movie review star trek

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘star trek’: film review.

Fans of the saga will be delighted to see Capt. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), Bones (Karl Urban) and all the others in the early part of their lives.

By Ray Bennett

Ray Bennett

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

LONDON — Putting a much-loved but over-the-hill vehicle back in shape takes more than a new battery and a lick of paint. It demands a full-bore refit, and that’s exactly what J.J. Abrams has given “Star Trek.”

Paced at warp speed with spectacular action sequences rendered brilliantly and with a cast so expert that all the familiar characters are instantly identifiable, the film gives Paramount Pictures a new lease of life on its franchise.

Related Stories

'the shining': thr's 1980 review, 'the rock': thr's 1996 review.

Abrams and screenwriters Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman keep the plot simple but hit all the right notes and some phrases that will bring a smile of recognition. Industrial Light + Magic once again raises the bar on special effects, and Daniel Mindel’s cinematography and Scott Chambliss’ production design are top-notch.

In a breathtaking precredit sequence, James T. Kirk is shown being born as his Starship captain father (Chris Hemsworth) goes to his death in a blaze of glory. The film sketches the different childhoods of Kirk and his future partner Spock, then moves quickly to their time at the Starfleet Academy before they are ordered to go on a rescue mission to the planet Vulcan.

Their leader, Capt. Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), ends up being taken prisoner by a Romulan named Nero (Eric Bana), who is bent on destroying all the planets in the federation including Earth. The remainder of the film shows Kirk and Spock out to rescue Pike and save the world.

One of the great charms of the film is that anyone who knows anything about the original “Star Trek” crew will be right at home with the new cast. Pine has Kirk’s good looks and brash confidence. Quinto (from NBC’s “Heroes”) is an uncanny Spock and holds his own even when confronted by the original in the form of Leonard Nimoy.

Bana is almost unrecognizable as the villain Nero, but he makes the role suitably scary. The ever-stately Nimoy has much more to do than a mere cameo, though if you blink you’ll miss Winona Ryder.

One slight disappointment is the score by Abrams regular Michael Giacchino, which though given prominence in the sound mix is derivative and includes Alexander Courage’s original theme only at the end.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Austin butler on his “subtle” chicago accent in ‘the bikeriders’ and doing character voices after ‘elvis’, ‘i am: celine dion’ review: power ballad queen chronicles her new reality in amazon’s moving portrait, k-pop group tomorrow x together heads to theaters with vr concert tour, will smith books next movie with sony’s ‘resistor’, elton john doc, ‘nightbitch’ and ‘the life of chuck’ to get toronto world premieres, ‘wild robot,’ elton john doc and amy adams-starrer ‘nightbitch’ to premiere at toronto.

Advertisement

Supported by

Movie Review | 'Star Trek'

A Franchise Goes Boldly Backward

• Share full article

By Manohla Dargis

• May 7, 2009

A bright, shiny blast from a newly imagined past, “Star Trek,” the latest spinoff from the influential television show, isn’t just a pleasurable rethink of your geek uncle’s favorite science-fiction series. It’s also a testament to television’s power as mythmaker, as a source for some of the fundamental stories we tell about ourselves, who we are and where we came from. The famous captain (William Shatner, bless his loony lights) and creator (Gene Roddenberry, rest in peace) may no longer be on board, but the spirit of adventure and embrace of rationality that define the show are in full swing, as are the chicks in minis and kicky boots.

Initially appearing in 1966, the original “Star Trek” is a utopian fantasy of the first order, a vision of the enlightened future in which whites, blacks, Asians and one poker-faced Vulcan are united by their exploratory mission (“to boldly go”), a prime directive (no intervention) and the occasional dust-up. An origin story directed with a sure touch and perfect tone by J. J. Abrams, the fully loaded film — a showcase for big-studio hardware, software, muscled boys who can act and leggy girls who aren’t required to — turns back the narrative clock to the moment before the main characters first assembled on the deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise, a sleek spacecraft that invariably sails into intergalactic storms. Even utopia needs a little bang.

Apparently so do franchise reboots, which explains why the movie opens with a loud, somewhat chaotic scene filled with fireballs, airborne bodies, heroically clenched male jaws and a squawking pregnant woman about to pop out the future James Tiberius Kirk. Born in space (well, a shuttle craft), Kirk is destined to return to its embracing darkness. (Future “Trek” scholars will be working the Oedipal angle hard.) But this being an origin story, first there’s a peek at a boy (Jimmy Bennett as the young Kirk) tearing down an Iowa highway in a stolen hot rod, a paradigmatic character moment that’s juxtaposed with images of a young brainiac (Jacob Kogan as the wee Spock) problem-solving with intelligence and a few punches.

Kirk and Spock don’t meet in person until they’re adults — now played by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto — at Starfleet Academy, which, in keeping with the show’s liberal leanings, is in San Francisco. At school Kirk flirts with Uhura (Zoë Saldana), a hot number who coolly brushes him off, and makes friends with a doctor, Leonard McCoy, a k a Bones (Karl Urban, wild-eyed and funny). Kirk also comes smack up against Spock, an officious instructor. In the tradition of many great romances, the two men take almost an instant dislike to each other, an antagonism that literalizes the Western divide between the mind (Spock) and body (Kirk) that gives the story emotional and dramatic force as well as some generous laughs.

Those laughs never slide into mockery. Mr. Abrams doesn’t treat “Star Trek” as a sacred text, which would be deadly for everyone save the fanatics. But neither does he skewer a pop cultural classic that, more than 40 years after its first run, has been so lampooned (it feels like there are more “South Park” parodies than original episodes) it was difficult to see how he was going to give it new life. By design or accident, he has, simply because in its hopefulness “Star Trek” reminds you that there’s more to science fiction (and Hollywood blockbusters) than nihilism. Mr. Abrams doesn’t venture into politics as boldly as Mr. Roddenberry sometimes did, though it’s worth noting he does equate torture with barbarism.

The barbarians here are the Romulans, who at one point in television time used to look a lot like Spock, but here resemble a Maori motorcycle gang complete with facial tattoos and Goth threads. Led by the glowering psychopath Nero (Eric Bana, an actor who knows how to take villainy seriously), the Romulans are mainly on hand to provoke the Starfleet cadets into space. There Mr. Abrams shows off some expensive-looking special effects, including an enemy warship that, with its enormous, grasping tendrils, by turns resembles a monstrous jellyfish and a malignantly blooming flower. The film comes down on the side of hope, but its apocalyptic interludes, including the image of a planet imploding into gray dust, collapsing like a desiccated piece of fruit, linger.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Star Trek Review

08 May 2009

NaN minutes

According to recently discovered 23rd-century history, James Tiberius Kirk was literally born of battle — the last fight he ever backed away from was the one he was delivered into. In purely Darwinian terms though, Jeffrey Jacob Abrams was forged by a 21st-century crucible far more unforgiving than a field of photon torpedoes: network television — not HBO, television.

