I saw the Special Collector's Edition of this(which I understand doesn't have any additional scenes that weren't in the original). Ah, 'the funny one'. There is a theory that after a few heavy or dark episodes in a row, they'd have a fun one. This is the movie version of said lighter one. And yet, it's smart, dramatic and, well, a blast. Again directed by Nimoy, and this also partially penned by him, this is superior to the one before it. This could be absolutely lousy, given the concept, but it's... not. It's marvelous. The humor is genuinely well-done, timing, material, it all works. Most of it is verbal, with a little bit of silly, with none of it being childish or worse. The prerequisites to "getting" it, apart from knowing the series, are simply understanding American culture and slang, specifically that of the period. The plot is good. The situations are resolved in a satisfying manner, albeit certain aspects might benefit from more seriousness. The dialog is excellent, possibly the best of any of these I've seen thus far. The language is pervasive, to a greater extent than earlier(and harsher, as well), though some of it is there for a purpose(namely, hilarity). There is another minor offensive thing in this. If viewers can tolerate or look past them, they're likely to thoroughly enjoy this. This has a moral, but it isn't preachy. I recommend this to fans of Star Trek and/or sci-fi, and will suggest that the second film be watched first(the third is perhaps optional). 8/10
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This movie was practically perfect, they managed to make the best continuation that could do after the success of "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock". The film had fantastic actors, good special effects, good storyline and a fantastic soundtrack. I just think that they could explore a little more the disasters they were doing to the land and the process of the admiral, but beyond that, the movie was fantastic. Highly recommend.
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acedj29 October 2019This is not my favorite of the series, but it is in my top 3. The cast, after acting together for more than two decades is just plain good together. The humor in this film was great as well. Spock is almost back to his former self, and all seems right in the world. Like many things Trek, this does have a lot to do with what was happening in the time that this movie was filmed. This one tackles the human capacity to destroy other species. As Spock so eloquently states, "To hunt a species to extinction is not logical". A great movie with a great message.
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gazzo-220 October 1999This one is great-I remember laughing my butt off the first time I saw it, and it still works now. Very well done, the time travel angle was better handled here then it has been in other Trek films, shows, etc.-and one thing that makes this work is that they didn't take themselves too seriously. What a romp! The crew come back to save the whales so they can save themselves in the future-and make some commentary on 1986, too.
Personally I donno if this is the best of the run-Undiscovered Country and Khan are its main competition-but I applaud them for doing this; and hope they can lighten up the newer generation too now. It is needed.
*** outta ****, good stuff. -
perfectbond4 February 2003The Voyage Home is the Star Trek film that had the highest box office gross. It captured the imagination of the public who were eager to see Kirk and the crew in present day (1986) San Francisco. Luckily, the film was solid in all aspects and was enjoyed by long-time fans of the series as well. Although the outcome of the film is never in doubt, it never loses the attention of the viewer and entertains throughout. It actually felt fresh and original despite the fact that time travel had been done before (in the TV series) and it was the fourth film in the franchise. Recommended, 8/10.
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This might be the most unusual Star Trek movie out there as the original Star Trek prime regulars go back to 20th century San Francisco to get a pair of whales. It's a matter of survival for the earth.
There's a real threat to the planet as a super race (maybe it's the Q continuum) that has sent a probe to the earth that is causing all kinds of climate change. And they are sending out all kinds of sgnals causing massive flooding around the planet. They are sending out a signal to the humpbacked whales, the theory being that if the whales respond the planet is being taken care of.
But in our time the whales were hunted to extinction or at least this species of. So William Shatner and the gang go back to get some whales and save the earth.
This is one wild and far out story, but it's compelling and draws you in. Best scenes are Leonard Nimoy trying to fit into 20th century earth.
This film got 4 Oscar nominations in the technical categories. It's still enjoyable after over 30 years. -
jellyneckr17 June 2001This is without question the best STAR TREK movie in the series. It is full of great special effects, clever dialogue, sharp humor, and absolutely dazzling action sequences. It is the most fun to watch out of all the STAR TREK movies and is the most creative of them too. This is was easily one of the best movies of 1986.
