Science Movie Reviews

The impact of PLANET OF THE APES has unfortunately suffered a diminution because of the inferior sequels and a cartoonish television series. Nevertheless the original still resonates in ways that even now does not lose power after multiple viewings. Director Franklin Schaffner took a literate script from Rod Serling, who in turn adapted the monkey planet tale from Pierre Boulle, and brought to the screen a world turned upside down. In both the novel and the script, an astronaut (Charlton Heston) crashes his spacecraft on a world that he believes lies hundreds of light years from earth only to discover that it is apes who rule and human beings who serve. The plot, which details Heston's attempt to understand how this monkey ruling society could have evolved, allows Director Franklin both to entertain and to instruct. The entertaining aspect is connected to an often biting and humorous didacticism that pokes a not so gentle thrust at an anti-war, post-hippie society that was contemporary with the film's release date of 1968. The tri-part ape society of gorilla, chimpanzee, and monkey correspond to the pro-war military, the educated elite, and the silent majority respectively. Just as human society was rent by internal dissent during the Vietnam War so is simian society equally divisive due to the heavy handed way the gorillas run roughshod over the chimps and monkeys. The impact of PLANET OF THE APES inheres in a very nearly seamless melding of sight to sound. At the start of the film, Heston and two other earth astronauts are forced to wander this new world and are greeted first by an inhospitable desert, then by thieving humans, and then finally by brute gorillas who round up the humans in images of white slave catchers recapturing runaway black slaves. The scene involving the imprisoning of the humans still shocks in intensity, even after more than three decades. Later, other and similar scenes set up the beach finale that indicates at what point human society began to wither and simian society began to be ascendant. Much of the dialogue is rife with irony and wit that when spoken by apes about humans richly suggests the folly of ethnic egotism that is apparently not limited to humans alone.

Heston's supporting cast is capable and even classically trained. Maurice Evans as the ape leader mouths platitudes with the certainty of a wounded Lear as he tries mightily to grasp why his own kind are taking the side of the humans. Roddy McDowell and Kim Hunter are kindly scientists who can see that Heston is far more than the mutated freak that the gorilla leaders hold him to be. And then there is the obligatory piece of female eye candy, fetchingly played by Linda Harrison, as Heston's love interest. What PLANET OF THE APES points out is that if our contemporary human society suffers from mutually assured destruction, then the survivors may be indistinguishable from the brutish laws of a future ruling simian one.

Re-release of the classic film Planet of the Apes!! I can't wait. You know this one is gonna be good! I can warrant giving it 5 stars already, cause I've seen the film many times and have enjoyed it emensly...It's just the extras we're worrying about here though.... With the 35th Anniversary release, we can look foward to some great extras on the DVD...Commentary by actors Roddy McDowall, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter and others. Outtakes, Roddy McDowall home videos and I'm sure much, much more! This is surely a DVD to look out for!

The box cover is a bit of a spoiler. This is unfortunate, because the first time you see this film, the ending is a real shocker. Don't ask anyone what I mean; watch it without knowing the ending, and let yourself take the wild roller coaster drop when you see it.

The casting is unusual and brilliant. Kim Hunter, best known for winning the supporting actress Oscar for A Streetcar Named Desire, plays Zira, a chimpanzee who is a psychologist studying human behavior. Former child star Roddy McDowell plays her husband, Cornelius. Charleton Heston is Taylor, a talking human who shakes up the ape society's view of itself as the species created in the image of god.

The set design and costumes hint of "B" IAP movies, but this is not a B-film. It is a brilliant, heavy-handed, yet not didactic commentary on human society; it is as true now as it was when it was first released upon the Vietnam-era United States.

Though there are sly backhands at the government that got us into Vietnam, and created the "generation gap," the larger commentary on race relations and the treatment of non-human animals is staggering.

The ape make-up is pure art, and the film is watchable just for the human actors bringing the ape faces to life. But it's watchable for much more than thrills; watch it for its message: because of the ape allegory, the film makes many statements that couldn't be made directly.

On top of it all, this is plain fun, science fiction, and a fantastic action film.

Rated G when you could say "damn" in a G film, this film is something that children will love-- though there's so much in it, and adult won't pick it all up without repeated viewings.

This is a buyable film; you'll want to watch it again and again.

