Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Most critics and Star Trek fans have used the even number series as a guidepost to whether or not the movie was good or bad, odd being bad and even being good. Ever since the first motion picture came out in 1970, I have also felt the first feature film was the most true to the science fiction genre and the television series itself.
Most of the subsequent movies became more ordinary space westerns, along with line of Star Wars with the good guys versus the bad guys. The first film, however, incorporated the notion of some supposedly sinister unknown phenomenon, eerie in its conception that lent itself to a visual tour de force usually reserved for serious science fiction novel narratives. The movie, except of its miserable special effect scene of Vulcan and the early scenes of Dr. McCoy's stilted performance, the movie incorporates both Captain Kirk's voice over narrative and at times the original musical theme from the television series. No where else can the innovative, sci fi themes be found as compelling as the first movie.
Star Trek Movies Have Something For Everybody
Overall, all Star Trek movies have something to contribute to the sci fi genre, a good dose of humor, action. While it is can be argued that various characters sometimes received less attention than they deserved or that sometimes some of acting was less than superb, the primary thrust of entertainment, plot lines held up well. The balance between mainstream, current issues (like the fall of the USSR) and ecologically correct messages and hard core sci fi was always difficult for any major theatrical release. But the entire series even into The Next Generation has something to offer to the masses.