Two movies in to what promises to be a storied career and the 42 year-old director has yet to find any gear but fifth. It’s as if his apprenticeship pacifying the ADD generation has inculcated a native fear of flipping. The heart-stopping second act of Abrams’ underrated M is a real-time mercy dash that would even leave Bourne breathless. For his latest mission impossible, Abrams sustains this improbable pace for even longer: Star Trek — yes, your dad’s Star Trek — moves like a racehorse that’s just been force-fed dilithium crystals.

Advance word that Abrams’ franchise reboot would witness fulfilment of the near-mythical Starfleet Academy project proves misplaced. The director and his Trekkie-credentialed writers, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, are so impatient to pitch their neophyte crew into full-blown battle that the Academy years are largely covered by a single title card — “Three Years Later”. Phasers permanently set on stun are not much fun, after all.

From the moment ‘Bones’ McCoy comically smuggles an academically suspended Kirk onto Captain Pike’s U.S.S. Enterprise, Star Trek XI hits warp factor IX and, save for an obligatory sojourn with Spock senior, maintains a velocity that would give Scotty night terrors. This is perhaps NCC-1701’s most radical refit yet — for the first time in the franchise, the Enterprise is a genuine thrill-ride.

Not that the crew are just along for the V-necks. Abrams can do character on the run and the plot deftly deals in decent-sized roles for all of the famous seven. Karl Urban’s gruff McCoy and Zachary Quinto’s piercing Spock stand out, and despite internet rumbling, Chris Pine is also absolutely fine. Of course, as you might expect, the acting mostly requires shouting declarative Trekbabble or wedging witticisms between set-pieces, but both Bruce Greenwood’s stoic Captain Pike and Eric Bana’s wounded Nero forage earthier notes amid the SFX sheen.

That Trek weakness for warping plotlines does bring the usual convolutions, but whenever the Vulcan side of your brain is tempted to pose frequently asked questions about time travel, the breakneck pace drags you forward through the movie’s own brisk running time. On the downside, Abrams is not quite able to apply the brakes in time for the third act, which prematurely climaxes before you have time to drink it in. Kirk has a nice Indy moment and the Enterprise does a good impression of the Millennium Falcon in the Battle Of Yavin, but Spock’s dogfight with a drill is unlikely to enter Starfleet legend — what is pointy ears doing flying anything? — and Bana’s Nero deserved at least one villain’s mulligan.

Those hoping for a battle of wits to equal Kirk and Khan — or for hardcore Trekkers, to rival the Balance Of Terror episode that introduced the Romulans — will be left wanting. This is a Sulu-sized miscalculation. The Enterprise is a handsome ship, as evidenced by the hero shot Abrams gives her in the rings of Saturn (let’s call it the screensaver), but she was built for games of Battleship, not Asteroids.

Indeed, where XI ultimately falls short of the very best Trek, or indeed of all great science-fiction since Jules Verne, is in its want of big ideas. As a MacGuffin the movie boasts red matter — like a massive snooker ball, only deadlier — but it doesn’t find enough time to showcase the grey variety.

Very much like its dynamic young cast, this Trek is physical and emotional, sexy and vital even, but it is not cerebral. The movie is not exactly empty-headed; indeed it has some smarts, but it doesn’t live up to the high-mindedness that was part of Gene Roddenberry’s original mission statement.

Where overarching themes can be discerned, they primarily relate to the nature of friendship and teamwork, which is all very well, but it’s a grunt’s eye view of battle. Even a captain would appreciate the importance of battlefield tactics and how they intersect with military strategy and, ultimately, political vision.

For anyone who has endured the longueurs of both the Star Wars prequels and Matrix sequels, the distinct lack of politicking and speechifying will doubtless come as a blessed relief, but in a time when the United States is engaged in two wars, the failure to even acknowledge the issues arising from space imperialism and the Prime Directive is to flinch from battle. Harsher critics may even deem it a dereliction of duty. Season three of the rebooted Battlestar Galactica turned half its cast into Iraqi-style insurgents — and that was on television.

Ultimately, any boldness one can attach to the going here really belongs to the rescue of the Trek franchise from cultural irrelevance. This is a not insignificant achievement. As Abrams has noted himself, making 45 year-old tricorders desirable for the iPhone generation is a hell of a tough gig. Doing this while simultaneously pandering to the doctorates in Klingon is a task of Herculean, nay Sisyphean, proportions.

But Abrams and his crew pull it off. Save for the typically muddy motives of the modern bad guy — oh, for a truly Evil Empire — there is nothing much to confuse the multiplex masses, while there are plenty of in-jokes and visual details for the forum-dwellers to chew over. More to the point, the film is sassy, young and hip in a way the franchise has not been since the ’60s. It’s neither The Hills in space nor fan fiction with a $150 million budget. Kudos is due.

There will, of course, be some disquiet from the faithful, and not just because Kirk’s birth is yucky and his besting of Kobayashi Maru comes off as cocky. Fans of the TV show will note planet-sized deviations from accepted Trek lore. To excuse their creative licence, writers Orci and Kurtzman have Uhura explain that Nero’s time-travelling misdemeanours has fashioned an “alternate reality”. It’s a nifty enough trick often used on the show, but what will really bamboozle the keepers of the canon is that unlike the many episodes that dabbled in fractured timelines, there’s no smallscreen amnesia to put things back in place for next week. The franchise has been permanently shifted to new rails: this is a world where Kirk doesn’t grow up to look like William Shatner. Trekkies had better get used to it. Welcome to the new ’verse.

The fanbase placated and a brand-new generation blooded, there is undoubtedly even better to come. The characters feel thin right now, not just because of the limited range of the new cast, but because ultimately they are characters playing characters, actors imitating icons. Once the new Enterprise crew are established in their own right and the franchise freed of all that expectation, the characters should start to feel properly human again — or at least, half-human.

Related Articles

Movies | 04 07 2022

Movies | 22 03 2020

Movies | 16 12 2019

Movies | 22 11 2019

Movies | 20 11 2019

Movies | 18 10 2019

Movies | 12 06 2019

Movies | 28 05 2019

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Kids' Mental Health Apps and Websites for Anxiety, Depression, Coping Skills, and Professional Support

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Star trek: the motion picture, common sense media reviewers.

The Enterprise's first feature, with smarts outdoing guns.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Intellect and good judgment save the day, instead

While the crew of the Enterprise demonstrate some

Space vessels are disintegrated into nothingness.

Mention that Decker formerly had intimate relation

Scotty says "hell."

