Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock by Leonard Nimoy (1984)
18 May 2009The second in what fans consider the best three films (and really a trilogy) of Star Trek has Nimoy taking the helm, and has Kirk and friends going to see if they can do something about Spock. Again great characters and a great villain (the great Christopher Loyd as Kruge is spectacular, maybe not quite Khan, but still a worthy adversary), and even the destruction of the Enterprise, which never fails to make me tear up. This is an enjoyable film, and with the Blur-ray release the film has never, and probably will never look better. The ILM special effects look amazing, and the film sounds great. Nimoy really proved himself an able director here (and with the subsequent film) and the film has emotional depth with some humor too, and really just works all the way around.
The Enterprise and it’s crew is returning from the Genesis planet and the death of Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy), with Mr. Scott (James Doohan) almost having repairs done from the battle with Khan. Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) is trying to get answers from Star Fleet about returning to Genesis, but can get no answer. Chekov (Walter Koenig) reports a break into Mr. Spock’s quarters so, Kirk rushes down, and finds McCoy (Deforest Kelley) talking like Spock, and then collapsing. The ship returns to Starbase in Earth orbit. Kirk tries to get Starfleet to let them take Enterprise back to Genesis, but it has become a politically hot topic, especially with the Klingons, so not only is that denied, but the crew is asked to stand down for a “much needed shore leave,” except Scotty (James Doohan) who is transfered to the new experimental USS Excelsior with it’s transwarp drive to become it’s chief engineer for it’s test flights. McCoy then tries to charter his own ship to Genesis, but is stopped by Star Fleet security, and when he tries to vulcan nerve pinch the officer, he is locked up for psychiatric evaluation. Spock’s father Ambassador Sarek (Mark Lenard) comes to see Kirk, and ask him why he did not bring Spocks Katra, his immortal soul back to Vulcan. Kirk knows nothing of this, and when they review the security tapes of Spock’s death, Sarek sees that Kirk was behind glass from Spock, so the transfer could not have happened, but they see the transfer happen to McCoy. Kirk, Scotty, Sulu (George Takei), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) plot to break out McCoy and steal the Enterprise!
REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS….
Meanwhile a rouge Klingon captain named Commander Kruge (Christopher Loyd) has been searching for the Genesis data to use as an ultimate weapon.
On Genesis, Kirk’s son Dr, David Marcus (Merritt Butrick) is working with Lieutenant Saavik (Robin Curtis replacing Kirstie Alley who was too greedy) on the federation research vessel Grissom. They see that Genesis has all forms of plant life and environments in very close proximity, but they also discover animal life, which should not be there, so Saavik and David beam down. They find Mr. Spocks coffin, a torpedo tube, which has microbes which have evolved because of the Genesis wave, but they still detect another life form, and head to find it.
Kruge shows up and shoots at Grissom, accidentally destroying it, and killing his weapon’s officer for possibly losing the Genesis data, but hearing the communications from Saavik and David, they realize they might be the Genesis scientists.
Kirk and crew stage a breakout, and get McCoy out from Starfleet Security, with Uhura’s help they beam to the Enterprise, which Scotty has wired up so it can all be controlled from the bridge. Kirk says the rest can leave, but Scotty, Sulu and Chekov go with Kirk and McCoy and they break out of Spacedock, but the “Great Experiment” USS Excelcior and it’s Captain Styles (James Sikking) is in hot pursuit. Enterprise just makes it out of Spacedock, and into Warp, and the Excelsior stalls when trying to go warp, as Scotty has sabotaged the ship!
On Genesis Saavik and David find the lifeform, which is a rapidly aging Vulcan boy, Spock’s body is alive, though he has no mind. And as he is aging, so is the planet, rapidly, as David used an illegal substance Proto-matter to create the Genesis device, and it is unstable. Meanwhile Kruge and crew are chasing them, and take them prisoner.
The Enterprise arrives and is hit by the Klingon Bird of Prey, and has it’s automation blown out. Kruge demands they surrender, and orders a prisoner to be killed. David acts bravely and fights the Klingon and is killed, saving Saavik and Spock.
Kirk surrenders, but instead activated the self destruct, beaming to the planet as the Klingons beam over, and destroying the Enterprise along with most of the Klingon crew.
They rescue Spock and Saavik, and the try and get Kruge. They beam up the crew, but Kruge beams down and fights Kirk, with Kirk eventually knocking him into a volcano. Kirk them imitates Kruge and has Maltz (John Larroquette) the only surviving Klingon beam him up, and they take the ship, and head to Vulcan.
Spock is brought to his father and to Vulcan High Preistess T’Lar (Judith Anderson) who agrees to perform the ancient “Fal-Tor-Pan” or rejoining of Spock’s mind and body. It is dangerous, but McCoy agrees, and they do it. Spock walks away, but turns back and says to Kirk, “Jim, your name is Jim” and they realize Spock is back!
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Really an enjoyable film. Sure not as good as 2, but a worthy sequel that leads so well into Star Trek 4! Funny, action packed and enjoyable, and sad to see the Enterprise detroyed.
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