Rating: 
Summary: This one is dated but still entertaining to watch
Review: Usually the even numbered Star Trek films are the best and this one makes no exception. After Star Trek II & III the series badly needed some humor so they concoted a story about how Kirk and crew must go back in time to retrieve two whales. These whales are the only ones that can save Earth and communicate with an alien probe that is unknowingly damaging the Earth's atmosphere. I don't know why everyone loves this film but I admit it is funny at times and a bit dated from the 1980s, but the theme has a good ring to it and thats why I guess so many Trekkies liked this one. Its not a bad film I just enjoy the serious Trek films better. But dont take my word for it pick it up if you like sci-fi with a humorous twist.
Rating: 
Summary: Stardate-1980's =Lame
Review: Oh no William Shatner has to save the whales......please!! Come on, this is the worst sci fi movie concept ever. Sending the crew to do social comentary on pretecting the environment. And then there is the fact that the script was terrible and there were some pretty cheasy acting moments. Which is too bad because I enjoy most of the other Trek films and tv shows(except enterprise). I would even rather watch Starship Troopers or dare I even say Jar Jar Binks commentary on Star Wars Episode 1!!!
Rating:
Summary: He had too much LDS in college...
Review: The nice thing about the original Trek series and films is that they supported a variety of genres from action to comedy. For every "The Trouble with Tribbles" there was a "City on the Edge of Forever" or "Mantrap". Trek IV falls into the former category. While the film starts off with a serious threat (a McGuffin almost worthy of Hitchcock--an alien threatening the world because there's no one there that speaks its language!), the differences between men and women from the future and those living in the 80's creates a lot of potential for comedic hijinks.A mysterious alien probe has entered the solar system sending out a message that Starfleet can't decode or respond to. The atmosphere of Earth is being thorn apart in response. The crew of the Enterprise in their captured Klingon ship receive an urgent message from the Earth to avoid the planet. Spock deciphers the message and realizes why there's no one to answer; it's whalesong. The only solution available (since Whales are extinct) is to go to 20th Century Earth and obtain whales and return to the future. The premise is ripe with comic possibilities and director Leonard Nimoy takes advantage of every one of them. It's not the best Trek film but it is the most popular because it's so accessible (it also grossed the most at the box office for the original Trek films). All the actors are clearly having a blast with the next to last of the quartet of interrelated films (The Undiscovered Country refers back to 2 and 3's back story and has a light connection to 4 as well). The newly remastered edition is a huge step up from the previous edition. The anamorphic widescreen transfer is much sharper and clearer than the previous edition. The sound mix, while not as good as a current release, uses the 5.1 surround sound format very well. The great picture and sound are augmented by cool extras. You get extras galore. Nimoy's director's commentary and the Trek text commentary provide interesting distractions the third or fourth time you watch the film. The text commentary is filled with bits of trivia, points out production gaffes and has some very funny observations about the film, the crew and the Trek universe. The extras on disc two includes a moving tribute to actor Mark Lenard. Unfortunately, there aren't any clips from other television programs he appeared on (like "Planet of the Apes")or movies but we do get personal photos as well as a moving rememberence by his two daughters and wife. The production featurettes aren't quite as exhaustive as some of the other DVD sets (ST:TMP springs to mind)but are interesting particularly the section on visual effects that discusses the time travel sequence. Storyboards are also included (although it might have been more interesting to put them on disc one where they could be compared to the finished sequences). I'm hoping that Paramount upgrades The Next Generation DVDs with as much care. While Nemesis has some fine extras, it could have been done better. Generations has absolutely nothing beyond the film (and a rather tepid transfer at that) while First Contact only has the trailers. Insurrection similarly has the trailer plus a standard productin featurette. Regardless of how you feel about the films, Paramount needs to do more value added stuff for the Trek fan base. The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyage have much better extras than any of the Next Generation films (or the original series for that matter). Each of the films have their strengths and weakenesses and while there's some minor plot contrivances, they don't harm the entertainment value of Trek IV. For a good time call Captain Kirk and crew. They'll keep you entertained with this installment of the Trek franchise.