Nothing onscreen, but Star Trek, as a marketing fr

Parents need to know that Star Trek: The Motion Picture features sci-fi violence, including the implication of death, and some intense moments amped up by music. When it was first released theatrically, the movie received a G rating, which was revised to PG for the director's cut. There are allusions to…

Positive Messages

Intellect and good judgment save the day, instead of warfare. The United Federation of Planets is famously multicultural, multi-ethnic, even multi-species. The ethos of Star Trek is one of exploration and non-interference, though the crew inevitably gets involved in protecting the vulnerable and fighting evil.

Positive Role Models

While the crew of the Enterprise demonstrate some basic human foibles (Kirk is too eager to regain command, McCoy suspects Spock's motives), they still function well as a unit of people who care about one another. Some commentators have pointed to the main trio of Star Trek as summing up aspects of a well-rounded, complete person: Kirk for decisive action and passion, Spock for cold logic and intellect, Dr. McCoy for emotion and altruistic kindness.

Violence & Scariness

Space vessels are disintegrated into nothingness. A few crew are knocked around and scorched by energy bolts. A Vulcan nerve pinch. Minor characters perish in a transporter malfunction, but the horrific result is left to the imagination.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Mention that Decker formerly had intimate relations with a comely alien. She spends a lot of the movie in a robe with a very short hemline, and there is generalized talk about her species having a powerful psychic sexual allure.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Nothing onscreen, but Star Trek, as a marketing franchise, has toys and products in "infinite diversity in infinite combinations," to quote a favorite Gene Roddenberry saying.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Star Trek: The Motion Picture features sci-fi violence, including the implication of death, and some intense moments amped up by music. When it was first released theatrically, the movie received a G rating, which was revised to PG for the director's cut. There are allusions to sexual activity, but nothing onscreen. Some aspects of the story involve spiritual/moral questions. Like all Star Trek offerings, this one reflects a multicultural universe largely concerned with peace and the well being of all people (and aliens). To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (10)
• Kids say (12)

Based on 10 parent reviews

Starts off a bit clunky but gets better as it goes along

The adventures of star shrek, what's the story.

After years deskbound as an admiral in Starfleet, STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE begins with James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) reassuming command of the starship Enterprise , just refurbished with the latest gear and weaponry. Their mission is to stop a cosmic menace, a shimmering force field from uncharted space that is heading for Earth and destroying anything in its way. Kirk is in an uncomfortable situation, having demoted the younger, more tech-savvy Captain Decker (Stephen Collins) in order to get his ship back. First Officer Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) is a late arrival on the mission, having unhappily opted out of joining a monk-like mystical order of pure logic on his home planet of Vulcan.

Is It Any Good?

While the $42 million budget generated almost as much awe in itself as the movie's cosmic menace, the best part about Star Trek: The Motion Picture is the reunion of beloved small-screen cast members. Far more complex than the film's plot is the story behind the many years it took to bring the first Star Trek film to the big screen. It's commendable that the filmmakers, for the most part, stuck to the TV show 's model of character-based dramatics, and an interplanetary menace was defeated using intellect and good judgment, not light sabers.

Still, the film is a pretty ponderous spectacle. When the Enterprise enters the vast, cloudlike boundaries of the intruder, an awful lot of the movie is indeed the cast gaping at the shimmering light show, right up to a quasi-mystical finale that might have some viewers more puzzled than dazzled.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about sci-fi violence. How realistic is the violence seen in this movie ? Does it make the same impact if violence is in a sci-fi setting?

The Star Trek series and movies always made a point of having a diverse cast. Why does having diverse media role models matter?

How does Star Trek compare to other science fiction franchises?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 7, 1979
• On DVD or streaming : November 6, 2001
• Cast : DeForest Kelley , Leonard Nimoy , William Shatner
• Director : Robert Wise
• Studio : Paramount Pictures
• Genre : Science Fiction
• Topics : Adventures , Space and Aliens
• Run time : 143 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• Last updated : June 11, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Star trek movies & more, sci-fi movies, related topics.

• Space and Aliens

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Star Trek movie reviews

1. Star Trek: The Motion Picture

2. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

3. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

4. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

5. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

6. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

7. Star Trek: Generations

8. Star Trek: First Contact

9. Star Trek: Insurrection

10. Star Trek: Nemesis

More to explore, recently viewed.

Find Family Movies, Movie Ratings and Movie Reviews

Star Trek Parent Guide

Catering to longtime enthusiasts, while attracting newcomers with a well-paced story and visual effects, this star trek is certain to open this final frontier to a whole new generation..

At last! Screenwriters are boldly taking fans of this TV and movie franchise where they have never gone before -- back into the pasts of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and his trusty companion Spock (Zachary Quinto). This prequel will finally answer how the Captain became so confident and cocky, and how the Vulcan acquired his logical and unemotional demeanor.

Release date May 8, 2009

Run Time: 126 minutes

Official Movie Site

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by rod gustafson.

The Star Trek universe has been silent over the past few years, leaving diehard fans with little to do but collect past movies and television episodes on Blu-ray discs. However, with the unveiling of this film, which fills in the backstory of the heroes from the original series, there is potential for a bold new injection of story ideas and discoveries in this perpetual franchise.

Romulans are the big problem on this voyage, thanks to a rogue spacecraft that has adapted some high tech equipment into a weapon of revenge. But on Earth, isolated on the Iowa plains, a young and rebellious James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) could care less about space politics— that is until Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood) discovers the scrappy and drunken youth in the middle of a bar fight with Federation cadets. Aware of his father’s stellar Starfleet service, Pike convinces Kirk to join the ranks.

These rookie officers find themselves pressed into service when the Romulan issue becomes critical. Although the bad guys play the catalyst of the plot and provide reason for the many impressive action sequences, the core of the story really revolves around Kirk and Spock. For those who have wondered how these two divergent personalities—one driven by logic, the other by gut reaction—ever managed to learn to work together, this movie will answer that question, and many more.

The performers playing these characters (all of whom were developed before the cast of this movie ever walked the Earth) literally have a hard act to follow. Thankfully, they deliver very credible representations of the people we (speaking for those of us who Stardate back a little longer) know so well. The well-written screenplay gives them great material to work with too. Visually amazing, with a great sense of the depth and scale of space, this production may become one of the best-loved cinematic treks.

There is also a good chance parents will find this new Trek suitable for teen viewers. Not wallowing entirely in darkness, like so many action flicks, this space adventure offers positive messages about overcoming differences and building a team. For families, violence will likely be the greatest concern, with portrayals similar in intensity to previous Trek movies like First Contact . Depictions of hand-to-hand combat with bloodied injuries are frequent (including an impaling), along with death and destruction involving futuristic weapons. Sexually is limited to some innuendo and a brief scene between a semi-clothed man and woman who are interrupted before things get too serious. And the script includes intermittent profanities, which are limited to mild expletives and a few terms of deity.

