The Enterprise crew is back at it again, boldly going where no man has gone before in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. With a familiar enemy on their front doorstep, dead set on revenge, they must band together to save some of their own before the callus Khan (Ricardo Montalban) uses the ultimate weapon to wreak havoc. It’s a race against time; can they save all of humanity?
I’m pleased to say that I actually have some Star Trek experience now after having watched Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. I was pleasantly surprised by that film, and with that I was looking forward to watching Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. This is an entirely different experience, and far different film–and it’s vastly different than what I anticipated it would be.
There is one thing that stands out to me, heads and shoulders better than the rest of what Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan has to offer (outside of the characters that is). When McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Kirk (William Shatner), and Saavik (Kirstie Alley) beam aboard Regula One Station, this is the best scene in the entire film. It dabbles in horror, developing intensity that didn’t exist through the rest of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. With the combination of eerie sounds and slow, creeping shots this develops into something that the rest of the film seemed incapable of becoming. It’s harrowing, powerful, scary, and full of drama—exactly what Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan needed. This is honestly cinema at its best, a combination of genres and themes that converge in a way that should appeal to the masses. If I’m being honest, as a result of my expectations, I struggled to love this film like I did Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country–but as this scene played out I fell in love with it. This was the most important moment of the entire film, and it’s ultimately its saving grace.
I honestly can’t tell whether or not I liked Alley’s portrayal of Lieutenant Saavik. On one hand she helps to develop a character that helps to support and juxtapose each and every one of the others. On the other hand, she is too emotional. It feels like her purpose is to be Spock-like, void of most emotion, guided by logic—but that’s not what is developed throughout the course of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. In addition to this, I feel like Alley does what is asked of her (to a degree), that Writers Jack B. Sowards, Harve Bennett, Nicholas Meyer, and Samuel A. Peeples had intended, to a degree, for her to differ from Spock (Leonard Nimoy) just enough to be her own character. With all of that being said, however, she doesn’t leave much of a mark, and the impression she left on me was anything but lasting.
The name “Khan” is one that I’ve been familiar with for years. He’s an antagonist that seems to be one of the most heavily regarded in cinematic history. However, what I thought he would be never comes to fruition. His expectedly powerful demeanor is constantly thwarted, constantly challenged–particularly by Kirk. Kirk is his foil, Kirk is the one that, over and over again, challenges his prowess and his power, and while this is a clear pro in Kirk’s favor, it’s a knock on Khan as a villain. He’s ultimately unlike anything I had expected. He’s far less demeaning, and, to be honest, underwhelming. Characters can be driven by anger and intensity, but all the best villains possess a level of intellect that mirrors (or at least competes with) his or her protagonist(s). Khan lacks the necessary vigor to be impeding or threatening—and he ultimately fails as a villain. With all of that, he’s far from a failure as a character. He’s driven by hatred, malice, and revenge—and to a degree viewers can appreciate his mission. He ultimately becomes multidimensional early on, and while, as a villain, he falters, he never does as a character, becoming part of what makes Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan successful.
Kirk is calculated, calm, and collected—he’s the definition of intriguing throughout Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Simply put, Kirk is stellar–and he’s the driving force behind the film. He has his flaws, but those flaws exist intentionally, layering the character and strengthening his accessibility. He’s far different from the other characters, and he, in a lot of ways, is what keeps Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan grounded and effectively familiar. Kirk in this film is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best characters in cinematic history.
The film isn’t driven by story but rather by characters. It’s the characters that make the film enjoyable. From Kirk to McCoy and Spock to Carol, the characters are what kept me engaged. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a challenging film to rate, as there are multiple ways to address the film as a whole. As a film it pales in comparison to the only other Star Trek property that I’ve seen, and its narrative isn’t much to write home about–but as a character study (which is what it truly is), it’s a spectacular film.
Directed by Nicholas Meyer.
Written by Gene Roddenberry, Jack B. Sowards, Harve Bennet, Nicholas Meyer, & Samuel A. Peeples.
Starring Wiliam Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Bibi Beach, Merritt Butrick, Paul Winfield, Kirstie Alley, Ricardo Montalban, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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