable, feel-good pap. Not recommended.

This Trek film could have been titled, "Star Trek IV: Attack of the Alien Whales".

Why are there so many films and episodes where an unstoppable force heads right for Earth and nothing seems to be able to stop it? Why? Because the writers have so very little creativity left in them after writing so many stories over the years.

This film was written specifically to bring the plight of the whales to mainstream audiences through a light-hearted Star Trek film. Yes, there are a few laughs, but this is just a sign that Star Trek has become nothing more than a joke. This concept may appeal to Trekkies (which is why ST: 5 was only appealing to Trekkies and universally hated by any other human trapped inside the theater) but it serves to damage the franchise further. The end result was that the last ST film basically bombed at the theater.

So, yes, you can trace the loss of Star Trek's appeal to films like this one.

As for the special effects, there are very few at all. There was one weird sequence when the crew was traveling back in time, which had to be the dumbest segment in sci-fi history.

If you really feel you need to see this film, watch it for the laughs, not for the sci-fi value, because there is little to none of that.

I'll admit I'm not a Star Trek fan so I don't share the same level of enthusiasm for "Star Trek IV--The Voyage Home" as do some of the other people who've seen this film. "The Voyage Home" has been hyped as a funny film but after watching it, I'm still not sure what makes this film so funny.

OK, there are some amusing moments like when Spock tries to use late 20th century slang in his conversations or when Kirk and Spock sit next to a punk rocker with a loud boom box on the city bus. Other than that, there's really not much to laugh about in this film.

Still, from an objective critical point of view, this film does have its merits. "The Voyage Home" does have a half-way decent plot and there's also an element of drama when Chekov gets knocked out of action. Moreover, Scotty, Bones and the rest of the crew have more depth and dimension than they did in the original TV series--which makes for a more interesting film.

While "The Voyage Home" is basically an OK movie, it still doesn't rise to its full potential. Still, if you're a Star Trek fan, you'll probably enjoy it and will want to add it to your video collection.

Of all of the post series original movies, this one captures the essence of the series best. Yes it carries an important message, as that is the purpose of sci-fi. The technology is consistent with the series. And the charters conform to type.

But what make this movie stand out is the character interaction. You have seen it many times in episodes like [Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 28: The City On the Edge Of Forever (1966) ASIN: 6300213323.] Oh, you say that was history but it was also love, not humor. O.K. how about "Spocko" and Kirk trying to drive in the twenties [Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 49: A Piece of the Action (1966) ASIN: 6300213536.] Yes you say there are exceptions but it would never happen on the enterprise. What little you know. [Star Trek - The Original Series, Episode 42: The Trouble With Tribbles (1966) ASIN: 6300213463] and there are quite a few more examples.

I will not bring up all the fun scenes as it is more fun to watch them unfold. There is a lot of trivia that make this film interesting. Many reviewers had information that they personally find interesting. For me it was the scenes at the Institute in Alameda, because I was there and it is really the Monterey aquarium.

Yes I'm a Trekker, Yes I love this film. But it is not my favortie because I love for the phaser blasting duos in space, which if you are looking for you won't find here. What you will find is something quite different and entertaining. Bringing whales into Star Trek seems like something you'd never expect, but I like it. A probe has been sent to communicate with the humback whale, which is extinct in the 23rd century. Humans would expect the probe be sent only to communicate with people, but this nice showing that there are other forms of intelligence on Earth. As for humor, ok Star Trek is no Austin Powers or Ace Vetura, but gotta admit this one's funny. Scotty's "Computer scene" as well as Chekov's scene get me every time. There is even a scene where I heard a candid camera was used. Chekov and Uhura are on the streets of San Francisco asking around for help to find the naval base, and the officer seems as if he were lifeless, it is funny. But then when I found out it was a hidden camera and these people didn't know they were being filmed, that makes it all the more amusing. Too Bad Kirk and Gillian didn't have more of a "relationship", it would have been nice. Kinda like the episode "City On The Edge of Forever" where Kirk falls in love with someone from the past. There is a difference here, but you gotta see for yourself. Oh yeah, and it neat to see the crew commanding a Klingon vessel rather than your usual Federation Enterprise, just something different. Overall, it is a very good film, just not one for me.

This movie ranks up there as one of my favorite movies of all time. Not only is it suspenceful but it is also hillarious. I have to agree that this is the only light-hearted ST film out there. All the other ones are depressing.

In this installment, Kirk and crew need to save Earth by going back in time in a stolen Klingon ship to get two Humpback Whales which are the only things capable of communicating with a probe that has begun to tear apart Earth. Pretty cool story huh?

There are a lot of funny moments in the film, like when Chekov and Uhura visit the USS Enterprise (US Navy) and when McCoy visits a hospital. Those are just a few but you get the idea. I think the bus scene is the funniest though.

