Reviews (323)

At the End of the Universe, Lies the Beginning of Vengeance
Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan succeeds because it strikes the perfect balance of drama, action, humor, pathos, and depth. After the critical failure of the first Star Trek movie (which hit movie theaters before being properly completed), the producers took the trouble to view every episode of the original series to figure out what made it enduring. They replicated it successfully in The Wrath of Khan. Unlike the first film, the plot is driven by the actions and motivations of the characters. This is not a story about spatial anomalies or an excuse for technobabble and flashy special effects. This story is about the classic themes which have served drama well since ancient Greek theater: the quest for vengeance; lost loves; the alienation, anger and reconciliation of fathers and sons; and the realization of mortality. Of the many science fiction films I have seen, few have tugged at the heartstrings as deeply as The Wrath of Khan. The most powerful moments are the bittersweet reunion between Kirk and Carol Marcus, the death of Spock and Kirk's eulogy, and the long delayed embrace between Kirk and his estranged son David. These moments are so universal that any "science fiction" label for this film seems limiting.

The script is helped by what is undoubtedly William Shatner's finest performance as James T. Kirk. Shatner brings the perfect balance of bluster, brio, and vulnerability to the aging Admiral. Toward the end of the movie, Kirk, shattered by Spock's death, tears down his defenses and allows us to see the human being behind the uniform. Ricardo Montalban, in a blood thirsty, Ahab-like performance, proves that there is much more to his acting than what was seen on Fantasy Island.

The special effects, which are entirely at the service of the story, for the most part hold up remarkably well--two exceptions are the Ceti Eels and the Genesis Cave Waterfall, which look rather primitive by today's CGI standards. James Horner's crisp, vibrant score hints at the great things which were to follow from him--it's a pity he has not been used in more recent Star Trek fare.

This Director's Edition contains some additional footage which was not in the theatrical release. Among this are scenes which reveal why Scotty was so upset over the death of the Cadet in Engineering, as well as some minor additions. Unlike the DVD release of the first Star Trek movie, there have been no enhancements to the few dated visual effects, such as the Genesis Cave Waterfall. The bonus material features interviews with Shatner, Nimoy, Montalban, and Bennett, as well as several behind the scenes looks at the visual effects (this was the first film to make use of computer graphics) and production design. Less interesting is an extended look at the Trek universe as seen through various novelizations (which, as every Trekker knows, are not considered "canon.")

The picture and sound quality are identical to the earlier DVD release, a definite improvement over VHS and laserdisc, but not spectacular by DVD standards.

DVD is superior to all previous video releases of the movie
This is the first Star Trek movie I have purchased on DVD. And I was quite impressed.

As far as I can tell, the entire movie panarama is restored within the 2.35 letterbox. Apparently this was *not* the case with the laserdisc and VHS widescreen versions, as this DVD has more material in the frame. Even the closing titles are authentic letterbox (not the vertically cropped, horizontally-compressed pan-and-scan version titles that were coppied onto the laserdisc).

Picture quality is also improved. Starfields are actually black this time instead of grey. Images are cleaner and sharper. The spaceships are more intense-looking than ever before, and I finally understand what's in the Genesis cave. The video transfer is darker, hiding some of the now-familiar film artifacts but also revealing a few new ones. Then again, even the cleaned-up special edition of Star Wars still had its film artifacts.

Sound is improved. I noticed some background effects I had never heard before.

Extras on this disc are limited to the theatrical trailer, which is letterboxed in 1.85. Personally, I would have liked to have seen the extended scenes from the ABC broadcast version of Star Trek II -assuming those can be restored in widescreen. The main menu looks like the menus for the TV episodes and does not capture the personality of the film.

Overall, a good disc. Buy it.

One for the ages
Back when "The Wrath of Khan" first hit the theaters, I remember thinking that Khan now ranks with the best movie bad guys of all time. I think Ricardo Montalban may have turned out the best performance of his career by bringing complexity, passion, pathos, and humanity all at once to the role of Khan. I'll never be able to read Moby Dick the same way ever again - "He tasks me, and I shall have him... I'll chase him 'round the moons of Nibia and 'round the Antares Maelstrom, and 'round perdition's flames before I give him up!" Sure, I'm an avowed lifelong trek fan, but I don't think I'm exagggerating this by much.

On a more objective note, the movie works very well at multiple levels...

The soundtrack itself is exceptional and, at the time, somewhat ground-breaking for the movie industry. This is evidenced by the fact that subsequent soundtracks in the sci-fi genre seem to have borrowed from Horner's original score. I think it was a shame that "Khan" was not nominated for an Oscar in the original score category.

The visual effects, which were state of the art at the time, still hold up over twenty years later. It serves as a good example and reminder that movies used to have good special effects even in the pre-computer era.

The acting was also superior. I already mentioned that Montalban may have given the performance of his life as "Khan", but I don't think it ends there. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley also recaptured the feel of the cameraderie from the original series. I am aware that Shatner is often criticized for being overly-dramatic, but my opinion is that this may also rank among the top two or three performance of Shatner's career as well (including the TV show). One of the more memorable moments came following Khan's failed attempt to have Chekov and Terrell kill Kirk: [Kirk to Khan] "You've managed to kill just about everyone else, but like a poor marksman you keep missing the mark.", which was, of course, followed by Kirk's timeless "KHAAAANNNN!!!" exclamatory. The acting was so good, IMHO, that the audience doesn't really notice that Kirk and Khan never really meet face-to-face, and the movie doesn't suffer because of it.