The impact of PLANET OF THE APES has unfortunately suffered a diminution because of the inferior sequels and a cartoonish television series. Nevertheless the original still resonates in ways that even now does not lose power after multiple viewings. Director Franklin Schaffner took a literate script from Rod Serling, who in turn adapted the monkey planet tale from Pierre Boulle, and brought to the screen a world turned upside down. In both the novel and the script, an astronaut (Charlton Heston) crashes his spacecraft on a world that he believes lies hundreds of light years from earth only to discover that it is apes who rule and human beings who serve. The plot, which details Heston's attempt to understand how this monkey ruling society could have evolved, allows Director Franklin both to entertain and to instruct. The entertaining aspect is connected to an often biting and humorous didacticism that pokes a not so gentle thrust at an anti-war, post-hippie society that was contemporary with the film's release date of 1968. The tri-part ape society of gorilla, chimpanzee, and monkey correspond to the pro-war military, the educated elite, and the silent majority respectively. Just as human society was rent by internal dissent during the Vietnam War so is simian society equally divisive due to the heavy handed way the gorillas run roughshod over the chimps and monkeys. The impact of PLANET OF THE APES inheres in a very nearly seamless melding of sight to sound. At the start of the film, Heston and two other earth astronauts are forced to wander this new world and are greeted first by an inhospitable desert, then by thieving humans, and then finally by brute gorillas who round up the humans in images of white slave catchers recapturing runaway black slaves. The scene involving the imprisoning of the humans still shocks in intensity, even after more than three decades. Later, other and similar scenes set up the beach finale that indicates at what point human society began to wither and simian society began to be ascendant. Much of the dialogue is rife with irony and wit that when spoken by apes about humans richly suggests the folly of ethnic egotism that is apparently not limited to humans alone.

Heston's supporting cast is capable and even classically trained. Maurice Evans as the ape leader mouths platitudes with the certainty of a wounded Lear as he tries mightily to grasp why his own kind are taking the side of the humans. Roddy McDowell and Kim Hunter are kindly scientists who can see that Heston is far more than the mutated freak that the gorilla leaders hold him to be. And then there is the obligatory piece of female eye candy, fetchingly played by Linda Harrison, as Heston's love interest. What PLANET OF THE APES points out is that if our contemporary human society suffers from mutually assured destruction, then the survivors may be indistinguishable from the brutish laws of a future ruling simian one.

Re-release of the classic film Planet of the Apes!! I can't wait. You know this one is gonna be good! I can warrant giving it 5 stars already, cause I've seen the film many times and have enjoyed it emensly...It's just the extras we're worrying about here though.... With the 35th Anniversary release, we can look foward to some great extras on the DVD...Commentary by actors Roddy McDowall, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter and others. Outtakes, Roddy McDowall home videos and I'm sure much, much more! This is surely a DVD to look out for!

The box cover is a bit of a spoiler. This is unfortunate, because the first time you see this film, the ending is a real shocker. Don't ask anyone what I mean; watch it without knowing the ending, and let yourself take the wild roller coaster drop when you see it.

The casting is unusual and brilliant. Kim Hunter, best known for winning the supporting actress Oscar for A Streetcar Named Desire, plays Zira, a chimpanzee who is a psychologist studying human behavior. Former child star Roddy McDowell plays her husband, Cornelius. Charleton Heston is Taylor, a talking human who shakes up the ape society's view of itself as the species created in the image of god.

The set design and costumes hint of "B" IAP movies, but this is not a B-film. It is a brilliant, heavy-handed, yet not didactic commentary on human society; it is as true now as it was when it was first released upon the Vietnam-era United States.

Though there are sly backhands at the government that got us into Vietnam, and created the "generation gap," the larger commentary on race relations and the treatment of non-human animals is staggering.

The ape make-up is pure art, and the film is watchable just for the human actors bringing the ape faces to life. But it's watchable for much more than thrills; watch it for its message: because of the ape allegory, the film makes many statements that couldn't be made directly.

On top of it all, this is plain fun, science fiction, and a fantastic action film.

Rated G when you could say "damn" in a G film, this film is something that children will love-- though there's so much in it, and adult won't pick it all up without repeated viewings.

This is a buyable film; you'll want to watch it again and again.