Buy this movie. I give it *Goes to warp 5.* FIVE SMASHING STARS!

i enjoyed this installment of the Star Trek franchise quite a bit.in my opinion,it's better than the previous ones.i think they did a very good job here,balancing many different elements.there is certainly the action/adventure element here but there is also so quite a bit of humour.the writing is very intelligent and witty.there is also the element of danger,which is very real in this one.the threat is very grave and imminent.the suspense factor is high here too.the story itself is very well written and well paced.this is almost a comedy at its heart.the dialogue is very sharp and fresh.it's more of a family movie than the previous ones.there is some mild language,but it is not used maliciously.it does actually serve the story.the movie is also a cautionary tale i think,to humanity.i think it's just as relevant today as it was then,maybe more so.generally,this movie is probably the most fun of the original Star Trek movies,in terms of comedic value.i also think it is probably the best of the original movies.for me,Star Trek 4:The Voyage Home is a definite 4/5

"The Voyage Home" was the fourth of the Star Trek films and hit the movie screens in 1986. It focuses on the crew of the original series, commanded by James Kirk, and ties up a few loose ends from the previous two films.

The film opens in 2286, three months having passed since the end of "The Search of Spock", with the approach of a strange probe - apparently on a course to Earth. The first Starfleet vessel to encounter it is the USS Saratoga - unfortunately, the energy signal being transmitted by the probe leaves the Saratoga powerless and drifting in space. Affecting every starship and starbase it meets in the same way, it finally reaches Earth. Settling into orbit, it directs its signals towards the planet's oceans - which are promptly ionised, leading to raging storms around the planet.

Having stolen - and subsequently destroyed - the Enterprise, visited an off-limits planet and commandeered a Klingon Bird of Prey, Kirk and his crew are on Vulcan preparing to return to Earth. In preparation for the trip, they have carried out a few minor alterations to their captured ship. Fully expecting to be court-martialed when they arrive at Earth, McCoy has also renamed it the HMS Bounty. They only hear about the probe's approach and its effects en-route, however. Spock - whose rehabilitation is not yet complete - analyses the probe's signals and believes the language to be that of humpback whales. Unfortunately, given that the species is extinct in the 23rd Century, there can be no response. This leaves the crew with only one option : they must travel back in time to a period to when humpback whales weren't extinct, capture at least one of them and return with it (or then) to the 23rd Century. Using the 'slingshot' method they discovered during their famous 5-year mission, Kirk and his crew travel to the late 20th century. There, they decide to target two whales living in captivity in San Francisco. Naturally, there are complications...

Directed by Leonard Nimoy, "The Voyage Home" also saw Nicholas Meyer (director of "The Wrath of Khan" and "The Undiscovered Country") contribute to the screenplay. Meyer - whose involvement in a Star Trek movie is practically a guarantee - initially wanted the bulk of the action to take place in Paris, rather then San Francisco. Nevertheless, despite the odd 'serious' point - most obviously, the damage caused by humans hunting the humpback to extinction - this is still a very funny movie. The comments on, and the attempts to use, the period's vernacular are sure to raise a smile, while the interplay between Kirk, Spock and McCoy has rarely been bettered.

Another classic trek movie, this one from 1986, is awesome, and the most shocking thing about it is that it doesn't even take place in space, save for about 15 minutes! Instead it takes place in 1986, where the crew members go back in time to capture two whales to stop the destructive calls of an intergalactic whale species trying to contact the long-extinct whales. The whole plot sounds like it would suck beyond belief, but it comes close to being the best trek movie, and is one of my faves ever.

The awesomeness of the movie, unlike the rest of the series, comes not from suspense and action scenes, but the hilarious and often touching culture shock the crew faces in mid-80's San Fransisco. There is so much to laugh at: the crew earnestly walking along the SanFran streets, Sulu in his cape, Kirk in his red StarFleet uniform, and unforgettably, Spock in his monk robe with the belt tied around the tops of his pointy ears, making him look like an angry ninja master with a botched Botox job. Also hilarious is McCoy's disgust at how rudimentary 20th Century medical practices are/were. In a scene inside a hospital, he asks a woman what ails her, she responds she has kidney dialysis, and he's like, "What is this, the dark ages?! Swallow this, and call me if you have any problems." Several scenes later she is wheeled out claiming a miracle.

There is much more in the movie I won't spoil for you (or more like I'm too f*#&ing lazy to write any more), so turn the PC off and rent this great flick, also it's been on AMC recently, so try that too.

I read a lot of these Amazon reviews on Star Trek IV, and oddly enough I can agree with almost all of them -- the 5 star as well as the 1 star.
I agree with the 5 star reviewers that this probably is the best Trek movie, that a lot of the humor is good, that the movie captures much of what was loved about the original series.
But I also agree with some of the 1 star reviews that the humor may be overdone and may wear thin on repeated viewings, that Catherine Hicks' character is overemphasized, that the environmental message is heavy-handed, that the aliens at Kirk's trial look ridiculous, etc.
But ultimately the question is this: If I stumble on this movie while channel-surfing, will I stop and watch it? Will I laugh, or at least smile, at the designated humorous moments? Answer to both questions: Yes. On balance, it remains an entertaining flick.