The Director's Edition DVD comes with a well-produced disc of supplementary material (interviews, commentaries, etc.) as well. I particularly liked the recent interviews with the actors on their recollections from when the movie was being produced. My favorite interview was Ricardo Montalban telling how horrified he was upon realizing how much he sounded like Mr. Roarke from Fantasy Island when he started reading his lines for the first time - "This is going to be a disaster! The audience is going to laugh at me!" He then tells of how he fixed the problem by requesting a copy of the original TV show "Space Seed" where the crew of the Enterprise first encountered Khan, and watching it over and over again until he began to recall his original work with the character. Shatner also delivers a pretty good interview as he describes how he'll one day make Nimoy and Harve Bennett pay for not letting him in on the secret that by the time the movie had been shot that they already had plans to bring Spock back. Whether or not Shatner really knew is irrelevant - the interview is delivered w/ a deadpan that leaves the viewer in stitches. There is also a good piece about how the visual effects were accomplished.

Overall, I rate "The Wrath of Khan" as the best movie in the entire series of Star Trek theatrical releases, and one of the better movies ever produced in the sci-fi genre as a whole.

If you see just one Star Trek movie.....
MAKE IT THIS ONE. This is it...the movie that defined that reinvented Star Trek in the 80's and paved the way back to television for Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Why you'll like it:
Shatner and Nimoy: No matter how you slice it, there is a chemistry between these two people (both off and on screen) that makes you want to watch them together.

Ricardo Montalban: The man "chews scenery". Khan is one of the great villians.

GREAT special effects: all cutting edge effect done by Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic. It was done sooo well - like they were going out of there way to apologize for the visual trainwreck that was Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

And - if you don't like Star Trek - it's still pretty good fun.

I won't spoil the ending - but keep the tissues handy. No one can keep a dry eye when you hear bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace".

I also really enjoyed watching this film with the director's commentary. I actually got a whole new perspective on the film from the first time I saw it (more than 20 years ago).

Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold
"I have been & always shall be your friend. Live long & prosper."

"Of my friend..., I can only say this. Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels. His was the most- .... human.

- Captain Spock says goodbye to his close friend while Admiral Kirk honors the fallen in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan".

After 22 summers (to the day) "Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan" is still the movie that "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" wanted to be and after ten films in the "Star Trek" saga, "II" is still the film that all other "Trek" films are measured up to (for me personally, this one is tied for first with "Star Trek: First Contact").

Admiral Kirk and the crew of The Enterprise face an old enemy (Khan Noonian Singh) from the television series (see the episode entitled "Space Seed").

Simplistic plot, but, what makes the film work so well is:

1. - The crew act there age & try not to be the young crew they tried to be in "The Motion Picture".

2. - Admiral Kirk has a mid-life crisis as his past catches up with him in the form of the son he hardly knows.

3. - Khan seeks revenge for the death of his wife (the Enterprise historian from the T.V. episode). Wouldn't you?

4. - Aside from the senior staff, The Enterprise crew is made of cadets, giving the film an extra element of danger(the plotpoint w/ Scotty's cadet nephew is one of the extended scenes in the film).

5. - The senior staff, unlike in the T.V. series, is expendable (Scotty gets a bout of radation poisining, Checkov becomes Khan's hostage, and Spock, ..., well you know. I won't give that away for the 2 people who haven't watched the film).

6. - The Genesis Project is one of the most dangerous of all "Trek" weapons, yet, it was never meant to be one.

7. - The battle in the Mutara Nebula is classic "Star Trek" all the way (the Nebula is featured again in one of the episodes from "Star Trek: The Next Generation". I think, it might be The Best of Both Worlds Part I).

8. - Cherish what you have before its gone and a renewed sense of purpose is never a bad thing.

Quite a lot of detail was put into this film.
Gone are the disco style uniforms from the previous film. In its place, are the now classic, military/naval style uniforms complete with rank pips and badges.
The effects are a lot better than in "TMP". The first digital effects featured in a film are of the Genesis Proposal and were made by Pixar (the company would go on to super success with, the 1995 film, "Toy Story").

Origianlly titled the "Undiscovered Country", but, was replaced by the title "Vengeance of Khan". It was retitled to "The Wrath of Khan" when Paramount found out that the last "Star Wars" film would be titled "Revenge of The Jedi" (that would be changed to "Return of The Jedi").

This 2 disc extended edition of "Star Trek II" has everything but the kitchen sink thrown in (its lightyears ahead of the drab first DVD release). What I like most about these special releases is the triva track option that can run at the bottom of the screen without blocking out any of the screen itself.

This version of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", is a 2 disc set that will live long & prosper. Steady as she goes, Mr. Sulu. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good Idea, Bad Execution
Partway through watching My Tutor on DVD, I remembered I'd seen it in the theater when it first came out. Back then I had the same reaction I do today: this movie could have been a whole lot better than it is.