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The fourth entry in the "Star Trek" movie series is the most popular and unarguably the best-liked of these entertaining movies. It has a fine variety of scenes, intelligent comedy to leaven the more serious adventures. it is fast paced, beautifully directed by Leonard Nimoy who also plays "Spock". What prevented it from being even better perhaps appreciated is a deliberate attempt by the writers to write short, choppy-sentence dialogue that in some scenes does not work as well as more formally-structured words might have worked. The film is bright, the art direction is very good, the music by Leonard Rosenmann is outstanding. And the story line is one of the best that sci-fi filmmakers have yet devised, in my judgment, because it has everything. As Captain James T. Kirk of the 23rd century starship Enterprise, William Shatner acts with unusual intelligence and even strength to get by. As his half-alien First Officer Spock, just recovering from a traumatic experience that caused him to have to be reeducated from ground zero, Leonard Nimoy is even better. Everyone of Jim Kirk's crewmen, including James Doohan as Engineer Montgomer Scott, De Forest Kelley as CMO Leonard McCoy, Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura of Communications, talented George Takei as Helmsman Sulu, and Walter Koenig as Navigator Pavel Chekhov, have good scenes to perform and do them seamlessly and with professional style. Others in the cast including Brock Peters, Jane Wyatt, Mark Lenard, Grace Lee Whitney, Alen Henteloff, Robert Ellenstein and a relative unknown as the earthwoman who becomes enmeshed in the Enterprise officers' mission,are given telling moments. There are many memorable visual moments, including the departure of a stolen Klingon warbird from the planet Vulcan, the near-wreckage of Starfleet Headquarters, the landing of an invisible vessel in Golden Gate Park, a slingshot run around the sun, a descent from the invisible craft to the ground, scenes around the Alameda Navy Yards, a chase in a hospital and scenes at the cetacean Institute all make themselves hard-to-forget. It is the sheer fun and adventure of the storyline--sending a starship back in time to rescue two hump-backed whales and save the earth from alien destruction--that sets this film apart. Ignored by critics who have nearly always ignored sci-fi achievements, this cinematic attainment set a standard for future sci-fi to which hardly any film's maker has yet approached. The revelation of character could have been deeper, but the relevance of every moment to the plot line could hardly have been bettered. Harve Bennett deserves some of the credit for this script's excellences; so do the special-effects creators, since for once in Hollywood, every such effects serve to further the progress the central character and his helpers are making. This is probably a film to be watched over and over; I wish there were more such adult sci-fi efforts that eschew pretension and present so much intelligent dialogue, acting and intriguing "differences".
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cosmic_quest16 April 2006'Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home' is the most popular of the Trek films and quite right too. Not only does it appeal to both fans and non-fans of the show but it revels in the spirit of what Trek has always been about: how perfect and Utopian the citizens of the twenty-third century are compared to their Neanderthal ancestors of the late twentieth century!
The film sees Kirk and his crew, in disgrace after disobeying Starfleet orders to save Spock following the events of 'Star Trek III: The Search for Spock', travel to 1986 San Francisco to retrieve a pair of hump-back whales, a species extinct by Kirk's era. The whales are the key to communicating with an alien probe that is in the process of destroying Earth. As well as the non-too-subtle eco-message ('don't allow any animal be hunted to extinction as they may save us all in the future!'), there is much fun to be had as Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, Sulu, Scotty and the ever-logical Spock struggle to integrate themselves into most alien situation they have ever been in. They are clueless about exact-change buses, pizzas and why 1986 doctors think it's a good idea to drill into someone's head.
It is very light-hearted at times but I imagine this is the film Gene Roddenberry is most proud of given the way it portrays the best of all our favourite characters and reaches the heart of the ethos of 'Star Trek'. When I first watched this as a child, I wished Kirk would come and let me join him in the twenty-third century. In fact, the only thing that could improve this film would be if the probe had aimed its venegeance entirely at Japan and Norway in retaliation for the sins of these countries' backward twenty-first century 'ancestors'. After all, it's these two countries who will surely bring about the extinction of whales.
