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Fan Film Review: There’s A Lot Of Love In ‘Star Trek: First Frontier’
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| October 27, 2020 | By: Dénes House 92 comments so far
Star Trek: First Frontier is an ambitious, full-length, fan-produced film focusing on Robert April, the first captain of the original USS Enterprise. The fan film, with over 900,000 views on YouTube since it was released month, strikes many of the notes that made Star Trek: The Original Series so special. And even though Star Trek: First Frontier is not exactly a bases-loaded home run, it swings for the fences with such gusto—including building an 11-foot model of the USS Enterprise for visual effects shots—that it’s impossible not to love it. This production was not crowdfunded, but it still breaks many of the fan film guidelines set out by CBS in recent years. However, as its principal photography was all completed before the guidelines were set in place, the team behind it hopes that the movie is “grandfathered” in as a result.
“Even when you were in diapers, you used to look at the night sky, and talk about those distant stars and galaxies, and tell me how far they were away. You read all about it in your science book. You’d say, when I’m grown up, they won’t be so far” – John April
Star Trek: First Frontier follows Captain Robert April as he returns from a dangerous mission in which he saved the lives of dozens of his crewmates, but all he can see in his mind’s eye are the people he was unable to save. The guilt of it manifests as a post-traumatic stress disorder, and though he puts up a strong front, he does not feel able to return to the stars that have drawn him onward since he was a child. “I am broken!” April says to his wife, Sarah. “I am not the man I once was! I have no idea how to be that man again.”
![star trek first frontier rotten tomatoes](https://trekmovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/firstfrontier-aprils-640x271.jpg)
Robert Pralgo as Robert April and Tara Ochs as Sarah April
But April is pressed back into service by a series of attacks by the mysterious alien race, the Sa’ryn: bug-eyed, ’50s sci-fi-style monsters whose only motivation is destruction. “They have evolved to be cruel,” one character explains. “To become more vicious, to terrorize. That is what they do.” The Sa’ryn have been awakened from hibernation by Starfleet explorers and have taken some officers captive, including April’s sister. April is enlisted to take the newly built Enterprise out to find and rescue the hostages and to figure out how to stop the Sa’ryn’s deadly rampage through the galaxy.
There’s a lot to love in First Frontier . The project was the brainchild of director Kenneth Smith, who penned the story but instead of casting himself in a lead role, brought in a number of professionals. Robert Pralgo ( The Vampire Diaries ) plays Robert April as an intelligent but tormented man, learning to come to grips with his limitations. Tara Ochs ( Nashville ) is fantastic as Sarah April, a brilliant doctor who loves her husband but cannot figure out how to give him the help that he needs. The standout performance is by veteran character actor Barry Corbin ( Northern Exposure ). In the small role of April’s father John, he gives Robert the folksy inspirational speech that reignites his passion for space. However, other performances are on an uneven par, as with other fan productions.
![star trek first frontier rotten tomatoes](https://trekmovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/firstfrontier-bridge-640x271.jpg)
Captain April (Robert Pralgo) on the bridge of the USS Enterprise in First Frontier
The costumes are superb, looking like a gentle upgrade to the uniforms from “The Cage” and “Where No Man Has Gone Before” without being a complete redesign. The sets are convincing, for the most part duplicating the pilot-era Enterprise interiors in excellent detail. The cinematography is solid with the exception of a few out-of-focus patches, taking a cue from Jerry Finnerman’s iconic imagery from TOS but dialing down some of the colors to suit a more modern palette. The score is borrowed directly from James Horner’s compositions for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , which at points seems to handcuff the action, as though the film was shot and cut to match the existing score rather than the other way around.
Some of the effects shots are fantastic. The 11-foot Enterprise model looks gorgeous, and even when Smith had to fall back on digital effects to speed up the production, many of the CG elements are quite convincing. In other spots, the film betrays its made-on-a-shoestring budget, with most of the matte effects feeling quite rough. There are a number of awkward edits, and at times characters and ships show up in places with little explanation, and April seems to make the same realization several times during a short stretch of story. The sound mix is annoyingly distracting, with the music and sound effects at times so overwhelming that you can’t hear the dialogue at all.
![star trek first frontier rotten tomatoes](https://trekmovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/firstfrontier-enterprise-640x271.jpg)
The USS Enterprise in First Frontier
But every fan film is a learning experience, and this one was made with a lot of love and a metric ton of ambition. I wish the Sa’ryn had more of a motivation than their “all will die” motto indicates. At its best, Star Trek shines by having alien races embody some aspect of human culture that Starfleet’s encounters with them can explore. The script includes a number of action set pieces, but resolving them doesn’t necessitate any growth on the protagonist’s part, making them feel episodic rather than integral.
Still, Star Trek: First Frontier captures a lot of the love of exploration and discovery that TOS built into the DNA of the Star Trek Universe from the very beginning. When Captain April invokes a blessing over the Enterprise in the film’s closing minutes and the ship heads out into the great unknown, any Star Trek fan will feel a sense of satisfaction and anticipation for what lies ahead. “The Good Lord has seen fit to provide us with plenty of stars to sail by. May he also see fit to provide a strong wind in our sails and safe passage on our journeys.”
Make it so.
Watch Star Trek: First Frontier
Behind the scenes on First Frontier
Ever since seeing the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode “The Counter-Clock Incident,” First Frontier producer Kenneth Smith has been fascinated with the character of Captain Robert April. Before Kirk, before Pike, April was the one who took the original USS Enterprise out of drydock for the very first time. What struck Smith so deeply about the character was his sense of deep satisfaction with his life. “When [he was] given the opportunity to relive that life, he turned it down. That always fascinated me,” Smith said. “I knew he must have had some amazing stories to tell to be that satisfied with his life with Sarah. He would be the first married Captain.”
![star trek first frontier rotten tomatoes](https://trekmovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/firstfrontier-kenny-640x427.jpg)
First Frontier producer Kenny Smith (seated) with his team
His interest in the character led Smith to ultimately create this 80-minute fan film, detailing his version of April’s first voyage aboard the Enterprise. When his attempt at crowdfunding the movie failed, Smith decided to pay for the production himself, pursuing a seven-year journey step by step. Along the way, Smith collected some impressive talent for the production, including a moving opening narration by Nichelle Nichols.
![star trek first frontier rotten tomatoes](https://trekmovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/firstfrontier-barry-640x360.jpg)
Behind the scenes with actors Barry Corbin and Robert Pralgo
And his passion for The Original Series led Smith to attempt what no other fan production has done: construct a full-size, physical 11-foot model of the original Enterprise herself and shoot the visuals with old-school model photography techniques.
![star trek first frontier rotten tomatoes](https://trekmovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/firstfrontier-1701model-640x360.jpg)
11-foot model of the USS Enterprise
For more on this project, visit the official Facebook Page .
Keep up with the news and analysis of Star Trek fan productions at TrekMovie.com .
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I guess there are no black or brown people in April’s world. Star Trek is a bout diversity, I guess they forgot that!
No need to bring up race but talk all you want.
Black lives matter
Haha I noticed that too but they do have a token Asian even though they make up nearly 40 percent of the earth’s population. Actually my comment is half tongue in cheek, because this is a fan film and I assume the makers are using their enthusiastic friends and family for the cast. Good work to actually get this off the ground and sincere congrats on the overall look and feel. I will have to check it out when I get a change. I enjoyed many of the other fan films based on TOS and I expect to do the same with this one.
The article notes they cast actual actors, not just their friends and family. Either way, could have brought in some non-white members of the fandom.
How do we know they didn’t try?
They didn’t
You didn’t even watch it. Some important characters are not white at all.
I would love to see a fan film where there’s only one token white guy. That’s way closer to what the real future will look like.
They’re on their own ship. Stupid comments beget stupid comments
Yeah, it’s a super-white cast, which is quite sad.
Is that really what you took away from this? No black or brown people? It must be exhausting going through life obsessed with the colour of someone’s skin or what’s between their legs. I pity you.
Now THAT was a stupid reply.
Came here to say this. Representation is important especially in Star Trek projects.
You must really hate when people talk about racism.
The first voice heard is that of a proud woman of color.
Sometimes you make a fan film with a group of friends, maybe just maybe you don’t have friends of every ethnicity (Hey maybe we should have a “Friends diversity act” and have quotas to full fill). My opinion is: If you need to bring up colour, … you are automatically racist or full of prejudice. Colour shouldn’t matter, no matter on which side of the colour spectrum you are. Also, SJW are known to draw the victim card when they run out of arguments.
But it’s Star Trek. Diversity is explicitly a mandate in casting. It’s a fan production, the alien is a non-white actor, there’s an African American playing a minor role as a crewman and Nichelle Nichols graces the opening in VO, but I feel zero shame for noticing halfway through that the rest of the cast is white. This reverse racism psychology some people try to pull to attack inclusion efforts is not productive.