The impact of PLANET OF THE APES has unfortunately suffered a diminution because of the inferior sequels and a cartoonish television series. Nevertheless the original still resonates in ways that even now does not lose power after multiple viewings. Director Franklin Schaffner took a literate script from Rod Serling, who in turn adapted the monkey planet tale from Pierre Boulle, and brought to the screen a world turned upside down. In both the novel and the script, an astronaut (Charlton Heston) crashes his spacecraft on a world that he believes lies hundreds of light years from earth only to discover that it is apes who rule and human beings who serve. The plot, which details Heston's attempt to understand how this monkey ruling society could have evolved, allows Director Franklin both to entertain and to instruct. The entertaining aspect is connected to an often biting and humorous didacticism that pokes a not so gentle thrust at an anti-war, post-hippie society that was contemporary with the film's release date of 1968. The tri-part ape society of gorilla, chimpanzee, and monkey correspond to the pro-war military, the educated elite, and the silent majority respectively. Just as human society was rent by internal dissent during the Vietnam War so is simian society equally divisive due to the heavy handed way the gorillas run roughshod over the chimps and monkeys. The impact of PLANET OF THE APES inheres in a very nearly seamless melding of sight to sound. At the start of the film, Heston and two other earth astronauts are forced to wander this new world and are greeted first by an inhospitable desert, then by thieving humans, and then finally by brute gorillas who round up the humans in images of white slave catchers recapturing runaway black slaves. The scene involving the imprisoning of the humans still shocks in intensity, even after more than three decades. Later, other and similar scenes set up the beach finale that indicates at what point human society began to wither and simian society began to be ascendant. Much of the dialogue is rife with irony and wit that when spoken by apes about humans richly suggests the folly of ethnic egotism that is apparently not limited to humans alone.

Heston's supporting cast is capable and even classically trained. Maurice Evans as the ape leader mouths platitudes with the certainty of a wounded Lear as he tries mightily to grasp why his own kind are taking the side of the humans. Roddy McDowell and Kim Hunter are kindly scientists who can see that Heston is far more than the mutated freak that the gorilla leaders hold him to be. And then there is the obligatory piece of female eye candy, fetchingly played by Linda Harrison, as Heston's love interest. What PLANET OF THE APES points out is that if our contemporary human society suffers from mutually assured destruction, then the survivors may be indistinguishable from the brutish laws of a future ruling simian one.

Re-release of the classic film Planet of the Apes!! I can't wait. You know this one is gonna be good! I can warrant giving it 5 stars already, cause I've seen the film many times and have enjoyed it emensly...It's just the extras we're worrying about here though.... With the 35th Anniversary release, we can look foward to some great extras on the DVD...Commentary by actors Roddy McDowall, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter and others. Outtakes, Roddy McDowall home videos and I'm sure much, much more! This is surely a DVD to look out for!

The box cover is a bit of a spoiler. This is unfortunate, because the first time you see this film, the ending is a real shocker. Don't ask anyone what I mean; watch it without knowing the ending, and let yourself take the wild roller coaster drop when you see it.

The casting is unusual and brilliant. Kim Hunter, best known for winning the supporting actress Oscar for A Streetcar Named Desire, plays Zira, a chimpanzee who is a psychologist studying human behavior. Former child star Roddy McDowell plays her husband, Cornelius. Charleton Heston is Taylor, a talking human who shakes up the ape society's view of itself as the species created in the image of god.

The set design and costumes hint of "B" IAP movies, but this is not a B-film. It is a brilliant, heavy-handed, yet not didactic commentary on human society; it is as true now as it was when it was first released upon the Vietnam-era United States.

Though there are sly backhands at the government that got us into Vietnam, and created the "generation gap," the larger commentary on race relations and the treatment of non-human animals is staggering.

The ape make-up is pure art, and the film is watchable just for the human actors bringing the ape faces to life. But it's watchable for much more than thrills; watch it for its message: because of the ape allegory, the film makes many statements that couldn't be made directly.

On top of it all, this is plain fun, science fiction, and a fantastic action film.

Rated G when you could say "damn" in a G film, this film is something that children will love-- though there's so much in it, and adult won't pick it all up without repeated viewings.

This is a buyable film; you'll want to watch it again and again.

