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Twenty-five years after their first TV voyages, "The Undiscovered Country" marked the final spin around the galaxy for the original Enterprise crew. Despite the awkward folly of 1989's "The Final Frontier" (Kirk vs God) and the fact that the cast were way past physical prime, this sixth entry adheres strongly to the unwritten rule that even-numbered Trek films are good.
With its Glasnost-inspired story, and directed with confident flair and assurance by Nicholas Meyer (responsible for the franchise's 1982 zenith) "The Wrath of Khan", the film captures the best elements of the Star Trek series, emerging as a fun, exciting - and dignified - sign-off for Captain Kirk and crew.
As the Klingon race faces extinction, the near-to-retirement Enterprise crew is selected to be the Federation's olive branch for peace. When a Klingon ship is seemingly attacked by the Enterprise, Kirk and McCoy are placed on trial for murder, while Spock must determine who is the saboteur in their midst.
Lacking the weaker entries' self-importance and with Meyer turning up the action, the film plies its exuberant mix of whodunit and jail break with considerable charm and a sense of fun. Aided by Christopher Plummer's hammy, Shakespearean-spouting villain, and displaying a nice line of humour (Spock alludes to being related to Sherlock Holmes), it's a high-quality TV episode writ large.
Shatner may have returned for Kirk's lacklustre final curtain in 1994's "Generations", but this thrilling episode ensured that the "Final Frontier" was left in a healthy enough state for "The Next Generation" crew to forge ahead.
Check out more Star Trek movies. And if your're a bona fide Trekkie looking for more, take a look at Cult's pages for the Star Trek TV series.