For a production where they actually were able to cast many roles with professional actors, that has to be seen as an unfortunate misstep IMO. It’s not the end of the world, and not something we need to dwell on out of all the wonderful things they managed to do so passionately, but it’s a valid thing to note.
I agree. It seems like a very unfortunate example of unconscious bias based in who the creators know, their social circle.
I have to say that one of the first thoughts I had was “Where in the United States was this made?”
That cast doesn’t look like any crowd I see in urban Ontario where I live or where I grew up on the west coast – and I’m leaving aside the city of Toronto which is more than half BIPOC.
I expect someone from London, or Birmingham or Manchester would say the same.
So, it not just that it’s not reflecting Star Trek’s representation and values going back to TOS, it just doesn’t look like reality to me.
Star Trek is not solely about diversity. It’s about the human adventure. Don’t lose sight of the message just because there weren’t enough colored people to alleviate to satisfying your wokeness.
Yup, yikes.
I don’t think that wokeness has anything to do with my sense that this doesn’t even look like my suburban Canadian high school or university classes in the 70s and 80s, let alone the demographic of our kids’ schools today.
WOW. You must be a boomer.
“ Colour shouldn’t matter, no matter on which side of the colour spectrum you are.”
If you’re white, you are absolutely right. Your color does not matter as it is reflected everyday in nearly everything you see.
If you are not white, then color does matter because you seldom see persons of your color, and when you do many times these images are negative.
“Color not mattering” is a very convenient world view for those who are not people of color. For the rest of us color matters ALL THE TIME because it is the first thing people note about us.
Wrong person to reply to, but I agree!
LOL it never ceases to astound me that somebody can be the type of person to unironically use the term “SJW” and be a Trekkie.
Agreed. And for some reason the “Wrath of Khan” soundtrack which takes you out of the world on the first note.
Lt Tai is of latin decent and in a same sex relationship, there is the asian guy, and that one female is clearly Andorian. Get your shit straight before you start bitchin’
I’d like to take the Andorian and the counselor to Risa.
World War 3 (2026 – 2053)
https://www.reddit.com/r/DaystromInstitute/comments/9uq4ej/world_war_3_was_a_nuclear_exchange_mainly/
Asians and Black Africans were the highest percentage of races killed in Star Trek’s War World Three… This would explain the limited number of those races throughout the Star Trek universe.
Again, it’s a fan production, so they aren’t bound by canon to inform any decisions they make, but that’s not only not canon, but also suuuuch a stretch, especially in 2020.
We don’t need an in-universe explanation to justify why the TOS guest roster is almost entirely Caucasian. We know the unfortunate real world reasons but at least TOS had a groundbreaking regular cast, despite never giving Uhura and Sulu enough to do.
OH PLEASE. No one is buying that crap.
Perhaps similarly to the Klingons their appearance has somehow changed in this century, or they have self segregated to a distant corner of the Galaxy.
They always do. I never watch these crappy fan films, they always try to live in the past. Just looks horrible.
Would you have said the opposite if had been an all non-white cast?
This deserves to be canon.
I like what’s in here. Fan films are not like the real thing but this one shines on its own.
No. No fan films “deserve” to be canon. That’s not how this works.
I thought these things weren’t allowed beyond a certain length anymore.
It said it was made before CBS changed the guidelines.
It does say that, doesn’t it? Right there in the first paragraph. Not sure how I missed that!
Being filmed prior to the guidelines, doesn’t supersede it having to follow the current guidelines. I suspect this will start being pulled down pretty soon. How hard would it have been to break it up into 4 20 min episodes instead of skirting the guidelines Cbs/ paramount have instituted.
Actually I believe it does.
If ViacomCBS had any issues, they would have pulled it by now – it’s been 6-7 weeks. The “guidelines” are just that “guidelines” and every film is a case-by-case basis if it crosses any. This film was self funded, shot 5 years ago before the deadline,runs 90 or so minutes, and has several professional actors – there’s 4 points – but ViacomCBS has done nothing. Trust me, ViacomCBS knows about this film, and has for some time.
But then there are several active fan film series domestic and international that breaks the “series” rule in the guidelines and ViacomCBS has done nothing about them either. Again, “Case-by-Case”.
Remember, the guidelines were put in place by a CBS and Paramount THAT NO LONGER EXISTS – it’s now ViacomCBS with most of the people who were there when the guidelines were in place now gone.
Perhaps it’s time for the current ViacomCBS to clarify the status of the guidelines.
The guidelines would only allow two 15 minute episodes if I recall. Luckily, this was filmed before and they could release it as intended.
It was shot before the guidelines. If ViacomCBS wanted to do something about it, they would have by now.
Phase 2’s last episode was also filmed prior to the restrictions and that has yet to see the light of day. How are these people getting away with this?
Phase 2’s last ep still had work to be done on it that couldn’t be done after the hammer dropped. Even says so on their website
Actually, it was the last 3 in various states of completion.
P2 is run by a bunch of cowards who kowtowed to CBS in order to license their sets as a for profit museum attraction.
That was a childish, uninformed and stupid response.
Childishly expressed, perhaps, but their “museum” is a re-creation and NOT a curated institute acquiring 1960s era artifacts and restoring them.
Their license is pretty much the same commercial type Universal Studios got to sell tickets to watch select fans make and be in a Trek “episode”.
And now they are adding the TNG Bridge to the “museum”…
Not sure what the point of building a physical miniature is when you light and comp it in such a way that it LOOKS like it is whole-cloth CG. And that’s coming from a huge fan of miniatures. Really wish they had the TOS strong keylight look in the exteriors. I just spent a couple minutes skimming through, haven’t actually watched all of any single fan film in my life. The guy playing April seems to have some gravitas, that’s something anyway.
I suspect the poor lighting was done precisely for the look you fingered, as they likely anticipated eventually resorting to CGI which the article mentions?
Wow, pretty cool that some fans take their enthusiasm to an extreme and we get to watch the fruits of their hard work. I really liked many of the other TOS fan films on YT. The look of this fan film is great and I look forward to checking this one out sometime when I get the chance.
The one pet peeve I have with the fan films (and I know many will say it is ridiculous haha – guilty as charged) is that according to a network memo from the 1960s both TOS producers Gene and Bob Justman made it quite clear that the delta insignia was to be worn by all starfleet personnel regardless of the ship they served on. I know this was never corrected on the TOS shows and each ship and starbase had a unique insignia, but I am happy that the prequels like Discovery are adhering to that intent and going forward it would be nice to see the fan film prequels do the same.
A for effort, the review sums up my impressions from skimming it as well. Just a shame they couldn’t enlist an audio engineer to donate his time – sound mix is the biggest issue.
Yeah. The score is way too loud – and, maybe it’s just because I listened to the Horner scores so many times as a kid, but the music is distracting and doesn’t really fit here.
I know it’s a fan film with a limited budget, but everything else is so well-done that the sound/music really stand out.
Back when i was 12 or 13, i read Diane Carey’s classic ‘Final Frontier’. It remains perhaps my very favorite Star Trek novel, and defined my perception of April.
‘First Frontier’ offers a completely different take — but as regards the Enterprise family, it’s fully as convincing. I watched it once, and then again, about a month ago… It is actually a very satisfying view; not easy when all we’ve got is a TAS episode with the Aprils and few other canon references.
This felt like a feature-length pilot, and follows in the footsteps: the fresh-out-of-spacedock ship (‘Broken Bow’); the sensitive and mysterious mission as impetus (‘Caretaker’); the troubled, reluctant hero that has no desire for the job (‘Emissary’). With the Nichols voiceover, there’s even a sort of cameo from some preceding luminary.
But in many ways, it has the most to do with TMP and ST09. Both function primarily to introduce us to the ship and to get the crew together on the bridge at the end. In that regard, the central conflict — the story that gets the Enterprise family together — is really secondary.
And that’s fortunate, as the central conflict story is pretty nowhere. But, well, that too follows in the footsteps of TMP and ST09.
OK, the balancing of the sounds and music and dialogue are a mess. Ditto for some of the editing, visual effects, and so forth. It’s annoying, and the sound issues are a relatively simple fix.
When i realized that they were using just the Horner Trek scores, i worried that it would be too conspicuously ‘Horner-scored films’ derived. But that quit bothering me early, and overall they did a nice job. (On these fan-film productions, i always wish for fresh music — but low budgets force hard choices. They did a nice job with Horner here.)
But Star Trek is ultimately about people; and it does it best, accordingly, when it has a big heart. And ‘First Frontier’ has plenty of heart. The writing job on the characters was quite good.