While this doesn't delve too much into the mythology and background of Trek, it is a great film and deserves to be counted as the best of the ten films. It is also an excellent option for Trek fans trying to convert friends and family to 'seeing the light' and loving Trek! -
Xstal2 March 2022Boldly going where no man (or woman) has gone before, climb aboard the Enterprise and let it fly and soar, as old friends gather, reunite, off to battle and to fight, strange new worlds, civilisations to explore.
The crew of a starship go whaling, jump into the past slingshot sailing, to right a big wrong, to save what has gone and prevent catastrophe and failing.
As sincere and serious as any portent to a science non-fiction future, with whit, wisdom and fun combined, a great piece of entertaining, thought provoking piece of cinema as your likely to indulge. -
cariart26 November 2003Gene Roddenberry's original Star Trek 'family' fully expected that Paramount would 'pull the plug' and end their series of films after STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK. After all, Spock had died and been reborn, Kirk and the crew were fugitives from the Federation, and the Enterprise itself had been destroyed, with the cast, now the proud owners of a Klingon 'Bird of Prey', staying with Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, on Vulcan. Pretty heady stuff for a franchise considered past it's prime, and as the studio seemed to be focusing it's attention on the upcoming 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' television series, which would introduce a younger cast, there was a general feeling that the aging veterans of the first series, now all in their fifties and sixties (with the exception of George Takei, a 'kid' of 46) were overdue to be 'put out to pasture'.
But producer Harve Bennett and Leonard Nimoy had an idea for a 'Trek' film that would be 'hip', lighter-hearted, could 'tie up' the loose ends of the series, and, as the film would be set largely in the 20th century, be both inexpensive to make, and 'audience friendly'. "Inexpensive" was always the key word for Paramount's 'brass', particularly concerning 'Star Trek', and after Bennett and Nimoy made the rounds pitching their script outline, and Nimoy agreed to direct, the project was green-lighted.
The story is simple and straightforward; returning to Earth in the 'Bird of Prey' to face charges for hijacking the Enterprise, and destroying it, Kirk and crew discover that the planet is 'under attack' from a gigantic tube-like object, emitting weird sounds and laser-like beams that are playing havoc on the weather, world-wide. Spock determines that the sounds are the language of humpback whales, a species extinct in the 23rd century, so our heroes slingshot the spaceship back in time to the 20th century, in an attempt to capture a pair of the whales, and bring them 'back to the future'.
As the Klingon ship has a cloaking device that can render it invisible (a wonderful invention that helped keep the FX budget down!), it is easy to 'hide' the spacecraft in a park in mid-eighties San Francisco, and the crew, after a funny sequence strolling the streets of the city, are divided into teams, with Kirk and Spock to procure the whales, McCoy and Scotty to build a tank to house them, Sulu to find a means of getting the tank to the ship, and Uhura and Chekov to siphon off some nuclear fuel (from the U.S.S. Enterprise, no less!) to help power the ship back to the 23rd century. Each team has their own mini-adventure (Kirk and Spock meet whale expert Dr. Gillian Taylor, played by perky Catherine Hicks, who, eventually, insists on accompanying the whales to the future, while sweetly shrugging off Kirk's passes; Scotty has to 'invent' the glass for the tank, potentially rewriting the future; Sulu is like a kid, flying an antique helicopter; and Chekov gets captured, then injured...Chekov is ALWAYS getting injured in the 'Trek' films!...providing McCoy a chance to perform some 'miracles' and criticize 20th century medicine). These vignettes are wonderful, and remind one of what terrific actors the original crew of the Enterprise were.
The Earth is, of course, saved, Kirk is busted from Admiral back to Captain (the rank he was best suited for), Dr. Taylor informs him she's too busy to date (Kirk strikes out???), and the crew is assigned to a new starship...named Enterprise, naturally!
STAR TREK IV, the most popular and successful 'Trek' movie yet made, would have been a fitting conclusion to the adventures of the original cast, but William Shatner, as part of his contract, was promised a writing credit and the director's chair for the next 'Trek' film... -
planktonrules15 July 2006My wife loved this movie and I did enjoy it more than most Star Trek films. This surprised me a little bit because the ads for the film made it look like a film made by Green Peace or PETA--with its emphasis in going back in time to rescue some whales. However, while this was part of the plot, the journey there was so much fun that it didn't seem preachy.
