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Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan (Director's Edition)

Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan (Director's Edition)

List Price: $19.99
Your Price: $14.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Wrath of Khan
Review: The Wrath of khan is definetly one of the best Star Trek movies to date. Bringing back Khan and adding several different movie themes was a great idea. The space battle at the end is marvalous not a Star Wars knock off of any kind. The story and action all together make this a great Star Trek movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie/DVD; Star Trek 3 Director's Edition coming soon!
Review: I just bought this DVD..., and the verdict is in: It's a blast!!!

THE MOVIE: Certanily one of the best Star Trek movies. Although the main plot about revenge is a bit too basic, the sub-plots, including the addition of Kirk's ex-wife and son, makes the movie better. The action is well paced and the special effects are marevelous. Also, the "expanded director's edition" featured on this DVD adds about 5 extra minutes to the movie. The added footage does little to help the plot, but does a great deal to flesh out more of the minor characters, such as Kirk's son and Lt. Saavik. Also, the last 15 minutes of the film (some added dialogue was put in there to have a little bit more emotional impact at the end of the film) made me jump the grade of the film from a "B" to an "A+."

THE DVD: In addition to having a crisp, clear picture transfer of the film with oustanding sound, the first disc has a nice audio commentary from the director and an even nicer text commentary from Michael Okuda, co-author of the Star Trek Encyclopedia. (That guy knows EVERY SINGLE LITTLE DETAIL THAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD NOT EVEN KNOW A THING ABOUT that regards to Star Trek.) The second disc contains the following:

1) The Captain's Log: A 27-minute documentary featuring brand new interviews with Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, director Nicholas Meyer, Ricardo Montalban, and others. They talk about how they originally intended to put the film together, how they eventually ended up completing that task, and other things.
2) Designing Khan: A 23-minute documentary that features interviews with director Nicholas Meyers, the costume designer, and the production designer. They discuss the transitions they made in costume and production design from the ST:TMP to ST2:TWOK.
3) Visual Effects: An 18-minute featurette that has interviews with the FX crew. They explain how they executed and completed the FX shots. (Big surprise there)
4) The Star Trek Universe: A 28-minute documetary that features interviews with two Star Trek novel writers. They discuss how they fill in the gaps between the movies with their books and where they get their ideas.
5) Original Interviews: Basically 10 minutes of interviews (from 1982) featuring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban, and Deforest Kelley.
6) Archives: The archives feature 10 original storyboard sequences. (That sure beats the storyboard archives on the ST:TMP DVD, which features a mere 3 storyboard sequences.) There is also a thatrical trailer.

So, there you have it. A great movie with a packed DVD equals a great purchase. Buy as soon as possible.

1982; 116 minutes; Rated PG for mild obscenity, some sequences of sc-fi action/violence, and brief shots of the aftermaths of brutal murders.
(I DO think this movie should have been rated PG-13, but the rating didn't exist then. See and judge for yourself.)...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best Just got Better
Review: Just in time for the films 20th anniversary, Paramount Pictures has released the Directors Edition of "Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan" in a two-disc set. The film picks up the story of the legendary crew of the Enterprise as they begin to prepare a new crew to crew the ship for its continued mission of exploration.

Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner), is overseeing his good friend, Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy), training of the new crew, while secretly pining over becoming an administrator who is stuck flying a desk rather than exploring the cosmos. As Kirk, Spock, and the veteran crew of the Enterprise prepare for what may be their last mission with one another, the veteran crew views the pending training cruise as a nostalgic but bittersweet event that will culminate their historic careers with one another before they head off to other assignments in Starfleet.