And, in common with the feature-length pilots earlier, i found myself eager to see more of this crew…
… and, yes, that fabulous 11-foot Enterprise model!
Obviously we won’t get that (thanks very much, CBS), but it’s a satisfying trip.
Quick addendum RE feature-length pilots… April leaning forward and ‘Let’s see what’s out there,’ recalls (or anticipates) Picard at close of ‘Encounter at Farpoint’.
Oh just read your post, agreed on Final Frontier. That story flowed so well, it will always to be me the first mission of the Enterprise, granted as the unnamed Empress at the time. Even the discussion between George Kirk and April on naming the ship rang true. That story has such good flow…. wish someone would make it into a film!!
This film does have a few rough spots. But the script is good, the performances by the lead actors are top notch, and the film has heart. It’s clearly a labor of love and I very much enjoyed watching it.
I am going to watch and I am sure I am going to love it, but I got to say, why wouldn’t you make a fan film of Diane Carey’s Final Frontier?!?! That was easily among the best Trek stories ever that captures all the good in Trek in one amazing adventure. “Final Frontier is the story of a secret mission gone horribly wrong–and a moment in time when the galaxy stood poised on the brink of one final, destructive war. And it is the story of a legendary ship–and a man we know as the father of Star Fleet’s greatest captain.” Had Robert April as the pacifist explorer that knew he needed Kirk’s Dad aboard (security officer/military) in a universe before both could co-exist in a JTK type. And it had great situational comedy and amazing starship combat.
“I am going to watch and I am sure I am going to love it, but I got to say, why wouldn’t you make a fan film of Diane Carey’s Final Frontier?!?!”
Well that’s pretty simple, for copyright reasons. Making a fan film is one thing, using an official story can probably get you into real trouble with the company and probably cut you off from making future films.
You’d think you’d be able to get a free sign off given it would sell more novels I bet. My preference though – CBS uses that awesome 1701 set and does it officially.
Well you can say that about every Star Trek novel. ;)
And it doesn’t stop CBS or Paramount from making an OFFICIAL movies/shows dealing with novels, but never done it. Many fans thought Picard might be about the Destiny novels that fans seem to love but sadly didn’t happen. Those I heard a lot about as well.
incredible. thats passion and love for trek. love it.
Great review – absolutely hit the nail on the head from what I had noted while watching it. It’s good to enjoy a TrekMovie article thoroughly again.
The sound mix was very off at times, especially where music was concerned. Some of the effects appeared as if they still needed work here and there. My biggest gripe were the design of the aliens. They looked as if they should have been in season 2 of Lost in Space…
This is no way meant to detract from the overall of the film. The story and acting were stellar.
With what they had, the end result is a testament to what can be done with so few resources.
The Enterprise model looks gorgeous. I would love to see them take on a build of the TOS production version. The bridge was likewise amazing.
Does anyone know if they have plans for anything else Trek related?
Also, do they have anything other than Facebook page?
This was good, some scenes were a little fake,but still good only comments are the Men are too bulky for Starship personal & Captains.
Other than effects, seem correct,as too the people of color things, there was a few Granted ( Asian, Hispanic, black, and of course aliens (blue, black, yellowish, but no Vulcans, Klingons, Romulans.
Still guest, stars was very nice to see and hear(Beginning dialogue).
A well made efforts, for a independent Film feature, fascinating!!
This is what frustrates me with Star Trek cannon. I have read books on the series, listened to audio books and i have seen all the episodes and movies for the entire franchise. The story about first contact has been depicted and described several different ways… Johnathan Archer was depicted as the original captain in stories that claim that the first enterprise was a top secret project. This was enforced by the Enterprise series… I am a Trekkie at heart but I wish there was more control over the cannon like there is in Star wars.
Anything that is not in television and movies is generally considered “not canon”. The exception is some of the comics were considered Kelvinverse canon, but even that may not be the case if filmmakers or show runners decide to do different things in the shows or movies.
The reason for this is that there is `’fandom.” Star Trek was saved not necessarily by it’s creator – but by legions of fans who wrote their own stories and self-published them. That spirit of possibilities is what has always permitted different takes in the “official” published Star Trek literature. Now, 50 years later, it’s also true in fan made films and even in official “pocket universes” which give alternative takes on familiar stories.
Nx-01 was the first enterprise or did they forget there was already a series about that with Capt. Archer, which I might add, was quite fabulous!
While you are correct….Archer was the 1st captain of “an Enterprise” which was an NX class starship… in a non-federation state. Capt April was the 1st captain of the Constitution Class NCC class starship under the Federation…
A kind review for a well-intentioned attempt at Star Trek.
Got to respect their passion. Just can’t sit through these fan films though. But thats OK I guess lol
Star Trek Continues is worth a watch as a whole.
I would love to see another production with this cast and crew if they learn lessons from this one:
- Fix the sound mix, we’re all agreed there.
- A lot of it seemed like it needed more light on-set. It felt dark and cold – bring back some 10000w lamps with colored gels. As someone else mentioned, the high-key space lighting from TOS would have looked better than the deep shadows during the space sequences.
- The lead actors were great, but I think, like a lot of fan films, there’s a need to put more oomph and volume behind the lines. It’s a fine line between cinematic style and hammy stage acting, but it felt like there was a lot of low-key whispering. I rather wish Robert Pralgo had been encouraged to do ‘faster and more intensity,’ Lucas-style :) Even RSC-trained Patrick Stewart leans into his lines with more gusto. I think this is what sort of also led to the (typical for fan films, but manageable) difference between the pro and amateur actors’ delivery.
- Pacing was a problem. It’s the curse of the first-time director that they fall in love with every shot and want to keep every scene, but it could have had snappier energy and better edits. It could have easily been trimmed to 60 minutes or even a tight 45-minute pilot episode.
- Edits were a problem. A lot of cuts that left the viewer wondering what they were looking at or which ship they were on, particularly in the final battle sequence. Different lighting, reverse camera angles, or using quick glimpses of the ship exterior to hint to the viewers that we’re about to move locations would have helped. (Also, showcases why the Reliant had to look different to the Enterprise in TWOK, because two Constitution-class ships onscreen gets confusing quickly.)
- Cinematography was static and kind of boring. Needed more dynamic moves, dolly zooms, whip pans, Steadicam shots to tell the story.
- Barry Corbin in 20th-century clothes and in a 20th-century house felt odd (something that also didn’t work in Star Trek: Horizon ‘s Earth sequences), like someone had wandered onto the set from outside. Even small towns evolve in 300 years!
- Was a lesson learned? Where was the nice summation, the buttoner line that would have put things into perspective at the end? All good classic Trek needs an Aesop… :)
Boy you guys were right about the sound mixing, holy moly. Other than that, interesting story and overall looks pretty solid, except for those birds flying over San Fran 😂
It is a good film. Watched half and really enjoying it.
I Love this fan Star Trek episode! My only criticism was that Captain April needed to shave. But his acting was superb! (I did 22 years in the US Navy so seeing officers unshaven is taboo in my world!) Bravo Zulu.
I agree. April should have been clean shaven. I understand that the producers/creators were going for the “seasoned” , “battle weary” look. But an officer should always be clean shaven.
The production was really great for a fan film. Yes, things could have been better regarding special effects and such, but on their budget? Impressive.
The special effects explosions and such were very crude, like something I used to do in the mid-90’s on my own video editing. Outside of that, they made a darn good try, but the story was loose and the interpersonal relationship drama fell flat. I don’t blame the actors. I blame the writing. If the personal drama doesn’t aid the story, then don’t have it.
I think the whole essence of Star Trek was completely missed in this fan film.
With very, very poor special effects and some awful editing and camera work it is nothing short of cringe worthy. I had to stop watching it 3 times it was so bad and then continue at a later time or date to complete the agony.
The writers have attempted to create an all action, unknown aliens are evil, plot and yes most of the cast was white. Although there was one Asian, Hispanic and African American officers in the film this didn’t do enough to show how diverse the Star Trek universe is.
Even the title sequence was a bit of a nightmare, with the stuttering U.S.S Enterprise attempting to flash across the screen, reminiscent of The Original Series opening credits.
I guess this fan film is ideal for Halloween!
Is it me, r is the deflector dish too big?
Thoroughly enjoyed this!!I I really liked the plot and especially the actors..they did an outstanding job. I always wonder what it’s like, from the perspective of a young actor who didn’t grow up with TOS, to wear makeup and costumes and perform on sets that are all replicas of a 50 year old sci show. It’s got to be a hoot!
The not so good” Yeah, the STII music was distracting for me as well. Wish they would’ve gone with TOS and it yes, was a bit loud in parts. Even with the imperfections though, you can tell it was from made from the heart and that one heck of a lot of work went in to it.
Cheers mates! Thanks for entertaining me for a bit!