Catering to longtime enthusiasts with ample inside humor (watch for iconic lines interwoven with the dialogue), while attracting newcomers with a well-paced story and visual effects, exploring Star Trek’s origins is certain to open this final frontier to a whole new generation.

About author

Rod Gustafson

Star trek rating & content info.

Why is Star Trek rated PG-13? Star Trek is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content.

Dealing with Romulan rebels is never pretty. Many scenes in this film depict conflict sequences on both a wide scale (spaceships shooting each other) and a personal level. Characters engage in frequent hand-to-hand combat, often with bloodied injuries shown. Other scenes depict characters using futuristic weapons. Deaths occur from these encounters. Characters are also injured or killed by falling, impaling, being engulfed in fire or crushed by falling debris. A character nearly drowns. A man is shown strapped to a table in a torture situation—he is verbally threatened and a parasite is put in his mouth. Strange beasts chase and attempt to eat a human. A boy is bullied and pushed by others at school. A brief scene shows a shirtless man and woman in underwear in bed together (their sexual intentions are quickly interrupted). Another female character undresses and is shown in a bra and panties. A few mild profanities and terms of deity are heard. The script includes some sexual innuendo and a single joking reference to bestiality. Drinks are served in a bar, and a somewhat inebriated character begins fighting with other patrons. A man drinks from a flask. A child drives recklessly and is chased by police.

Page last updated July 17, 2017

Star Trek Parents' Guide

What events in the life of James T. Kirk contributed to his decisions as a young man? How did Spock’s childhood affect his personality? What adjustments do the characters need to make in their lives before they can successfully work together? Do you think people actually change, or do they simply learn to control their emotions and reactions?

The most recent home video release of Star Trek movie is November 17, 2009. Here are some details…

Release Date: 17 November 2009

Star Trek on DVD is in an anamorphic presentation (enhanced for widescreen TVs), with audio tracks in Dolby Digital 5.1 (English) and subtitles in English, French and Spanish. Bonus materials include:

- Commentary: by JJ Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci

- Featurette: A New Vision

- Bloopers: Gag Reel

Star Trek: 2-Disc DVD Special Edition, with Digital Copy is in an anamorphic presentation (enhanced for widescreen TVs), with audio tracks in Dolby Digital 5.1 (English) and subtitles in English, French and Spanish. Included on this two-disc set are:

- Featurettes: A New Vision, To Boldly Go, Aliens, Score and Casting.

Additional Scenes: Spock Birth, Klingons Take Over Narada, Young Kirk, Johnny and Uncle Frank, Amanda and Sarek Argue After Spock Fights, Prison Interrogation and Breakout, Sarek Gets Amanda, Dorm Room and Kobayashi Maru (original version), Kirk Apologizes to the Green Girl and Sarek Sees Spock.

- DVD Rom: STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for XBOX 360, PC and Playstation.

- Digital copy of the movie.

Star Trek: Blu-Ray 3-Disc Special Edition, with Digital Copy offers the movie in 1080p HD resolution, with audio tracks in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English) and Dolby Digital 5.1 (English). Subtitles are available in English, French and Spanish. Extra features include:

- DVD Rom: STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for XBOX 360.

- DVD Rom: Weblink to the STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for PC and Playstation.

- BD Exclusive: Starships, Planets, Props and Costumes, Gene Roddenberry’s Vision, Ben Burtt and the Sounds of Star Trek and Starfleet Vessel Simulator.

- BD-Live: NASA News

Related home video titles:

For another adventure with Captain Kirk and Spock, check out: Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan . Other movies from this franchise that we have reviewed include: Star Trek: Nemesis , Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: First Contact .

Related news about Star Trek

Star Trek Fans Can Boldly Go Where No Fan Has Gone Before

{parents:pull_quote}

Star Trek: Boldly Coming to Home Video in 2016

A Dozen (Or So) Films to Celebrate Your Geekness

4 Movies with a More Optimistic View of the Future

2016 Summer Movies for Families

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, star trek: nemesis.

Now streaming on:

I'm sitting there during "Star Trek: Nemesis," the 10th " Star Trek " movie, and I'm smiling like a good sport and trying to get with the dialogue about the isotronic Ruritronic signature from planet Kolarus III, or whatever the hell they were saying, maybe it was "positronic," and gradually it occurs to me that "Star Trek" is over for me. I've been looking at these stories for half a lifetime, and, let's face it, they're out of gas.

There might have been a time when the command deck of Starship Enterprise looked exciting and futuristic, but these days it looks like a communications center for security guards. Starships rocket at light speeds halfway across the universe, but when they get into battles the effect is roughly the same as on board a World War II bomber. Fearsome death rays strike the Enterprise, and what happens? Sparks fly out from the ceiling and the crew gets bounced around in their seats like passengers on the No. 36 bus. This far in the future they wouldn't have sparks because they wouldn't have electricity, because in a world where you can beam matter--beam it, mind you--from here to there, power obviously no longer lives in the wall and travels through wires.

I've also had it with the force shield that protects the Enterprise. The power on this thing is always going down. In movie after movie after movie I have to sit through sequences during which the captain is tersely informed that the front shield is down to 60 percent, or the back shield is down to 10 percent, or the side shield is leaking energy, and the captain tersely orders that power be shifted from the back to the sides or all put in the front, or whatever, and I'm thinking, life is too short to sit through 10 movies in which the power is shifted around on these shields. The shields have been losing power for decades now, and here it is the Second Generation of Star Trek, and they still haven't fixed them. Maybe they should get new batteries.

I tried to focus on the actors. Patrick Stewart , as Capt. Picard, is a wonderful actor. I know because I have seen him elsewhere. It is always said of Stewart that his strength as an actor is his ability to deliver bad dialogue with utter conviction. I say it is time to stop encouraging him. Here's an idea: Instead of giving him bad dialogue, why not give him good dialogue, and see what he can do with that? Here is a man who has played Shakespeare.

The plot of "Star Trek: Nemesis" involves a couple of strands, one involving a clone of Data ( Brent Spiner ), which somehow seems redundant, and another involving what seems to be a peace feeler from the Romulan empire. In the course of the movie the Romulan Senate is wiped out by a deadly blue powder and the sister planet of Remus stages an uprising, or something, against being made to work as slaves in the mines. Surely slavery is not an efficient economic system in a world of hyperdrives, but never mind: Turns out that Picard shares something unexpected with his rival commander, although once I tell you that you can no doubt guess what it is, since the movie doesn't work you very hard.

There is a scene in the movie in which one starship rams another one. You would think this would destroy them both, and there are a lot of sparks and everybody has to hold onto their seats, but the "Star Trek" world involves physical laws which reflect only the needs of the plot. If one ship rammed another and they were both destroyed and everyone died, and the movie ended with a lot of junk floating around in space, imagine the faces of the people in the audience.