Fate however has different plans, as the training mission soon becomes a life and death struggle that will test the mettle of the new crew, and drive Kirk to the depths of personal turmoil and pain. Unbeknownst to Kirk and his crew, the genetically enhanced Khan, (Ricardo Montalban), has escaped from the exile Kirk assigned him, and is determined to seek revenge on Kirk at all costs. As if this is not problem enough, Kirks ex-lover Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch), comes back into his life as she believes Kirk is taking away her life's work; a project named Genesis that reanimates life in dead planets and allows for desolate planets to be terraformed in less than a day. The truth is that Khan has learned of the plan and uses the project as a chance to lure Kirk to the research station so that he may steal the project and exact his deadly vengeance on Kirk. What follows is a deadly game of cat and mouse as Kirk and Khan square off in a series of battles that force Kirk to use every ounce of his experience to save his ship and crew. The supporting cast is great and fans will note Kirstie Alley in an early role as Lt Saavik and the late Merritt Butrick is solid as Kirk's estranged son David. The directing of then second time director Nicholas Myers is solid and his commentaries on the films soundtrack are very informative and insightful. The effects from ILM are first rate and the pacing of the film is easily the best of any Trek outing as the skillful mix of action, humor, and emotion makes this not only the most diverse of the Trek films but also the most in-depth and human. This is a thinking mans Trek as you do not have to be a fan of the series to appreciate this film. The mature themes presented of aging, love, loss, and revenge lead to elements of good drama and Myers gets easily the best performance of Shatner's tenure as Kirk from the role, as Kirk is still the strong leader that fans have known, but we see a frail side to him, and learn of the sadness and sacrifices that eat at him, as well as his struggle to balance the ramifications of decisions he made years ago. The second disc is stuffed with features and interviews including Deforest Kelley (McCoy), Shatner, Nimoy, and Montalban as well as Director Myers, Producer Harve Bennett, and the writers all make this a collection well worth owning.

Star Trek II is widely regarded by fans as the best film in the series and with this fantastic collection, the best just got better.

5 stars out of 5

Gareth Von Kallenbach...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Science Fiction Masterpiece
Review: FINALLY, THIS FILM GETS THE DVD TREATMENT IS DESERVES!!!!!!!!!!As an avid lover of sci-fi classic films, I give this one of my all-time highest ratings. I saw this film on HBO when I was about 6 years old, and although I had no idea what "Star Trek" was, I instanly was drawn into the complex and emotional world that is the "Wrath of Khan." For those of you who don't follow "Star Trek," this is the perfect starting point. I would not recommend the first film for those unaware of the genre. This film packs it all: scf-fi, action, humor, drama and horrendous tragedy. The plot centers around the not-so-nice villian Khan Noonan Sing(SP?) who wants nothing more than to blow James T. Kirk into space dust. To do so, Khan initiates one of the greatest cat & mouse games ever caught on film. A science vessel, the U.S.S. Relient comes across the barren planet City Alpha 6 to begin research on the testing of a new Starfleet device that can make planets out of space rock. Unfortunately, they stumble across Khan, and are subjected to one of the coolest forms of torture that I have ever seen in a sci-fi film. Khan then steals the Relient and the Genesis device bent on being naughty. The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, which is on a training voyage, is dispatched to investigate, only to run into Khan and his new armed-to-the-teeth starship. And so begins the fantastic space battles and witty one-up manship that is the relationship of Kirk & Khan. The entire Mutara Nebulla sequence ranks second, only to the incredible Battle of Hoth in "The Empire Strikes Back," among my all-time favorite sci-fi movie moments. "Star Trek" or not, this film is one of Hollywood's best space operas and ranks with such films as "The Empire Strikes Back," "Blade Runner," and "Tron" as being one of the 1980's best sci-fi films.

Interesting side note: This film is actually just act one of a great 3 part sci-fi saga that continues the same story line in "Star Trek III," and "Star Trek IV." These three films can be viewed back to back much like the original "Star Wars" films. Here's hoping that "Search For Spock" and "Voayge Home" get the ole 'Director's Cut' treatment as well!!!!!