I really hope the production team would consider trying to find someone to properly score this fan film. It deserves as much. It looks really good. The current soundtrack though, I just can’t sit through the movie with the wrath of Khan soundtrack. :( It’s so overused. Surely there were other options.
Sorry, but even the opening credit sequence is horrible. All the ships look really bad and don’t know how to fly.
Well, it’s a fan film…..
Really impressive. Good “final” contribution to the fanon of TOS-inspired fan films that bridged the era between ENT and DSC. The use of the TWOK score is a tad off, they should have used 50s and 60s style scifi scores instead. The movie looks like a true TOS prequel with throwbacks to 50s invasion flicks. The score is off. But nonetheless really awesome…
OMG This is so highly unwatchable bad. It actually makes STD look good…which is not meant as a complement.
Star Trek First Frontier (2020)
- User Reviews
- Reminiscent of TOS
- Classic sound effects (doors, computers, etc.)
- Enterprise set
- SFX (some are really poor; maybe the phasers and such were supposed to be that way though)
- As mentioned by others - sound quality really is awful
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The Best Star Trek Movie According To Rotten Tomatoes
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To date, there have been six feature films based on "Star Trek," four based on Star Trek: The Next Generation," and three set in a rebooted timeline (called the Kelvin timeline by fans). Those 13 films were all released theatrically from 1979 to 2016, averaging one film every three years or so. Up next, "Star Trek: Section 31" is slated for release on Paramount+ sometime in 2025, and it will be the first "Star Trek" TV movie. There has also long been talk of making a fourth film in the Kelvin timeline, but that movie's fate is currently a question mark; I'll believe it when I see it.
The longstanding general consensus is that the odd-numbered "Star Trek" films are bad and unsuccessful, while the even-numbered films are amazing hits. "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," for instance, was something of a disappointment at the box office, but "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" is held by many to be one of the best in the franchise. "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," despite being an emotionally intense adventure, is often seen as a stopgap film used solely to bring Spock (Leonard Nimoy) back from the dead. It was followed by "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," a popular comedy film that was very financially successful. And so on.
Critical consensus, however, breaks that pattern handily, at least as far as approval ratings on Rotten Tomatoes go. The highest-rated film in the "Star Trek" franchise is an odd-numbered film. The #1 film's approval rating is only slightly higher, however, than a celebrated even-numbered "Star Trek" film from the 1990s. Although the "Star Trek" shows are most notable for their sense of diplomacy and willingness to tackle heady, philosophical problems, the highest-rated films in the series are the most violent, action-oriented ones.
Star Trek (2009)
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With a 94% approval rating, based on 356 reviews, J.J. Abram's 2009 "Star Trek" movie is the best reviewed of all the "Star Trek" films on RT. Some Trekkies may find this fact disappointing since Abrams' film is a massive departure for the franchise. Rather than continue with any extant "Star Trek" lore, Abrams created an alternate timeline wherein he could reintroduce Kirk, Spock, and all the rest as younger, hotter, more tempestuous versions of themselves. This was high-octane "Star Trek," full of fights and explosions and death and drama. It's more like "Star Wars" than "Star Trek." Many of the details of Abrams' films — the ships, the characters' personality traits — were derived merely from what a non-Trekkie might know about "Star Trek" through cultural osmosis; Abrams infamously admitted that he knew little about "Star Trek" when he took on the project.
One might understand why Abrams' film was such a hit. A mass audience unfamiliar with "Star Trek" could get excited about a clean "restart," now unthreatened by the decades of lore that came before, while long-term Trekkies could attend out of morbid curiosity. A full-bore reboot of a major entertainment franchise is also a surefire way to generate a lot of ink in the entertainment press, assuring that "Star Trek" would be talked about for a full year leading up to its release.
It certainly didn't hurt that dazzlingly attractive actors played the familiar Enterprise crew. Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, John Cho, Zoe Saldana, Anton Yelchin, Karl Urban, and Simon Pegg portrayed the leads roles, and most critics, even those who didn't like the film, admitted that the casting was pretty spot on. The only major criticisms were that the plot was thin, sacrificed in favor of fast pacing and endless action.
Make it so, numbers two and three
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With a 93% approval rating, Jonathan Frakes' 1996 actioner "Star Trek: First Contact" came in as the second highest-rated "Star Trek" film on RT. That film, like Abrams', was violence-forward, featuring the kind of plot one finds in typical Hollywood action movies. In the film, an unthinking species of cyborgs called the Borg travel back in time to the year 2063 to stop humanity from launching their first faster-than-light starship and ushering in a utopian age of exploration . The characters, although not well-suited to action — AT ALL — fire weapons and make action-y quips in ways they never had before. This film, mind you, was based on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," a series even more thoughtful and diplomatic than the original.
The action proved to be palatable to a mass audience, however, and "First Contact" was a huge hit. Critics certainly liked it. The only people who complain about "First Contact" are snotty old-school Trekkies like me, who whinge about how unlike the TV show it was.
Third highest-rated, with an 87% approval rating, is Nicholas Meyer's celebrated "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" from 1982. That film was slower and more thoughtful than the films above, but is certainly more action-packed than "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," which was infamously sluggish. It also featured an amazing Ricardo Montalban as the hammy title villain, a character that is difficult to resist.
It was "Wrath of Khan" that introduced the notion that "Star Trek" movies needed a "supervillain" character, and one motivated by revenge. This notion has hamstrung several "Star Trek" movies, leaving their stories uninspired. Four "Star Trek" films in a row had vengeance-bent supervillains at their core: "Nemesis," the 2009 film, "Star Trek Into Darkness," and "Star Trek Beyond."
The lower decks
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The lowest-rated "Star Trek" film, as Trekkies might predict, is "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier," which has a shockingly low 23% approval rating. That film, as mentioned, was directed by William Shatner and felt sloppy and slapped-together. The special effects are terrible in "The Final Frontier," and the story is badly written. One must admit, however, that the central concept is an excellent idea. In the film, the Enterprise is hijacked and taken to a place in the galaxy where God — the actual physical manifestation of God — lives. "Star Trek" has always been a humanist series, eschewing faith and religion for science and reason. To have "Star Trek" characters facing a real deity would cause an interesting philosophical conflict.
With a mere 38% approval rating, 2002's "Star Trek: Nemesis" is the second lowest-rated of the franchise. That film tried the "supervillain" story, forcing the crew of the Enterprise-E to face off against a bitter clone of Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart). The story is convoluted and not interesting, and none of the cast looked like they wanted to be there. Also, "Nemesis" came immediately after 9/11, and it seemed that the world was more keen on stories of destruction and vengeance; the diplomatic world of "Star Trek" couldn't exist at that time. It's no wonder "Nemesis" and the TV series "Star Trek: Enterprise," which ran concurrently, both failed.
And third-worst-ranked, with a 48% approval rating, is "Star Trek Generations" from 1994 . The first film to be based on "THe Next Generation," the film was all too obsessed with "passing the torch" from Captain Kirk to Captain Picard. Never mind that Picard had already led seven successful seasons of "The Next Generation," and should have had a story of his own. It's clunky, not very creative, and weirdly stodgy.
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Space: The final frontier. Join the various crews of the Starship Enterprise -- past and present -- as they discover new worlds, secure new allies, and battle fearsome adversaries.
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Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020 - Present)
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Star Trek Beyond (2016)
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Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Star Trek (2009)
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Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
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Star Trek: Enterprise (2001 - 2005)
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Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
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Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
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Star Trek: Voyager (1995 - 2001)
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Star Trek Generations (1994)
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Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993 - 1999)
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Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
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Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 - 1994)
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Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
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Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
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Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973 - 1974)
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Netflix’s star trek is the best chance to finally meet riker & troi’s son.
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Star Trek: Prodigy Season 3 - Everything We Know
Star trek's prequel movie means enterprise's original premise can finally happen, “he’s dead, jim”: how many times star trek’s dr. mccoy says his iconic line.
- Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 is the perfect opportunity to introduce Thad Troi-Riker, son of Captain Riker and Counselor Troi.
- Season 2 of Star Trek: Prodigy received high ratings and charted in Netflix's top 10 in multiple countries.
- Thad Riker's fate was sealed by the Federation's synthetics ban, a tragedy that could be explored in Prodigy season 3.
Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 is the best chance to introduce Thad Troi-Riker, the son of Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). Netflix released all 20 Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 episodes on July 1st. Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 boasts a perfect 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a stellar 95% popcorn meter audience rating. Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 also charted in Netflix's top 10 in multiple countries. Hopefully, Netflix will renew Star Trek: Prodigy for season 3 , and the USS Prodigy can take a trip to the planet Nepenthe.
