Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country - where does it rank?

[Dalek]

I just finished re-watching this and I'm going through all the special features and commentary. I think it's incredible. Nicholas Meyer's attempts to tie the peace talks to the then-relevant USSR / US situation, the wall falling was really inspired. On one of the commentary tracks, Ira Steven Behr says he felt it was TOO current to portray at the time.

Nimoy visited Meyer's house and suggested, "[What if] the wall comes down in outer space? You know, the Klingons have always been our stand-ins for the Russians ...". Meyer recalled that he replied "'Oh, wait a minute! Okay, we start with an intergalactic Chernobyl! Big explosion! We got no more Klingon Empire ...!' And I just spilled out the whole story!" The story deliberately included references to the contemporary political climate; the character of Gorkon was based on Mikhail Gorbachev,[21] while the assassination storyline was Meyer's idea. He thought it was plausible that the Klingon leader who turned soft towards the enemy would be killed like similar peacemakers throughout history: Anwar Sadat, Mahatma Gandhi, and Abraham Lincoln.

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The Klingons, I feel, were really well portrayed in this installment. Gorkon is really likable and his death is genuinely sad. Chang is formidable and has an iconic look-great villain. The entire zero gravity murder/torpedo launch/frame job is well done and a good mystery.

For a last hurrah for the OG crew-it went out on a high note. It's a quality film. The only thing I would say I think is a little silly is Iman's shapeshifting character and the ensuing Kirk vs Kirk fight.

But otherwise-incredible film. For me-it's ranked just below Wrath of Khan.

 

[Kadzork]

In my opinion it's the 2nd best original cast movie - Wrath of Khan can't be topped.

 

[Volimar]

Of the original films yeah I could see it as number 2 after Wrath. There's also a lot of die hard 2<4<6 people out there.

 

[Exist 2 Inspire]

Second best Star Trek film ever just behind Wrath of Khan. That send off is legendary stuff.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUPK2tTx0tc

 

[Dalek]

This entire scene is awesome:

A Photon Torpedo Strikes Kronos One

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

www.youtube.com

 

[sir_crocodile]

It's number one with ease

VI > II > IV > III > VIII > VII > V > I > IX > X

Inc NuTrek:

VI > II > IV > III > VIII > VII > Beyond > V > 2009 > I > IX > X > Into Darkness

 

[echoshifting]

it's my favorite Star Trek movie, I think it's perfect

 

[Walter White Walker]

I haven't seen it in awhile, but I recall it as being a great film. The second best with the original crew, behind Wrath of Kahn.

 

[Tortillo VI]

Second or best film of the OG crew for me. Up there with the Wrath of Khan.

It's themes and plot are more in line with the episodes I like the most on DS9 and TNG, regarding politics, diplomacy and covert operations, and the final confrontation with Chang is one of the best moments of the saga for me.

 

[Travo]

Maybe my favorite of the ST movies. Fantastic finale for the ot gang with quotes that I still say today. "You vouched…for ME?"

 

[Dan Thunder]

Of the films with the original crew I'd say for me it's the 3rd best after Khan and Voyage Home (though I have to admit I have a much greater appreciation for the first film as I've gotten older).

If we're talking all Star Trek movies then it'd probably be 4th as I love First Contact.

 

[Iolo]

I guess I'm stupid, but I never realized Praxis was a stand-in for Chernobyl. Fascinating.

One of my favorite moments is the scene where Kirk and McCoy are on trial and General Chang is speaking Klingon, and it instantly flips to English. I like that transition and how it instantly changes your impression of the speaker.

 

[Jedi2016]

The stuff on Rura Penthe was meh, but the political drama and intrigue was awesome. One of my favorites of the OG crew.

 

[TheWanderingMinstrel]

Undiscovered Country is my second favourite of the first 6 films (Wrath of Khan is predictably in first place), and only First Contact nibbles at its heels for overall second place across all Trek big screen adventures. Nick Meyer is an incredible writer and director.

 

[SFLUFAN]

It's my absolute favorite Star Trek movie and the second best one following The Wrath of Khan.

 

[Tygre]

Top three Star Trek film for sure. Maybe the best.

The opening with Sulu is perfect:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcIxBgmYCzA

 

[Scott Lufkin]

It's first best for me - I know Wrath is beloved but this growing up and enjoying Trek here and there, this was the movie that really pulled me in and I've rewatched it probably 4 times in my life and it's always so good.

 

[Juraash]

I'm gonna say it's top, by a wide margin. I appreciate Khan but I don't actually like it that much as a Star Trek story.