To those of you who hate Trekkies, don't miss out on a great opportunity to see one of the finest sci-fi films ever produced.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Could have been five with "Space Seed"
Review: While any Trekker worth their weight in Tribbles will make this purchase a no-brainer, it would have been even more valuable with the original "Space Seed" episode on the bonus disk.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: KHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: With a great cast and an enemy you just love to hate this one just keeps on ticking. Kirk and his old enemy Khan butt heads over a device that can create planets called "Genesis". The only part I didn't like was when Dr. McCoy got all religious about the creation of planets. I know that he is a country doctor and that this is the point, but I just don't think it adds to the character. I only write this review knowing that if you don't know this already you are not a Star Trek fan. If this is the case I urge you to reconsider this movie is wonderful strictly for its entertainment value.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN
Review: This is Star Trek's finest hour. Realizing the missed opportunities of the plodding Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the superior sequel is non-stop excitement from the get-go. Digging Khan Singh out of the classic Trek catacombs was a masterstroke, and Ricardo Montalban's performance as the revenge-crazed renegade is splendid. Many fans also remember this film as Kirstie Alley's debut feature, and with good reason--her Saavik is an enchanting combination of elfin beauty and barely restrained Romulan fire. Naturally, the cast of Trek familiars all perform admirably, and the special effects bring the myriad fantasy sequences (including alien brain eels and brilliant starship duels) to pyrotechnic reality, all the more effective because they highlight so many dramatic characterizations. And James Horner's score is the best of any Trek film so far. Parallel to the main revenge plot are two well-handled subtexts: age and mortality. On top of it all, Captain Kirk is reunited with an old flame and meets the son he has never known, only to suffer the heart-wrenching loss of his closest friend. Well-conceived, written, and directed, Star Trek II is a relentlessly suspenseful and engaging sci-fi extravaganza, and clearly the standard against which all other Star Trek features must be measured.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of my all time favorites
Review: This is a great movie. Star trek fan or not, it is simply fantastic. The dialouge was so wonderfully crafted and the score was incredible. Ricardo Mantaban's rendition of Kahn/Ahab was brilliant. It tied into the original series beautifully and it left the story open for two more chapters. Even though The Voyage Home was not very good. I loved it how they incorperated pieces of Moby Dick and A Tale of Two Cities into the story. Two of my all time favorite books. And we got a glimps of the damaging effect that Kirk's carreer had on his personal life. Truely a step beyond what ever was or ever will be again in the Trek universe.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: 5 Star Movie on a 1 Star DVD
Review: Movie Review:

After all these years, this is still the strongest of the Trek movies. A solid story, a strong villain, and the return of that "Trekish" atmosphere between the regulars that was so absent in the first film. Underneath it all, the theme of age is woven, not as an overall driving force but as a texture.

The effects look OK; they've aged about as well as most early 80's SF effects have. The action sequences are good and never run too long, and the subplots fit in well. The movie is tight and does not feel too long, unlike the first which could stand to lose 45 minutes or so. And I suppose I am the only one who likes the James Horner music, but I think it fits PERFECTLY.

Even though Shatner and Montalbon drift over the top at times, we don't care because by then we're wrapped up in the adventure. That the drama of the ending -- which was very well done -- is undone by the next movie is not this movie's fault. This movie is better standalone than paired with its weak successor, and the originator of the even-numbered-good odd-numbered-bad rule of Trek films that persists to this day. Definitely a winner.

DVD Review:

It's horrible. A lousy transfer, and no extras at all beyond a cruddy trailer. There's a new "Director's Edition" coming out soon, and it should be better. Hold out for that.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Continuity error too big to overlook...
Review: OK, I got to chime in here. Never mind the Chekov ID problem; did anybody else notice that the Chippendale dancers that played Khan's followers all appeared to be in their 20's. Simple math dictates that if they had been stranded for 15 years all these folks were children when 'Space Seed' was aired. There were no children seen in Khan's group in the original episode. If these are the children of the adult (at the time) Khan followers where are all Khan's contemporaries? Killed for by the worm-things? Questions, Questions...


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