Oh yes, the latest Star Trek is coming out this evening I will be there, clad in a red shirt cause you need expendables there to protect the captain. So in order to properly convey my excitement for the latest lens flared installment from J.J. Abrams, I guess it is time to pay tribute to the best Star Trek movie ever. It’s time folks….KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!
Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) escapes the tedium of a desk job to join Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (DeForest Kelley) on another space mission. While boldly going where no man etc. etc., Kirk crosses the path of his old enemy Khan (Ricardo Montalban), who as any die-hard Trekker can tell you, was the chief antagonist in the 1966 Trek TV episode “Space Seed.” Leading a crew of near-savage space prisoners, Khan insinuates himself into the Genesis Project, which is designed to introduce living organisms on long-dead planets. Intending to harness this program for his own despotic purposes, Khan engages in battle with the Enterprise crew. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Who would have ever guessed that the man from Fantasy Island and the seller of fine Corinthian Leather would be one of the most over the top, badass villains in the galaxy. Fuck the Klingons, cause nobody can touch Mr. Montalban. He is the perfect villain in this movie and basically, the best villain ever. Every little line delivery is tinged and dripping with this poignant and venomous barb that he adds to the role. It might just be his accent, which it probably is, but it adds to the role, making Khan seem so mustache twirly that you can’t help but just enjoy the ride he is taking you on. Calculated and subtle, but completely insane and over the top with his dialogue, this is the sort of thing that makes it memorable.
Aside from the impeccable Montalban, you have a Star Trek movie that is tightly wound, solid on the acting and compelling enough to make the little skirmishes seem so monumental. From the ear worm scene, the marooning of Kirk and the eventually countdown to the Genesis Project igniting, every scene is just so well put together and paced just right that you are drawn into every scene. Shatner delivers the bravado that Kirk needs with his belting out of KHAAAAAAAAAAN! I mean that is the scene that everyone jumps to when you mention the movie, the pure emotional outrage that Kirk has is basically the first time you see him lose his cool. It’s a character arc that shows that the captain can be bested.
Man, this is just the best of the series, maybe even the entire franchise in my mind. The final space battle pits very capable captains against one another where the game of cat and mouse is upon them. But the most tragic thing about this movie is the final moments between Spock and Kirk. It certainly made this geek tear up and that says something. The selfless act of the Vulcan member of the crew and the shared moment between two friends defines the entire movie. So compelling and wonderfully acted. This will forever be my favorite movie of the series. Hopefully the new one will be as good as the last and we can add another solid Star Trek film to the mix.
