More like the outsider who almost KILLED it. We go from The Motion Picture, filled with awe, real sci fi and interesting ideas to a moustache twirling villain, cheap production design and explosions. Not to mention the worst uniforms ever. And because this movie was made on the cheap (and trust me, it looks it) and made a profit, every film afterwards looks equally cheap and every film has to have its Khan ripoff.
This movie took the exploration out of Star Trek and opted for explosions. And cheapness.
You are in the minority on this opinion of 'Wrath, most people going into the theaters in '81 to see 'Wrath were under the impression that this was going to be the last Trek film and came away from it surprised and happy, financially it was a great success and emotionally was the reason people came to see "Search For Spock", and later "Voyage Home".
As far as accusing Meyer of being cheap he wasn't the one responsible for the budget Paramount was the force that pushed Bennet to save money on this film since "Motion Picture" production was was a near disaster, they spent a huge some of money on "Motion Picture" and fired the first special company effects after seeing their terrible work, which was very late into production by then, hired a new company spent more money, barely finished the film which was cut without the exterior shots of V'Ger and without Robert Wise being able to do his own final editing of the film, which, without his touches gave us a very slow, very dry, very boring, and lifeless film (even Wise said his DVD directors cut was much better). "The Motion Picture" was a disapointment to Trekkies and Trekkers at the time, who were happy to at least get some new Trek, which is the only reason it was successful at all since they had a ten year dry spell of no Trek at all but re-runs!
Star Trek II had life in it, it had character, the only complaint that I feel is legit is recycling an old TV character Khan, but Montalban's great performance helped thanks to the directing given by Meyer more than made up for that in my opinion.
Star Trek II was originally going to be the last Star Trek film, and the last Star Trek anything you were going to see. Meyer saved Trek, he is a good director an a very intelligent writer, his books were very good especially his Sherlock Holmes books, have you ever read "The Seven-Percent Solution"? It is a great book very well written, well worded, and a well thought book, only Meyer's can bring together two intellectual giants in Sherlock Holmes and Sigmund Frued and to do it in such a way that it doesn't end up dry and boring takes a very smart, very sharp writer who has knowledge of history culture and modern writing.
Wreck Star Trek? Meyers is the standard for good Star Trek! You may not like 'Wrath but you should be thanking Meyer for having any Star Trek at all today.
