What you did or didn't like about TSFS....

[Joel_Kirk]

Ah, what happened to these posts?

I think we stopped at TWOK...?

Well, me personally:

Disliked:

Robin Curtis taking over for Kirstie Alley, even though I had a semi-crush on Curtis at the time (it was that leather vest that she wore in photos, I think)...

Liked:

It seemed like there was crew cameradie (sp?) in this film...i.e. Sulu didn't like being called 'Tiny'....Uhura was sexy and had 'Mr. Adventure' eating out of her hand....Scotty performed some sabotage...

It was cool seeing the Excelsior...and Grissom...

Too, I used to think it was interesting that, at the end of the film, you have Kirk looking unshaved, weary, with the other members of the classic crew standing with him as he saves Spock...

Oh! And James Horner's music was pretty cool too....(And yes, I know that Klingon theme is the same theme as the Aliens theme....i.e. Hicks: Marines! We are leaving!)

Nitpicks:

-Kirk and others flying ENT; it begs the question of why do they need 400+ people if only a small number can do everything?

 

[Tomalak]

I like virtually everything, I think it's a terrific film.

Looking back now, Curtis isn't brilliant. The good Vulcan actors aren't totally emotionless - look at Leonard Nimoy and Mark Lenard - unfortunately Robin Curtis was just wooden.

 

[Orac Zen]

I like almost everything about TSFS. It would be easier to mention the few things I don't like:

• the "protomatter" nonsense. Instead of just stating the obvious - that the Genesis device was designed to transform an existing planet and wasn't supposed to be used in any other way (and probably shouldn't have worked at all if used in any other way) - they technobabbled their way out of it. Lame and pointless.

• Horner's score. Dull. (Yes, I said it again - I find it dull. To each their own.)

That's about it. The more I think about it, the more I realise it's probably my favourite Trek movie. Certainly it's my favourite TOS-crew movie.

As for Curtis's performance, I recall reading somewhere that Nimoy told her to play the role that way - emotionless, stoic, call it what you will. Whether that's the case, or whether Curtis just didn't have the acting skills to make the part work, or whatever else, it doesn't bother me. I like the character well enough that either interpretation is okay with me.

Nitpicks:

-Kirk and others flying ENT; it begs the question of why do they need 400+ people if only a small number can do everything?

Scotty's a miracle worker. That is a bit of a stretch, though it's not as though they were leaving on a five-year exploration mission. They just wanted to get from A to B as rapidly as possible, and presumably with Scotty's tinkering the handful of people aboard were sufficient for that purpose. Even without chimps and trainees.

 

[Santa Kang]

-Kirk and others flying ENT; it begs the question of why do they need 400+ people if only a small number can do everything?

MY guess is most of those 400+ people aren't involved with flying the ship. Which is all that was needed to get to Genesis. No need for A&A officers, geologists, biologists, security, yeomen or a medical staff.

 

[Sci]

I liked the fact that McCoy was arrested by an organization called Federation Security -- apparently the Federation's F.B.I. -- rather than Starfleet.

 

[RoJoHen]

The only thing that I really don't like about this movie is the fight between Kirk and Kruge on the Genesis planet. It's so goofy, and the sound quality is just horrible.

Otherwise, I enjoy it quite a bit.

 

[Mysterion]

I didn't like that they brought Spock back to life. Totally negates all the dramatic import of the previous movie. Didn't like that they killed-off David Marcus either and disappeared Carol Marcus. Similar reasons.

It's almost like ST3's main purpose was to erase all the events of TWoK. Can't have the character develop and grow, no sir. Spock's dead? Fixed. Kirk's got a family? Nope, fixed that too.

One of the best things about TWoK, to me at least, was we were seeing the characters grow and change. Kirk is getting older and dealing with mortality (his own and Spock's). Spock makes a big life-changing choice. Scotty faces the death of a family member. ST3 would have been a much better movie if it had involved the characters actually having to face the consequences of the events in ST2. Kirk goes off on a quest to save his friendm but then realizes that sometimes a friend can't be saved. He then has to realise that things change sometimes, and not always the way you want them to. ST4 could have been a new beginning for the franchise. New characters (David, Carol, Saavik), new directions (no Enterprise what do we do now?), etc. Lots of missed opportunities.

