With 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.With 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.With 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.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 9 nominations
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe famous "Space, the final frontier" monologue is heard for the first time since Star Trek (1966), now narrated by Leonard Nimoy, however this has been changed slightly. Instead of saying, "...its five-year mission..." and "to seek out new life," this now says, "her ongoing mission..." and "to seek out new lifeforms".
- GoofsChekov and Khan recall having met each other. Although Chekov was not a bridge officer when Khan came on the Enterprise in Space Seed (1967), it should be remembered that when Khan first took over Enterprise, he started with the engineering deck. Chekov was engineering ensign at the time, and mounted resistance against Khan, according to the movie's novelization. Surprisingly, Sulu was also absent from Space Seed, a point which no one ever brings up.
- Quotes
Kirk: We are assembled here today to pay final respects to our honored dead. And yet it should be noted that in the midst of our sorrow, this death takes place in the shadow of new life, the sunrise of a new world; a world that our beloved comrade gave his life to protect and nourish. He did not feel this sacrifice a vain or empty one, and we will not debate his profound wisdom at these proceedings. Of my friend, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... human.
- Crazy creditsAfter the opening credits: "In the 23rd century..."
- Alternate versionsIn August 6, 2002, the Director's Edition was released on DVD, which features three minutes of footage not in the theatrical release: (The Director's Edition does not use the ABC-TV version of Kirk and Saavik's conversation in the turbolift, which was more steamy and used close-ups (instead of one long master shot). Also, unlike the ABC-TV version, all Ceti eel scenes are not edited for content.
- Expanded conversation between Kirk and McCoy in Kirk's apartment about his birthday gift, the glasses. Also, McCoy now says "For most patients your age, I'd usually administer Retinax Five." This is an alternate take, since in the theatrical version, he says "recommend" instead of "administer" (Seen in ABC-TV version).
- Conversation between Kirk and Midshipman Preston in the Enterprise's engine room, with Scotty revealing that Preston is his nephew. Also, the take at the scene's ending with Kirk addressing Scotty and McCoy asking "Admiral, what about the rest of the inspection?" is different from the one seen in the theatrical version. Kirk's dialogue is also slightly different (Seen in ABC-TV version).
- The scene where Chekov informs Dr. Marcus and her team about their new orders via compic has been expanded. Carol Marcus now asks "Who gave the order", and the mind controlled Chekov dances around the answer a little before David says, "Pin him down, mother." (Seen in ABC-TV version).
- The scene where the scientists at Regula One argue about Starfleet Command's order is a different take, and has been expanded in the ending to show Carol Marcus ordering everyone to pack their things up so they can depart before the Reliant arrives (Seen in ABC-TV version).
- McCoy and Spock's argument about Genesis in Kirk's cabin has been slightly expanded. They discuss what might happen if Genesis fell into the wrong hands, and whose hands are the right ones. Kirk attempts to break the two up, but Spock cuts him off with a comeback to McCoy (Seen in ABC-TV version).
- Preston's death in Sickbay has been expanded. Preston now says "Aye" and dies in close-up (instead of in the medium shot with Preston's back to the camera and the others visible around the table seen in the theatrical version) Scotty asks why Khan wants revenge. McCoy's line, "I'm sorry, Scotty" now comes in the middle of the scene, instead of in the ending. After Spock informs Kirk via intercom that impulse power is restored, McCoy and Kirk speak a little longer, and Kirk says they only survived because he knew something Khan didn't about starships (Seen in ABC-TV version).
- An added shot of Kirk, Spock and Saavik climbing a ladder between decks has been added, in which Kirk says "That young man, he's my son," and Spock replies, "Fascinating." Also, the music in the scene has been looped to account for this added shot, but it loops at an earlier point than in the ABC-TV version. This makes the music flow better, instead of repeating the same bit of music twice in succession. For the 2016 Director's Cut Blu-Ray edition, the shot is included but the dialogue is omitted.
- An extension occurs as the Enterprise approaches the Mutara Nebula. Saavik wonders if the Reliant will follow them in, and Spock states that he must remember to teach her about the human ego. The music is looped at a different point than in the ABC-TV version to accommodate this extension, and it is thus much less distracting.
- ConnectionsEdited from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
- SoundtracksTheme From Star Trek (TV Series)
Music by Alexander Courage
The idea was great. Take a popular episode of the TV series ("Space Seed") and update it. Use the main guest star from the TV series (Ricardo Montalban) and have him reprise his role as Khan Noonian Singh, the late 20th century warlord who was cryogenically frozen and then "rescued" by Captain Kirk and ultimately stranded on Ceti Alpha V after trying to seize control of the Enterprise. Here we see Khan taking his revenge on Kirk for the events of 15 years before.
The cast in general is excellent in this one, although - and I find this typical of the movies - both DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy) and James Doohan (Scotty) seem to have some trouble reprising their roles. There are some interesting new characters (Saavik, played by a very young Kirstie Alley) and the Drs. Marcus (Bibi Besch as Carol and Merritt Butrick as David - adding some new context to Kirk's life as his ex-lover and son, respectively.) It's a tense movie filled with all the fun stuff that we expect from Star Trek, and a very good climax with the appropriate open-endedness setting us up for the inevitable sequel.
It isn't without its problems, mind you. How do Khan and Chekhov know each other? Chekhov wasn't part of the crew in Season 1 when "Space Seed" aired (or at least Walter Koenig wasn't part of the cast.) William Shatner (as expected) goes a bit over the top at times (his anguished cry of "KHAAAAANNNNNNNN!" while shaking with fury comes to mind.) It seems strange to me that no one would have checked on Khan after his stranding on Ceti Alpha V, that no one seemed to know that Ceti Alpha IV had exploded (when the Reliant came within scanning distance of the system shouldn't someone have said "uh, Captain Terrell, there's one less planet here than there should be) and that it didn't even seem to have occurred to Chekhov (who apparently and inexplicably knew Khan so well) that this was the system where Khan had been stranded.
Still, it's a fun movie that made Star Trek worth watching again.
7/10
- sddavis63
- Jan 8, 2003
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $11,200,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $79,707,906
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $14,347,221
- Jun 6, 1982
- Gross worldwide
- $79,822,604
- Runtime1 hour 53 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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![Kirstie Alley, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and Ricardo Montalban in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNmZiZmM2OTUtZDlmOC00YzYyLThkMGEtZWFkMjJmM2EwZDVkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUzOTY1NTc@._V1_QL75_UY133_CR0,0,90,133_.jpg)