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While on their way to Earth to face the music for their crimes,
Our favorite crew learns Earth’s in danger, as it is sometimes.
A giant probe is clouding Earth, depleting all its power,
With some peculiar signal making things worse by the hour.
 
When Spock (who was revived, you know) investigates the sound,
He learns it’s that of humpback whales, but there are none around.
Therefore, they must go back in time to find the needed whales.
They use the sun to slingshot round; I’ll spare you the details.
 
The latter 1900s is when they arrive and land,
To find whales which will be extinct because of mankind’s hand.
The Klingon ship they’re borrowing unfortunately broke,
But at least to hide their presence, it can disappear by cloak.
 
They split up there in San Francisco, and soon Spock and Kirk
Locate two whales and a girl involved with conservation work.
This Dr. Taylor asks them of their interest in cetaceans
And gets a crazy story and Kirk’s infamous flirtations.
 
The whales are soon released into the wild, unannounced,
And, with their ship replenished, they then leave some whalers trounced.
They save the whales and bring them back, with Dr. Taylor in tow,
And crash into the ocean, where the two whales swim below.
 
They calm the enigmatic probe, which leaves no worse for wear,
And seas and skies all stabilize, like it had not been there.
Since Kirk and crew have saved the Earth (again), Starfleet is wise,
And Kirk’s again the captain of a brand new Enterprise.
_____________________
 

Seeming to confirm the shortsighted theory that even-numbered Star Trek films are the good ones, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was significantly lighter in tone than its predecessor and far more enjoyable: no cruel villain, no life-shattering deaths or losses. The plot, involving going back in time to retrieve extinct whales in order to communicate with a power-draining cylinder from space, is as outlandish as they come, yet it somehow works. This is thanks largely to the proven charm of the familiar actors, and, since ensembles are often hard to balance in these films, it’s satisfying to see each character given a chance to shine (except Uhura). Whether it’s McCoy’s grumbling about 20th century medicine, Chekhov’s latent dreams of promotion, or Scotty’s introduction to a Mac computer, the humor is deftly woven into the plot so that, even though Earth’s fate hangs in the balance, no one’s afraid to have a little fun along the way. The resurrected Spock (still played by director Leonard Nimoy) is a particularly welcome return, and his fish-out-of-water frankness makes for some of the film’s comedic highlights.

Like most Star Trek episodes, there’s timely message included, namely the importance of conservation. “Save the Whales” may be an oft-used declaration, but it takes on new meaning when you consider that, if we don’t, a singing probe may one day destroy Earth.

There are some minor issues, aside from the fact that the more contemporary setting calls for more obscenities, or “colorful metaphors.” For instance, from the outside, that Klingon bird-of-prey doesn’t look like it could hold two grown humpback whales. Also, it’s unclear why Uhura, Kirk, and Scotty are in uniform while the others seem to be wearing civilian clothing. Plus, there’s a throwaway joke in which Dr. McCoy gives a sick woman a pill that regrows her kidney. Shoot, I didn’t know they were that advanced! (There’s an episode of Voyager in which someone’s lungs are stolen; why couldn’t they just regrow them with that magic pill?)

Despite these questions, The Voyage Home remains a favorite among Trekkers for good reason. It’s hard not to geek out when Kirk dramatically says, “Spock, start your computations for time warp.” The film has humor, excitement, a few high concepts, and time travel; what more does a Star Trek film need?

Best line: (Kirk, explaining Spock’s strangeness to Dr. Taylor) “Oh, him? He’s harmless. Back in the sixties, he was part of the free speech movement at Berkeley. I think he did a little too much LDS.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 9
Watchability: 8
 
TOTAL: 48 out of 60
 

Next: #141 – Grave of the Fireflies

© 2014 S. G. Liput

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