I think it is time for "Star Trek" to make a mighty leap forward another 1,000 years into the future, to a time when starships do not look like rides in a 1970s amusement arcade, when aliens do not look like humans with funny foreheads, and when wonder, astonishment and literacy are permitted back into the series. Star Trek was kind of terrific once, but now it is a copy of a copy of a copy.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

Bad Behaviour

Sheila o'malley.

MoviePass, MovieCrash

Clint worthington.

Mother of the Bride

Marya e. gates.

What You Wish For

Glenn kenny.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Film Credits

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

Rated PG-13 For Sci-Fi Action Violence and Peril and A Scene Of Sexual Content

116 minutes

Patrick Stewart as Capt. Picard

Jonathan Frakes as Commander Riker

Brent Spiner as Data

LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge

Michael Dorn as Worf

Gates McFadden as Dr.Crusher

Ron Perlman as Reman Viceroy

Directed by

• Stuart Baird
• Gene Roddenberry
• Rick Berman
• Brent Spiner

Latest blog posts

Orphan Black: Echoes Stumbles Under the Weight of Its Predecessor

You Ready To Be the King?: Fresh Turns 30

Black Writers Week 2024: Table of Contents

The LightReel Film Festival Finishes Strong

• June 18, 2024 | Review: The EXO-6 ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ 1:6 Geordi Figure Is A Sight To See
• June 18, 2024 | The Sisko Enters The Realm Of The Gods In Preview Of ‘Star Trek’ #21
• June 14, 2024 | Podcast: All Access Shares Its Pain With Laurence Luckinbill From ‘Star Trek V: The Final Frontier’
• June 13, 2024 | ‘Star Trek: Section 31’ Actor Teases His “Very Intense” Character, Praises “Hero” Michelle Yeoh
• June 13, 2024 | Everything Must Go In Final Master Replicas Sale Of Eaglemoss Star Trek Ship Models

Review: The EXO-6 ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ 1:6 Geordi Figure Is A Sight To See

| June 18, 2024 | By: Jeff Bond 2 comments so far

Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge 1/6 Scale Action Figure

Manufacturer: EXO-6 Price: $230 (Standard Edition… also available in $190 Essential Edition) Grade: A+

Geordi on TNG

When Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered in 1987 the biggest name in the cast wasn’t Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner or Michael Dorn. It was LeVar Burton. Burton had starred in Roots , one of the biggest TV miniseries of all time and had been familiar to kids since 1983 for his PBS show Reading Rainbow . Gene Roddenberry had made the original Star Trek one of the more diverse shows on television and he and producers Rick Berman and Maurice Hurley wanted to build on that tradition with TNG, not only culturally but visually. So the Enterprise 1701-D’s bridge crew would include a metallic-skinned android, a Klingon, and “a man with unique vision”: Geordi La Forge, who had been born blind but now sees using a comb-like visor that hooks into neural implants in his temples. Just as much as Data’s Spock-like android, La Forge demonstrated the wonders of future technology and human evolution just by standing there—or sitting there, as La Forge spent most early episodes at the helm station on the bridge.

LeVar Burton was and is a fine, expressive actor, and it’s a testament to his skill that he made La Forge a vital presence on the show for seven years with his eyes and eyebrows—some of an actor’s most crucial tools—completely hidden behind a futuristic prop. If anything, Burton probably overdid his performances in TNG’s first season, but he might have just been excited at finally getting something specific to do. TNG took a few seasons to find its footing and often seemed at sea trying to find dramatic functions for characters like Geordi and Tasha Yar. After a few episodes as a bridge officer, and after a number of different actors portraying the Enterprise’s chief engineer, LaForge settled into the role of Enterprise engineer, and particularly in “The Arsenal of Freedom” he gets so worked up over a potential tactical maneuver that he smacks his fist into his palm like Burt Ward used to do playing Robin on the old ‘60s Batman show.

LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge

Even as TNG improved as a series La Forge wasn’t always well used as a character. He provided a human pal for Data, who quickly broke out on the show as a popular figure just as Leonard Nimoy’s Spock had—but casting La Forge as Watson to Data’s Holmes was a stunt that didn’t quite work. Even worse was LaForge’s hopeless forays into TNG’s version of computer dating on the holodeck, where the character came off as a fumbling adolescent. But La Forge did figure in solid outings like “The Enemy” where his abilities to see far beyond the human spectrum helps him survive on a storm-swept planet alongside a wounded and dangerous Romulan. By the time of the series finale, “All Good Things,” La Forge had been through enough that his transition from visor to high-tech eyeballs was genuinely moving, and he’s particularly good as paterfamilias La Forge in Picard season three.

EXO-6 Geordi Figure

From a personal note as a Star Trek merch collector, I can’t say I was slavering for another Geordi La Forge action figure. But when I saw what EXO-6 had done with the character he quickly turned into an instant buy. EXO’s TNG Data figure reminded me how much I love William Ware Theiss’ original Next Generation costume designs—EXO hasn’t done the “jumpsuit” yet since by season three the Starfleet uniform had evolved to a tunic and black pants much like the TOS uniforms, but Theiss’ distinctive, angular application of black to the gold, teal and burgundy department colors remained the same, and these figures look great in the outfits. You might have to do a Picard Maneuver with the tunic from time to time but overall the uniform look is sleek and striking.

EXO-6 TNG Geordi figure

Most (all?) previous La Forge action figures have had his distinctive visor literally molded as part of his head, which means compromises on both the head sculpt and visor detail. The EXO-6 LaForge figure starts out with a magnificent head sculpt by Godwin Nerona and Dean Tolliver. The likeness is remarkable and includes the two silver-and-red neural links at his temples and his blind, white-within-white eyes, achieved with contact lenses on the TNG set when necessary. The expression is neutral but particularly with the visor on the look expresses focus and intelligence, as if Geordi is just about to solve a puzzling engineering mystery.

Face sculpt for EXO-6 Geordi figure with VISOR removed

The visor itself is a little work of art. The detail in the dark gold comb is crisp and the frame has a beautiful brushed metal look with a lot of depth—I would argue it actually looks a little more convincing than the full-sized prop! Geordi comes in an Essential version that includes the visor, a phaser, tricorder and PADD and two additional gripping hands in addition to his relaxed hands. The more expensive version includes four additional hands, including an open, waving hand and two clasped hands so Geordi can stand at ease.