Walter Pidgeon stars in this 1950's sci-fi movie in which a ship is sent to investigate life on other planets & finds a planet that was once inhabited by the Krell. How did the race die? Watch & find out. Animation done by Disney.

Still the quintessential grand daddy of most of today's sci-fi features, Forbidden Planet has it all!
The DVD quality is great although I would have liked a few of the other 187 languages and sub-tongues Robby alludes to offered on the disk besides colloquial English and French.
However if you look at a classic Sci-Fi T.V series like the original Star Trek you can see where Jean Roddenberry might have gotten some of his inspiration.
The Earth cruiser is a disk, used Hyper Drive (Warp Drive), has a chief engineer that wears a suspiciously similar earpiece to the one Spock wore to listen to radio transmissions. The captain has an executive officer, and a doctor on board ala number one and Dr. McCoy, the list of similarities with Trek goes on and on.
My suggestion is to watch the wide screen version, on the opposite side of the disk, turn off the lights and watch it on a large screen if you can. It is well worth it!
The actors are great; Walter Pidgeon offers a great performance as Dr. Morbius. Anne Francis and Leslie Nielsen are great together and the Cinemascope does the rest.
This one's a must for the collection.

Brilliant, big-studio epic. One of the very best SF films ever made. WATCH THE LETTERBOX VERSION! Original, expansive, truly great stuff. Big-name actors, incredible special effects, great music, an engaging story -- this is a movie that you will watch over and over again, it's strong from start to finish.

This is not a review but a condemnation of comments by Marshall Fine. I would rate the movie as a sci-fi thriller classic. It never seems to end, the constant references to Native Americans as villains or sub-human creatures. Fine's comments "It plays a little like a Western in outer space, where the settlers are waiting for a cavalry that never comes-and the Indians are acid-veined aliens." This racist and stereotypical comment should be condemned and not be allowed in any forum. Fine owes the Native American community an apology!! Amazon.com owes these noble peoples an apology! I wonder if there would be any outrage if the references were made to Jewish of African American peoples?

The Alien Lagacy is my favorite sci-fi horror saga! It contains four fantastic videos and The Alien Legacy, the behind the scenes look at the making of Alien. The Alien Legacy tape includes H.R. Griger's artwork and deleted scenes. Ridley Scott also had a part in the tape.

Alien is the first in the saga. Alien is a suspenseful thriller. It introduces Ripley, who is in all the Alien movies, to the viewers. It all begins when the Nostromo, which is the spaceship, receives signals from a planet. The ship wakes up the crew so they can go check out the planet. A member of the crew goes into a nest of a spacesraft that is found. He is attacked by a parasite that lays an emreyo in his chest. The alien bursts out of his chest at dinner and is loose on the ship. Alien is probably my 3rd favorite.
Overall: 81% B
Begining: 12/20 Boring
Plot: 17/20 Decent
Alien: 18/20 Looks Great!
Acting: 18/20 Weaver, Skeritt, Great!
Ending: 16/20 A bit soft

Aliens was a great movie overall, but not as scarry as the first or third. James Cameron put together a great film. It was too long. It took more of the action side at my point of view. My favorite characters, besides Ripley are, Apone, Spunkmeyer, and Burke. Ripley is found by a salavage crew and is brought to a space station. Colonies have been set up on LV-426, which was the planet Ripley was previously on. Nobody believes her story on the alien, so the Marines, Burke, and Ripley check out the disapearances on LV-426. One problem, there were a heck of a lot more! Only one of the 158 colonists are found, and that introduces Newt. An alien takes her later in the movie. Bishop and Hicks now have to wait for Ripley on an escape ship because she's out seachinf for Newt. A Queen Alien was found on the search and there is one final battle before they reach the Sulaco. My fouth favorite.
Overall: 86% B
Begining: 14/20 Boring, but with a point.
Plot: 18/20 Strong.
Alien: 6/10 Good, but you hardly see it.
Queen: 10/10 Griger's a genius!
Acting: 19/20 Weaver and Riser were great!
Ending: 19/20 Air-Lock, again?

