Ranking all the Star Trek movies
I've been a Star Trek fan for as long as I can remember, and I've also enjoyed the movies quite a bit as well. Star Trek is quite possibly the greatest Sci-fi series of all time, it includes themes such as exploration, understanding other cultures, and also boasts some great characters. Not many of the movies captured all those themes, but they did provide us with some good entertainment, so let's rank 'em.
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- DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsChris PineZachary QuintoSimon PeggThe brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.Maybe I'm just biased because this is the Stark Trek of my generation, I was ten when I went to see this movie; I loved it then and I love it now. It's not as intelligent as say... The Next Generation, but we get some really great characters, who play off of each other really well. Even if you don't like the story, there's no way you can't like this cast!
- DirectorNicholas MeyerStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyWith the assistance of the Enterprise crew, Admiral Kirk must stop an old nemesis, Khan Noonien Singh, from using the life-generating Genesis Device as the ultimate weapon.The Wrath of Khan features the greatest Trek villain ever in Khan, and that's a lot of this movie's greatness. However, the cast all give good performances, and the new characters they added (Saavik, David and Carol Marcus), make great additions. There may be some plot holes in this movie, but the story, acting, and the dynamic between Kirk and Khan are all so good that this movie gets a free pass on the few flaws it has.
- DirectorJonathan FrakesStarsPatrick StewartJonathan FrakesBrent SpinerThe Borg travel back in time intent on preventing Earth's first contact with an alien species. Captain Picard and his crew pursue them to ensure that Zefram Cochrane makes his maiden flight reaching warp speed.Probably the most action-packed Star Trek movie, this is the Next Generation's answer to the Wrath of Khan. Picard is faced with his arch-nemesis, the Borg, and this fight is very personal. The added dynamic of the Borg travelling back in time to destroy Zephram Cochrane and his warp engine just adds an extra layer of great to this movie.
- DirectorLeonard NimoyStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyTo save Earth from an alien probe, Admiral James T. Kirk and his fugitive crew go back in time to San Francisco in 1986 to retrieve the only beings who can communicate with it: humpback whales.This might not be the most deep movie, but it is certainly a whole lot of fun. It treats the series with respect, but injects a lively sense of goofiness into the proceedings. This is a fish out of water scenario, which is a common theme in Star Trek; stranding the crew in the past where they are oblivious to the culture of 1986 is a stroke of genius!
- DirectorNicholas MeyerStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyOn the eve of retirement, Kirk and McCoy are charged with assassinating the Klingon High Chancellor and imprisoned. The Enterprise crew must help them escape to thwart a conspiracy aimed at sabotaging the last best hope for peace.This movie's story is confusing, but it is still a very good story, which gives the Klingon's a more proper treatment than they got in Star Trek III. This movie is dark, but is still a whole lot of fun. The cast is great as always, and this was a fitting farewell for the crew of the Enterprise.
- DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsChris PineZachary QuintoZoe SaldanaAfter the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction.This movie may suffer from plot holes, but it is still a great movie. The darker tone is pulled off perfectly, the new crew is still great and has the added bonus of Carol Marcus to shake things up, Benedict Cumberbatch is the perfect successor to Ricardo Montablan. The references to The Wrath of Khan are a nice touch, and, though they are a bit goofy, I liked their inclusion.
- DirectorDavid CarsonStarsPatrick StewartWilliam ShatnerMalcolm McDowellWith the help of long presumed dead Captain Kirk, Captain Picard must stop a deranged scientist willing to murder on a planetary scale in order to enter a space matrix.Kirk and Picard in one movie? Oh yeah, now that's what I call a Star Trek movie. This movie gets a lot of unfair hate; I think it's great! We have a much darker tone than we'd had in any of the previous movies, and Malcolm McDowell is a very creepy villain. The only downside is, neither Kirk or Picard are letting their personalities fully shine when they meet, so the event isn't as iconic as it should've been.
- DirectorLeonard NimoyStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyAdmiral Kirk and his bridge crew risk their careers stealing the decommissioned U.S.S. Enterprise to return to the restricted Genesis Planet to recover Spock's body.Probably the blandest and most forgettable Star Trek movie ever. There's very little enjoyment to be found here, and yet, it's a competent film, unlike the four movies below this, but we'll get to that in a bit. Honestly, aside from Kirk's dismayed curses to the Kilngons and the Enterprise's demise, what about this film is memorable?
- DirectorStuart BairdStarsPatrick StewartJonathan FrakesBrent SpinerThe Enterprise is diverted to the Romulan homeworld Romulus, supposedly because they want to negotiate a peace treaty. Captain Picard and his crew discover a serious threat to the Federation once Praetor Shinzon plans to attack Earth.Let me explain! I saw this movie as a kid, and I thought it was just so much fun! I thought B-4 was hilarious and I thought Schinzon was the perfect villain for Picard. Now... yes it's dumb, but I still argue there is more fun to be had here than in Search for Spock or The Motion Picture. Tom Hardy is a cheesy villain for sure, but I have a soft spot for any evil counter-part to the hero.
- DirectorJonathan FrakesStarsPatrick StewartJonathan FrakesBrent SpinerWhen the crew of the Enterprise learn of a Federation conspiracy against the inhabitants of a unique planet, Captain Picard begins an open rebellion.This movie might be more competently made than Nemesis, but I've just never gotten into this movie. It's just so...bland. Aside from a few scenes with Riker on the Enterprise, it's just a massive cheese fest that doesn't really give us anything all that entertaining, aside from seeing a young and rejuvenated version of the crew.
- DirectorRobert WiseStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyWhen an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it.This movie is genuinely very boring. However, it does have some intelligent themes in it, so I'll give it a pass. Despite being about a half hour too long (I have the extended version), there are some good studies of what life really is, even if said studies are very cheesy. However, the fact that this was Trek's opening movie is just baffling.
- DirectorWilliam ShatnerStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyCaptain Kirk and his crew must deal with Mr. Spock's long-lost half-brother who hijacks the Enterprise for an obsessive search for God at the center of the galaxy.This is it. The big boy, the only Trek movie that I would actually call bad. Why? It's stupid, the jokes aren't funny, the characters aren't anything like themselves, and there's nothing Star Trek about this. Seriously, who thought this was a good idea? None of the other Star Trek movies lost the spirit of Trek as much as this one did.