The important crew members (you know, the ones you knew couldn't die when they went on landing parties in the old show) take a stolen cloaked (i.e., invisible) ship back in time to the 1980s to bring back some whales to save the Earth of the future. Some odd probe arrived over the planet and began sending messages to the Humpback whales but since they'd all been wiped out, the probe began destroying everything). Once they arrive, they try with little success to blend it. Spock tries cursing a lot because he'd read that the 80s were a rather coarse time, McCoy starts effecting miracle cures in the hospital he visits, and Chekov, with his Russian accent, gets busted when he begins asking where he can find the "Nuclead Wessels (vessels)". It's all great trivial fun. Not the deepest movie, but the trip was so much fun who cares? -
Hitchcoc2 December 2018I left the theater years ago, feeling so good about this movie. It had everything I wanted. A fascinating plot. A sense of humor. A task that needed to be done with ingenuity. Spock's evolution after the events of the Third film are quite interesting. It also fit into a kind of reverence for the humpbacked whales that were a part of our culture at the time. What really makes the film is these people of the future, coming to a scientifically sophisticated era, but still having to treat it like it was a medieval time. Also, the culture in San Francisco was a puzzle to them.
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jmanchak61 March 2010WARNING!!! POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!!!!!! "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" is arguably the greatest Trek. It is the most popular Star Trek film (not including the 2009 reboot). Before the reboot, it was the only Trek to gross over $100 million domestically, plus it was extremely well received by critics and fans alike. It surpassed every expectation that it had set up for itself, simply because it is the funniest and most light hearted Trek.
The best part is the interactions between the characters. Yes, the film was nominated for 4 Oscars (once again, the most of any Trek) including best effects, but the effects aren't the best part. It was the success of this film that convinced Paramount Television to give a spin-off series a shot. As you probably know, TNG, DS9, ST:V, and ST:E were all very successful, and they were the result of a chain reaction which started with the success of "The Voyage Home".
The film also noted Leonard Nimoy as a top-notch comic director. This won him the job of directing "Three Men and a Baby".
If you like Star Trek, this is definitely the film for you. Everyone else? Just research the characters a bit and I'm sure that you'll have a good time.
This film earned its money and its acclaim. It features many classic moments (Spock mind-melding with the whale, Scotty talking to the computer, Kirk using "colourful metaphors" to handle an angry cabbie, Spock using the nerve pinch on a punk on the bus, Kirk and Spock arguing over their preferred foods, and that's just scratching the surface!).
10/10 A Sci-Fi Comedy along the quality of "Ghostbusters", "MIB", and "Back to the Future"! That might be an overstatement, but I think it's true! -
NiceGuyTommy21 February 2005First off, I'm not a big BIG 'Star Trek' fan. I've seen the first six films, and catch an episode of the TV series every now and then (I saw the whole first season recently, which made me re-visit the Shatner/Nimoy films). I did however, find this film extremely entertaining! In fact, it was about as much fun as I think you can have at home with a (tasteful) video! I found 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' a tad dull, although I still enjoyed it. And II and III work well together, and are both enjoyable sci-fi action flicks ('Wrath of Khan' is another classic, but I feel IV pips it to the post). However, when 'The Voyage Home' was over, I had no idea that a film with a plot which involved two humpback whales and mid-1980s San Fransico could be so damn fun.
Shatner is on great form as the rogue Capt. Kirk, and Nimoy is brilliant in conveying Spocks absolute confusion at being stuck on a planet he partly understands, in a time he cannot comprehend. When Kirk explains Spocks oddness to the brilliant and frankly underused actress Catherine Hicks, Kirk says that Spock did a lot of "LDS" back in college.
Kelley, Takei and company are all on fine form, and the score, direction and script all work brilliantly. The fact that the 1980s now seems so long ago (it after all, did not age as well as some decades) only adds to the films premise.
I would thoroughly recommend this film to anyone - 'Star Trek' fan or not - as it is a wonderfully entertaining film for all ages. I'm sure wherever Gene Roddenberry is, he looks back on this film venture with a wry smile and a bag of popcorn. -
I liked this movie. It is my favorite Star Trek film. The blend of scifi and comedy works.
