Star Trek IV: The Voyage Homewas noticeably different from the three previous films, and that’s what made it such a memorable cinematic experience. The short-lived ’60s sci-fi series,Star Trek, found new life in syndication throughout the 1970s, and that spurred fan interest in theEnterprisecrew returning for more adventures.Star Trek: The Motion Picturearrived in 1979 and was met with middling reviews but was a massive box office smash. It was followed up byStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, a film that recontextualized the franchise, and offered a compelling tale of revenge.
Followingthe death of theEnterprise’s beloved first officer,Star Trek III: The Search For Spocklargely undid many of the big changes fromThe Wrath of Khan. Having wrapped that story up neatly by the end of the third film, a fourthStar Trekmovie was stuck in narrative limbo. Fortunately, director Leonard Nimoy knew just how to keep the sci-fi franchise fresh, while also delivering a fun adventure that returnedStar Trekto its roots.Star Trek IV: The Voyage Homewas totally unlike the first three films in the series, and that’s why it works so well.
The Voyage Home’s “Star Trek Time Travel Comedy” Concept Is Brilliant
Star Trek Got To Show Its Funny Side After Two Dour Movies
The tone ofStar Trek: The Original Serieswas known to shift wildly from very dramatic to outright goofy depending on the episode. However,the first threeStar Trekfilms were all quite somberand relied heavily on the dramatic elements of their stories.The Wrath of KhanandThe Search for Spockmay have had some light-hearted quips, but they are both quite dour, especially the former. That all changed whenStar Trek IV: The Voyage Homearrived, and was pure comedy from start to finish.
TheEnterprisecrew is dispatched to travel in time to the 1980s to find whales to bring back to the future. Naturally, once the crew from the 23rd century arrive in the 20th,they instantly become fish-out-of-water as they try to accomplish their mission while attempting to blend in with a society from their distant past. This opens the door for endless jokes at the expense of theEnterprisecrew, as almost none of them really understand how to act “normal” in a 20th century context.
The fourth movie doesn’t ignore the character development in the previous two films, but instead allows those characters to grow and change past their harrowing losses
Whether they’re grappling with ancient technology or trying to figure out how public transportation works, it’s hilarious to see the usually stoic Starfleet officers out of their element.The humor adds a new wrinkle toSpock and Kirk’s newfound relationship, as the old friends are essentially learning each other’s mannerisms again. The fourth movie doesn’t ignore the character development in the previous two films, but instead allows those characters to grow and change past their harrowing losses. By putting the crew in the 20th century, the comedy feels earned in a way that wouldn’t have worked in the 23rd.
1982
86%
1984
78%
1986
81%
The Voyage Home Has One Of Star Trek’s Most Ridiculous Plots Ever, But It Works
Star Trek IV Doesn’t Rely On Grounded Science & That’s Okay
Unlike the first threeStar Trekmovies,Star Trek IV: The Voyage Homeeschews the grounded science usually found in the franchise in favor of an outlandish plot that serves the narrative and nothing more. It’s true that the time travel plot inThe Voyage Homeis absolutely ridiculous, but the science is really just a means to an end, and the movie has an important message. DirectorLeonard Nimoy (who also plays Spock) instinctively knew that the movie’s political messaging could be softened through the use of humor.
Leonard Nimoy also directedStar Trek III: The Search for Spock
At its heart,The Voyage Homeis an environmentalist story that was meant to warn the audience of the dangers of declining whale populations and the destruction of the environment. There’s a reason that theEnterprisecrew travels to what was the modern day when the film premiered in 1986, andit helps to impart the seriousness of the situation onto the viewer. While trying to fit in with late 20th century society, the crew from the future also make plenty of jokes about the state of the world, especially in contrast to the way they live in the 23rd century.
A movie with the tone ofThe Wrath of Khanwould have come off as preachy
It was risky to turnStar Trek IV: The Voyage Homeinto a comedy, but it was ultimately the right move. It was also smart to lean on a ridiculous concept, so thatviewers were able to focus more on the characters and their motivations instead of the nuts-and-bolts science. A movie with the tone ofThe Wrath of Khanwould have come off as preachy, but the fourth film deftly balances a genuinely fun and lighthearted adventure with an extremely urgent message about protecting the Earth.