 

[tidewatersouthern]

Second best after Wrath of Kahn. Kahn has the edge for me because the emotional core of the movie is just a bit stronger. Also, both movies were made on the cheap…but WOK hides it just a tiny bit better.

 

[CommodoreKong]

My favorite Star Trek movie. Getting to see the beginning of the Federation Klingon peace is great and it's a wonderful send-off of the TOS cast.

 

[Bengraven]

2, then 6, then 4.

Others were like eh.

 

[Teiresias]

I actually rank it above Khan for me. It has a bit more thematically to say, even though there's not a TON that happens off-ship it still feels less like a bottle episode than Khan does to me, and I enjoy how's there's not an overt pure villain through most of its runtime. Sure Chang is the "final boss", but his motives are such that it's less "screaming villain out for revenge" which I find more interesting.

It also looks great for its vintage and budget (the few distracting reused TNG sets not withstanding), and has the best non-Goldsmith Star Trek score. The novelty of Kim Cattrall playing a Vulcan is always fun too.

 

[DrForester]

It's an amazing film.

It's my #2 Trek film after Wrath of Khan, but I wouldn't make any argument with someone saying it's #1.

 

[Beren]

It's a fantastic film and the perfect send off for the OG crew, because it deals with the personal side of their characters and the antagonists they ran into the most and with the most metaphorical heft.

 

[Jubilant Duck]

Probably my favourite of the original cast movies. Glad to see so many here giving it the respect it deserves.

 

[Flavius]

Honestly, it's my favorite of the bunch. I'm not one for getting into the whole "best" vs "favorite" conversation, so I'm not saying it's the best.

But it is absolutely my favorite.

 

[FlexMentallo]

Second best after Wrath of Khan for me

 

[liquidtmd]

Honestly I marginally prefer it to Khan as the best movie.

I appreciate Khan as the better movie technically, in the same way I appreciate Raiders Vs Last Crusade (despite liking the latter more).

There's a bit of flab in it, but the themes of growing older and prejudice are first rate and the cast just feels perfect.

A wonderful send off, as perfect as All Good Things was to TNG.

I heard they were considering making something called Generations. Im glad they didn't.

Second star to the right and straight on till morning....

 

[Dalek]

It also looks great for its vintage and budget (the few distracting reused TNG sets not withstanding)

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I never catch this stuff. On the commentary they pointed out that the Enterprise/Klingon dinner scene is in a repurposed Ten Forward, but what else?

 

[tidewatersouthern]

2, then 6, then 4.

Others were like eh.

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I love all the original cast movies to some extent. For me it's 2>6>4>3>1>5.

Even TMP and TFF get love from me. TMP is easily the most cinematic Trek was until the Kelvin movies (even if I kind of hate 09 and Into Darkness), and has some amazing sets and effects. TFF has some of the best character moments of the movies. And I consider all of the OG movies better than the TNG movies that follow, with the exception of FC.

 

[Tansut]

6 is the better Star Trek film but 2 is probably the better overall film. They're the two best flicks though.

I hope that opinion makes sense.

 

[tidewatersouthern]

I never catch this stuff. On the commentary they pointed out that the Enterprise/Klingon dinner scene is in a repurposed Ten Forward, but what else?

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The dinner is actually in the ENT-D observation room. The president's office is Ten Forward. The ENT-D engine room is also the Engine Room for the ENT-A.

 

[Derbel McDillet]

It's number one with ease

VI > II > IV > III > VIII > VII > V > I > IX > X

Inc NuTrek:

VI > II > IV > III > VIII > VII > Beyond > V > 2009 > I > IX > X > Into Darkness

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I should know better by now, but I'll bite, how is 2009 worse than V?

 

[Quinton]

It was my favorite back when I was a kid. I watched this on VHS weekly for years.

In hindsight, I'd put II above VI. But not by much. They're both terrific. IV isn't far behind.

 

[Teiresias]

I never catch this stuff. On the commentary they pointed out that the Enterprise/Klingon dinner scene is in a repurposed Ten Forward, but what else?

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Not exactly, the dinner scene is on the TNG conference room set, the Federation President's office is the Ten Forward set (that fact might only be visible in the extended cut though, I can't remember if that scenes even in the theatrical cut), and the few shots of engineering are the TNG engineering set redressed (I'm honestly not sure if there's anything in engineering beyond a brief overhead shot of Scotty smiling when they leave spacedock though). I'm sure there are others.

 

[The Omega Man]

Third best Star Trek after Voyage Home and Wrath of Khan.
Can trade blows with Wrath of Khan for second best, but Voyage Home is the indisputable best Star Trek film for me.

 

[Gurgelhals]

Obligatory gif of Christopher Plummer out-hamming even William Shatner by quoting Shakespeare as he gleefully spins around on a Klingon swivel chair:

But yup, it's either the best or the second-best right behind Khan.