Ever been shocked if you visit another country and have to adapt to its culture? Try visiting another time period! That's what Kirk and company do, as they visit 20th century America to retrieve a pair of humpback whales to ward off an alien probe, and you will love their (mis)adventures as they adapt.
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Each of the previous Star Trek films had their moments and they were leading up to this one. With the death and resurrection of Spock, his character was able to become more human. Director Nimoy used this to helm a delightful Trek Episode that was as much fun as the series episode "The Trouble with Tribbles," which was everyone's favorite. This film was allowed to be a lot more general audience friendly as well. The plot was a good one, the script was well written, and there were improvised scenes that helped to move things along quite nicely. I can't help but believe that the Trek movies from here on in would have fared better if Nimoy had continued to direct.
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bigwig_thalyi25 July 2005An alien probe is heading towards earth causing tidal waves and hurricane winds. The probe is trying to get in touch with humpback whales which no longer exist.In time honoured tradition it is up to James kirk and crew to go back to the 20th century, find some humpback whales,take them home with him and save the day again. This is by far the funniest of all the star trek films due to the fact that it is played totally tongue in cheek and the cast aren't afraid to poke fun at themselves.To the crew it is like visiting an "undiscovered country" and the customs of modern man confuse them totally. Catherine Hicks plays their 20th century contact,joins in the fun and adds to the confusion they are feeling by playing her role totally straight. Some classic scenes include Scotty trying to instruct a computer by talking into the mouse,Dr Mcoys horror when surgeons are about to drill into Chekovs skull and Spocks solution to dealing with an arrogant yob on a bus. However it also has a serious ecological message.If we don't stop destroying our planet then the day could well come when every kind of whale will cease to exit.Some video clips, shown in the scene in the museum,displaying images of men killing whales are disturbing because they are real. Watch this film ,enjoy it, but remember that sometimes fact is more disturbing than fiction. In memory of James Doohan 1920- 2005 RIP.
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ma-cortes9 November 2008This following from 'The search for Spock'(by Leonard Nimoy), again reunites the cast of the popular television series. This time a weird probe is menacing Earth causing disasters, storms,destruction and broadcasting a sounds that anybody understands. Admiral Kirk, Spock who say goodbye to his Vulcanians parents(Mark Lenard as Sarek,and Jane Wyatt),and Bones(DeForest Kelley 1920-1999)along with the crew, Commander Scotty(James Doohan,1920-2005),Chekov(Walter Koenig),Uhura(Michelle Nichols), Zulu(George Takei), Commander Janice Rand(Grace Lee Whitney) and Dr. Christine Chapel(Majel Barret, married to Gene Roddenberry)must time travel to 1986 San Francisco where they know Dr. Chapel(Catherine Hicks) who help them.The entire crew of the Starship once more boldly go where no man has gone before in this Star Trek adventure.They must locate a humpbacks whales ,extinct in the 20th century, which can respond to strange alien and bring them back to 23rd century Earth. Besides Kirk to face legal charges after his unauthorized assignment. Admiral Kirk is judged by disobeying and degraded as Captain and given command USS Enterprise A , NCC1701.
This appealing, lighthearted entry is fun to watch, and Trekkies are sure to love it and non-fans will most likely find it top-notch. The charming movie is full of enjoyable characters, comedy, and overemphasis on excellent special effects. Entertaining story with intelligent ecological message about a humpbacks whales saving mankind.Evocative musical score with usual leitmotif by Leonard Rosenman. Colorful and glamorous cinematography by Don Petterman. The motion picture is well directed by Leonard Nimoy in his best film. Suitable for family viewing , it's a bemusing adventure which young and old men will enjoy. Fans of the series will find very amusing and fun, but followed by an inferior outing: Star Trek 5: The final frontier(1989) directed by William Shatner. -
justin-fencsak8 April 2019When this was released in late 1986, a dedication to the challenger victims appeared before the start of the movie to remind moviegoers of that tragedy which happened around the same time that filming began. It set the tone for what is the funniest and heart warming trek movie ever made.