To make it worse, STIV continues the trend: Enterprise gone? Nope, here's an identical replacement. Annoying new character still hanging around? Nope, left her on Vulcan never to be see again. Main character in trouble for destroying a starship, disobeying orders, etc.? Nope. All forgiven, here's a new ship. Off you go.


Status quo rules. Yawn.

 

[tomalak301]

Likes

-The stealing the Enterprise scene

-Blowing up the Enterprise

Dislikes

-The way the Klingons were portrayed, which was significantly different from any other time they were portrayed.

-The boring bringing Spock back scene (Fal Tor Pan or whatever it was called)

It wasn't a bad film, but it's usually at the bottom of my rankings.

 

[Tomalak]

-Kirk and others flying ENT; it begs the question of why do they need 400+ people if only a small number can do everything?

MY guess is most of those 400+ people aren't involved with flying the ship. Which is all that was needed to get to Genesis. No need for A&A officers, geologists, biologists, security, yeomen or a medical staff.

I thought that was fairly obvious in the film. One shot destroyed the automation systems, and they were defenceless, with no one to conduct repairs etc.

 

[Rush Limborg]

Uh...it was an okay film, with some nice character moments, but...I think there was something wrong with the pacing.

Many times, I find myself struggling to stay awake in the "Surface of Genesis" scenes, and quite a few others.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

Sidenote:

-Joel's other likes: Uhura's two outfits she wears in the course of the film; the one in Kirk's apartment and the other at the Federation starbase...

-Kirk and others flying ENT; it begs the question of why do they need 400+ people if only a small number can do everything?

MY guess is most of those 400+ people aren't involved with flying the ship. Which is all that was needed to get to Genesis. No need for A&A officers, geologists, biologists, security, yeomen or a medical staff.

Hmmm....

I liked the fact that McCoy was arrested by an organization called Federation Security -- apparently the Federation's F.B.I. -- rather than Starfleet.

Interesting....

The only thing that I really don't like about this movie is the fight between Kirk and Kruge on the Genesis planet. It's so goofy, and the sound quality is just horrible.

Otherwise, I enjoy it quite a bit.

Kirk's backflip, courtesy of Kruge...

Uh...it was an okay film, with some nice character moments, but...I think there was something wrong with the pacing.

Many times, I find myself struggling to stay awake in the "Surface of Genesis" scenes, and quite a few others.

It was a 'dark' film, even darker than the previous. Even the music was somber, which is why it doesn't appeal to everyone...

I think TVH was good to be a bit lighter after everything that happened...

 

[Chrisisall]

The only thing that I really don't like about this movie is the fight between Kirk and Kruge on the Genesis planet.

In narrative terms it worked quite well, I thought. As a fan of TOS and a martial artist myself, I felt the choreographer/stunt coordinator should have been sent to Tantalus for re-education in the chair.

 

[sbk1234]

I didn't like that they brought Spock back to life. Totally negates all the dramatic import of the previous movie. Didn't like that they killed-off David Marcus either and disappeared Carol Marcus. Similar reasons.

It's almost like ST3's main purpose was to erase all the events of TWoK. Can't have the character develop and grow, no sir. Spock's dead? Fixed. Kirk's got a family? Nope, fixed that too.

One of the best things about TWoK, to me at least, was we were seeing the characters grow and change. Kirk is getting older and dealing with mortality (his own and Spock's). Spock makes a big life-changing choice. Scotty faces the death of a family member. ST3 would have been a much better movie if it had involved the characters actually having to face the consequences of the events in ST2. Kirk goes off on a quest to save his friendm but then realizes that sometimes a friend can't be saved. He then has to realise that things change sometimes, and not always the way you want them to. ST4 could have been a new beginning for the franchise. New characters (David, Carol, Saavik), new directions (no Enterprise what do we do now?), etc. Lots of missed opportunities.

To make it worse, STIV continues the trend: Enterprise gone? Nope, here's an identical replacement. Annoying new character still hanging around? Nope, left her on Vulcan never to be see again. Main character in trouble for destroying a starship, disobeying orders, etc.? Nope. All forgiven, here's a new ship. Off you go.