 

[Flavius]

Is there a Star Trek film with better foley work? I'm not so sure. I love the quiet moments in this film, when you can hear the hum of the engines, the locking in of gravity boots, the ticking and beeps and boops of the computers.

I don't think any of the films tops it. Easily the best auditory experience of any of the Treks.

 

[sir_crocodile]

I should know better by now, but I'll bite, how is 2009 worse than V?

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It has the camping scene at the beginning of the film and "what does god need with a starship"

The middle of the film is absolute shit, but 2009 is generally mediocre throughout so I'd rather watch the beginning of V then 2009 at all

 

[Rhomega]

Best of them all.

 

[tidewatersouthern]

I should know better by now, but I'll bite, how is 2009 worse than V?

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I'd rank it the same, and for me…it's because I really dislike what they did with Kirk in 09. Turning him into Luke Skywalker just kind of flies in the face of what his character is, and making him Captain of the Enterprise like a week out of the academy is just fucking stupid.

 

[Dalek]

Obligatory gif of Christopher Plummer out-hamming even William Shatner by quoting Shakespeare as he gleefully spins around on a Klingon swivel chair:

But yup, it's either the best or the second-best right behind Khan.

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There's a really cool special feature on this where Christopher Plummer and William Shatner both recall working on a play together. They were both highly complimentary to each other.

View: https://youtu.be/jdUV4nL68bU?si=TTH9DYW-D0-zdY-r

 

[Derbel McDillet]

I'd rank it the same, and for me…it's because I really dislike what they did with Kirk in 09. Turning him into Luke Skywalker just kind of flies in the face of what his character is, and making him Captain of the Enterprise like a week out of the academy is just fucking stupid.

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I feel like we watched a different movie, but I don't want to derail.

 

[Darknight]

I think 2, 4 and 6 could be interchangeable with what order they're in as the top three Star Trek movies and I wouldn't see any issue with how one orders the ranking of those three. Each of them are great for different reasons and they each are totally different films from each other. 2, 4 and 6 will always be top tier Star Trek movies.

 

[TheDestructiveSquirrel]

Obligatory gif of Christopher Plummer out-hamming even William Shatner by quoting Shakespeare as he gleefully spins around on a Klingon swivel chair:

But yup, it's either the best or the second-best right behind Khan.

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The love of swivel chairs is universal across the cosmos

 

[echoshifting]

I think 2, 4 and 6 could be interchangeable with what order they're in as the top three Star Trek movies and I wouldn't see any issue with how one orders the ranking of those three. Each of them are great for different reasons and they each are totally different films from each other. 2, 4 and 6 will always be top tier Star Trek movies.

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Agreed.

 

[Blackpuppy]

This was the first Trek film I was able to finally see in a movie theater after watching all previous Trek movies and shows on tv.

It's definitely a top-5 movie-going experience for me; the whole crowd roared with applause when the BoP was blown up.

 

[Flavius]

I think 2, 4 and 6 could be interchangeable with what order they're in as the top three Star Trek movies and I wouldn't see any issue with how one orders the ranking of those three. Each of them are great for different reasons and they each are totally different films from each other. 2, 4 and 6 will always be top tier Star Trek movies.

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I could definitely get behind that. If anyone showed up to my house and said "What's this whole Star Trek thing about?" I'd definitely pop any one of those on as an example of what I love and appreciate about it.

 

[tidewatersouthern]

I feel like we watched a different movie, but I don't want to derail.

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It's the movie Abrams wanted to make. Kirk/Luke has a "destiny" to fulfill because of his father. Pike/Obi-Wan shows up to set him on his hero's journey. Kirk/Luke are thrust into action with little training because…they're just natural (force) wunderkinds.

Sure, it's typical hero's journey stuff, but that's not really Kirk.

And to bring it back to the topic, Kirk, even in TFF has a really wonderful character arc through all the OG movies, culminating in TUC. It's about aging, realizing that the people around him have always been family, and dealing with demons from his past (Kahn and the Klingons, specifically). Applying the "hero's journey" to Kirk from the jump kind of short circuits his character, turns him into a myth, rather than the legend he grew into through TOS and the movies. OG Kirk earned it - Kelvin Kirk had it given to him.

 

[Witness]

Oh man I love this movie, fantastic villain and the fight at the end with the angles they did for the torpedoes flying to and hitting the Enterprise and ripping holes through the saucer, just amazingly well done. The tension of waiting for the Excelsior to get there to help and the cut away to Sulu telling helm to fly it apart then because they can't go faster……I fucking love it man.