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Star Trek Sunday: Undiscovered Country

A review by Brooks Rich

This might be the most underrated film in the whole Star Trek film series. Released in 1991 it is the bridge between Kirk's Enterprise and Picard's Enterprise. People think the next film was the passing of the torch between the two films but it's the end of Undiscovered Country that serves as that. It's also Star Trek moving beyond the disaster of Final Frontier.

After a moon near the Klingons explodes, the Klingons seek to attempt peace talks with the Federation as a warlike existence is no longer profitable. Kirk and his crew are selected as the ambassadors after a recommendation from Spock, even though Kirk holds a grudge against the Klingon empire due to events from past films. No spoilers here. When he is framed for the assassination of the Klingon ambassador, Kirk and his crew, along with Sulu, now the captain of the Federation ship, Excelsior, must stop a plot to upend the peace talks.

This is an epic film and a great send off for the Enterprise crew. Well most of them. Yeah a certain someone needed one more film to say goodbye. I love the interaction between the Enterprise crew and Klingons in this. There is still this hatred that comes from years of fighting but there's also respect. That was always the great thing about Kirk's interactions with the Klingons and Romulans. There was always this feeling of respect between them.

This films returns the series to having a great villain, which would hold up for most of the Next Generation films. Christopher Plummer is great as the defiant Shakespeare quoting Klingon general Chang, who does not wish for peace with the Federation and believes there must always be war between the Federation and Klingon Empire. The role was written specifically for him and although he was reluctant to take it he is exceptional as Chang. Of course he is. He's Christopher Plummer.

This film feels more like something out of the Next Generation and not the Original Series. The Federation becomes more diplomatic and less defensive and warlike, which was fitting in with Picard's tenure as the captain of the Enterprise. I do like that Kirk's prejudice against the Klingons is brought up. He has to get over that if there is any hope for peace.

This is a fantastic film and in my opinion one of the best Star Trek films. I would say there are only two better than it, Wrath of Khan and one we will get to in the Next Generation series. It's a perfectly fitting sendoff for the original crew, showing that we still respect and love them but the series has evolved beyond them. In 1991 The Next Generation is kicking ass on TV. Check this film at. Catch up on Star Trek Sunday as we now move on to Picard and his crew.


Rating: 5/5 (yeah its fantastic)


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