this is a comedy.


I love star trek and I have to say that this is not a star trek film this is a spoof of star trek. wrath of khan is one of my favorite sci-fi films and the voyage home is one of my favorite comedies. how can you take this movie seriously?

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The same way we could take A Piece of the Action, The Trouble With Tribbles and I, Mudd seriously.


"Live long and suck it, Zachary Quinto!"

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OP, are you suggesting that only dramatic/tragic works of an author, or episodes of a TV series, or individual films of a franchise, count as "genuine" or "legitimate" members of their respective collections? To carry that attitude to its logical extreme, that would mean that "only" such Shakespearean works as
Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Julius Caesar are "genuine" works of the bard, and that plays such as Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Merry Wives of Windsor, being "mere" comedies, are unfit to be counted as "real" Shakespeare.

Note to any outraged lovers of the Bard: no, I am not putting ST on his level...tempting though that may be.


Two ways of living: everything is a miracle, or nothing is a miracle.

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One of the nice things about Star Trek is although it's science fiction it has the versatility to transcend genres, something most sci-fi series never accomplish, or at least do it well. This is in part because the dark tones of modern cinema and television don't allow for any flexibility. The actors in Star Trek are also versatile enough to be able to jump between heavy-handed drama and comedy effortlessly which goes a long way towards making this possible.

Although there is a lot of comedy elements to this movie and it is made on the lighter side of film making the premise is rather dark; the Earth is being vaporized and everyone and every living thing on the planet is going to die because of human short sightedness. The choppy address from the President of the Federation quarantining Earth is one of the most chilling scenes in the original series in my opinion. The movie, underneath the comedy, is a strong social commentary; neglect the Earth now, we all die later. And it's an apt message too.

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The movie, underneath the comedy, is a strong social commentary; neglect the Earth now, we all die later. And it's an apt message too.


Hafabee, you're absolutely correct. And the message has lost none of its timeliness over the years...on the contrary, it's become more relevant. I don't know whether that's good or bad.

The makers of this film could have gone all heavy-handed and earnest--not just for the chilling moments you mentioned, but for the entire film...which, imo, would have been a great mistake. The comedic elements (in addition to providing a welcome relief from the seriousness of the previous ST films) made the message much easier to absorb... and to retain.

In the words of W. S. Gilbert: "When they're offered to the world in merry guise/Unpleasant truths are swallowed with a will;/For he who'd make his fellow creatures wise/Should always gild the philosophic pill."




Two ways of living: everything is a miracle, or nothing is a miracle.

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it has the versatility to transcend genres, something most sci-fi series never accomplish, or at least do it well
I respectfully disagree.

Star Wars was Science Fantasy (the evil black knight, Darth Vader takes the princess (Leia) to his dungeon (the detention cell) and a (jedi) knight (Luke Skywalker) rescues her...there's "the force", and the emperor looked like a wizard.

The Terminator was credited as being the first movie to combine action with science fiction.
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"Live long and suck it, Zachary Quinto!"


Why don't YOU suck it, you closeted homosexual....Quinto was excellent as Spock...

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Not really.... his demeanor was all wrong.... he may have played an alright Vulcan but he was definitely not Spock. Too angsty, too brooding... I kept expecting him to start opening heads.... very immature of you, bringing up someones sexuality because you disagree with their opinions of an actor. Totally irrelevent, pointless insult on your part.

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Arnebarnard, you ignorant slut...

That is, in fact, a quote from Sheldon Cooper (portrayed by uncloseted homosexual Jim Parsons) in The Big Bang Theory after he gets sent the wrong Spock standee.

👷👳
Bob the Builder and Hadji walk into a bar...

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That quote comes from a CHARACTER from a comedy (Sheldon, The Big Bang Theory)

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Tha'sa what I said.

👷👳
Bob the Builder and Hadji walk into a bar...

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a quote from Sheldon Cooper

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... this is a spoof of star trek...
I don't think it's a spoof, but it is the most humourous and wittiest Star Trek film IMO.

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Yep, it's the most fun Star Trek big screen adventure by far. And I think, if it wasn't for the humour, it would be virtually unwatchable, because the core of the story is just too bland (the "message" written in overlarge letters) and the plot too full of holes, the biggest one the premise itself.

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The only problem with the comedy is that it became a requirement for the next two films, often painfully done.

"Lovey-dovey. Bonk bonk on the head!"