Rating: 
Summary: The Star Trek Movie Even Grandma can like and understand!
Review: First the DVD review: Like the other ST Films re-released in a special 2 disc set, this one is PACKED with extras! Thank you Paramount! DVD features an excellent commentary by Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner who share alot of insight into the making of this wonderful movie, original interviews from 1986 featuring Shatner, DeForest, and Nimoy, a trailer, some great featurettes on the making of the film and the spfx, storyboards & gallerys, a very poignant tribute to the late Gene Roddenberry (the creator of ST) and Mark Lenard (Sarek, Spocks father), and something not mentioned in the Amazon DVD features section called the "FuturesPast: A Look Back". This is a half hour documentary which features new interviews with some of the cast, crew, and producers! Very neat stuff! I say this is the ST even your grandma can enjoy because it is very light and entertaining. I agree with Nimoy when he said it was time to "lighten up" the series a bit and have some fun with it. Star Trek The Motion Picture was very serious (not for ST Fans with weak minds or an acute case of ADD though), ST II was also serious as we dealt with a bad guy bent on revenge and the death of Spock, and ST III Kirk lost his son and the Enterprise was blown up. I am a BIG believer in originality when it comes to movies. Unfortunately this movie is not original. It blatantly steals the story of ST The Motion Picture (Alien probe of unknown origin is threatening the Earth and has to be communicated with in order for it to go away) and it capitalizes on a very popular storyline back in 1986 and that storyline is Time Travel. You had to be there, but back in 1985 a little movie called Back to the Future came out and it was a monster hit. So in 1986 Hollywood, of course, came out with another Time Travel hit called Peggy Sue Got Married. So it is no surprise that ST IV was influenced with this premise. I hate to admit it, but it works great for ST IV! I usually look at un-originality in storylines with skepticism and sarcasm so when I went to see this in the theatre I was expecting the worst. What I found was a very fast paced, funny (of all things) ST movie that is universally recognized as the "best" Trek film! I personally would never classify this movie as the greatest Trek film ever made, to do so would clearly label me as a shallow person because of the stolen premise, but it ranks very high on my list! I love the fact that this movie has an underlying current of Eco-Awareness too. The humor in seeing the original cast in modern day San Francisco is funny as well. I was fortunate to see this movie in the theatre back in 1986 with a sold out house! The experience was awesome! Sitting on your couch and watching this movie pales in comparison to seeing it in the theatre with 100 or so other fans! Each joke was 10 times funnier!
Note to Paramount: Hey, Paramount, how would you like to start a trend? Why don't you dust off these original cast Star Trek Movies and re-release them in the theatres? I would definitely go see it! (You would have to charge a discounted rate though because nobody will pay $10-$11 to go see what they have on DVD!) I want my kids and newer fans to know the experience of seeing these movies on the big screen again! TRUST ME, Paramount, people would flock to go see these movies! Clearly the American consumer is not flocking to anything that Hollywood is putting out nowadays. OK, yes, there are TONS of funny and quotable lines in this movie. Personally my favorite happens in the beginning of the movie when Spock first boards the Bird of Prey ship, wearing a big white robe, and apologizes to Kirk and says "I seem to have misplaced uniform". Yes, hearing Kirk and Spock curse later on is funny but that ironic line is just classic! Remember, there are VERY FEW must own DVD's and this is one of them! Get it before it goes out of print!
Rating:
Summary: It's surprising how well this movie works
Review: The premise of "Star Trek: The Voyage Home" probably doesn't sound promising to those who haven't seen it- the Enterprise and the crew travel back to the present day to retrieve a pair of humpback whales. It's a welcome surprise then that "The Voyage Home" proves to be one of the most entertaining Star Trek entries; it's both interesting and funny, if a little low on tension. Director Leonard Nimoy handles this situation perfectly. The "fish-out-of-water" story had grown old even when this movie was released in 1986, but it's still a riot to watch the Enterprise crew try to adapt to late 20th century San Francisco. There's also a good ecological message from "The Voyage Home"- if man continues to be short-sighted in his dealings with the environment, he may inadvertently destroy himself. There's not many major characters in the film outside of the Enterprise crew, but Catherine Hicks shows flair as a marine biologist that's trying to help out Kirk and Co. The only thing that's missing from "The Voyage Home" is tension. There's no real villain and never really a sense that things won't turn out all right in the end. One could argue that the series needed to lighten up a bit after the dark and violent second and third entries, but it still sometimes feel that something's missing from "The Voyage Home". Overall, this is a very entertaining movie, and one of the few "Star Trek" films that can appeal to a wide audience outside of its target one. Considering the quality of some of the "Star Trek" films that followed it ("The Final Frontier", "Generations"), "The Voyage Home" is definetely a quality Trek outing. If you don't own it yet, what are you waiting for?