EXO-6 Geordi VISOR accessory

About the hands. I was startled to see an incredibly subtle detail here: the skin coloration on all of La Forge’s hands is lighter on the palms and insides of the fingers than on the back of the hand. I believe this is EXO’s fourth figure based on African-American actors, starting with Michael Burnham from Discovery and including Voyager’s Tuvok and DS9’s Benjamin Sisko. All of these characters seem to have subtly different skin coloration and it’s a testament to EXO’s pursuit of accuracy that they haven’t cheaped-out by adopting a standard “Black” pigmentation for these characters. As far as I can tell the lighter palm coloration is not a feature on Burnham or Sisko (it may be on Tuvok but I don’t have that figure), but it’s an amazing detail that really puts this figure over the top. After all, it’s common to adopt standard hands and skin-tone colors for mass-produced figures. In La Forge’s case, the wrists also match the color of the hands, which is also going the extra yard as you won’t see the figure’s wrists except for some extreme poses (in the case of the DS9 Kira figure the wrists are a generic white that’s quite different from the Caucasian skin-colored hands).

Detail on hands for EXO-6 Geordi figure

The final bonus of the La Forge Standard edition is an engineering kit with three futuristic engineering tools. Just like Geordi’s visor, the engineering kit is a little work of art: the tools are beautifully reproduced and the interior of the engineering suitcase is velvet-lined with snug cutouts that fit the tools perfectly, making for a neat display open and also something easily carried by LaForge.

The figure’s range of motion is excellent and you can get him into a nice kneeling pose for work on those hard-to-reach power conduits.

EXO-6 Geordi figure posed

I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is probably the best figure EXO-6 has produced yet, just slightly edging out Mirror Sulu because of the hand pigmentation details and the tremendous accessories. The Standard Version will sell for $230 and the Essential for $190; pre-orders on these figures have just gone out and the remaining stock should be available for sale soon at exo-6.com .

EXO-6 Geordi figure

Picards and more coming next

EXO has just put up pre-orders for a TNG Picard (available in his standard uniform and in a Standard Version with the standard and “Darmok” jacket outfit) and they still have a number of amazing figures due out this year including Star Trek II Saavik and Star Trek III Kruge. If you follow EXO-6 founder Nanjin Tam on Facebook he sneak-previews the development of a lot of their figures—their TOS Uhura looks stunning even just after a glimpse of her eyes and hair. If you want any of these figures it’s best to pre-order or act quickly once they go up for direct sale as many of them sell out and become very pricey on the after-market.

Preview image of EX0-6 “Darmok” Picard figure

A closer look at Geordi

Jeff Bond is a freelance writer and book author who’s addicted to plastic models and action figures. You can catch up with him on  Facebook  and  Instagram  where he posts model works in progress, and takes commissions. His latest Star Trek book is  Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Art and Visual Effects .

Find more Star Trek merchandise news and reviews at TrekMovie.com .

Related Articles

Celebrity , ENT , Podcasts , TNG

Connor Trinneer And Dominic Keating Launch ‘D-Con Chamber’ Podcast; Season 3 Of ‘InvestiGates’ On The Way

Comics , DS9 , TNG

Nog Is Faced With A Ferengi Existential Crisis In Preview Of ‘Sons Of Star Trek’ #3

Discovery , Review

Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Pulls It All Together For “Life, Itself”

Star Trek Online , TNG

Denise Crosby Returns As Captain Sela For ‘Star Trek Online: Unparalleled’ – Watch The Launch Trailer

Oh, that facial sculpt is so much better than what EXO-6 tends to come up with.

Right down to his adolescent acne scars. WOW!

Netflix Finally Sets Release Date for Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

The second season of Star Trek: Prodigy is finally about to see the light of day. Netflix has revealed when the animated series' sophomore season will debut on its streaming service.

Per Deadline , Netflix has announced that all 20 episodes of Prodigy Season 2 will premiere on July 1 . The first season is currently available to stream on Netflix after being removed from its original home, Paramount+, in June 2023. Despite receiving positive reviews from critics, Paramount+ reversed its renewal on Prodigy last year, canceling and removing the series from the platform as part of a larger cost-cutting write-down. After searching for a new streaming home, Netflix came to the rescue in October 2023 , acquiring both seasons of Prodigy .

Star Trek's New Spock Actors Praised by Leonard Nimoy's Son

Leonard Nimoy's Son, Adam Nimoy, praises Zachary Quinto and Ethan Peck's unique portrayals of his father's Star Trek character, Spock.

Set five years after the events of the live-action Star Trek series Voyager , Star Trek: Prodigy is a 3D-animated series focusing on a motley crew of young aliens who must figure out how to work together while navigating a greater galaxy, in search of a better future. These six young outcasts know nothing about the abandoned ship they have commandeered — the USS Protostar — but throughout their adventures together, each will be introduced to Starfleet and the ideals it represents.

In the forthcoming season of Prodigy , the young aliens will serve as Admiral Kathryn Janeway's ( Voyager 's Kate Mulgrew) warrant officers aboard the USS Voyager-A , with the crew tasked with finding the original crew of the Protostar .

Is Star Trek: Prodigy Renewed for Another Season?

At this time, Netflix has not announced whether it intends to renew Star Trek: Prodigy for a third season. If the animated series is greenlit for another season, co-creator Dan Hageman has also revealed that they have ideas on where to take Prodigy 's characters next . However, "because we're animation, it's going to take, minimum, two years" before the new season would get released. "[But] more likely three," Hageman explained in January 2024.

'Best Season So Far': Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Actor Teases Upcoming Episodes

Christopher Pike actor Anson Mount explains why the upcoming third season of Strange New Worlds is the best season of the Star Trek series yet.

Star Trek's Other Animated Series Set to End After Fifth Season

Prodigy is one of two animated series that were developed as part of Paramount+'s expansion of the Star Trek Universe, the other being Lower Decks . While Prodigy 's future remains unknown, Lower Decks — which follows the exploits of the lower-ranking officers on one of Starfleet's least important starships — was recently confirmed to be ending after its upcoming fifth season . Although the news came as a surprise to both the Star Trek fandom and Lower Decks cast, voice actor Jack Quaid (Brad Boimler) remains hopeful that another streamer may renew the series . "[B]ut until then please look forward to an amazing season five," he said back in April 2024.

Star Trek: Prodigy Season 1 is available to stream on Netflix with Season 2 set to premiere on July 1.

Source: Netflix, via Deadline

Star Trek: Prodigy

A group of enslaved teenagers steal a derelict Starfleet vessel to escape and explore the galaxy.

• Tickets & Showtimes
• Trending on RT

TAGGED AS: CBS , CBS All Access , Sci-Fi , science fiction

(Photo by Paramount+/CBS)

Star Trek TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

Updated: September 8, 2023

The Star Trek universe kicked off in 1966 with the original series , created by science fiction visionary Gene Roddenberry , and later exploded into a massive film and TV juggernaut.

While the original series, which starred William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock, saw only three seasons, it made an indelible impression on the sci-fi genre. Live-action TV follow-up Star Trek: The Next Generation , with  Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard leading an ensemble cast, captivated viewers from 1987–1994 and inspired three more series that would air within the next decade:  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ,  Star Trek: Voyager , and  Star Trek: Enterprise .

