Stoopid Smart Reviews "The Search for Spock"

[Rookie Trekkie]

Hey everyone! I've been really getting into the Star Trek films (as well as the TV series), and I've been writing reviews for my blog as I go. I've just completed work on my Star Trek III review, found here:

http://stoopidsmartreviews.blogspot.com/2014/07/star-trekking-search-for-spock.html

I'd appreciate any feedback, since you guys are the experts and I'm just a rookie!

You can check out my Star Trek I and II reviews here...

http://stoopidsmartreviews.blogspot.com/2014/05/star-treking-motion-picture.html

http://stoopidsmartreviews.blogspot.com/2014/07/star-trekking-wrath-of-khan.html

...as well as my thoughts on the original series here:

http://stoopidsmartreviews.blogspot.com/2014/03/star-treking-original-series-1966-1969.html

I had a lot of fun watching and writing, and I hope you have fun reading!

 

[Maurice]

Again, nice and succinct.

Two points...

Leonard Nimoy... initially only did Wrath of Khan because his character would die at the end.

This was never a condition of his involvement. Harve Bennett pitched him the death scene because he thought it would catch his attention. It did.

...not only did he want to come back as the character, he was willing to direct the next film.

"Willing" isn't the right word. They didn't offer it to him. He saw an opportunity and pitched it himself.

 

[sonak]

I agree that one major problem hanging over the film is that it's so obviously a follow-up that is almost solely designed to undo the death of Spock at the end of TWOK. It never feels like its own movie in that way.

I'm surprised to read that you thought its tone was "silly," as the destruction of the ENT and death of David Marcus make its tone very somber to me, probably among the most somber of the films. I'm also surprised that you think Lloyd's Kruge was "restrained."

Overall an interesting read, but a bit too much spent on recapping a movie that whoever's reading it will be familiar with.

 

[Melakon]

The only time I've seen a restrained performance by Christopher Lloyd was his first film, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

I originally thought he and Danny DeVito were some of the actual inmates used as extras.

 

[Rookie Trekkie]

I'm surprised to read that you thought its tone was "silly," as the destruction of the ENT and death of David Marcus make its tone very somber to me, probably among the most somber of the films.

Shatner's acting was pretty great in that scene!

I agree that parts of the film are very serious, and very well done. I think I meant to say that the whole idea of Spock being reborn and his katra being put back into him is sort of silly. It just bugs me because this is essentially a clone of Spock and the real Spock is dead. You can't take it too seriously or you could lose your mind.

 

[VST]

It's a bit erratic, TSFS, tonally at least. It wants to be all things to all folk & only gets it half right, struggling to balance tragedy, sadness, broad comedy & derring do in the one package.

I will say though, Shatner was never better than his reaction to David's death. He just nailed the shock & horror of that moment. Every time I get a lump in my throat.

 

[CoveTom]

As individual movies, I like pretty much all six of the classic Trek flicks. TSFS has some great moments, and as has been mentioned, Shatner's acting is at its finest, both in his reaction to David's death and his reaction to the destruction of the Enterprise.

But I hate the overall continuity of the series, and particularly TSFS and TVH.

Why? Because they undid pretty much everything dramatic or game changing that their predecessors did. Spock dies, but wait, he comes back to life. The Enterprise is sacrificed but, oh wait, we've got a spare. Kirk has to cope with being middle aged, an admiral, and a father. But, oh wait, now his son is gone and he's the captain again.

Top that off with the fact that by the time we get to TFF, all our characters have stagnated back into what they were during TOS. Kirk is the captain again, Spock is his first officer, Chekov is back at the navigator's station, Sulu is at the helm. All the new characters that had been created which allowed our regulars to grows and progress -- Decker, Ilia, Saavik, etc. -- are gone and we've got the status quo back.

For that reason, the TOS film series feels very small. It doesn't go anywhere with the characters. It ultimately reverts to just being episodic television. And that's unfortunate.

 

[Marsden]

It just bugs me because this is essentially a clone of Spock and the real Spock is dead. You can't take it too seriously or you could lose your mind.

You know they are all dead. They were disintigrated the first time they were transported and that is just making a reconsitiuted copy of them every time.

 

[thribs]

The one thing that isn’t made clear is to why they abort the trans Warp experiments since it was clearly shown that Scotty sabotaged it.

I watched the film again recently and it still amazes how useless the Grissom is.

 

[Maurice]

The one thing that isn’t made clear is to why they abort the trans Warp experiments since it was clearly shown that Scotty sabotaged it.

I watched the film again recently and it still amazes how useless the Grissom is.

Um, thribs, check the dates on the posts just above yours. It's Christmas, not Halloween, so necro-threads are not season appropriate.

NECRO THREAD!

 

[thribs]

I don’t get this fuss over the date of threads. I just was looking for a thread that discussed Star Trek III and this one came up. To me it seems sillier to make a new one.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

thribs, this thread is past its "best by" date. The people involved in this thread are highly unlikely to respond. If it hasn't been active in a year or more, please start a new thread. Link this to it, if you like, but start a new thread. Thread closed, folks.