Star Trek: Picard season 1 offered the first update on the lives of Captain Riker and Counselor Troi after they married and took over the USS Titan at the end of Star Trek: Nemesis . In 2399, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) sought sanctuary for Soji Asha (Isa Briones) at the home of the Troi-Rikers on Nepenthe. There, audiences learned that Will and Deanna were mourning the death of their eldest son, Thad Riker, who died from mendaxic neurosclerosis. Although Thad was never seen in Star Trek: Picard save for a photo of Jean-Luc holding him as an infant, Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 can show Thad while he's still alive.
Netflix has the option to order Star Trek: Prodigy season 3. Here's what we know about the young Starfleet crew of the USS Protostar's return.
Star Trek: Prodigy Season 3 Can Introduce Riker & Troi’s Son Thad
The uss prodigy can travel to nepenthe.
Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 ended in 2385, not long after the Mars Attack on First Contact Day that was first seen in the Star Trek: Short Treks episode "Children of Men" and Star Trek: Picard season 1. As an answer to the United Federation of Planets ceasing Starfleet's galactic exploration, Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) assigned the new Protostar Class USS Prodigy to Gwyndala (Ella Purnell), Dal R'El (Brett Gray), and their young friends. The USS Prodigy's mission is to be a beacon of hope and bring the light of the Federation to worlds beyond its receding borders.
S tar Trek: Prodigy can show young Thad Troi-Riker forming friendships with Gwyn, Dal, and their friends.
The USS Prodigy could conceivably travel to Nepenthe in Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 so that its young Starfleet crew can meet Will Riker, Deanna Troi, Thad Riker, and daughter Kestra (Lulu Wilson) . This would allow Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, and Lulu Wilson to voice their characters , and Star Trek: Prodigy can show young Thad Troi-Riker forming friendships with Gwyn, Dal, and their friends. In 2385, Will and Deanna left the USS Titan and move to Nepenthe in the hopes that the planet's regenerative properties could cure Thad. Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 visiting Nepenthe would be another welcome connection to Star Trek: Picard.
Star Trek: Prodigy season 2's finale showed the reunion of Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) and his mother, Dr. Beverly Crusher, as well as Wes meeting his young half-brother, Jack Crusher.
Thad Riker Is Doomed Because Of Star Trek: Picard’s Mars Attack
The federation's synthetics ban was fatal for riker and troi's son.
Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 bringing its young heroes to Nepenthe to meet Thad Troi-Riker would shine a new light on the tragedies resulting from the Mars Attack of 2385 . As a result of rogue synthetics burning Mars, over 90,000 souls were lost and 20,000 starships under construction at Utopia Planetia Fleet Yards were destroyed. The Federation banned synthetic life forms, including androids and other forms of artificial life. This ban doomed Will and Deanna Troi's deathly ill son.
Thad Troi-Riker's mendaxic neurosclerosis could have been cured through an active positronic matrix, but the Federation's ban on synthetic life made this impossible. Thad died from his disease, and the loss of their son had a deleterious effect on Will and Deanna's marriage, which was revealed and finally resolved in Star Trek: Picard season 3. But while Thad is dying in Star Trek: Prodigy season 3's time frame, a visit by the USS Prodigy can finally show who Riker and Troi's son was and why he was so special, as well as Thad becoming special to his possible new, young friends from Starfleet Academy.
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Trekking With Tim, Day Five: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Editor tim ryan goes camping with the most reviled entry in the series..
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Day Five: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Let’s get this out of the way up front: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is the weakest in the series so far. It starts out on the wrong foot and reaches an unsatisfactory conclusion. It has several groan-worthy scenes, as well as lapses in Trek mythology that even I picked up on, and I’m a newcomer. But is it, as some Trekkies have posited, one of the worst films ever ? Not by a mile. It’s a low point in the series, to be sure, but it’s also one of the weirdest Trek flicks, with all the good and bad that goes with that.
The Final Frontier starts off with the crew of the Enterprise on a camping trip in Yosemite. Yes, you read that correctly. Kirk is scaling one of the park’s monoliths, El Capitan, when Spock, in rocket boots, rescues the captain after he loses his footing. This sequence is one of the cheesiest in the series; it’s hard to feel the tension of a 3,000 foot plummet when you’re keenly aware of how fake it looks.
Once on the ground, Kirk, Bones, and Spock sit around the campfire and enjoy some spiked chili before engaging in one of the weirdest cinematic renditions of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” since Manos: The Hands of Fate . If The Voyage Home embraced the silly side of the Trek universe, The Final Frontier ‘s opening moments are merely inane. And they inspire some hard questions, like, don’t these guys have any other friends? Why bring Spock and Bones on a camping trip together if they’re just going to argue the whole time?
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Mercifully, Uhura (who apparently wasn’t invited to hang out with the boys) interrupts this bizarre R and R session to inform the crew that they’re needed to rescue three hostages from the desert planet of Nimbus III. It seems that a renegade Vulcan named Sybok has captured Federation, Romulan, and Klingon representatives. On its way, the Enterprise is tailed by a Klingon warship, piloted by Klaa, who wants to capture Kirk for his own glory (he hasn’t been greenlit by the Klingon command to do such a thing). When the ship lands on Nimbus III, the crew plans a daring rescue of the hostages, using Uhura’s dancing skills to draw out Sybok’s men (lookin’ good, Nichelle Nichols). But the Enterprise crew is quickly surrounded and outnumbered.
It turns out Sybok merely wants a ship, and used the hostages as bait — though it’s also clear that Sybok has a strange power over his followers (as well as the hostages). He’s adept at winning the trust of many by helping them to overcome their deepest fears, and he wants to use the ship to travel beyond the mysterious Great Barrier, a dangerous and unexplored section of space. Beyond the Great Barrier, according to legend, is the planet Sha Ka Ree, where God hangs His hat. Sybok also seems to have a complex relationship with Spock.
OK, so this isn’t such a bad setup — what if there’s a heavenly entity somewhere in the heavens? Unfortunately, Shatner (who directed, and has a screenwriting credit) aims to use Sybok to make a point about the detrimental effects of demagogues — and the movie suffers as a result. In the late 1980s, televangelists were a hot topic in the mainstream media. Some welcomed them for bringing energy and enthusiasm to Christianity at a time when church attendance was declining, while others were concerned that they preached a watered-down brand of theology without living virtuously themselves — a charge that grew louder as several high-profile preachers (most notably Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart) were accused of fraud and personal foibles. Sybok is clearly intended as such a figure (there’s even a scene in which he delivers a message over a monitor), but this commentary is half-baked — Sybok isn’t particularly menacing as a villain, nor, as a false prophet, are his words particularly inspiring or inspired. He doesn’t seem like the type of guy who’d motivate you to cross the universe with him.
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But that’s only part of the problem with this movie. It turns out that Spock and Sybok are half brothers, and they were raised together until Sybok chose to explore his emotional side and was kicked off Vulcan. You mean to tell us that Spock never mentioned that he had a half-brother? It just never came up? Maybe next time Kirk, Spock, and Bones are sitting around the campfire, they should get up to speed on each other’s personal histories, rather than singing.
Anyway, Sybok orders the Enterprise crew to set a direct course for the Great Barrier, and his influence takes hold with many of the crew members. Even Bones is briefly tempted, since he wants to rid his brain of the guilt he feels over failing to save his father. However, he, Spock, and Kirk ultimately choose to live with pain, as it’s a key part of the human experience. (What’s unclear is the nature of Sybok’s powers. Is he able to get inside people’s minds? Is he a charlatan? The movie never makes this plain.)
The ship makes it past the Great Barrier to Sha Ka Ree, where Kirk, Spock, Bones, and Sybok encounter a divine figure that looks like a big hologram (even The Final Frontier ‘s vision of God is low-budget). When He discovers how the visitors got to the planet, He asks if He can join them. “What does God need with a starship?”a baffled Kirk asks. (My sentiments exactly.) Such insolence doesn’t sit well with God, who blasts Kirk in the chest. Sybok realizes that this entity is not in fact divine, but a malicious force that seeks to escape the planet. He sacrifices himself to the entity, and the Enterprise fires a torpedo, but lacks the energy to beam up all three of our heroes.
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Kirk volunteers to stay behind, but thankfully, Spock convinces the Klingon hostage (a down-on-his-luck ambassador) to persuade Klaa to rescue Kirk. Klaa’s Bird of Prey blasts the entity to smithereens, and after Kirk is safe and sound, Klaa begrudgingly apologizes (on the ambassador’s orders) for his unauthorized attack on the Enterprise (finally, some nuance from the Klingons!). The movie ends with the Enterprise crew back in Yosemite, where we’re thankfully spared a rendition of “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall.”
So hold on: what exactly is the final frontier? Is it God? The Great Barrier? The human mind? Wait, wait, I have more questions. What is the fifth element? Who is Keyser Soze? Dude, where’s my car?