Status quo rules. Yawn.

Well put, all points. I did like the film, but I felt somewhat let down.

 

[RoJoHen]

The only thing that I really don't like about this movie is the fight between Kirk and Kruge on the Genesis planet.

In narrative terms it worked quite well, I thought. As a fan of TOS and a martial artist myself, I felt the choreographer/stunt coordinator should have been sent to Tantalus for re-education in the chair.

The fact that there was a fight didn't bother me. I fully expect Kirk to get in a fight with the bad guy. The way the fight was choreographed and filmed, however...completely ridiculous.

 

[Basil]

I was disappointed with Star Trek III when I saw it in theaters in 1984 -- it felt an inferior follow-up to Star Trek II. But it had some redeeming and watchable qualities, despite its many flaws.

Likes:

TOS homages (obvious planet sets, hand-to-hand combat)
Sarek and T'Lar
Horner's score
Many authentic, meaningful crew character moments, especially when Shatner stays in character
Kirk's leather coat
Good comedy (Breaking McCoy out of jail; "Fine, I'll kill you later.")
Production design, though some of it unexplained (different phasers, communicators, and dock)
More non-Constitution-class ships
Vulcan

Dislikes:

Campy Klingons
Dopey, annoying Starfleet personnel
Too many TJ Kirk moments, inconsistent with his generally more nuanced and James T. Kirk-like self in the previous film; surprised Kirk was not riding the hood of a shuttlecraft.
Robin Curtis
Bad comedy (Will the doors open? Out of gas sound effect)
Hackneyed dialogue ("This is your opponent speaking . . . "; ". . . the Federation has become a gang of intergalactic criminals!")
Killing Valkris for no sensible reason except to say obviously Kruge is a paranoid prick
Uneven, sometimes very plodding pacing
Cheesy terms like "space doors" and "space dock" -- is this a 1930s serial?
David Marcus' death
No Carol Marcus
"Reset" button -- this film essentially undoes everything the previous, better film so eloquently set up, which would have allowed the films to evolve beyond their mostly formulaic space opera plots.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

Too many TJ Kirk moments, inconsistent with his generally more nuanced and James T. Kirk-like self in the previous film; surprised Kirk was not riding the hood of a shuttlecraft.

*cue TJ Hooker/James Horner Trek medley*

 

[Admiral Shran]

Likes:

- Robin Curtis replacing Kirstie Alley (I think I'm one of a very small minority that thinks Curtis did a better job playing a Vulcan than did Alley. That and I've always had a huge crush on Curtis. )
- David Marcus' death and Kirk's reaction to it.
- The destruction of the Enterprise.
- McCoy being arrested by Federation Security.
- Vulcan
- "That green-blooded son of a bitch! It's his revenge for all those arguments he lost!"

Dislikes:

- Kruge
- No Carol Marcus
- Horner's score
- The idea that Genesis is an interstellar contraversy. Why?

 

[Sci]

Dislikes:

- The idea that Genesis is an interstellar contraversy. Why?

Um, because it's a technology capable of sterilizing the entire surface of a planet, destroying the entire ecosystem and all life on the surface with a single torpedo?

I mean, that's a pretty scary thing if you're a Klingon or Romulan and you see the Federation developing something like that.

And even if you trust the Federation not to use it as a weapon of mass destruction -- and there's no reason the Klingons or Romulans would trust the Federation not to use Genesis as a WMD -- there's the simple fact that it's a threat even if it's use for its intended purpose of colonizing sterile worlds. After all, that would give the Federation a huge competitive advantage in expanding and colonizing new worlds that the Klingons and Romulans can't use, allowing the Federation to expand its population and its industrial base and thereby out-compet and out-expand the Klingon and Romulan Empires.

 

[Admiral Shran]

Ok, I guess that makes sense.

 

[JarodRussell]

Oh! And James Horner's music was pretty cool too....(And yes, I know that Klingon theme is the same theme as the Aliens theme....i.e. Hicks: Marines! We are leaving!)

Actually, the Aliens theme is the Klingon theme. Aliens was 1986, TSFS was 1984.