Bobby Chrystal (Matt Lattanzi) has failed his high school senior year French finals. This means he won't be able to get into Yale, a situation intolerable to his overbearing Yaley dad (Kevin McCarthy, best known for playing the main character in the 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers). Dad hires beautiful blond Terry Green (Caren Kaye) to be Bobby's summer live-in French tutor. If Bobby can pass a makeup French test at school, all past educational shortcomings will be forgiven and the halls of Yale pre-law beckon. However, Bobby learns a whole lot more from Terry than French as she becomes his first lover.

That bare description of plot sounds like it could make a sweet romantic comedy. And it could - it just doesn't. To start with there's the sub-plot of Bobby's friend Billy (Clark Brandon) and his repeated, unsuccessful efforts to get his younger brother (Crispin Glover) and Bobby laid, including a trip to the most dysfunctional brothel on God's green earth, hooking them up with a trashy waitress with a biker boyfriend, etc. These episodes simply aren't funny. Bobby, the main character we should like, is a whiny punk. The acting by all concerned is frankly not that great. There's not much in the way of chemistry between Lattanzi and Kaye, especially early-on. Rather than real people who find each other attractive, they come across like beautiful actors reading their lines - badly. (They do get better as the movie progresses.) The way the two characters hook up - not to give away too much of the scintillating plot - is unbelievable. We don't see the relationship develop through time, from attraction to liking to, eventually, sex. Toward the end of the movie, after Bobby's treated Terry quite decently during the relationship, it's back to acting like a whiny punk when it becomes obvious they're not going to last. You just want to slap this guy upside the head.

There are a few good things in My Tutor. In-between the unrealistic start of the relationship and Bobby acting like a baby toward the end, there's some genuinely sweet stuff as Bobby and Terry pillow talk in bed. It's nice. And Billy's comeback to a girl at a party who refuses to dance with him is one of the funniest things I've ever heard in any film. I really want to like this movie for the few things it does right; unfortunately they're not enough to counterbalance the many things it does wrong.

In my mind I contrast My Tutor to Coach, the 1978 Cathy Lee Crosby/Michael Biehn movie also dealing with a 30-ish woman in a sexual relationship with a high school student. Coach doesn't have quite the production values of My Tutor, it's not as slick and glossy, and its sub-plot of the upcoming "big game" basketball championship is frankly ridiculous, but at heart it's a much more successful film. Because (a) the acting is better - come on, we're talking Cathy Lee Crosby and Michael Biehn here, (b) the relationship seems much more real, not to mention healthy. The characters have great on-screen chemistry, it's believable these two people like each other, as well as find each other attractive. They spend time getting to know each other over numerous dates, talking for hours on end, before nature finally takes its course. You know, all the things My Tutor doesn't do.

The "extras" on this DVD are really lame. Of special note, the "Animated Bios" consist of still pictures of three of the cast (Kaye, Lattanzi, McCarthy) and sketchy bio text "animated" in that it scrolls up the screen. The one neat thing here is the "Naughty Bits Guide," a separate chapter menu for all the movie's "naughty bits," i.e. those featuring nudity/sex. This is such an inventive and fun idea I'm almost tempted to give My Tutor one more star just for that.

Dull but cute
The main reason to watch this flick is if you have a thing for gay male porno star of yesteryear, Tom Steele. The leading guy looks just like him. You see a lot less of this guy, if you catch my drift, but it's cute and watchable in a nostalgia kind of way if you remember seeing it on cable 20 years ago.

"School's out...but Bobby's education has just begun..."
See Bobby (Matt Lattanzi). See Bobby flunk French. Flunk, Bobby, flunk. See Bobby's dad (Kevin McCarthy). See Bobby's dad hire a tutor (Caren Kaye) to French Bobby during the summer. No, wait, I mean to teach Bobby French. "My Tutor" is a 1983 example of the teensploitation genre that kept USA's late night movie show "Up All Night" in business for years. It is a good thing Bobby's tutor likes to take advantage of the family pool late at night and take bikini breaks during class, because it gives us an excuse to ignore the leading man, who has zero charisma to go along with his low test scores. At least he looks old enough that your mind is not distracted by legal complications arising from their interaction. However, in a limited defense of this film it should be pointed out that the "love scenes" are taken seriously, avoiding the raunchy comedy that derails most of these films, so while "My Tutor" is bad it does not descend to the level of being truly awful. You just have to bite the bullet and treat the storyline seriously. Crispin Glover plays Bobby's best friend and serves as a reminder that some actors get out of these low-grade B-movies alive despite scenes that should have inspired them to buy every copy of this tape available in the world and have them destroyed. However, when the cutest girl in the film (Kitten Natividad) is just dropping by for a cameo, that is not a good sign. Otherwise, this is your basic arrested male adolescent sexual fantasy film, which is all you really need to know to decide if you want to spend 90-minutes of your life sitting through "My Tutor." All I can say is that I hope those who insist bad movies be reviewed to achieve a sense of balance are happy now.

