Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)So, after watching five motion pictures, each with their own distinct merits (and some with more faults than others), my brief journey comes to a temporary close with The Undiscovered Country. I say temporary because I now find myself rather attached to these characters and fully intend to go back to the beginning and watch the original series. I must admit, I feel a tinge of sadness that I won't see these characters in another cinematic adventure again - notwithstanding their younger incarnations in J.J. Abrams' reboot, of course.
After the relative commercial failure of The Final Frontier - with a gross of $52 million it ranks as second-lowest money-spinner in the franchise, one place ahead of the tenth instalment, Nemesis - as well as its abject reception, the producers turned to their go-to guy for times when the franchise appears to be in trouble: Nicholas Meyer, the man behind The Wrath of Khan. Despite admitting that before he was given the task of concocting Star Trek II he was totally unfamiliar with the series (he sat down and watched every original episode before deciding on the plot), Meyer proves again with The Undiscovered Country that he is the most dependable hand when it comes to transporting Trek to the big screen. It's a gripping, exciting adventure, and a fitting send-off for the beloved crew.
It's almost immediately apparent that this is a more dynamic and confident entry than the occasionally turgid (yet still underrated in my opinion) previous instalment. The difference in the visual panache and energy between the two films makes it hard to believe that they were made a scant two years apart. Indeed I would say out of all of the six original crew films this one delivers the most consistent and believable filmic world for the characters to inhabit, with a level of detail and nuance in the set designs that surpasses any of the previous films and makes it a treat on a visual level. Luckily, TUC has far more to offer than just slick visuals.
The plot begins with a bang, as a huge explosion on a Klingon moon puts their whole civilization under threat. (The explosion is occurs in the vicinity of the Sharship Excelsior, now commanded by the newly promoted Captain Sulu. The reveal of him sitting at the captain's chair was a great touch.) The warmongering race are forced to agree to peace talks with the Federation, and the old Enterprise, about to be decommissioned, is assigned to escort the Klingon ambassador and his entourage to the summit. But after an uncomfortable dinner party on board the Enterprise arranged by Kirk as a courtesy, the Klingon ship comes under attack from, it seems, the Enterprise itself. Two suited assassins then beam onboard the alien vessel and cause havoc, shooting at will. Soon Kirk and Bones find themselves under Klingon arrest, charged with murder, while Spock attempts to unravel the mystery behind the attack.
The setup is truly compelling, combining intrigue with spectacular action. The sequence in which the mysterious assassins board the Klingon ship is superbly orchestrated, featuring some rather stronger violence than has been seen in the franchise up to this point, which only increases its impact (as the Klingon victims bleed from their wounds, their pink blood floats in the zero gravity atmosphere of the ship, and one unfortunate bloke even gets his arm shot off, which all required some elaborate and then-new CGI). The whodunnit aspect proves to be an excellent way to drive the plot and the mystery is effectively sustained right to its conclusion.
There is more linkage here to previous instalments than has sometimes been the case in this series, which is greatly appreciated. It's not surprising, perhaps, given that Nicholas Meyer came up with the character, that Kirk's son, whom he met in Khan and was killed in The Search for Spock, is referenced here, and for the first time Kirk seems truly saddened by his loss, giving the character greater depth than has been glimpsed previously. (Meyer, it seems, is the best at coaxing good performances out of Shatner, not that the actor has ever been terrible.) Also, Meyer resurrects the subplot of the aging crew that he introduced nine years previously, which is fitting considering this is their final adventure.
Meyer's presence also shows itself in the dialogue, which is much more intricate and literary than any of the films since Khan. Much humour, for example, is drawn from the fact that the Klingons - led by Christopher Plummer, who is great in the role and makes General Chang a close runner-up to Khan in the best Trek villains race - are lovers of Shakespeare. ("You have not experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the original Klingon" is one dialogue gem.)
While the first act is absolutely top-notch, my interest level did drop slightly once Kirk and Bones had been put on trial and sentenced to life imprisonment on a back-of-beyond penal colony planet, if only because I've seen the 'imprisoned protagonist(s)' device used too often before (in science fiction, Planet of the Apes, Return of the Jedi and The Chronicles of Riddick come to mind), and rarely find it particularly compelling. Fortunately these scenes are well executed and relatively brief, as the pair are rescued rather swiftly by the Enterprise, with Spock in command. The prison detour does allow for a great little scene in which Kirk fights himself, or rather a treacherous shape-shifter who has adopted his appearance. (One line in this scene made me laugh out loud but it wouldn't really work if quoted out of context.)
The scenes on board the Enterprise are utterly gripping for the duration, and the stakes escalate beautifully as the finale nears. At the end, Meyer crosscuts between characters and events with positively Coppola-esque aplomb, making for a conclusion that is genuinely thrilling and exhilarating, atoning somewhat for the anticlimax of The Final Frontier. It's the best adrenaline rush of all of the Trek films I've seen, including the 2009 one. The final scenes are pitch-perfect and tremendously moving, which is both a testament to the performances of the cast throughout the whole series and Meyer's superb handling of this fond farewell. I can only imagine what long-time Trekkies/Trekkers felt as the credits rolled and each cast member signs off their name.
It's a close-run thing, but I would have to say that The Undiscovered Country earns its place as my favourite Star Trek. Magnificent.
5 out of 5
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