When it comes to the original Star Trek movies, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is right up there as one of, if not the best. When I reviewed the original Star Trek movie, I talked about how I did not exactly love it. I also talked about how it was my dad who exposed me to the Star Trek series and while that first movie did not blow me away, I remember him being very excited for me to watch Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, he kept saying that I was going to love it and he was right!
How to Download Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was released on June 4, 1982. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review – the Redemption of the Franchise
You have to give Paramount a ton of credit here. They took the rather lackluster response that the first movie got and learned from it. Granted, kicking series creator Gene Roddenberry to the curb may seem a bit harsh, but it truly did prove to be the right decision. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a much more exciting and better-paced movie than what came before it and Khan to this day is one of the greatest Star Trek villains of all time. Hell, you could argue the greatest sci-fi villain of all time!
The Plot: A Tale of Revenge and Redemption
The plot this time revolves around a man called Khan. Khan and his people were banished by Kirk many years ago to a distant planet. However, something went wrong on this planet and it was turned into a desert wasteland and Khan lost his family as a result. This led to a deep-rooted hatred for Kirk and Khan would eventually get the chance to enact some brutal revenge.
Turns out that there is a device that can make an inhabitable world habitable and Khan has his sights set on this and of course, killing Kirk. Khan is just such an awesome villain and the very talented Ricardo Montalbán plays him perfectly. What makes Khan such a great villain is that while he is clearly freaking crazy, you do also get the sense that he truly believes that what he is doing is justified and right. To this day, Khan is one of my favorite Star Trek characters.
The Cast Shines: A Perfect Ensemble
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is just an all-around awesome movie! While I love Khan, the rest of the cast also get their chance to shine. Kirk and Spock are great here, the stuff with Spock at the end and his heroic and selfless sacrifice is truly one of the greatest Star Trek moments of all time. Of course, this would also set up the sequel and the movie after that as well.
Action and Drama: The Perfect Balance
The first movie tried to have a lot of drama, but it ended up being boring. This movie gets the balance just right and we do have a great deal of personal drama, but it never feels forced or too long-winded. You truly do care about the characters and they do such a great job of making Khan seem like such a dangerous threat, you truly do wonder if Kirk and co can get out of this one!
An Action-Packed Sci-Fi Thriller
There is also a lot of action here too and with Khan being such an imposing villain due to the amazing shape that Ricardo Montalbán was in, the action here just feels like it has more weight behind it. With this movie, I do feel that the ratio of Star Trek action to Star Trek talking is much better than it was in the original, Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
A Timeless Sequel Among the Best
If I was just ranking the original Star Trek movies, hands down, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan would be number one. If I were ranking all the Star Trek movies, this one would probably be at number 2 or 3, but that is still a respectable position. If I am in the mood to watch a classic Star Trek movie, 9/10 it will be this one that I watch. You know, I think this is up there with the likes of Terminator 2, Aliens, Empire Strikes Back and Spider-Man 2 when it comes to the best sequels!