Romance or porn?
Totally natural/realistic romance story in sharp contrast, sometimes indeed opposite, to current porn movies (where all characters behave almost totally like machines) and current romance novels (whose reading is almost always boring). ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The movie gets five stars
But the dvd gets only 3 from me, so it averages out to a 4 star release. I was happy when I found out one of my favorite movies was coming out on dvd. A story about overcoming differences; the white female coaching the young, black, inner-city basketball team. There's tension in the beginning because they're unfamiliar with each other, but they learn to work together and end up finding success. Yeah, it may seem like something you've seen before, yeah it may be predictable. But so what? That doesn't mean it's not good. I think the movie did a good job of making the viewer care about and root for the characters, especially Fredro Starr's character, Shorty Dowop. He showed that ruffnecks could be sensitive and have feelings as well as forties. Basically, I love the movie, but the dvd is only in full screen, not wide screen. It would have been nice to have a choice. The only extras are trailers for Race The Sun, Higher Learning and Sunset Park. A music video, filmographies or commentary would have been nice as well, but Columbia/Tristar's low frills dvd treatment prevents me from giving it a perfect score.

how do you say great movie
this movie was one of the better movies i've ever seen. as far as cute guys, great story-line, and talent go it's all that! i can't believe how ne1 could not like it. i think it sends a very positive message out about racial issues. and the movie also isn't mushy at all considering it's a drama. if u like or dis like basketball it doesn't matter because it's still a great movie no matter what! :)

Funny, Sweet, Cute
I love the movie I rated it 5 stars because I think it is a very good movie. It is so funny and I love the people who are in it! If you don't like this movie you are crazy it is so good!! I think it shows that everyone has a dramatic/sweet side, it is an awsome movie!!

The Worst of Its Kind
Yet another failure by movie producers to make an accurate film about life in the inner city. I grew up playing inner city basketball and i thought this movie was about as far from the truth as it could be. This movie presents stereotypes that categorize people into something they are not. The storyline in this movie is laughable to those of us that know better. If you did not grow up in the inner city and don't know what it's like, don't consider this movie to be a reflection of the truth.

This film tries to combine a basketball story line with life in an inner city environment. The basketball aspects are poorly done with a cast that didn't prove they could even portray basketball players. the role of the coach was totally unbelievable. The problems associated with high schoolers were blown out of proportion. Those that were fairly accurate, probably 1 or 2 out of 100 people can relate to it.

The acting is poor and so are the characters. This is a movie that takes people that can't act and attempts to get them to accurately portray people who live in that kind of culture and environment. You can tell when an actor can sell a character's personality and when a person is failing to act tough for a movie role.

The only thing that kept me watching the movie was the soundtrack. At least this movie did something right.

I don't recommend this movie, unless you want a fictional look at life in the inner city and at this kind of culture and lifestyle. If you come from this kind of environment , you will probably have a good laugh.

OK
Its an ok movie good story, but if your a true basketball fan i definatly reconmend Above The Rim it has a better story and its just a better movie overall. Good movie if your a fan of the genre. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"I've never done anything violent to anyone," says the mild-mannered Vann Siegert, "Just the minimum that was necessary." Indeed, if you have to get knocked off by a serial killer, Vann (Owen Wilson) is definitely your man. Just a quick, sweet swig from a silver flask of poisoned amaretto and you're out, with a narcoleptic slump into eternal slumber. There's no taunting or torturing; he's friendly about the whole thing. You can see Vann almost--almost--wishing his victims wouldn't take that final sip. He doesn't hold any particular grudge against these people; rather, as he puts it, "I take the natural momentum of a person and draw it toward me." If someone looks like they're on a crash course--like the boozy, asthmatic heroin addict played convincingly by Sheryl Crow, her acting debut--he merely accelerates the process.

Wilson proves to be a mesmerizing if unlikely serial killer, his flat, Midwestern delivery ringing more sincere than sinister, more Charlie Brown than Charles Manson. His voiceovers purportedly allow us into the mind of a killer, but what we hear isn't all that different from what we see. Vann isn't faking the nice-guy veneer, he is a nice guy, with this one little quirk. Clearly, this is not your typical edge-of-your-seat thriller, but the slow, dreamy pace is nonetheless entrancing. There are moments of intense grace and humor here, too. Janeane Garofalo breaks away from the smart-aleck mold to portray a postal employee smitten with Vann, and Mercedes Ruehl takes a compelling turn as his troubled landlady. "I like the detail of a thing," Vann says. "Especially if it's got a purpose." While we may not know for certain whether this film has a purpose, the details dare you to stop watching, even for an instant.--Brangien Davis ... Read more

Reviews (323)

At the End of the Universe, Lies the Beginning of Vengeance
Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan succeeds because it strikes the perfect balance of drama, action, humor, pathos, and depth. After the critical failure of the first Star Trek movie (which hit movie theaters before being properly completed), the producers took the trouble to view every episode of the original series to figure out what made it enduring. They replicated it successfully in The Wrath of Khan. Unlike the first film, the plot is driven by the actions and motivations of the characters. This is not a story about spatial anomalies or an excuse for technobabble and flashy special effects. This story is about the classic themes which have served drama well since ancient Greek theater: the quest for vengeance; lost loves; the alienation, anger and reconciliation of fathers and sons; and the realization of mortality. Of the many science fiction films I have seen, few have tugged at the heartstrings as deeply as The Wrath of Khan. The most powerful moments are the bittersweet reunion between Kirk and Carol Marcus, the death of Spock and Kirk's eulogy, and the long delayed embrace between Kirk and his estranged son David. These moments are so universal that any "science fiction" label for this film seems limiting.