Starting with 1979’s  Star Trek: The Motion Picture , Paramount Pictures has been regularly cranking out Trek films with the original series and Next Generation casts, as well as a rebooted version in 2009 with Chris Pine as Starfleet Academy cadet James Kirk and Zachary Quinto as young Spock. ( See the Star Trek films ranked here. )

In 2017,  Trek  returned to small screens with season 1 of CBS All Access streaming title  Star Trek: Discovery , set during a tumultuous wartime era about a decade before the original and starring Sonequa Martin-Green . The new series marked a TV franchise reboot by Alex Kurtzman , writer on the 2009 Star Trek film and its sequel  Star Trek Into Darkness .

RELATED: All Star Trek Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

The year 2020 gave fans a celebration of one of its most iconic characters with the premiere of Star Trek: Picard and Stewart reprising his role in the new streaming series that launched its second season in 2022. New live-action series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was also released in 2022, and its first season was quickly Certified Fresh with a 100% Tomatometer score (it has since dropped to 99% on one review). The show’s second season, released in 2023, was nearly as well received and is Certified Fresh at 97% on the Tomatometer.

The TV franchise has since introduced two animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks , about the misfit support crew on one of Starfleet’s least-important ships, and kid-friendly Star Trek: Prodigy , which tells the story of a diverse group of teens who inadvertently become the crew of a prize starship and learn important lessons in their subsequent adventures. The latter series — No. 3 on our list below — has since been canceled by Paramount+, but a petition to save the show has gathered over 33,000 signatures.

Have a look below to find out which series score highest with critics in our Trek TV by Tomatometer list.

Disagree with the results? Tell us in the comments which series you think should have been ranked higher (or lower).

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022) 98%

Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973) 94%

Star Trek: Prodigy (2021) 94%

Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020) 92%

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) 92%

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) 91%

Star Trek: Picard (2020) 89%

Star Trek: Discovery (2017) 84%

Star Trek (1966) 80%

Star Trek: Voyager (1995) 76%

Star Trek: Enterprise (2001) 56%

Related News

TV Premiere Dates 2024

10 Post-Apocalyptic Worlds That Won’t Depress You

Walton Goggins Talks The Ghoul’s Thirsty Fans and Fallout’s Western Influences on The Awards Tour Podcast

More Movie & TV Scorecards

The Best TV Seasons Certified Fresh at 100%

Marvel TV Ranked by Tomatometer

Best Actor Oscar-Winning Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

The House of the Dragon Stars Rank the Fathers from the Series

June 18, 2024

The Bikeriders Cast on New Tattoos and Movie Influences

100 Best Movies of 1969

Sandra Bullock Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

Top Headlines

• 100 Best Movies of 1969 –
• Sandra Bullock Movies Ranked by Tomatometer –
• 25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming –
• 30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming –
• Box Office 2024: Top 10 Movies of the Year –
• Best Shark Movies Ranked by Tomatometer –

• More to Explore

Series & Movies

Exo-6 unveils museum-grade collectible tng captain picard figures, rayner and book's shared path to a life beyond the burn, 30 years ago, star trek revealed the most complex villain, ever, pitch a space tent: why every star trek needs camp.

The series' 1:6 scale museum-grade articulated figures are open for pre-order!

The demoted captain and former courier were unequivocally linked by their 32nd Century perspectives and a variety of post-Burn experiences.

With 'The Jem'Hadar,' just when you thought it was safe to go back to the Gamma Quadrant…

Giamatti's villainous casting follows that of Academy Award-winning actress Holly Hunter.

Star Trek would not be the Star Trek we know and love without embracing the camp.

The final adventure returns with Star Trek: Discovery

Latest news.

• News See More

Get to Know Star Trek

Latest videos.

• Latest Videos See More

Start Watching

Find out where to watch your favorite Star Trek adventures!

Latest Galleries

• Latest Galleries See More

Boldly Go: Subscribe Now

This 'Star Trek' Alum's New Indie Dramedy Is Hitting Theaters This Fall

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

The Big Picture

• The indie dramedy "My Dead Friend Zoe" set to hit theaters on Nov. 1, 2024.
• The film stars Sonequa Martin-Green as Merit, dealing with PTSD and a ghostly friend, Zoe, played by Natalie Morales.
• Director Kyle Hausmann-Stokes draws from his own experiences, with a strong critical reception anticipated.

Star Trek: Discovery may have crossed the galactic barrier last month, but Sonequa Martin-Green 's next project is coming soon to a theater near you. The indie dramedy My Dead Friend Zoe will be released in theaters on November 1, 2024. Variety reports that distributor Briarcliif Entertainment has acquired the film for North American release.

So far, the release calendar for November is fairly sparse. My Dead Friend Zoe will face the Vatican City thriller Conclave , from All Quiet on the Western Front director Edward Berger , as well as holdovers from symbiotic sequel Venom: The Last Dance , which will be released the previous week. The next week will see the release of two family films; the much-anticipated sequel Paddington in Peru , and the Judy Greer / Pete Holmes holiday film The Best Christmas Pageant Ever . My Dead Friend Zoe has strong critical headwinds behind it; it won the Audience Award at the South By Southwest Film Festival earlier this year, and has been widely acclaimed. In his review , Collider's Matt Donato called the movie "a heartbreaker in the best, most fulfilling way", and praised Martin-Green for delivering "one of the best performances of not only South by Southwest 2024, but possibly of the year".

What Is 'My Dead Friend Zoe' About?

My Dead Friend Zoe stars Martin-Green as Merit, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan who's dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and the ever-present ghost of her friend and colleague, Zoe ( Natalie Morales ). Group therapy with Dr. Cole ( Morgan Freeman ) isn't helping, so she decides to become the caretaker for her Vietnam War-veteran grandfather ( Ed Harris ), who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. They'll have to overcome their differences as Merit tries to overcome her trauma and let go of her past - and her dead friend Zoe. Utkarsh Ambudkar ( Ghosts ) plays Merit's love interest, while Gloria Reuben ( E.R. ) co-stars as her mother.

My Dead Friend Zoe was co-written and directed by first-time feature director and former paratrooper Kyle Hausmann-Stokes , who based the film on his own experiences. Writer A. J. Bermudez co-wrote the script. Among the film's producers is Kansas City Chiefs star and Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce .

My Dead Friend Zoe will premiere in theaters on November 1, 2024 . Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.

My Dead Friend Zoe (2024)

Engaged in a mysterious relationship with her dead best friend from the Army, a female Afghanistan veteran comes head to head with her Vietnam vet grandfather at the family's ancestral lake house.