Alien 3 is my favorite! David Fincher's film is highly under-rated, but those viewers don't like the characters, who are excons. Ripley, Bishop, Hicks, and little Newt crash on Furry 161, a prison planet. Another thing viewers hated was Newt, Hicks, and Bisop were killed off. So what! It's a movie! An alien impreagnanted Ripley and a dog. The burster broke out of the dog. A Queen was inside Ripley, so it took a lot longer. The new alien species is bigger, faster, and can craw on ceilings. There are no weapons so Dillon, (Chareles S, Dutton), has the idea of luring the alien into a mould and drowning the alien in hot lead. They procede with the plan but does it work? My favorite characters were Dillon, Ripley, and Clemens. The best!
Overall: 94% A
Begining: 17/20 Alien action early.
Plot: 18/20 What else is there?
Alien: 20/20 Beautiful!
Acting: 19/20 Weaver, Dutton, Dance, and Webb!
Ending: 20/20 Best in series!

Alien Resurrection is my second favorite in the series. In deep space, seven scientists bring Ellen Ripley back to life as a clone beacause nobody liked that Ripley died in the third. Nobody cared fo this one either. What else do you want besides Ripley back in action, a shot-em-up James Cameron Film?!? A crew of six come in to the Aguria to sell cargo to the ship. Twelve aliens break out of their part of the ship and start killing. Ripley and the crew have to head back to the Betty before the aliens get them. The aliens by the way were a science project for the company. They needed Ripley because of the Queen inside her. It was overall a good action movie and thriller.
Overall: 90% A-
Begining: 17/20 Slow, but interesting
Plot: 17/20 ahhh, OK, good.
Alien: 10/10 Looked great in water!
Queen: 8/10 Looked good, but not in action.
Acting: 19/20 Weaver, Wincott, Ryder, Fabulous!
Ending: 19/20 Bloody, but sweet!

No matter what you think of the cinematic achievements or pitfalls of the Alien series (e.g., see the various reviews here on Amazon.com) nothing is more interesting and compelling than the evolution of a character in the hands of various directors, writers and the actor who plays her. Lt. Ellen Ripley is the case in point.

In Alien, we see Ripley as a smart but tentative lieutenant. She is second in command but not quite sure of herself--and the crew both knows it and takes advantage of it. As the lone survivor, in Aliens she is no longer tentative. When it comes time for her to take charge, she does--and this time everyone seems to want it. In Alien 3, Ripley must once again step up to the plate. This time, however, it is not only an alien she must battle but also the inmates of a space penal colony. But by the end, they follow her like lemmings as she assumes the general in a battle plan to trap the alien. She demonstrates just how much she is dedicated to leading and protecting others in this film by committing the ultimate sacrifice in the end. Finally, in Alien Resurrection, Ripley leaves unwanted leadership behind to become the renegade with a gun. People can follow her or not, she doesn't care. She emerges as a new character,; only vestiges of the first Ellen Ripley remain.

Such development is rare for us to see on screen. If we compare the Alien series with just about any other series such as the Terminator, we see just how unique Ripley is. And this is important because in spite of the focus on plot, direction, and writing in most reviews, for me the essence of Alien is Ellen Ripley. Whether we know it or not, she is why we watch the series. And she is worth it.

This film has a lot of the flaws that the Trek movies have. overracting, pulp philosophies, asanine dialogue, predictability, etc etc etc.
But, the sherlock holmes type plot serves the film well and Deforest Kelly (the best actor among them) finally get's a chance to shine.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, released in 1991 a few months after the Silver Anniversary of the original television series and the death of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, is a suspenseful and adventure-packed "final voyage" for Capt. James T. Kirk and the Starship Enterprise.

Coming on the heels of the less-than-stellar Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and the resignation of Harve Bennett as producer of the feature films, Paramount turned to actor/producer Leonard Nimoy and director/screenwriter Nicholas Meyer (Time After Time, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) to save the foundering franchise and give fans something worthy of a 25th-anniversary celebration. After looking at various options, they decided on a Star Trek version of the end of the Cold War.

The Undiscovered Country (the title is a Shakespearean reference to death and was Meyer's first choice for the title of Star Trek II) capitalizes on the similarities of the U.S.-Soviet standoff to the long-standing not-quite-war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Fittingly, the film begins with a bang when, in a Chernobyl-like accident, the Klingon's main energy production source on the moon of Praxis explodes.