The script is helped by what is undoubtedly William Shatner's finest performance as James T. Kirk. Shatner brings the perfect balance of bluster, brio, and vulnerability to the aging Admiral. Toward the end of the movie, Kirk, shattered by Spock's death, tears down his defenses and allows us to see the human being behind the uniform. Ricardo Montalban, in a blood thirsty, Ahab-like performance, proves that there is much more to his acting than what was seen on Fantasy Island.

The special effects, which are entirely at the service of the story, for the most part hold up remarkably well--two exceptions are the Ceti Eels and the Genesis Cave Waterfall, which look rather primitive by today's CGI standards. James Horner's crisp, vibrant score hints at the great things which were to follow from him--it's a pity he has not been used in more recent Star Trek fare.

This Director's Edition contains some additional footage which was not in the theatrical release. Among this are scenes which reveal why Scotty was so upset over the death of the Cadet in Engineering, as well as some minor additions. Unlike the DVD release of the first Star Trek movie, there have been no enhancements to the few dated visual effects, such as the Genesis Cave Waterfall. The bonus material features interviews with Shatner, Nimoy, Montalban, and Bennett, as well as several behind the scenes looks at the visual effects (this was the first film to make use of computer graphics) and production design. Less interesting is an extended look at the Trek universe as seen through various novelizations (which, as every Trekker knows, are not considered "canon.")

The picture and sound quality are identical to the earlier DVD release, a definite improvement over VHS and laserdisc, but not spectacular by DVD standards.

DVD is superior to all previous video releases of the movie
This is the first Star Trek movie I have purchased on DVD. And I was quite impressed.

As far as I can tell, the entire movie panarama is restored within the 2.35 letterbox. Apparently this was *not* the case with the laserdisc and VHS widescreen versions, as this DVD has more material in the frame. Even the closing titles are authentic letterbox (not the vertically cropped, horizontally-compressed pan-and-scan version titles that were coppied onto the laserdisc).

Picture quality is also improved. Starfields are actually black this time instead of grey. Images are cleaner and sharper. The spaceships are more intense-looking than ever before, and I finally understand what's in the Genesis cave. The video transfer is darker, hiding some of the now-familiar film artifacts but also revealing a few new ones. Then again, even the cleaned-up special edition of Star Wars still had its film artifacts.

Sound is improved. I noticed some background effects I had never heard before.

Extras on this disc are limited to the theatrical trailer, which is letterboxed in 1.85. Personally, I would have liked to have seen the extended scenes from the ABC broadcast version of Star Trek II -assuming those can be restored in widescreen. The main menu looks like the menus for the TV episodes and does not capture the personality of the film.

Overall, a good disc. Buy it.

One for the ages
Back when "The Wrath of Khan" first hit the theaters, I remember thinking that Khan now ranks with the best movie bad guys of all time. I think Ricardo Montalban may have turned out the best performance of his career by bringing complexity, passion, pathos, and humanity all at once to the role of Khan. I'll never be able to read Moby Dick the same way ever again - "He tasks me, and I shall have him... I'll chase him 'round the moons of Nibia and 'round the Antares Maelstrom, and 'round perdition's flames before I give him up!" Sure, I'm an avowed lifelong trek fan, but I don't think I'm exagggerating this by much.

On a more objective note, the movie works very well at multiple levels...

The soundtrack itself is exceptional and, at the time, somewhat ground-breaking for the movie industry. This is evidenced by the fact that subsequent soundtracks in the sci-fi genre seem to have borrowed from Horner's original score. I think it was a shame that "Khan" was not nominated for an Oscar in the original score category.

The visual effects, which were state of the art at the time, still hold up over twenty years later. It serves as a good example and reminder that movies used to have good special effects even in the pre-computer era.

The acting was also superior. I already mentioned that Montalban may have given the performance of his life as "Khan", but I don't think it ends there. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley also recaptured the feel of the cameraderie from the original series. I am aware that Shatner is often criticized for being overly-dramatic, but my opinion is that this may also rank among the top two or three performance of Shatner's career as well (including the TV show). One of the more memorable moments came following Khan's failed attempt to have Chekov and Terrell kill Kirk: [Kirk to Khan] "You've managed to kill just about everyone else, but like a poor marksman you keep missing the mark.", which was, of course, followed by Kirk's timeless "KHAAAANNNN!!!" exclamatory. The acting was so good, IMHO, that the audience doesn't really notice that Kirk and Khan never really meet face-to-face, and the movie doesn't suffer because of it.

