Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home [DVD]

This film is a great Star Trek movie. It really makes up for the disappointment of the previous movie (The Search for Spock)
The great thing about this film that sets it apart from all the other Star Trek films is that it takes all our favourite Trek characters out of their normal setting and puts them into one that is alien to them but familiar to us (present day America). In doing this we get the chance to laugh at the flawed attempts of these incredible people from the future to cope with the world that we live in. Spock is especially amusing in this scenario. This film helps fans and none fans of Star Trek connect with the characters in a way like they have never done before.

This is the most successful Star Trek film ever and it is easy to understand why. I recommend this film to everybody alike. It is great.

Don't listen to those who refer to The Voyage Home as a comedy, it is not. Star Trek is always better when it's not taking itself too seriously, and this fourth instalment is the only time the film series captured the perfect light hearted drama of the original TV show in my opinion. It is proper, family entertainment, far removed from the pompous space opera wannabe the first film tried so hard to be. And who could tire of Checkov saying "nuclear wessels"? I know I won't.

I'm not sure if the budget was bigger than the earlier Star Trek films, but IV certainly has a classier look; the sets and costumes seem much higher quality, and production standards appear good too (lighting is particularly noteworthy, such as the moody ship interiors). The cast all put in some very natural performances here (helped by a great script), and are obviously enjoying themselves. Only a rather naive time travelling "dream" sequence jars; and Leonard Nimoy (who directed), gamely puts his hands up in the commentary to admit his dissatisfaction with it. Oh, and we have to see Sulu in that awful cape again.

Picture quality is excellent; truly as good as it gets on BRD. I was struck immediately by the fabulous detail of the improved costumes in the opening scene, and the bubbling water at the end of the time-travelling sequence is strikingly realistic. It's the vivid colour though that steals the show; from the well defined neon rainbows of the 23rd century displays, to the subtle hues of the costumes, The Voyage Home is a Technicolor delight from start to finish. Sound quality too is admirable, although not quite as noteworthy as the image. There's a good music score incidentally by Leonard Rosenman, which is uplifting and optimistic, in keeping with the general feel of the film (Oscar nominated too, and rightly so).

All these new Star Trek disks have a ton of extras, and a lot of it in HD. I thoroughly recommend listening to Nimoy and Shatner's commentary though, the guys are open and candid (although a little gushing at times), revealing a lot of interesting tidbits about the film and themselves. Who'd have thought that there was an unexplored storyline concerning Lt. Saavik carrying Spock's baby? I also love Shatner's informal musings, such as how Moore's law affects film making.

A truly great sci-fi adventure, and the outstanding release it's received to Blu-Ray is well deserved.

This is probably my favourite Star Trek movie. It's hysterically funny: Shatner, Doohan, Nimoy and Koenig all have excellent comic timing as they try to blend in with 20th Century San Francisco culture with hilarious results. I only left out Nichols because she didn't really get any of these classic lines to work with.

The story is excellent, funny and great for all the family.

The main thing about this movie - which somehow got lost when the Next Generation hit our screens - was that it didn't take itself seriously. It was made to be enjoyed. It didn't patronise, brow-beat or pompously preach. It took an important issue and made it both thought provoking and fun.

A fine movie indeed.