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Still on the Vulcan planet awaiting repairs to their captured Klingon ship, Kirk and his crew are summoned to earth by the Federation to stand trial for making Star Trek 3 so very dull. However a deep space probe is approaching earth sending out a communication signal that is disrupting power and damaging the whole planet. When they find that the signal relates to the now extinct humpback whale, Kirk decides to travel back in time to the 1980's to recover and bring back a whale.
Part 2 of the series is easily my favourite to this day of the Star Trek movies, so part 3 was a major problem, being so very dull and heavy, but part 4 was an improvement simply because it was so much more light hearted and fun. The plot is potentially very silly and a barely hidden ecological subtext that threatens to sink the film, but it is delivered with tongue in cheek and it is that saves it. The mocking humour is gentle and really carries the film as fish-out-of-water gags abound and the contrast between the crew and their surroundings is used well.
While the plot is nonsense, the cast all enjoy themselves in whatever roles the script gives them. Shatner has the biggest role of course but has the least fun as he has to carry the unlikely love interest. Nimoy is good fun despite having a follow on from the last film that is a little heavy and he does a steady job as director. The rest of the crew have small roles but each is funny - whether it's Chekov appearing to be a communist spy, McCoy berating modern doctors as the Spanish inquisition and Sulu happily flying helicopters for some reason.
Overall this is not the best Star Trek film as it lacks any real action, excitement or tension, but what it lacks in this area it makes up for in terms of gentle laughs. Looking at it alone it is only reasonable but after watching the dull `Search for Spock' this is a fun relief. -
mz-3786619 February 201710/10 This is very much a personal rating and not a critical rating. I love this film! It's fun and silly, and it's my favorite Star Trek film. The whole premise of going back in time to save the world by saving the whales, ridiculously fun!! :) It may not be the most serious Star Trek or be the one that makes you look into yourself and challenges you, but not all movies have to do that. I grew up watching this film with my family and I guess my dads love for the film rubbed off on me.
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This is likely the Star Trek film with the widest appeal, in that it's essentially a fish-out-of-water comedy with a little sci-fi thrown in. An unknown ship is approaching earth, broadcasting an indecipherable message, and destroying all planets in it's wake. The Enterprise crew figures out that the message is whale sounds, except that whales have been extinct for hundreds of years, so there's no one left to answer the ship. This leads our intrepid crew to slingshot around the sun to travel back in time in order to bring a whale to the future to save future earth. Once in modern day San Francisco (or 1980s San Francisco), the crew has a series of humorous encounters with cars, money, and punk rockers, while trying to secure a whale. It's all quite funny and entertaining, but it's not very "Trek." The characters are all still the characters we know and love, but the story is pretty much "Crocodile Dundee" "Coming to America" or "The Out-of-Towners" except with the Star Trek crew out of their element. But not to be too dismissive, it is a lot of fun and is never boring, which is more than can be said of most Star Trek films, which tend to be pretty hit-or-miss. The film also get bonus points for including my favorite Go-Go, Jane Wiedlin as an Alien Communications Officer.
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janetch2 December 2019I love this episode because it is the best of Roddenberry's vision of the future and of how Star Trek portrayed it. Humans working together. Humor. Friendship, dedication, and loyalty. Good science (within the framework of the ST universe). The acting was brilliant. The various characters were each at their best. Their chemistry together was perfect. I can't watch this movie without both smiling and tearing up.
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toqtaqiya221 August 2010Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a delightful film. A large alien probe threatens the Earth, and the officers of the USS Enterprise have to travel back in time in order to save the day. In my opinion the special effects, by Industrial Light & Magic, were the best yet for a Star Trek film. Leonard Nimoy's direction is a definite benefit. While the story is quite simple the dialogue and character interactions are witty and entertaining. The scenes where the officers make their way in the San Francisco of the past were a joy to watch. It's clear that the actors were having a good time during filming. The Voyage Home is notable for being the first film to raise the issue of whale hunting. Whales, like many other species, have been hunted to near extinction by man. This important message is clearly expressed in the film. If that weren't enough there's also a fitting ending. The Voyage Home is entertaining and thought-provoking, one of the very best Star Trek films (I think it's the best). Discussions about interstellar politics are almost absent here. I highly recommend seeing it.