In the world of Star Trek fandom, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is commonly rated just above Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Viewed by many as a boring, eye-candy-laden exercise in meaningless special effects, ST:TMP is sometimes seen as a chore that one must get through before enjoying the more exciting and accessible Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. While it is not the best Trek installment, ST:TMP is nevertheless a much better film than its reputation would have one believe, and it is a solid and thought-provoking piece of science fiction.

It is the late twenty-third century, and a mysterious energy cloud is moving through the galaxy, effortlessly destroying anything in its path, including a Klingon war patrol and a Federation space station. Starfleet command decides to send a newly refurbished USS Enterprise, under the command of Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner), to investigate and hopefully neutralize the intruder before it reaches Earth. Kirk quickly reassembles his old crew, especially science officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley), and takes the Enterprise to stop the alien force, which calls itself V'ger, before it's too late. After a perilous journey into the heart of the cloud, Kirk and Spock discover that the entity is actually (SPOILER ALERT) an old probe from Earth, the Voyager 6, and it is now seeking to join with its creator.

While this will be an overall positive review, it must be said at the outset that this is a far from perfect film. Even in the director's cut (the version which was examined for this review), the middle section slows to a snail's pace, with many cuts of characters staring at the images of V'ger on the main view screen. This second act of the film verges upon boredom. The Director's Cut has trimmed these scenes somewhat, but it still becomes tedious to watch the characters gaze at the main view-screen in wonder so much. These scenes slow the film nearly to a stop, and can leave viewers uninterested and restless.

Another flaw of the film is that many of the TV series' familiar characters are sidelined almost to the level of cameo roles. The roles of Dr. Chapel (Majel Barrett Roddenberry), Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Lt. Chekov (Walter Koenig), Lt. Cmdr. Sulu (George Takei), and, to a lesser extent, Scotty (James Doohan) are so minor that they could have been played by extras. While the sense of ensemble would return in the later films, it is painfully absent in this first installment. It would have been wiser to let these characters do more than merely sit at their stations.

The biggest flaw in the film is the lack of originality in the script (which was cobbled together haphazardly from multiple writers, including "The Great Bird of the Galaxy" himself, Gene Roddenberry). To Star Trek fans, the story seems to be a fusion of the episodes "The Changeling" (in which an ancient Earth probe believes that Captain Kirk is its creator), "The Immunity Syndrome" (in which the Enterprise penetrates a mysterious zone of darkness), and "The Doomsday Machine" (in which an alien machine destroys entire solar systems). This is particularly true of the main plotline of the nature of V'ger and the fact that this being is seeking its creator. This sometimes seems close to being copied whole cloth from "The Changeling." Were it not for the thought put into the themes of one's place in the universe (which will be discussed below), this would be a fatal flaw in the Enterprise's return.

Despite these flaws, ST:TMP is still an uncommonly thoughtful and at times even profound film. Director Robert Wise (who helmed the undisputed classic The Day the Earth Stood Still) understands that this film is about the reunion of a group of legends. Perhaps the most emotionally satisfying sequence in the film is when Scotty takes Admiral Kirk on a shuttle to the Enterprise, which is still in space dock. Wise gives us long, slow looks at the new Enterprise, cutting periodically to the speechless faces of a profoundly moved Admiral Kirk. Coupled with the marvelous score by Jerry Goldsmith, this scene alone would make the film worthwhile. Wise, along with his special effects artists (including the legendary Douglas Trumbull), also creates another emotional highlight when the Enterprise, after an unsuccessful first attempt, finally achieves warp speed. All of the characters on the bridge seem inspired to be once again boldly going where no one has gone before. It is unfortunate that there are not many more moments in the film that are as emotional as these (this is a film more about ideas than feelings). They would have made its rather esoteric themes more accessible.

The performances by the main actors are very good. Shatner, from his first scene on, once again becomes a decisive Admiral Kirk. While he can sometimes be stiff and occasionally too broad, particularly in the film's climax, no one else could play Kirk, with his bravado and self-assurance, as well as Shatner. At first Leonard Nimoy seems off as Spock, but we soon see that this is a subtle shift in his character, who has been trying to purge himself completely of emotion by undergoing the Kolinahr discipline. Nimoy, always the Original Series' best actor, skillfully portrays Spock's initial aloofness and his later warmth after he has mind-melded with V'ger. DeForest Kelley plays Bones with fun and a humor that is lacking from the rest of the characters. All of the classic "big three" actors deliver strong performances that serve the film well.

The two newcomers, Stephen Collins as Captain Decker, and Persis Khambatta as Lt. Ilia, are, in retrospect, first drafts of Commander Riker and Counselor Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation. As a hairless Deltan, Khambatta is the weakest of the main cast. She delivers a wooden performance, showing very little emotion for a character who is supposed to be bursting with sexuality. Collins is better as Decker. He plays Decker's frustration with and envy of Kirk well, often respectfully making Kirk seem as if the times have passed him by. Unfortunately, he is weak in the climax, saying the lines "Jim, I want this. As much as you wanted the Enterprise, I want this!" as if he were reading a weather report. Overall, the cast is solid, and it contributes well to the film's story.

The marvelous special effects add greatly to the film. As has been noted, they often go on too long and sometimes substitute for a good script, but they nevertheless allow us to see an entity that is truly alien. Many science fiction films and TV programs show us aliens that are basically funny-looking humans. The intruder cloud, on the other hand, looks like something completely out of human experience. It comprises swirling clouds, bright lights, and expansive vistas that represent V'ger's trip throughout the universe. The effects also show us just how immensely huge the alien is. We often see the Enterprise as little more than a speck compared to the mammoth intruder. As others have noted¹, this film is one of the few that inspire the same sense of awe and wonder that 2001: A Space Odyssey does. Spock's journey into the heart of V'ger echoes Dave Bowman's climactic voyage in 2001, and the revelation that V'ger has "knowledge that spans this universe" provokes the same sensation of awe that one has at Bowman's transformation at the end of 2001. More than any other Star Trek film, ST:TMP emphasizes the sense of wonder and exploration on which the Original Series was based.

The most remarkable aspect of this film is its courage to grapple with some very profound themes and ideas. You won't find questions like "Is this all that I am? Is there nothing more?" in science fiction blockbusters such as Independence Day or Jurassic Park. ST:TMP is, as many of the better Original Series episodes were, an exploration of what it means to be human. The film's ideas, expressed by a transformed Mr. Spock, that "logic and knowledge are not enough," and also its closing line "The Human adventure is just beginning," are Star Trek at its best. ST:TMP bravely asks these questions and offers thoughtful answers. V'ger has taken in so much knowledge that it has achieved sentience, but has no ability to comprehend emotions. Admiral Kirk realizes that "what V'ger needs is a human quality; our capacity to leap beyond logic." As V'ger tries to understand what it means to be human, the audience is invited to ponder the question as well. The ideas expressed in the film's final act more than make up for its earlier missteps.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture, in spite of its many flaws, stands as a magnificent example of what thoughtful science fiction cinema can be. While the film drags quite a bit, is lacking in humor, and has too many effects sequences, it is still a film that offers many ideas and insights. It is an excellent cinematic maiden voyage for the starship Enterprise.