• Sonequa Martin-Green

• Movies & TV
• Featured Categories
• Action & Adventure

Sorry, there was a problem.

Image unavailable.

• Sorry, this item is not available in
• Image not available
• To view this video download Flash Player

Star Trek: Discovery - The Final Season [Blu-Ray Steelbook]

• Blu-ray from $46.74
• DVD from $34.15

From the manufacturer

The fifth and final season will find Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well… dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it.

Special Features

• Audio Commentary
• Deleted Scene
• A Team Effort
• Discovery's Creative Force
• Being Michael Burnham
• Character Development
• Star Trek: Discovery: The Voyage of Season 5

Meet the Cast

Product Description

The fifth and final season will find Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well… dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it.?

Product details

• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 5.25 x 0.5 inches; 3.52 ounces
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 9 hours and 36 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ August 27, 2024
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Doug Jones, Sonequa Martin-Green, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Emily Coutts
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ French
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ PARAMOUNT
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D5RBWSGW
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 4
• #14 in Science Fiction Blu-ray Discs
• #44 in Drama Blu-ray Discs
• #60 in Action & Adventure Blu-ray Discs

Customer reviews

Our goal is to make sure every review is trustworthy and useful. That's why we use both technology and human investigators to block fake reviews before customers ever see them.  Learn more

We block Amazon accounts that violate our community guidelines. We also block sellers who buy reviews and take legal actions against parties who provide these reviews.  Learn how to report

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

• About Amazon
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell products on Amazon
• Sell on Amazon Business
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Become an Affiliate
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Make Money with Us
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Amazon and COVID-19
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices

• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

Screen Rant

The until dawn movie: confirmation, cast & everything we know about the video game adaptation.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Quick Links

The until dawn movie latest news, the until dawn movie is confirmed, the until dawn movie cast, who is making the until dawn movie, the until dawn movie story.

• Until Dawn: Further News & Info
• The popular video game Until Dawn is confirmed to be adapted into a film by Screen Gems, with a writer and director already attached.
• Director David F. Sandberg, known for horror films like Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation , will helm the project.
• The film will need to find a way to incorporate the game's butterfly effect narrative while selecting the best aspects of the game's choices or creating its own narrative.

The widely acclaimed horror video game Until Dawn is being brought to the big screen, and there are already several updates concerning the next hit gaming adaptation. Released in 2015 and developed by Supermassive Games, Until Dawn draws heavy inspiration from horror movies of the past and follows a group of young people who are tormented by evil forces while staying in a remote cabin. The game was specifically designed to terrify the player, and it was made with a cinematic edge, including recognizable actors in the main roles.

While the gameplay itself was rather light, Until Dawn scored points with critics for its brilliant story, well-written script, and the performances of stars like Rami Malek, Hayden Panettiere, and Peter Stormare. Follow-ups were developed, and a spiritual successor, The Quarry , was released in 2022, which scored equally high marks from gaming critics and fans alike. Naturally, with such a cinematic game, it only makes sense that Hollywood would want to adapt Until Dawn into a feature film.

The Until Dawn Video Game Movie Adaptation Already Faces Two Major Issues

Until Dawn was a widely successful horror video game but its upcoming movie adaptation will face two major issues that it needs to overcome.

The First Four Cast Members Are Announced

no details about whom the actors will be playing have been revealed, and it's clear from the casting that the original stars of the game probably won't be back.

Months after the video game movie was first announced, the latest news sees Until Dawn add its first cast members . Though little is still known about the highly anticipated gaming film, it has now been confirmed that Ella Rubin ( The Idea of You ), Michael Cimino ( Love Victor ), Ji-young Yoo ( Expats ), and Odessa A’zion ( Hellraiser ) will all appear. However, no details about whom the actors will be playing have been revealed, and it's clear from the casting that the original stars of the game probably won't be back.

Nearly 10 years after the game's debut, it has officially been announced that Until Dawn will be adapted into a film by the studio Screen Gems. While little is known about the project at this juncture, a writer and director are already attached, which seems to suggest the project is in good hands. Director David F. Sandberg will helm the movie while screenwriter Gary Dauberman has handled the adaptation . Screen Gems aims to deliver an R-rated interpretation that will do justice to the original game's story, which was written by Larry Fessenden and Graham Reznick.

Several Newcomers Are Attached To The Project

With so much about the upcoming horror game adaptation being kept under wraps, it's impossible to guess whether any of Until Dawn 's original cast will reprise their roles . Award winners like Rami Malek added a level of gravitas to the 2015 game, but there has been no word regarding his or any other cast member's return. However, Until Dawn has added several newcomers to the ensemble, suggesting that the movie adaptation will feature a brand-new cast of returning stars.

Though nothing is known about the characters each of the actors will be playing, The Idea of You 's Ella Rubin joins the likes of Michael Cimino ( Love Victor ), Ji-young Yoo ( Expats ), and Odessa A’zion ( Hellraiser ) . Cimino and A'zion are no strangers to the horror genre, with the former appearing in Annabelle Comes Home which was penned by Until Dawn director Gary Dauberman. It's expected that more cast members will be added, since the game has a crowded ensemble of supporting characters.

The confirmed cast of Until Dawn includes:

An Accomplished Horror Pedigree

While Screen Gems is producing the film, the most exciting news about the project so far is that director David F. Sandberg will helm the new movie . Sandberg initially wowed with his low-budget horror film Lights Out in 2016, and moved on to bigger projects like Annabelle: Creation and the box-office smash Shazam! for the DCEU. Besides his experience with horror, Sandberg is also no stranger to big-budget projects, which makes him a more well-rounded director than most horror mavens .

Likewise, the script is partially penned by Gary Dauberman , who is responsible for the most recent draft after it was initially written by Blair Butler. Dauberman has penned a slew of films in the Conjuring universe , including The Nun , Annabelle , and its sequel Creation, where he worked alongside Sandberg. This familiarity between the screenwriter and director is a good sign for the Until Dawn movie as the duo have found great success together in the past.

The Game's Branching Narrative Presents Challenges

Nothing has been revealed about the story of the upcoming movie, but it can be assumed that it will follow the plot of the game in some way . The idea is rather simple, with a group of young people staying in a remote cabin where they are tormented by a deadly force that resembles the stuff of nightmares. The biggest challenge that the film will face is finding a way to incorporate the game's butterfly effect narrative .

The Until Dawn video game features 256 distinct ending possibilities.

Unlike other games that lock the player on a designated story track, Until Dawn allows the player to make choices that radically affected the outcome . Whether it was character deaths, branching storylines, or even different endings, Until Dawn the movie will need to select the best aspects of the game's myriad of choices. On the flip side, the movie could simply create its own narrative that uses the basic framework of the game.

Until Dawn (2024)

Until dawn: further news & info.

• Upcoming Releases