Look, The Final Frontier is not a very good movie. Its special effects look cheap (Indistrial Light & Magic was uunavailabe this time out), it strains credulity, and you know a picture’s in trouble when the best gag involves someone — in this case, Scotty — getting bonked on the head. But it’s not quite the travesty that Trek fans had led me to believe. There’s a crazy energy to this movie that keeps it watchable, and I’m getting attached to the characters (especially Sulu — I love that guy’s voice). Uh oh… Am I becoming a Trek fan?
Tomorrow, I’m going to brush up on my Shakespeare with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . Will the principle of good even-numbered Trek movies hold? I certainly hope so.
- Day One: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
- Day Two: Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
- Day Three: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
- Day Four: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
- Day Five: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
- Day Six: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
- Day Seven: Star Trek: Generations (1994)
- Day Eight: Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
- Day Nine: Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
- Day Ten: Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
- Day Eleven: Star Trek (2009)
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Star Trek Movies in Order: How to Watch Chronologically and by Release Date
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Star Trek is back in a big way. The franchise is going strong on Paramount+ through new original TV shows , with the recent Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premiering to positive reviews while Star Trek: Picard finished season two. Paramount also announced the long-awaited fourth Star Trek film in the recent series, which will see Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldaña, Simon Pegg, John Cho, and Karl Urban return to the franchise following a seven-year hiatus from Star Trek Beyond . The franchise is now arguably the most popular and readily available that it's been in its entire history, gaining new fans every day.
The Star Trek film series currently includes 13 films and spans multiple generations of different crews that weave in and out of the different series. They form one giant massive timeline that builds off one another to show humanity's future among the stars and the constantly changing relationship between various alien species. If the 13 films seem daunting, and you're not sure how everything relates, take a look at this list that details the Star Trek film series in chronological and release order.
Update November 23, 2023: This article has been updated with where each entry in the Star Trek film is currently streaming and more details on each film in the franchise.
Star Trek Movies In Chronological Order
Star trek: the motion picture.
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star trek iv: the voyage home, star trek v: the final frontier, star trek vi: the undiscovered country, star trek: generations, star trek: first contact, star trek: insurrection, star trek: nemesis, star trek into darkness, star trek beyond, star trek: the motion picture (1979).
Star Trek: The Motion Picture takes place in 2273, five years after the events of Star Trek: The Original Series, and finds Kirk and his crew retaking control of the renovated Enterprise to investigate a mysterious cloud of energy that has destroyed Federation and Klingon ships. The movie was a massive hit, yet the critical reaction was more on the mixed side than Paramount expected. Even with how much money the studio put into it, bringing in Academy Award-winner Robert Wise to direct, the film was seen as a disappointment, yet has found a cult status and recently got the director's cut released in 4K .
Star Trek: The Motion Picture is available for streaming on Paramount+
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Star trek 2: the wrath of khan.
A massive time jump, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan takes place in 2285, 13 years after the events of the previous film and 18 years since the original series ended. This film is less a sequel to Star Trek: The Motion Picture and more to season one, episode 22, or 'Space Seed,' from the original series, which now finds that episode's villain, Khan, seeking revenge on Kirk for marooning him on Ceti Alpha V. The movie sees an older Kirk wrestling with his age, and in the ultimate sign of time moving forward, Kirk loses his old friend Spock when the Vulcan-human hybrid sacrifices his life to save the crew of the Enterprise.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan also serves as the first part in a three-movie story arc, often referred to by fans as The Genesis Trilogy (named after the Genesis device which becomes a key factor in the life/death cycle the three films explore), one that continues in the following two sequels. While not making as much money as the previous film, Wrath of Khan had a smaller budget, so the profits of the film were greater and the film helped relaunch the popularity of the franchise. It still remains arguably the most acclaimed film of the franchise.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
Picking up shortly after the previous film, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock takes place in 2285 and focuses on Kirk and the Enterprise Crew's attempt to resurrect Spock when they find out his spirit has been left inside Leonard 'Bones' McCoy, which involves stealing the Enterprise from the Federation. Meanwhile, the crew must contend with a Klingon crew led by Kurge (Christopher Lloyd) who seeks to steal information on the genesis device.
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The movie resurrects Spock but also sees another beloved member of the crew perish: this time in the form of the Enterprise. While the ship will be rebuilt, this marks the final appearance of the ship that Kirk and his crew piloted since the original series. Another major plot point is the death of Kirk's son (who was established in the previous film), killed at the hands of Klingons, which will go on to inform Kirk's bias a few films later.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home picks up shortly after the previous film, with the Enterprise crew returning to Earth to face trial for stealing the Enterprise to resurrect Spock; however, they find the planet is in grave danger when a mysterious alien probe cannot communicate with any humpback whales. To save the Earth, the crew travels back in time to 1986 (the release date of the film) to try to find a group of whales to bring back to the future. The movie concludes the Genesis Trilogy, and due to its fish out of water aspect was a massive success even outside the Star Trek fanbase, grossing more than both previous entries.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Set in 2287, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier focuses on the exploits of the Enterprise-A (the new ship that replaces the destroyed Enterprise) as they confront a renegade Vulcan who is attempting to search for God at the center of the universe. While opening big, the film had massive drop-offs in the following weeks due to poor word of mouth and competition from other summer movies like Ghostbusters II and Batman. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier almost killed the franchise for many, but the studio wanted to give the classic crew of the original series one final and proper goodbye.
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Released in 1991, 35 years after the premiere of Star Trek: The Original Series , Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was to give the original cast their proper goodbyes. The movie is set in 2293, which makes it 24 years after the events of the original series. The Undiscovered Country acts as the end of the Cold War, but in space, the destruction of the Klingon moon, Praxis, leads the Klingon Empire to pursue peace with their longtime adversary, the Federation. However, a military conspiracy threatens to destroy the potential peace as Kirk is framed for a crime based on his prejudice towards Klingons for killing his son in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock .
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Ahead of the release of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, take a look at how all the series in the franchise rank against one another.
The movie ends as a proper conclusion to the original Star Trek series, as the two iconic foes of the Klingons and Federation have now found peace. With the Enterprise set to be decommissioned, Kirk and his crew take one final trip on the ship with the final mission log so that new crews, new ships and more will carry on their legacy, commenting on the future laid out in Star Trek series like The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine , and Voyager .
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek: Generations (1994)
A passing of the torch film between the crew of the original series and Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek: Generations is the iconic meeting between the two captains, Kirk and Picard . The movie's prologue is set in 2293, shortly after the events of Star Trek VI: The Voyage Home, while the main action of the film is 2371, 78 years later and one year after Star Trek: The Next Generation .
The movie marks the final adventure for William Shatner's incarnation of James Kirk, and while it will not be the last time the character appears thanks to the reboot, it serves as a true end for the original series and full acknowledgment of Star Trek: The Next Generation being the face of the franchise for the 1990s.
Star Trek: Generations is available for streaming on Paramount+
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Set two years after the previous film in 2273, Star Trek: First Contact sees The Borg as the film's primary villain and follows the crew of the Enterprise-D as they pursue the villainous species back in time, with the Borg's primary objective to take over in the past. The film borrows the time travel element of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and primarily is set on April 4, 2023, which is the day before Earth makes contact with alien life and begins the steps for the Federation of Planets to form, thanks to the work of Zefram Cochrane (James Cromwell), whose first successful warp drive creation draws the attention of the Vulcans.
Thanks to a heavy marketing push, Star Trek: First Contact was a major box office hit and also received positive reviews from critics, and until the release of 2009's Star Trek, was the best-performing film of the franchise internationally. Fans all over the world now celebrate April 5th as First Contact Day .
Star Trek: First Contact is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
In 2375, Star Trek: Insurrection sees the crew of the Enterprise-D rebel against Starfleet when they discover a conspiracy involving two alien species. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with many claiming it lacked the scope of a movie and felt more like an extended episode of television.
The events of Star Trek: Insurrection are taking place around the time of both Star Trek: Voyager and at the end of the story for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and while there are no major references to the events of the series or vice versa, it does show how big the franchise was at this point in time but also how the overexposure and years of continuity were starting to hamper it.
Star Trek: Insurrection is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Star Trek: Nemesis takes place in 2379, meaning it is nine years after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation and 110 years since the end of the original series. Star Trek: Nemesis sees a clone of Picard (Tom Hardy, in his first movie), created by Romulans, take control of the Romulan Empire and seek war with the Federation.
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The film received poor reviews from critics and was a box office bomb , becoming the lowest-grossing Star Trek film ever and was beaten out in its opening weekend box office by Maid in Manhattan . Combine that with competition from huge movies like Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Die Another Day, and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers during the holiday season, and Star Trek: Nemesis was dead on arrival, marking the final adventure for the crew of The Next Generation until the release of Star Trek: Picard . The film's box office disappointment, combined with the cancelation of Star Trek: Enterprise three years, later marked a quiet point in the franchise , where it would take a big swing to bring the series back.
