Rating: 
Summary: A WHALE OF A TREK MOVIE, MAN!
Review: There are two influnces that seem to have created this movie---one, the appearance of Humphery, the humpback whale, in San Francisco Bay one year before the movie's release. The other, less obvious influence, IMHO, seems to be an episode of TV's MIAMI VICE called "Prodigal Son," in which Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs go to Tubbs' hometown of New York to grab some drug dealers. Just in case anyone misses the point, there's a psuedo-Jan Hammer-esque rock insturmental playing during the scene where Kirk & Co. walk the streets of San Francisco (where James T. utters the immortal line "a double-dumbass on you!" to an Ess Eff motorist). This is by far the best TREK flick ever. 7TH HEAVEN'S Catherine Hicks plays superbly off Shatner as Gillian Taylor, while Chekov is really funny trying to to talk his way through an interrogation by paranoid Cold Warriors aboard the aircraft carrier ENTERPRISE (an echo of a scene in the Classic Trek ep, "Tomorrow Is Yesterday, in which a captive Kirk is interrogated by equally nasty types in a Nebaska Air Force base---alas, Pavel is not as smooth as Jim Kirk); There's also a scene in which Chekov and Uhura ask passersby about the mysterious Alameda, where they keep the nucelar "wessels" (as a resident of that Bay Area bedroom burg, that always cracks me up) and the final madcap scene in the SF hospital where Chekov is held. A keeper, folks.....
Rating: 
Summary: The best of the Trek's to date?
Review: "Star Trek IV The Voyage Home" (1986) opens with joyous, celebratory theme music by veteran composer Leonard Rosenman which sets the tone for the entire film. In the words of director Leonard Nimoy, Trek IV is "a caper", an old-fashioned fish-out-of-water scenario in which the crew of the 'Enterprise' travel backwards in time to 1986 to capture a pair of humpbacked whales (extinct in their own era), the only creatures capable of answering the signal from a monstrous, towering probe which is orbiting 23rd century Earth and causing havoc on a worldwide scale. The ecological message may simply be a by-product of the clever script, but it underlines the narrative at every turn, making serious what might otherwise have been little more than a lightweight, throwaway entry in the long-running franchise.Though Kirk, Spock and McCoy necessarily hog the limelight, as usual, all of the secondary characters - Scotty, Uhura, Chekov and Sulu - play a vital role in the development of the story, and each one contributes a substantial element to the overall structure. It's good to see these hugely talented (and frankly under-appreciated) supporting players finally given an opportunity to strut their stuff on the big screen, and the results are by turns funny, dramatic and quietly moving. Favorite bits: Scotty's hilarious 'interaction' with a 20th century computer; and something which happens in the closing minutes before the end titles, surely one of the most rapturous, spine-tingling moments in the entire history of the Trek phenomenon. Poignantly, and without any trace of irony, this otherwise joyful movie is dedicated to the crew of the space shuttle Challenger which met with disaster in 1986. It may be due to the original photography, but Paramount's region 1 DVD - which runs 118m 38s and sports one of the most crudely illustrated front covers of any major disc I've seen - looks a little soft and fuzzy in places, and some of the visual effects don't hold up terribly well under the scrutiny of digital replication, but it's still miles better than any previous video incarnation, and Don Peterman's expansive Panavision images have been reproduced anamorphically at 2.35:1. The 5.1 digital sound is, of course, absolutely thunderous in places! Extras are confined to a trailer (anamorphic 2.35:1), English captions, and a short interview with Leonard Nimoy produced for TV in 1990 during which, amongst other things, he demonstrates the difference between the theatrical presentation of 'Scope movies and their eventual ruination when pan-scanned on television. Thankfully, such problems don't affect most DVDs, including this one. By the way, UK prints of this movie open with a brief recap of events in Trek II and III (running 3m 30s) which is completely absent from the American version.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: I first saw this movie 10 yrs ago, and I just loved the scene when the klingon spaceship 'de-cloaks' on top of the whaling ship. I thought thaw was just awesome. That and the scene in the end when the whales speak to the 'alien'! whales. I wasn't a big fan of the Star Trek series until I got to see the original episodes when they were in syndication. This is definitely in line with the series. I love the relationship between Spock and Mc Coy. And I don't understand how the ladies always go for Captain Kirk. Now that is still a mystery charming though he is.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Poor Transfer to DVD
Review: This is one of the worst transfers to DVD that I have ever seen. The image is so soft looking it almost looks like it is out of focus. It's too bad. This is the one STAR TREK film that has appeal to both STAR TREK fans and the general public. This DVD is a big disappointment because so many of us waited a long time for it.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining
Review: Whales in space are on the verge of destroying Earth when they learn that their relatives on Earth have all been killed. Only a quick thinking Kirk, traveling back in time to find and bring back some whales, can possibly save the Earth. This is the plot of a Star Trek film? Well, yes. We never really learn if the inhabitants of the spaceship are whales, but they are sending messages to them so, you be the judge. While we are on this topic, do Whales have thumbs? No matter, despite the incredibly weak plot, this movie is actually fun as we see Kirk and crew interact with people in the present. I guess my biggest disappointment was, normally, you don't watch a Star Trek movies for the laughs. If you go into this movie understanding that cool special effects, new aliens, and exotic space scences are almost entirely missing from the movie; you probably will be in a better frame of mind to enjoy it. It reminded me, somewhat, of the story where the crew of the Enterprise go on shore leave and discover Alice in Wonderland. If you liked that Episode, you should enjoy this film. Otherwise, watch Star Trek II again or, better yet, First Contact. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: The James "Scotty" Doohan missing finger cover-up exposed!