The explosion sends both literal and political shock waves across the galaxy. The physical subspace wave buffets the USS Excelsior, now commanded by former Enterprise helmsman Hikaru Sulu (George Takei). Capt. Sulu, in the tradition of good Starfleet captains, offers assistance but is rebuffed by the Klingon High Command.

Nevertheless, three months later, Sulu's former shipmates, including Capt. Kirk (William Shatner), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (the late DeForest Kelley), Capt. Montgomery Scott (James Doohan) and Cmdrs. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) are summoned to a top secret level meeting. "The Klingon Empire," they are told by Starfleet's commanding admiral, "has less than 50 years to live." Praxis' explosion has depleted the ozone layer of the Klingons' homeworld and polluted the atmosphere. Heavy expenditures on weapons and bases has weakened the Klingon economy and the cleanup is beyond their means. A special envoy has been appointed by the Federation to begin negotiations with Chancellor Gorkon, leader of the Klingon High Council. To the shock of Kirk and his officers, that envoy is Enterprise first officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy).

And when Kirk is assigned to escort Gorkon's ship into Federation space for a summit on Earth with the Federation president (That 70's Show's Kurtwood Smith), he's shocked and angry. Not only are the senior officers due to retire in a few months, but Kirk is still bitter about his son's death at the hands of the Klingons several years before. But the good captain has been issued his orders, and like it or not, he will do his duty.

Little does he know that a massive conspiracy to undermine the peace negotiations is underway, planned by those in the Federation and the Klingon Empire who have a lot to lose if peace breaks out. And soon, Kirk and the Enterprise crew are caught in a web of deceit and intrigue that will place their lives in jeopardy....and shatter the last best hope for galactic peace.

The film features a fine performance by Sex in the City's sultry Kim Catrall as Lt. Valeris, Spock's full-Vulcan protege with a hidden agenda of her own, as well as a wonderfully over-the-top appearance by Christopher Plummer as a dastardly, Shakespeare-quoting Klingon general. The Undiscovered Country also acknowledges the legitimacy of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and with an appearance by ST-TNG actor Michael Dorn as Col. Worf (the grandfather, one surmises, of the Enterprise-D's Lt. Worf, Dorn's "regular" role), the two generations are bridged on the silver screen. ("Unification, Parts I and II," guest starring Leonard Nimoy, had aired a few weeks before the film's premiere and included a few subtle references to its storyline.)

Star Trek VI's home video, laserdisc and first DVD releases contain the longer edited-for-home-viewing version which includes two deleted scenes featuring Rene Auberjonois (who would later be cast as Odo in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) as Col. West. Paramount has released a barebones DVD since 1998, but a 2-disc Collector's Edition is forthcoming.

This movie has it all, and was the perfect send-off for the TOS crew. Of course, now with the mess created with the "death" of Kirk in Generations, this has to be fixed. (See, TNG started messing with things right off the bat. THANKS BERMAN!) But anyway, this contains what I think is the most dramatic line in all of Star Trek. It's just one word, said by our famous Captain James T. Kirk" "FIRE!!!" The emotion and drama in that loaded word sums up everything Kirk is. Get this movie, and enjoy!

This film has a lot of the flaws that the Trek movies have. overracting, pulp philosophies, asanine dialogue, predictability, etc etc etc.
But, the sherlock holmes type plot serves the film well and Deforest Kelly (the best actor among them) finally get's a chance to shine.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, released in 1991 a few months after the Silver Anniversary of the original television series and the death of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, is a suspenseful and adventure-packed "final voyage" for Capt. James T. Kirk and the Starship Enterprise.

Coming on the heels of the less-than-stellar Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and the resignation of Harve Bennett as producer of the feature films, Paramount turned to actor/producer Leonard Nimoy and director/screenwriter Nicholas Meyer (Time After Time, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) to save the foundering franchise and give fans something worthy of a 25th-anniversary celebration. After looking at various options, they decided on a Star Trek version of the end of the Cold War.

The Undiscovered Country (the title is a Shakespearean reference to death and was Meyer's first choice for the title of Star Trek II) capitalizes on the similarities of the U.S.-Soviet standoff to the long-standing not-quite-war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Fittingly, the film begins with a bang when, in a Chernobyl-like accident, the Klingon's main energy production source on the moon of Praxis explodes.