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I'd say the next 6 films myself. and yes, often painfully done.




**WARNING: MY POSTS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS**
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In TVH, the comedy springs rather naturally from the whole fish out of water (no pun intended) story. In the other films, its awkward and forced. Uhura not being able to translate Klingonese or Kirk, Spock and McCoy jetbooting up 76 decks (of a ship that I think had 12 decks) were just plain hard to watch. You could say the same for Data and his emotions chip in Generations. Spock struggling to understand cursing was pretty amusing and his "one damn minute, Admiral" line is really funny. Data, not so much, though I do think that the look of fear on Jonathan Frakes face as Data sings his lifeform song is pretty funny.

Worf's Animeal House homage in Q-Pid is genuinely funny.

Comedy in Star Trek can work, but only if it flows naturally. If you have to force it or telegraph it, forget it.

"Lovey-dovey. Bonk bonk on the head!"

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I watched this after having a smoke and thought it was some kind of joke. Like I was too stoned to grasp what I was really watching. A Star Trek comedy film about whales responding to an alien probe.

Awful awful awful.

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I didn't feel that way. I had it on par with The Trouble With Tribbles and A Piece of the Action, comedy episodes of TOS.

"Live long and suck it, Zachary Quinto!"

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I watched this after having a smoke and thought it was some kind of joke. Like I was too stoned to grasp what I was really watching. A Star Trek comedy film about whales responding to an alien probe.


Oh really? Then that wacky tabacky is taking away your imagination, and just turning you into a hard-core cynic......which is what pot-heads are anyways....

The Voyage Home was the "Trouble With Tribbles" episode/movie of this series. A badly needed entry considering all of the drama that had occurred in the previous 3 movies- "Colorful Language" and Spock and Kirk discussing Susan Sontag-NOT to mention Bones McCoy referring to modern physicians as "butchers" and then the lady he treats is dancing in the hallways!!!

THIS is the "human condition!" Comedy as well as drama! I am almost certain that THIS movie, above all , was the biggest influence on JJ Abrams STAR TREK (2009).

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"potheads" are all hard core cynics? WTF? lol...

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...a hard-core cynic......which is what pot-heads are anyways....
Only when they run out. 😂😀

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"The Trouble with Tribbles" was a comedy. Why should we expect all Star Trek films to be serious and brooding?

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@dustincake-447-133274 Yes, it's more of a time-travel comedy than a Trek movie, and as a non-Trekker I'm totally fine with that. I found this to be the most entertaining Trek movie by far.

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The comedy isn't satirical though. It's situational. They act like fish out of water, because they are out of their element unlike in any other star trek film. A lot of it came down to the music that was played in scenes like the hospital escape. More serious music would have changed the tone.

It's similar to how Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is more like a murder mystery than a space adventure. It doesn't matter as long as it is an entertaining film.

At least it's intentionally funny, unlike Star Trek V

If you can read this then you are trying too hard.

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Good point. +several for you.

I've said this before, but not so anyone would notice cause who cares what I say about film criticism: SF is a setting. Not having SF comedy is like saying there cannot be 19th century comedies. SF generally, and Star Trek in particular can be of any other genre it wants to be.


Now, I do think this stylistically is a bit too silly in the one way you mentioned. Music. Silly chase music during the hospital scene, and to a lesser extent while the Marine detachment is chasing Chekov which results in a very non-comedic ending. I do not like how that worked.

The best giggle-worthy bits were somewhat serious. When they get in the way of the harpoon, and then uncloak over the whaling ship near the end, for example. No need for "ha ha" music cues here, so why other places.

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Moron.

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by dustincake-447-133274 » Thu Oct 31 2013 09:32:07 Flag ▼ | Reply |
IMDb member since August 2012
I love star trek and I have to say that this is not a star trek film this is a spoof of star trek. wrath of khan is one of my favorite sci-fi films and the voyage home is one of my favorite comedies. how can you take this movie seriously?

I have to say that even though I enjoyed it as a film, I really didn't like it as a Star Trek movie, and in that way, didn't enjoy it too much.

There was absolutely nothing about the wales and their predicament, why they were important, what they contributed to Earth's history, and everything else that a Star Trek film might have focused on.

It was a success, and I'm glad people liked it. And like I say I had a good time watching it, but it strike me as a film for someone who knew the characters from popular media, but really didn't understand the drama that made that particular media property successful.

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