Other Titles • Star Trek III: The Search for Spock • Star Trek III: Return to Genesis (1984) • Star Trek III: Auf der Suche nach Mr. Spock (1984)
Synopses for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
1.
You didn't think Mr. Spock was really dead, did you? When Spock's casket landed on the surface of the Genesis planet at the end of Star Trek II, we had already been told that Genesis had the power to bring "life from lifelessness." So it's no surprise that this energetic but somewhat hokey sequel gives Spock a new lease on life, beginning with his rebirth and rapid growth as the Genesis planet literally shakes itself apart in a series of tumultuous geological spasms. As Kirk is getting to know his estranged son (Merritt Butrick), he must also do battle with the fiendish Klingon Kruge (Christopher Lloyd), who is determined to seize the power of Genesis from the Federation. Meanwhile, the regenerated Spock returns to his home planet, and Star Trek III gains considerable interest by exploring the ceremonial (and, of course, highly logical) traditions of Vulcan society. The movie's a minor disappointment compared to Star Trek II, but it's a--well, logical--sequel that successfully restores Spock (and first-time film director Leonard Nimoy) to the phenomenal Trek franchise...as if he were ever really gone. With Kirk's willful destruction of the U.S.S. Enterprise and Robin Curtis replacing the departing Kirstie Alley as Vulcan Lt. Saavik, this was clearly a transitional film in the series, clearing the way for the highly popular Star Trek IV. --Jeff Shannon
DVD features Star Trek III: The Search for Spock follows the same winning formula of the first two Star Trek special-edition DVD releases, although it has no extra footage as The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan did. The first disc presents the film with an audio commentary track, the bulk of it handled (appropriately) by director Leonard Nimoy. He doesn't do it in character as Spock, but rather chortles and gushes about his cast and crew, especially William Shatner. Other contributors include Robin Curtis, who explains how Nimoy and writer Harve Bennett made it easy for her to take over Kirstie Alley's role as Saavik. There's also a subtitled commentary track full of trivia and details by Michael Okuda, joined this time by wife Denise. If you want, you can listen to the audio commentary while reading the subtitled commentary. The second disc offers the basic "Captain's Log" documentary (2002, 26 min.) plus substantial documentaries about models, creatures, and Klingon and Vulcan languages and costumes. Last, in "Terraforming and the Prime Directive," scientists discuss how a Genesis-like project could lead to humans colonizing Mars. --David Horiuchi
2.
In the third STAR TREK feature film, directed by Leonard Nimoy, Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) has defeated the genetically created genius Khan, but Spock (Nimoy) is dead and McCoy (DeForest Kelley) is suffering from a strange mental aberration. Defying Starfleet orders, Kirk takes the Enterprise to Genesis to recover the body of Spock. Wonders--and dangers--await the Enterprise crew on the strange new planet.
3.
Admiral Kirk's defeat of Khan and the creation of the Genesis planet are empty victories. Spock is dead and McCoy is inexplicably being driven insane. Then a surprise visit from Sarek, Spock's father, provides a startling revelation: McCoy is harboring Spock's living essence. With one friend alive and one not, but both in pain, Kirk attempts to help his friends by stealing the U.S.S. Enterprise and defying Starfleet's Genesis planet quarantine. But the Klingons have also learned of Genesis and race to meet Kirk in a deadly rendezvous.
Mooviees.com is not the official site for this film.
All editorial views and opinions expressed here are for entertainment purposes only.
Movie Database
In Theaters