The explosion sends both literal and political shock waves across the galaxy. The physical subspace wave buffets the USS Excelsior, now commanded by former Enterprise helmsman Hikaru Sulu (George Takei). Capt. Sulu, in the tradition of good Starfleet captains, offers assistance but is rebuffed by the Klingon High Command.

Nevertheless, three months later, Sulu's former shipmates, including Capt. Kirk (William Shatner), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (the late DeForest Kelley), Capt. Montgomery Scott (James Doohan) and Cmdrs. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) are summoned to a top secret level meeting. "The Klingon Empire," they are told by Starfleet's commanding admiral, "has less than 50 years to live." Praxis' explosion has depleted the ozone layer of the Klingons' homeworld and polluted the atmosphere. Heavy expenditures on weapons and bases has weakened the Klingon economy and the cleanup is beyond their means. A special envoy has been appointed by the Federation to begin negotiations with Chancellor Gorkon, leader of the Klingon High Council. To the shock of Kirk and his officers, that envoy is Enterprise first officer Spock (Leonard Nimoy).

And when Kirk is assigned to escort Gorkon's ship into Federation space for a summit on Earth with the Federation president (That 70's Show's Kurtwood Smith), he's shocked and angry. Not only are the senior officers due to retire in a few months, but Kirk is still bitter about his son's death at the hands of the Klingons several years before. But the good captain has been issued his orders, and like it or not, he will do his duty.

Little does he know that a massive conspiracy to undermine the peace negotiations is underway, planned by those in the Federation and the Klingon Empire who have a lot to lose if peace breaks out. And soon, Kirk and the Enterprise crew are caught in a web of deceit and intrigue that will place their lives in jeopardy....and shatter the last best hope for galactic peace.

The film features a fine performance by Sex in the City's sultry Kim Catrall as Lt. Valeris, Spock's full-Vulcan protege with a hidden agenda of her own, as well as a wonderfully over-the-top appearance by Christopher Plummer as a dastardly, Shakespeare-quoting Klingon general. The Undiscovered Country also acknowledges the legitimacy of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and with an appearance by ST-TNG actor Michael Dorn as Col. Worf (the grandfather, one surmises, of the Enterprise-D's Lt. Worf, Dorn's "regular" role), the two generations are bridged on the silver screen. ("Unification, Parts I and II," guest starring Leonard Nimoy, had aired a few weeks before the film's premiere and included a few subtle references to its storyline.)

Star Trek VI's home video, laserdisc and first DVD releases contain the longer edited-for-home-viewing version which includes two deleted scenes featuring Rene Auberjonois (who would later be cast as Odo in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) as Col. West. Paramount has released a barebones DVD since 1998, but a 2-disc Collector's Edition is forthcoming.

This movie has it all, and was the perfect send-off for the TOS crew. Of course, now with the mess created with the "death" of Kirk in Generations, this has to be fixed. (See, TNG started messing with things right off the bat. THANKS BERMAN!) But anyway, this contains what I think is the most dramatic line in all of Star Trek. It's just one word, said by our famous Captain James T. Kirk" "FIRE!!!" The emotion and drama in that loaded word sums up everything Kirk is. Get this movie, and enjoy!

good old fashioned cult classic with those lovable killer klowns coming to town and wrapping the people into cotton candy. the clowns are hilarious and some of the killers are memorable. remember the clown that knocks off the guys head and then all those people start running and screaming away and where that clown uses that cop as a puppet, I mean classic. a lot of clown haters will hate this movie and so will they hate IT.

Being afraid of clowns is a very common occurrence. This movie gives new reasons to be afraid. The entire idea of clowns is explored and twisted into a wonderful story of alien clowns invading a small town.

Balloons, popcorn, cotton candy, shadow puppets, pies in the face, and even the big top are all twisted into sinister ideals. One character makes a statement wondering if the Ancient Astronaut idea could be applied and these aliens are the basis for our whole idea of clowns.

In a typical B-movie move, a pair of teens at a make-out location are the first to encounter the aliens. They are not believed by the local police (one older officer who hates college kids and the other who dated one of the first witnesses). But the truth soon comes out as the aliens step up their invasion.