The Director's Edition DVD comes with a well-produced disc of supplementary material (interviews, commentaries, etc.) as well. I particularly liked the recent interviews with the actors on their recollections from when the movie was being produced. My favorite interview was Ricardo Montalban telling how horrified he was upon realizing how much he sounded like Mr. Roarke from Fantasy Island when he started reading his lines for the first time - "This is going to be a disaster! The audience is going to laugh at me!" He then tells of how he fixed the problem by requesting a copy of the original TV show "Space Seed" where the crew of the Enterprise first encountered Khan, and watching it over and over again until he began to recall his original work with the character. Shatner also delivers a pretty good interview as he describes how he'll one day make Nimoy and Harve Bennett pay for not letting him in on the secret that by the time the movie had been shot that they already had plans to bring Spock back. Whether or not Shatner really knew is irrelevant - the interview is delivered w/ a deadpan that leaves the viewer in stitches. There is also a good piece about how the visual effects were accomplished.

Overall, I rate "The Wrath of Khan" as the best movie in the entire series of Star Trek theatrical releases, and one of the better movies ever produced in the sci-fi genre as a whole.

If you see just one Star Trek movie.....
MAKE IT THIS ONE. This is it...the movie that defined that reinvented Star Trek in the 80's and paved the way back to television for Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Why you'll like it:
Shatner and Nimoy: No matter how you slice it, there is a chemistry between these two people (both off and on screen) that makes you want to watch them together.

Ricardo Montalban: The man "chews scenery". Khan is one of the great villians.

GREAT special effects: all cutting edge effect done by Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic. It was done sooo well - like they were going out of there way to apologize for the visual trainwreck that was Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

And - if you don't like Star Trek - it's still pretty good fun.

I won't spoil the ending - but keep the tissues handy. No one can keep a dry eye when you hear bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace".

I also really enjoyed watching this film with the director's commentary. I actually got a whole new perspective on the film from the first time I saw it (more than 20 years ago).

Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold
"I have been & always shall be your friend. Live long & prosper."

"Of my friend..., I can only say this. Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels. His was the most- .... human.

- Captain Spock says goodbye to his close friend while Admiral Kirk honors the fallen in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan".

After 22 summers (to the day) "Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan" is still the movie that "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" wanted to be and after ten films in the "Star Trek" saga, "II" is still the film that all other "Trek" films are measured up to (for me personally, this one is tied for first with "Star Trek: First Contact").

Admiral Kirk and the crew of The Enterprise face an old enemy (Khan Noonian Singh) from the television series (see the episode entitled "Space Seed").

Simplistic plot, but, what makes the film work so well is:

1. - The crew act there age & try not to be the young crew they tried to be in "The Motion Picture".

2. - Admiral Kirk has a mid-life crisis as his past catches up with him in the form of the son he hardly knows.

3. - Khan seeks revenge for the death of his wife (the Enterprise historian from the T.V. episode). Wouldn't you?

4. - Aside from the senior staff, The Enterprise crew is made of cadets, giving the film an extra element of danger(the plotpoint w/ Scotty's cadet nephew is one of the extended scenes in the film).

5. - The senior staff, unlike in the T.V. series, is expendable (Scotty gets a bout of radation poisining, Checkov becomes Khan's hostage, and Spock, ..., well you know. I won't give that away for the 2 people who haven't watched the film).

6. - The Genesis Project is one of the most dangerous of all "Trek" weapons, yet, it was never meant to be one.

7. - The battle in the Mutara Nebula is classic "Star Trek" all the way (the Nebula is featured again in one of the episodes from "Star Trek: The Next Generation". I think, it might be The Best of Both Worlds Part I).

8. - Cherish what you have before its gone and a renewed sense of purpose is never a bad thing.

Quite a lot of detail was put into this film.
Gone are the disco style uniforms from the previous film. In its place, are the now classic, military/naval style uniforms complete with rank pips and badges.
The effects are a lot better than in "TMP". The first digital effects featured in a film are of the Genesis Proposal and were made by Pixar (the company would go on to super success with, the 1995 film, "Toy Story").

Origianlly titled the "Undiscovered Country", but, was replaced by the title "Vengeance of Khan". It was retitled to "The Wrath of Khan" when Paramount found out that the last "Star Wars" film would be titled "Revenge of The Jedi" (that would be changed to "Return of The Jedi").

This 2 disc extended edition of "Star Trek II" has everything but the kitchen sink thrown in (its lightyears ahead of the drab first DVD release). What I like most about these special releases is the triva track option that can run at the bottom of the screen without blocking out any of the screen itself.

This version of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", is a 2 disc set that will live long & prosper. Steady as she goes, Mr. Sulu. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Realistic portrait of war
Well-made Vietnam war movie with "Dallas" star Steve Kanaly as a an unconventional but honest major betrayed by his superiors and his firebase left with a unexperienced leader. Written by Outdoors magazine writer Dan Gagliasso and critically acclaimed director Carl Franklin. ... Read more

Reviews (323)

At the End of the Universe, Lies the Beginning of Vengeance
Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan succeeds because it strikes the perfect balance of drama, action, humor, pathos, and depth. After the critical failure of the first Star Trek movie (which hit movie theaters before being properly completed), the producers took the trouble to view every episode of the original series to figure out what made it enduring. They replicated it successfully in The Wrath of Khan. Unlike the first film, the plot is driven by the actions and motivations of the characters. This is not a story about spatial anomalies or an excuse for technobabble and flashy special effects. This story is about the classic themes which have served drama well since ancient Greek theater: the quest for vengeance; lost loves; the alienation, anger and reconciliation of fathers and sons; and the realization of mortality. Of the many science fiction films I have seen, few have tugged at the heartstrings as deeply as The Wrath of Khan. The most powerful moments are the bittersweet reunion between Kirk and Carol Marcus, the death of Spock and Kirk's eulogy, and the long delayed embrace between Kirk and his estranged son David. These moments are so universal that any "science fiction" label for this film seems limiting.