Star Trek: Nemesis is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek (2009)
Marketed as a prequel, J.J. Abrams' Star Trek is much more. It does show the origins of the original series cast but does so by taking place in an alternate reality that is kicked into motion by Spock from the original series traveling through a wormhole from 2387 (ten years after Star Trek: Nemesis ) that causes the timeline to split. So Star Trek is both a reboot, a prequel, and a sequel, as the events in Star Trek: The Original Series and all the following films need to happen to get Spock into a place to go back and time and create a new timeline, which will be called the Kelvin Timeline after the USS Kelvin, which is the ship at the center of the timeline divergence in 2233.
The great J.J. Abrams movie tells the story of how the crew of the Enterprise comes together, primarily taking place from 2258 to 2259, meaning that by the end of the film, when Kirk takes control of the Enterprise, it is earlier than the original timeline. The film was a surprisingly big success, grossing $386 million and becoming the highest-scoring Star Trek film on Rotten Tomatoes. In addition to the polished production and great effects, the excellent work of the cast was largely responsible for this; as Ty Burr writes in The Boston Globe :
What lifts the Abrams film into the ether is the rightness of its casting and playing, from Saldana's Uhura, finally a major character after all these years, to Urban's loyal, dyspeptic McCoy, to Simon Pegg's grandly comic Scotty, the movie's most radical reimagining of a Star Trek regular.
Star Trek is available for streaming on Hulu and Paramount+.
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
With a new timeline in place, Star Trek Into Darkness sees the crew of the Enterprise encounter Khan years earlier, as the destruction of Vulcan causes the Federation to explore space and find Khan and his crew about eight years earlier than the original timeline. Star Trek Into Darkness takes place one year after the 2009 Star Trek , meaning it is 2259. With Khan awakened earlier, and the butterfly effect nature of the timeline is rewritten, Kirk meets Carol Marcus (the mother of his child in the original timeline) earlier, and instead of Spock dying, it is Kirk. Yet Kirk is able to be resurrected much quicker than Spock.
The film ends with Kirk, Spock, and the crew on a rebuilt Enterprise ready to begin their five-year mission, and it is revealed they were waiting a year, meaning, that the five-year mission begins in 2260, six years before the original series. The modern-day cast of these Star Trek movies continues to excel, and the inclusion of a great Benedict Cumberbatch performance as Khan is a highlight.
Star Trek Into Darkness is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek Beyond (2016)
The final film released so far in the Star Trek film series, Star Trek Beyond, is set three years into the Enterprise's five-year mission (a meta-joke about how the original series lasted three seasons). The movie finds Kirk and his Enterprise crew on an unexplored planet, encountering a hostile alien who has ties to the Federation.
Released to tie in with the 50th anniversary of the franchise, Star Trek Beyond serves as the perfect conclusion to the film series so far. When the Spock from the original timeline dies, he leaves the current Spock some of his belongings, which includes a photo of the crew from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . Seeing the life his alternate timeline version had, inspires this version to stay with his crew on a rebuilt Enterprise (this universe's version of Enterprise-A) to continue the adventure in a recently announced fourth film , whose production seems to be encountering several setbacks .
Star Trek Beyond is available for streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek Films In Release Order
Unlike Star Wars , The MCU, or the X-Men movie series , the release order of Star Trek is the same as the chronological viewing order, making it a straightforward viewing experience. Historically, Star Trek has been a winter franchise, finding great success during the holiday weekends around Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, in recent years, all three Kelvin timeline films were summer releases.
- Movie Lists
![star trek first frontier rotten tomatoes Star Trek](https://static0.moviewebimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/tv/FNHmxdpYK7HUMPiTWuNfREaGXlxWbs.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=32&h=32&dpr=1.5)
This Star Trek Movie Has The Highest Rotten Tomatoes Score In The Franchise
![star trek first frontier rotten tomatoes two Captain Kirks and Picard](https://www.looper.com/img/gallery/this-star-trek-movie-has-the-highest-rotten-tomatoes-score-in-the-franchise/intro-1715614312.jpg)
Rotten Tomatoes is the final film frontier for any movie that wants to get a good reception. For the most part, whether it's because of the captain or the crew they're commanding, the "Star Trek" adventures have been met with favorable receptions from audiences and critics alike. Of all the big-screen entries that have taken to the skies, though, it's J.J. Abrams' initial outing that stands as the highest-rated movie on the review aggregator site.
Beaming in with an impressive 94%, the 2009 film, which sees a new cast take over the Enterprise and makes the Romulans bald , is top of the "Star Trek" movie list. Rotten Tomatoes ' critical consensus reads, "'Star Trek' reignites a classic franchise with action, humor, a strong story, and brilliant visuals, and will please traditional Trekkies and new fans alike." The praise lines up with the film's box-office receipts, which earned a domestic opening of $75 million, the highest for a "Star Trek" movie.
Unsurprisingly, the film was followed up with two sequels: "Star Trek Into Darkness" in 2013, which surpassed it at the worldwide box office, and "Star Trek Beyond" in 2016 ( the "Star Trek" film that left Chris Pine with a real black eye ), which trailed slightly behind it across the globe. The success ensured that there was still enough energy in the engine room for a fourth entry to go into development, albeit one that has yet to come up on the scanners, including those of Pine himself.
Chris Pine wants back in the captain's chair for Star Trek 4
![star trek first frontier rotten tomatoes Chris Pine with beard](https://www.looper.com/img/gallery/this-star-trek-movie-has-the-highest-rotten-tomatoes-score-in-the-franchise/chris-pine-wants-back-in-the-captains-chair-for-star-trek-4-1715614312.jpg)
Ever since the relatively modest success of "Star Trek Beyond," a fourth installment for the crew of the Kelvin timeline has always been on the cards, but developing it has been a mission in itself. For James T. Kirk actor Chris Pine, it's as much of a waiting game as it is for fans. Speaking to Business Insider this month, Pine admitted he did not know the state of "Star Trek 4": "I honestly don't know. There was something in the news of a new writer coming on board. I thought there was already a script, but I guess I was wrong, or they decided to pivot. As it's always been with 'Trek,' I just wait and see."
The new writer in question is Steve Yockey, who was brought on in March and whose credits include penning episodes for "Supernatural" as well as writing "The Flight Attendant." Those credits alone make for an interesting collection of out-there ideas that could make him a good fit in the world of "Star Trek." Just what story details that will include is unknown. For some time, it was rumored that Kirk would travel back in time and find himself on an adventure alongside his own father, who in this era is played by Chris Hemsworth. Seeing the two together on screen would certainly make for a monumental entry in the franchise, but for now, the Enterprise will have to remain docked until anything else develops.
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Here Are 16 Top-Tier Sci-Fi Shows, According To Rotten Tomatoes
Whether you prefer to escape to a galaxy far, far away or explore alternate dimensions parallel to our own, television wouldn't be the same without science fiction. With plenty of sci-fi TV to choose from, I'm diving into the best of the best, according to Rotten Tomatoes .
Scoring well on the Tomatometer, these 16 series are worth the watch if you're looking to explore new worlds.
1. Severance (2022) — 97% on Rotten Tomatoes
"Mark leads a team of office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives; when a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it begins a journey to discover the truth about their jobs."
2. Doctor Who (2005) — 96% on Rotten Tomatoes
"An eccentric yet compassionate extraterrestrial Time Lord zips through time and space to solve problems alongside companions from planet Earth. Known as the Doctor, the alien adventurer travels using the TARDIS to battle injustice across the universe."
3. Star Wars : Andor (2022) — 96% on Rotten Tomatoes
Set in the Star Wars universe, Andor is a grittier series that follows "Rebel spy Cassian Andor's formative years of the Rebellion." It is a prequel to fan favorite Star Wars film Rogue One.
4. Fallout (2024) — 94% on Rotten Tomatoes
" Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. Two-hundred years after the apocalypse , the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind—and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them."
5. The 100 (2014) — 93% on Rotten Tomatoes
"When nuclear Armageddon destroys civilization on Earth, the only survivors are those on the 12 international space stations in orbit at the time. Three generations later, the 4,000 survivors living on a space ark of linked stations see their resources dwindle and face draconian measures established to ensure humanity's future. Desperately looking for a solution, the ark's leaders send 100 juvenile prisoners back to the planet to test its habitability. Having always lived in space, the exiles find the planet fascinating and terrifying, but with the fate of the human race in their hands, they must forge a path into the unknown."
6. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) — 92% on Rotten Tomatoes
"Featuring a bigger and better USS Enterprise, this series is set 78 years after the original series — in the 24th century. Instead of Capt. James Kirk, a less volatile and more mature Capt. Jean-Luc Picard heads the crew of various humans and alien creatures in their adventures in space — the final frontier."
7. Stranger Things (2016) — 91% on Rotten Tomatoes
"Mysteries unravel in a small Midwestern town in the 1980s, involving supernatural forces, secret experiments, and one strange girl."
8. The Mandalorian (2019) — 90% on Rotten Tomatoes
"After the fall of the Galactic Empire, a lone gunfighter makes his way through the outer reaches of the lawless galaxy."
9. Fringe (2008) — 90% on Rotten Tomatoes
"FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham is assigned to the bureau's Fringe Division, in which she investigates unusual crimes and occurrences. Assisting Olivia in her investigations are once-institutionalized scientist Dr. Walter Bishop, his jack-of-all-trades son, Peter, and FBI Junior Agent Astrid Farnsworth. As the team investigates cases of science gone awry, they discover connections to their own past and to a parallel universe. As the team solves cases in these interconnected worlds, new discoveries and complications continue to arise."
10. Silo (2023) — 88% on Rotten Tomatoes
"In a ruined and toxic future, a community exists in a giant underground silo that plunges hundreds of stories deep; there, people live in a society full of regulations they believe are meant to protect them."
11. Star Wars: Ahsoka (2023) — 86% on Rotten Tomatoes
"Former Jedi knight Ahsoka Tano investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy."
12. Dead Ringers (2023) — 85% on Rotten Tomatoes
"A modern take on David Cronenberg's 1988 thriller starring Jeremy Irons, Dead Ringers will feature Rachel Weisz playing the double-lead roles of Elliot and Beverly Mantle, twins who share everything: drugs, lovers, and an unapologetic desire to do whatever it takes—including pushing the boundaries of medical ethics—in an effort to challenge antiquated practices and bring women's health care to the forefront."
13. Black Mirror (2011) — 83% on Rotten Tomatoes
"Featuring stand-alone dramas — sharp, suspenseful, satirical tales that explore techno-paranoia — Black Mirror is a contemporary reworking of The Twilight Zone with stories that tap into the collective unease about the modern world. Each story features its own cast of unique characters, including stars like Bryce Dallas Howard ("The Help"), Alice Eve, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Cullen, and Jerome Flynn ("Game of Thrones"). Joe Wright, Dan Trachtenberg, and James Watkins are among the featured directors."
14. Dark Matter (2024) — 82% on Rotten Tomatoes
"Jason Dessen is abducted into an alternate version of his life; to get back to his true family, he embarks on a harrowing journey to save them from the most terrifying foe imaginable: himself; based on Blake Crouch's best-selling book."
15. Westworld (2016) — 79% on Rotten Tomatoes
" Westworld isn't your typical amusement park. Intended for rich vacationers, the futuristic park — which is looked after by robotic 'hosts'— allows its visitors to live out their fantasies through artificial consciousness. No matter how illicit the fantasy may be, there are no consequences for the park's guests, allowing for any wish to be indulged. Westworld is based on the 1973 Michael Crichton movie of the same name and features an all-star cast."
16. Firefly (2002) — 77% on Rotten Tomatoes
"Set 500 years in the future after a universal civil war, the crew of a small transport spaceship takes any job so long as it puts food on the table. The disparate men and women just want to survive and maybe have better lives, but they face constant challenges on the new frontier, such as the Reavers — flesh-eating mongrels who live on the fringes of the universe."
Firefly also garnered an audience score of 96%.
Are there any other sci-fi shows you feel should be on this list? Let me know in the comment section below!
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Star Trek First Frontier. List. The story of the initial launch of the Starship USS Enterprise in 2245 under the command of Capt. Robert April with his wife, Commander Sarah April. How much more ...
Certified Fresh in July. Movies on Disney+. Shows on Hulu. Star Trek First Frontier. 1h 25m. Sci-Fi. Directed By: Kenny Smith. An Impulsive Production, AfterLight Pictures.
Star Trek First Frontier: Directed by Kenneth Smith. With Robert Pralgo, Tara Ochs, Mark Ashworth, Paul Telfer. The story of the initial launch of the Starship USS Enterprise in 2245 under the command of Captain Robert April with his wife, Commander Sarah April.
The percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review. The percentage of users who rated this 3.5 stars or higher. A renegade Vulcan makes Kirk (William ...
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) 87%. Sequels that expand upon their predecessors are exceedingly rare - but then, 1982's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is no ordinary sequel. After ponying up the then-princely sum of $46 million for the first Trek, Paramount was looking for two things: One, a scapegoat for the first film's $136 ...
Star Trek: First Frontier is an ambitious, full-length, fan-produced film focusing on Robert April, the first captain of the original USS Enterprise. The fan film, with over 900,000 views on ...
10/10. A great trek film, despite the issues with the effects and sound. vinniemac-57112 13 September 2020. Yes, we all know there was issues with the sound, and some of the special effects were a bit below par, and the storyline had some holes in it, but this was a low budget film probably done on a shoe string.
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)93%. #2. Critics Consensus: While fans of the series will surely appreciate it, First Contact is exciting, engaging, and visually appealing enough to entertain Star Trek novices. Synopsis: The Enterprise and its crew follow a Borg ship through a time warp to prevent the Borg from taking over...
Star Trek First Frontier Pictures and Photo Gallery -- Check out just released Star Trek First Frontier Pics, Images, Clips, Trailers, Production Photos and more from Rotten Tomatoes' Pictures ...
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: Trailer 1 2:33. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: Official Clip - Aboard the Bird of Prey 2:12. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: Official Clip - A Faster Way 1:43 ...
Interestingly, the most recent entry in the franchise came out on top. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — led by Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Number One, and Ethan Peck as Science Officer Spock — boasts two Certified Fresh seasons at 99% and 97% on the Tomatometer. Not too bad for the youngster of a franchise ...
Star Trek (2009) Paramount. With a 94% approval rating, based on 356 reviews, J.J. Abram's 2009 "Star Trek" movie is the best reviewed of all the "Star Trek" films on RT. Some Trekkies may find ...
The Enterprise and its crew follow a Borg ship through a time warp to prevent the Borg from taking over the Earth in a past era. Stuck in the past, Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) helps a pioneer ...
Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley. Executive Producer: Gene Roddenberry. Watchlist. Space: The final frontier. Join the various crews of the Starship Enterprise -- past and ...
While Star Trek: Strange New Worlds must stick to canon and Pike's fate, the show offers a contemporary vibe as fans get to visit new worlds and cultures. Given the point in the Star Trek timeline when Kirk takes over the Enterprise and when Pike gets disfigured, we should be able to get a few seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. There ...
Logo for the first Star Trek film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise that started with a television series (simply called Star Trek but now referred to as Star Trek: The Original Series) created by Gene Roddenberry.The series was first broadcast from 1966 to 1969. Since then, the Star Trek canon has expanded to include many other ...
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (22%) A Star Trek movie where the crew of the Enterprise is confronted by God could've been something truly spectacular. It could've been a sci-fi movie for the ages, reflecting on the future of humanity, the validity of religion, and the human need to find life's greater meaning.
With only 21% on Rotten Tomatoes, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is the worst-reviewed Star Trek film to date and made the least money out of all of the films featuring Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy). Star Trek V introduces Spock's half-brother Sybok (Laurence Luckinbill) and takes the USS Enterprise on a ...
Star Trek: Prodigy season 3 is the best chance to introduce Thad Troi-Riker, the son of Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). Netflix released all 20 Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 episodes on July 1st.Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 boasts a perfect 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a stellar 95% popcorn meter audience rating.
The Final Frontier starts off with the crew of the Enterprise on a camping trip in Yosemite. Yes, you read that correctly. Kirk is scaling one of the park's monoliths, El Capitan, when Spock, in rocket boots, rescues the captain after he loses his footing. This sequence is one of the cheesiest in the series; it's hard to feel the tension of ...
Star Trek: First Contact is available for streaming on ... grossing $386 million and becoming the highest-scoring Star Trek film on Rotten Tomatoes. ... Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. June 9, 1989
Rotten Tomatoes ' critical consensus reads, "'Star Trek' reignites a classic franchise with action, humor, a strong story, and brilliant visuals, and will please traditional Trekkies and new fans ...
Logo for the first Star Trek series, now known as The Original Series. Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise that started with a television series (simply called Star Trek but now referred to as Star Trek: The Original Series) created by Gene Roddenberry.The series was first broadcast from 1966 to 1969 on NBC.Since then, the Star Trek canon has expanded to include many other ...
6.Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) — 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. "Featuring a bigger and better USS Enterprise, this series is set 78 years after the original series — in the 24th century ...