The DVD has a clear picture and a couple of interesting deleted scenes (just leave the main menu on your screen for a few minutes and the Easter Egg menu will pop up), making of features, other short animated films and other stuff. The one this I was disappointed about was it did not include the music video for the title song (available on one of the VHS editions). The video has some further scenes of "Big Top Burgers" and the clown with the big hammer (and we get to see just what it does).

A wonderful film that is pretty seamless and follows its internal logic well. Funny and creepy. A real must-see.

This is the absolute best movie of all time. Like Comedy? This has it. Like terror? this has it. Like romance? this has it. Like tragedy? well, out of luck there. This is my favorite movie of all time. I dont want to give away the story line, but it is about one night of silly scares from klowns that kan kick booty.

This is the kitchiest piece of junk in the entire series. Not only is the plot ridiculously unbelievable - they have to go back in time to get whales because of some strange ship they can't stop from destroying the Earth while searching for its "cousins" - but it is utterly lacking in any of the ST spirit. Though I am a big star trek fan, this is both silly and stupid. But then, I love hard sci fi and deplore this totally predictable, feel-good pap. Not recommended.

This is the highest grossing Star Trek movie to date, and for good reason. It's funny, and has a socially-conscious theme.

STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME (Special Edition) is a great edition to the Star Trek collection and for those who enjoy extras and features the second DVD has a lot to offer. There are retrospectives, behind the scenes, histories, graphics, illustrations, deleted scenes and features that include the original cast, crew and some insights from NASA and other scientists.

The DVD extra's are fantastic and filled insight, education and perspectives. Even Eugene Roddenberry, Star Trek's Creator Gene Roddenberrys (Earth II, The Questor Tapes) son makes some interesting commentary on his father.

The movie was the second direction by Leonard Nimoy (Three Men and A Baby, The Good Mother) and written by Harve Bennet, Leonard Nimoy and Nicholas Meyer (The same team responsible for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search For Spock) and has been the critics, general publics and Star Trek fans favorite of all the Star Trek movies. (That includes The Next Generation features too!)

The story is simple - all the good ones are - mankind is in trouble and our crew of the Starship Enterprise are the only ones who can save humanity. How? They need to go bring two humpback whales back in to the 23rd century. Why? There is an alien space probe that is communicating to the Earth's oceans on a level of intensity that is destroying Earth.

The fun begins when you take 23rd Century philosophies and through them into the 1986 San Francisco mentality. Seeing this crew in the middle of San Fran trying find their way around, spend money and ride the busses is hysterical.

The best performances come from Captain Kirk himself - William Shatner (Miss Congeniality, Loaded Weapon 1) and a Zoologist played by Catherine Hicks (7th Heaven, Child's Play.) When they interact with each other. They are charming, funny, witty and energetic. Leonard Nimoy (Golda, Invasion Of The Body Snatchers) himself does a stunning and hysterical job as Spock who just got his "mind" back. He has some of the funniest lines in the whole movie. The whole original cast seems to be having the best time throughout this movie.

It has action, adventure, a great story, special effects and the best humor a movie could possibly want. The DVD extra's are by far the most educational of all the DVD's of Star Trek series. The funniest is listening to the commentary of Shatner and Nimoy as the film runs. Fun for the whole family and a must for any one who likes these types of movies; Science Fiction, Comedy, Adventure! 5-20-03 & 11-14-04

Excellent - just showed it to my kids and they fell in love with it as I did when I was a kid. You get the point right away and it doesn't feel preachy at all

A loose "modern-day" fictionalization of the events leading up to and including the Holocaust of World War II, "V" demonstrated just how easy it is for people to ignore the events transpiring around them ... and how desperate simply living can be when oppressed by a superior enemy.

While this series contains a lot of 1980s "cheese" ... from bad hair, so-so acting and special effects ... the ideas and the manner in which they were presented to the audience were unique and powerful.

Everyone wonders if we are alone in the Universe ... and it is a frightening thought about what would happen if a more powerful race of beings "arrived" at our planet ... would we fight? Would we survive? Or would we follow the path of so many terrestrial cultures ... that vanished after the arrival of a more powerful, or advanced one?

I've seen this series again now after 15 years. The first time I saw it on TV, and today I was surprised on how much tension it still creates and how much impact it still has. It is not outdated at all and very fascinating.