Review: Ever since they've entered the DVD market, Paramount has been kinda stingy with their discs when it comes to extras. This is especially obvious to the collectors of the Star Trek movie DVDs. At most, some offer trailers & filmographies, and others don't even have that! No behind-the-scenes documentaries or restored footage from the theatrical releases (I know of a few scenes that never made it past the cutting room in II- V, VII, & IX), either. But, at least with "Star Trek IV", the studio threw the fans a bit of a bone, even if only a small one. Leonard Nimoy's Director Series featurette gives you a little background on the making of Trek IV, as well a bit of his own history in dealing with Paramount, both pre- and post-Trek. Hopefully, along with the imminent release of the Director's Edition of "The Motion Picture", Paramount will change their attitude towards throwing some extra stuff onto their DVDs. Although this outing isn't my fave among the cinematic Treks (my Borg fandom forces me to choose the NextGen adventure "First Contact" in this case), it still ranks as one of the most fun to watch. Although the crew needs to save the galaxy again, and Kirk & Co. face the loss of their careers, they go about their duties in a much more relaxed and lighthearted manner. It's definitely several steps away from the last two grim 'n gritty movie Treks, both of which set you up for the big resolution in this sequel. This is also the first film where each member of the core cast gets a decent amount of screen time. But, of course, the most attention is given to the further character development between Kirk & Spock, who become something of a Laurel-and-Hardy throughout this fish-out-of-water caper. Now it's time for me to reveal a little something (don't worry, it's not a spoiler) Paramount has attempted to cover up during the first twenty years of filming the original series & first three movies: James Doohan's missing right middle finger. There's one moment in IV where it's fairly obvious he's lacking a certain digital member. Just check out the scene at PlexCorp where Scotty's trying to talk to the computer through the mouse, and you'll see what I mean. It's also apparent while he's typing out the transparent aluminum program. As ol' James "Scotty" Doohan himself would say... it's a ploy! Late!
Rating:
Summary: A little bit too predictable
Review: Overall an enjoyable movie but there is a real lack of characterization. Too be fair it's in the real spirit of the TV series.
Rating:
Summary: Stink-o DVD !!!
Review: Boy! Compare the picture quality of this movie to the episodes of the original shows that Paramount is releasing. Star Trek IV is grainy, and has a soft focus. Why couldn't Paramount had gone back and cleaned up the image of it's Star Trek movies, to look as good as the episodes? As for the film, it is a fun adventure about the preciousness of life. Too bad you can not enjoy it due to Paramount's lazy treatment of it's presentation on DVD...
Rating:
Summary: FAIRY TALE
Review: Charming entry in the Star Trek series sees our heroes "sling-shot" back to mid 1980's that they might capture humpback whales in order to save the future. It must've been a slow day. Nimoy's turn as the dis-conbobulated Spock is witty and amusing. Kelly is at his acerbic best...re Spock, "He's not operating on all thrusters you know!". For once, all the leads get some time to shine. Obviously Shatner had little to do with this production. His role is staid and predictable...some might even say "delightful". This fish-out-of-water story is noteworthy for its understated plea to rescue the environment from our own greed. There is a sharp babe. That always helps. But the meat and potatoes lie in its reverence to the Star Trek universe as configured by Mr. Roddenberry. Ofcourse its very predictable, good triumphs again. Whats wrong with that. Lambasting critics of the film seem to forget that the Star Trek series is supposed to feel good. My children love it, and so do I. I love them. I love you.PEACE!
Rating: 
Summary: For Trekkies Only
Review: I'll admit I'm not a Star Trek fan so I don't share the same level of enthusiasm for "Star Trek IV--The Voyage Home" as do some of the other people who've seen this film. "The Voyage Home" has been hyped as a funny film but after watching it, I'm still not sure what makes this film so funny. OK, there are some amusing moments like when Spock tries to use late 20th century slang in his conversations or when Kirk and Spock sit next to a punk rocker with a loud boom box on the city bus. Other than that, there's really not much to laugh about in this film. Still, from an objective critical point of view, this film does have its merits. "The Voyage Home" does have a half-way decent plot and there's also an element of drama when Chekov gets knocked out of action. Moreover, Scotty, Bones and the rest of the crew have more depth and dimension than they did in the original TV series--which makes for a more interesting film. While "The Voyage Home" is basically an OK movie, it still doesn't rise to its full potential. Still, if you're a Star Trek fan, you'll probably enjoy it and will want to add it to your video collection.
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