science fiction

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Movie Review

Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban, Kirstie Alley
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"Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
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Review Summary
This movie is one of the best stories of obsession and revenge. The villan of the film - Khan (a product of 20th century genetic engineering) has been exiled to a planet by Captain Kirk, fifteen years earlier. The planet turns into a wasteland. Many of Khan's followers were killed including his beloved wife. Khan finally steals a spaceship to leave the planet, and he sets out to avenge his wife's death. Khan takes a 'Whatever it takes attitude' to get revenge. Then the ultimate game of cat and mose begins. The outcome of the battle brings tragedy to the crew of the Enterprise.
trotsky, Resident Scholar

Genetically-engineered tyrant Khan hijacks a starship and seeks revenge on his nemesis Admiral Kirk. Very successful transition of the appeal of TV Star Trek to film, with outstanding final battle sequence.
Artemis, Resident Scholar

When the 1990s superman-dictator Khan Noonien Singh and his minions (unfrozen from their cryonic hibernation by the crew of the starship Enterprise in the 23rd century) had safely been exiled to the planet Seti-Alpha 5 at the conclusion of "Space Seed" -- one of the better episodes of the original TV series -- Spock commented: "It would be interesting, Captain, to return to that world in a hundred years and learn what crop had sprung from the seed you planted today." In the second Star Trek film, we go only 15 years into the future for the answer. Khan (Montalban) and his people break out, commandeer a Starfleet vessel, and seek both revenge on Kirk and control of the experimental Genesis Project, which can swiftly create the proper conditions for life on otherwise barren planets. Genesis turns out to be headed by an old flame of Kirk's, Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch), and their son. Though plot holes and missteps remain (McCoy explores a dangerous situation by walking backwards into a hanging corpse, Chekov helpfully informs Khan that Dr. Marcus will check with Kirk about the bogus story they have just fed her, ships STILL whoosh through the vacuum of space), this 1982 edition has so much the first film did not: a better script, more convincing acting, more focus on character, and a terrific death scene for Spock. (Director Nicholas Meyer primed the cast to do a "Horatio Hornblower In Space" by having them watch the 1951 film with Gregory Peck, and Khan quotes Captain Ahab during his hammy death. Dickens also gets dragged in for thematic color.) Kirstie Alley has a sizable supporting role as "Mr." Saavik, a Vulcan Starfleet cadet.
David Loftus, Resident Scholar

Khan, Kirk's old enemy comes back to kill Kirk. Kirk had left the criminal, Khan on a distant planet. In the movie Commander Spock dies.
Aaron G., Resident Scholar

After twenty years, Khan is back, and he wants to take out his revenge on Captain Kirk for exiling him. Also, Khan wants the secrets of the Genesis project, which involves a person from Kirk's past....Khan is bent on destroying Kirk and getting what he wants...
Emily M, Resident Scholar


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Plot

Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 50%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzle - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%




**Fantasy or Science Fiction?** - science fiction story
Technology/$$$$/Info hunt Yes
Stealing/recovering/destroying - weapon
War and Invasion Yes
Major kinds of combat: - spaceship battles
Part of a series? - Star Trek

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - explorer
Age: - 40's-50's
Hair color? - brunette (Brown)
Body type - average (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality - White (American)
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Physique - average physique

Secondary Main Character
Identity: - Male
Hair color - brunette (Black)
Hair style - (man) short/standard straight
Body type - average build (man)
How much in movie? - 90%-100%

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status: - dictator
Eccentric: Yes - obsessed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - 60% - 80%
Hair color - white/grey
Hair style - (man) short/standard straight
Body type - muscular (man)
Ethnicity - White
Sense of humor? - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Physical condition - bulging muscles
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant

Setting
Spaceship setting: - futuristic human warship - a space station
A substantial portion of this movie takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - empty, or nearly empty world
Planet outside our solar system? Yes
Takes place in spaceship? Yes
In Space? - nebula

Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Comedy or somewhat funny movie? Yes
Kinds of F/X - exploding spaceships - exotic alien landscape
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