The script is helped by what is undoubtedly William Shatner's finest performance as James T. Kirk. Shatner brings the perfect balance of bluster, brio, and vulnerability to the aging Admiral. Toward the end of the movie, Kirk, shattered by Spock's death, tears down his defenses and allows us to see the human being behind the uniform. Ricardo Montalban, in a blood thirsty, Ahab-like performance, proves that there is much more to his acting than what was seen on Fantasy Island.

The special effects, which are entirely at the service of the story, for the most part hold up remarkably well--two exceptions are the Ceti Eels and the Genesis Cave Waterfall, which look rather primitive by today's CGI standards. James Horner's crisp, vibrant score hints at the great things which were to follow from him--it's a pity he has not been used in more recent Star Trek fare.

This Director's Edition contains some additional footage which was not in the theatrical release. Among this are scenes which reveal why Scotty was so upset over the death of the Cadet in Engineering, as well as some minor additions. Unlike the DVD release of the first Star Trek movie, there have been no enhancements to the few dated visual effects, such as the Genesis Cave Waterfall. The bonus material features interviews with Shatner, Nimoy, Montalban, and Bennett, as well as several behind the scenes looks at the visual effects (this was the first film to make use of computer graphics) and production design. Less interesting is an extended look at the Trek universe as seen through various novelizations (which, as every Trekker knows, are not considered "canon.")

The picture and sound quality are identical to the earlier DVD release, a definite improvement over VHS and laserdisc, but not spectacular by DVD standards.

DVD is superior to all previous video releases of the movie
This is the first Star Trek movie I have purchased on DVD. And I was quite impressed.

As far as I can tell, the entire movie panarama is restored within the 2.35 letterbox. Apparently this was *not* the case with the laserdisc and VHS widescreen versions, as this DVD has more material in the frame. Even the closing titles are authentic letterbox (not the vertically cropped, horizontally-compressed pan-and-scan version titles that were coppied onto the laserdisc).

Picture quality is also improved. Starfields are actually black this time instead of grey. Images are cleaner and sharper. The spaceships are more intense-looking than ever before, and I finally understand what's in the Genesis cave. The video transfer is darker, hiding some of the now-familiar film artifacts but also revealing a few new ones. Then again, even the cleaned-up special edition of Star Wars still had its film artifacts.

Sound is improved. I noticed some background effects I had never heard before.

Extras on this disc are limited to the theatrical trailer, which is letterboxed in 1.85. Personally, I would have liked to have seen the extended scenes from the ABC broadcast version of Star Trek II -assuming those can be restored in widescreen. The main menu looks like the menus for the TV episodes and does not capture the personality of the film.

Overall, a good disc. Buy it.

One for the ages
Back when "The Wrath of Khan" first hit the theaters, I remember thinking that Khan now ranks with the best movie bad guys of all time. I think Ricardo Montalban may have turned out the best performance of his career by bringing complexity, passion, pathos, and humanity all at once to the role of Khan. I'll never be able to read Moby Dick the same way ever again - "He tasks me, and I shall have him... I'll chase him 'round the moons of Nibia and 'round the Antares Maelstrom, and 'round perdition's flames before I give him up!" Sure, I'm an avowed lifelong trek fan, but I don't think I'm exagggerating this by much.

On a more objective note, the movie works very well at multiple levels...

The soundtrack itself is exceptional and, at the time, somewhat ground-breaking for the movie industry. This is evidenced by the fact that subsequent soundtracks in the sci-fi genre seem to have borrowed from Horner's original score. I think it was a shame that "Khan" was not nominated for an Oscar in the original score category.

The visual effects, which were state of the art at the time, still hold up over twenty years later. It serves as a good example and reminder that movies used to have good special effects even in the pre-computer era.

The acting was also superior. I already mentioned that Montalban may have given the performance of his life as "Khan", but I don't think it ends there. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley also recaptured the feel of the cameraderie from the original series. I am aware that Shatner is often criticized for being overly-dramatic, but my opinion is that this may also rank among the top two or three performance of Shatner's career as well (including the TV show). One of the more memorable moments came following Khan's failed attempt to have Chekov and Terrell kill Kirk: [Kirk to Khan] "You've managed to kill just about everyone else, but like a poor marksman you keep missing the mark.", which was, of course, followed by Kirk's timeless "KHAAAANNNN!!!" exclamatory. The acting was so good, IMHO, that the audience doesn't really notice that Kirk and Khan never really meet face-to-face, and the movie doesn't suffer because of it.