Rating:
Summary: Worst Star Trek Movie!
Review: By far the worst of the Star Trek movies. I am a very loyal trekkie, but i have to say that it was just stupid. Why did Scotty need "transparent" aluminum to build a tank for the whales. He wasn't building an aquarium exhibit.
Rating:
Summary: definitely the dumbest of the entire series
Review: This is the kitchiest piece of junk in the entire series. Not only is the plot ridiculously unbelievable - they have to go back in time to get whales because of some strange ship they can't stop from destroying the Earth while searching for its extinct "cousins" - but it is almost completely lacking in any of the ST spirit. Though I am a big star trek fan, this is both silly and stupid, just a formula piece where Kirk yet again sets the Federation (well, at least not the entire universe) right with his well-placed and fails yet again at romance. But then, I love hard sci fi and deplore this totally predictable, feel-good pap. Not recommended.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best trek movies
Review: This is the highest grossing Star Trek movie to date, and for good reason. It's funny, and has a socially-conscious theme.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Star Trek Ever! You Go Leonard Nimoy!
Review: STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME (Special Edition) is a great edition to the Star Trek collection and for those who enjoy extras and features the second DVD has a lot to offer. There are retrospectives, behind the scenes, histories, graphics, illustrations, deleted scenes and features that include the original cast, crew and some insights from NASA and other scientists. The DVD extra's are fantastic and filled insight, education and perspectives. Even Eugene Roddenberry, Star Trek's Creator Gene Roddenberrys (Earth II, The Questor Tapes) son makes some interesting commentary on his father. The movie was the second direction by Leonard Nimoy (Three Men and A Baby, The Good Mother) and written by Harve Bennet, Leonard Nimoy and Nicholas Meyer (The same team responsible for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search For Spock) and has been the critics, general publics and Star Trek fans favorite of all the Star Trek movies. (That includes The Next Generation features too!) The story is simple - all the good ones are - mankind is in trouble and our crew of the Starship Enterprise are the only ones who can save humanity. How? They need to go bring two humpback whales back in to the 23rd century. Why? There is an alien space probe that is communicating to the Earth's oceans on a level of intensity that is destroying Earth. The fun begins when you take 23rd Century philosophies and through them into the 1986 San Francisco mentality. Seeing this crew in the middle of San Fran trying find their way around, spend money and ride the busses is hysterical. The best performances come from Captain Kirk himself - William Shatner (Miss Congeniality, Loaded Weapon 1) and a Zoologist played by Catherine Hicks (7th Heaven, Child's Play.) When they interact with each other. They are charming, funny, witty and energetic. Leonard Nimoy (Golda, Invasion Of The Body Snatchers) himself does a stunning and hysterical job as Spock who just got his "mind" back. He has some of the funniest lines in the whole movie. The whole original cast seems to be having the best time throughout this movie. It has action, adventure, a great story, special effects and the best humor a movie could possibly want. The DVD extra's are by far the most educational of all the DVD's of Star Trek series. The funniest is listening to the commentary of Shatner and Nimoy as the film runs. Fun for the whole family and a must for any one who likes these types of movies; Science Fiction, Comedy, Adventure! 5-20-03 & 11-14-04
Rating:
Summary: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home - A Great DVD!
Review: The special features on the DVD are great as well as the audio commentary by director Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner. This is a great addition to the Star Trek DVD market. Believe me! This is one you should beam into your DVD library!
| 
