I have been rewatching ST I - VI and find I like the Spock in I and II to be more interesting, while in V & VI he was more played for laughs. Anybody else feel that way?
Well, when he was first ressurected he was kind of more detached than usual, similar to the way he was in the first half or so of TMP. He is sort of played for laughs in IV and V, though. In VI I feel he's pretty much back to his TWOK self, where he seems more serene and comfortable with his self (The films of course have the same director, and a good chunk of both has Spock in command of Enterprise as opposed to Kirk). I feel he was kind of more laid back in the JJ film, and playing himself more than Spock. There's a similar problem I feel with Shatner in V and Generations.
I preferred him before he died. Afterwards he kinda became not spock...maybe thats what dying does to you.
It has been noted by some that Spock does seem somewhat more emotional after his mind meld with V'ger in almost all the films, before and after death. So the movie Spock doesn't feel exactly like TOS Spock, who was always conflicted about his dual nature. Not saying Nimoy forgot to play Spock or anything, just that he's 'different' in the films. Christopher actually writes a lot about Spock becoming more acceptable of his human side in his novel Ex Machina.
Although I enjoy the way his character evolved in the features films & became more accepting of his human side, yes, I liked him better before he died.
Spock seemed to evolve over time to become more accepting of his human half. I thought it was good development, and really don't prefer one over the over.
I don't think there's a "before death/after death" split in the character. He seems very similar in TWOK(before death) and in TUC(after resurrection). as others have said, he seems most at peace and comfortable with himself in these two movies, and I think it's nice to see him like that as opposed to the jerk that he was through most of TMP.
I'm pretty sure I like Spock in any state. A lot of time had passed between those movies, times changed, movie standards changed. Kind of like comparing the old movies with the new one. It's not that the director or the actors actually suck - it's just what we do these days, I suppose. All good things must come to an end, of course.
I did not like him in TMP. He was lifeless and his character was reduced to a walking equipment of the starship. Like everyone else there, except Bones. His pointy ears, handsome face and skinny figure have not saved him there. I agree there is no remarkable difference between TWOK Spock and TUC Spock. And Nimoy's Spock was the best character in 2009 movie, I think.
He's portrayed so unevenly throughout the films. In TMP, he's a robot, in TWOK he's classic Spock with a hint of humanity, in TSFS he's dead, in TVH he's comic relief, then in V and VI, he's back to Vulcan with a touch of humanity. Hard to judge them equally.
We have a character that we don't know nothing about, internally, other the fact that he's mom is human, his dad is Vulcan and he some some underlying issues that show a a potential, major, problem with his biracial identity. Then we fast-forward ten years into the future and we have a character who's pretty much dead set on ignoring his humanity, going forth with his Vulcan heritage by purging emotion, and spends an entire movie realizing his place in the world. Then, once Spock finally has himself figured out, he dies. Well, that just sucks. It's like reformatting a computer now and that's what happens in III. We now have a reformatted computer; his characteristics, personality, everything is now gone. And now we have someone who now has to not only find himself but where he lies in the lives of others. Then, after ten years, Spock finally comes into himself again. Not only that, he is comfortable with himself. Something that he never was before. You can't really, or I personally can't, decided if Spock-post TWOK is better than the Spock Pre-TWOK because the series of movies, excluding V because that was just a Kirk-circlejerk of shit, is a journey through Spock's development. Spock in the 60s show is pretty damn flat but his character is molded and evolved through the movies, through his rebirth. So yeah, I like Spock before his death and after his death.
I think I know Spock's reason why has a problem with his human half. In Journey to Babel, when Amanda was talking with Kirk: When Sarek arrived, he called Amanda 'she who is my wife'. What about an actual introduction? She has a name, doesnt she? An ambassador should know that introduction of his partner is a basic thing of etiquette all over the civilised world (and universe).And when Sarek said 'My wife, attend'', she ATTENDED, the hell, and have not said a word! WTF, Amanda? Why you so submissive? Do you think you are making your son proud of his half-human origin, when you act like a trained dog? If Spock lived 18 years or so by his parents and had to see behaviour like that every day, I am not surprised that he, even if he have not said it, thinks of humans as lesser beings. Even when he loves his mother.