The Director's Edition DVD comes with a well-produced disc of supplementary material (interviews, commentaries, etc.) as well. I particularly liked the recent interviews with the actors on their recollections from when the movie was being produced. My favorite interview was Ricardo Montalban telling how horrified he was upon realizing how much he sounded like Mr. Roarke from Fantasy Island when he started reading his lines for the first time - "This is going to be a disaster! The audience is going to laugh at me!" He then tells of how he fixed the problem by requesting a copy of the original TV show "Space Seed" where the crew of the Enterprise first encountered Khan, and watching it over and over again until he began to recall his original work with the character. Shatner also delivers a pretty good interview as he describes how he'll one day make Nimoy and Harve Bennett pay for not letting him in on the secret that by the time the movie had been shot that they already had plans to bring Spock back. Whether or not Shatner really knew is irrelevant - the interview is delivered w/ a deadpan that leaves the viewer in stitches. There is also a good piece about how the visual effects were accomplished.

Overall, I rate "The Wrath of Khan" as the best movie in the entire series of Star Trek theatrical releases, and one of the better movies ever produced in the sci-fi genre as a whole.

If you see just one Star Trek movie.....
MAKE IT THIS ONE. This is it...the movie that defined that reinvented Star Trek in the 80's and paved the way back to television for Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Why you'll like it:
Shatner and Nimoy: No matter how you slice it, there is a chemistry between these two people (both off and on screen) that makes you want to watch them together.

Ricardo Montalban: The man "chews scenery". Khan is one of the great villians.

GREAT special effects: all cutting edge effect done by Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic. It was done sooo well - like they were going out of there way to apologize for the visual trainwreck that was Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

And - if you don't like Star Trek - it's still pretty good fun.

I won't spoil the ending - but keep the tissues handy. No one can keep a dry eye when you hear bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace".

I also really enjoyed watching this film with the director's commentary. I actually got a whole new perspective on the film from the first time I saw it (more than 20 years ago).

Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold
"I have been & always shall be your friend. Live long & prosper."

"Of my friend..., I can only say this. Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels. His was the most- .... human.

- Captain Spock says goodbye to his close friend while Admiral Kirk honors the fallen in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan".

After 22 summers (to the day) "Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan" is still the movie that "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" wanted to be and after ten films in the "Star Trek" saga, "II" is still the film that all other "Trek" films are measured up to (for me personally, this one is tied for first with "Star Trek: First Contact").

Admiral Kirk and the crew of The Enterprise face an old enemy (Khan Noonian Singh) from the television series (see the episode entitled "Space Seed").

Simplistic plot, but, what makes the film work so well is:

1. - The crew act there age & try not to be the young crew they tried to be in "The Motion Picture".

2. - Admiral Kirk has a mid-life crisis as his past catches up with him in the form of the son he hardly knows.

3. - Khan seeks revenge for the death of his wife (the Enterprise historian from the T.V. episode). Wouldn't you?

4. - Aside from the senior staff, The Enterprise crew is made of cadets, giving the film an extra element of danger(the plotpoint w/ Scotty's cadet nephew is one of the extended scenes in the film).

5. - The senior staff, unlike in the T.V. series, is expendable (Scotty gets a bout of radation poisining, Checkov becomes Khan's hostage, and Spock, ..., well you know. I won't give that away for the 2 people who haven't watched the film).

6. - The Genesis Project is one of the most dangerous of all "Trek" weapons, yet, it was never meant to be one.

7. - The battle in the Mutara Nebula is classic "Star Trek" all the way (the Nebula is featured again in one of the episodes from "Star Trek: The Next Generation". I think, it might be The Best of Both Worlds Part I).

8. - Cherish what you have before its gone and a renewed sense of purpose is never a bad thing.

Quite a lot of detail was put into this film.
Gone are the disco style uniforms from the previous film. In its place, are the now classic, military/naval style uniforms complete with rank pips and badges.
The effects are a lot better than in "TMP". The first digital effects featured in a film are of the Genesis Proposal and were made by Pixar (the company would go on to super success with, the 1995 film, "Toy Story").

Origianlly titled the "Undiscovered Country", but, was replaced by the title "Vengeance of Khan". It was retitled to "The Wrath of Khan" when Paramount found out that the last "Star Wars" film would be titled "Revenge of The Jedi" (that would be changed to "Return of The Jedi").

This 2 disc extended edition of "Star Trek II" has everything but the kitchen sink thrown in (its lightyears ahead of the drab first DVD release). What I like most about these special releases is the triva track option that can run at the bottom of the screen without blocking out any of the screen itself.

This version of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", is a 2 disc set that will live long & prosper. Steady as she goes, Mr. Sulu. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good solid film
Jesse Owens is a Hero.he stood Hate in the Face&Looked it down and was a Champion not only of Sport but of Human Rights.Dorian Harewood a Good Actor who i have seen in countless films does a solid job here.

Great story... is it all true?
I am a major fan of Jesse Owens, and this film is definitely for fans. Dorian Harewood portrays Jesse very well, but almost in a god-like perfection. Of course, biographies are supposed to emphasize good qualities, but this film leaves you wondering if Jesse Owens had any bad ones. Still a very good film, and an excellent way to introduce people who don't know about him to a great role model, a great athlete and world class human. ... Read more