JB & The Chop Do: Star Trek IV – The Voyage Home (1986)

I wonder how many people enjoyed The Voyage Home? Surely a handful of you did…? Well, Eric The Chop of The IPC and I get into The Voyage Home, and have quite an amount of views to share on it! Read on to find out more.

SYNOPSIS: James Kirk who after rescuing Mr. Spock and bringing him to Vulcan where he is fully restored, is now the most hated man in the universe, because he disobeyed his superiors and killed a Klingon crew and took their ship. After three months on Vulcan, Kirk decides to return to Earth to face the consequences of his actions along with his crew who aided him. Also accompanying them is Mr. Spock, who is still trying to understand his human side. What they don’t know is that an alien probe approaches Earth and is emitting a signal that nullifies all power systems. And it is now vaporizing the planet’s oceans covering the planet in a cloud that covers the earth cutting them off from the sun – the planet’s main source of energy. The President of the Federation sends a transmission telling everyone about what is happening and to stay away from earth. Kirk upon hearing it, checks out the probe’s transmission and Spock postulates that the alien is not hostile merely unaware that it’s … – via IMDB

Well, fourth outing here for the franchise, and this one took my by complete surprise the first time I saw it. Don’t get me wrong, it is totally, completely 80s, but it is also endlessly entertaining. The Voyage Home boasts one of the weakest plots ever, but it makes it work, no matter what. There was so much tongue-in-cheek humour, and it was done pretty well. There is no other way to look at this movie aside from fun, and it resonates that all the way through.

There were just so many scenes that had me in stitches. I figured I would just pick a  few and lay them out here. Spock’s use and understanding of “the hell”, the 60s being the LDS era (that actually happened), and then one of my personal favourite gems, Scotty coming across a computer from the 80s are just some of the bizarre and amusing scenes we come across. Scottty and the PC must have been extremely difficult to adapt to. Besides that, they looked like total idiots coming in there, though it was soon shown they are ridiculously smart. However, no matter how smart, this does not instill faith (Bones looks way too proud of Scotty):

Sulu also had me laughing what with the Huey he went to get for the master plan of getting plexiglas into the Vulcan renamed HMS Bounty (again, Bones is the best). It suited him though, even though it left rippling effects when attempting to fly the spacecraft back out.

Kirk’s reaction to seeing Spock in the humpback whale tank communicating with them is freaking priceless.

Also, Pavlov Chekov asking for the location of nuclear vessels, as a Russian, was most likely not his smartest move.

Leonard “Bones” McCoy is just a favourite of mine: brusque, smart, rude and fast, he always gets me. But his reaction to going back to the 20th century, back to primitive medication and treatments, that got me. His usual grouchy self showed more compassion, but not once did his sheer indignation go unnoticed. It also showcases his knowledge in the area, something we don’t always get to have a look at.

Evidently I am a fan of this movie. It is cheesy, it is lame, it is amusing, and it just works on so many levels. I always enjoy watching this one, and I would recommend you check it out if you haven’t, or rewatch if you have. It’s a great way to put a stupid, goofy smile on your face! Anyway, enough about this all. I’m going to end my two cents with this gem:

 

Here we are again with an even numbered release and I am pretty sure this thing made some good money – I wouldn’t say this is the best in the franchise but I will say one thing – this thing is fucking LOL funny! And it means to be – I think the first three films came out as they were – with people dying and they were all serious – but this one is different. Bones goes around “God Damning” everything and, since they go back in time to the 80s, Kirk has to revert to using the vernacular of the time.

But since they’re all from the future, no one knows what any of that means so when Spock tries to use “the hell” – as in “What the hell?” it’s an absolute crack up.

Spock: They like you very much, but they are not the hell “your” whales.

Dr. Gillian Taylor: I suppose they told you that.

Spock: The hell they did.

Punk on bus: [Playing loud music on the bus]

Kirk: Excuse me.

Punk on bus: [He ignores him]

Kirk: Excuse me. Would you mind stopping that noise?

Punk on bus: [He turns it up louder]

Kirk: [louder and firmer] Excuse me! Would you mind stopping that damn noise?

Punk on bus: [He flips him off]

Kirk: [He looks at Spock]

Spock: [He gives the punk the Vulcan neck-pinch, followed by the delighted applause of the grateful bus passengers]

Kirk: Spock, where the hell’s the power you promised?

Spock: One damn minute, Admiral.

Dr. Gillian Taylor: Do you guys like Italian?

Spock: No.

Kirk: Yes.

Spock: No.

Kirk: [at Spock] No, Yes.

Spock: No.

Kirk: Yes, I love Italian…

[looks at Spock]

Kirk: And so do you.

Spock: Yes.

I’m sure JB has entertained this morning with the plot and such so I won’t go into it down here but I will say that this movie is fun to watch. All of the characters get their own pieces of work instead of the main focus only being on Kirk and Spock, which was well done. You do have to be careful though – it’s VERY 80s. Also – I’m not sure why this pulled up during my Google search for “Star Trek 4” images but:

And let’s not even mention this:

All in all I think this is a fun movie that’s worth a re-watch if it’s been since the theaters when you saw it last.