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Movies / On DVD / Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

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Reviews Counted:40

Fresh:36

Rotten:4

Average Rating:7.8/10

Consensus: Considered by many fans to be the best of the Star Trek movies, Khan features a strong plot, increased tension, and a sharp supporting performance from Ricardo Montalban.

Runtime: 1 hr 58 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Synopsis: Khan, a genetically engineered "superman" prone to megalomaniacal delusions, was exiled years ago to the barren planet Ceti Alpha 5. He blames Admiral Kirk for his hard fate, as well as for his... Khan, a genetically engineered "superman" prone to megalomaniacal delusions, was exiled years ago to the barren planet Ceti Alpha 5. He blames Admiral Kirk for his hard fate, as well as for his son's death, and vows revenge. When Commander Chekov mistakenly beams down to Khan's lair, the villain finally has a means of escape. Using a parasitic creature that allows him to control the minds of his victims, Khan seizes command of the Starship Reliant. From there he hopes to lure Kirk to his death, using equipment stolen from an experimental research project. These devices allow him to trigger something known as the "Genesis Effect" -- a means of generating new life from existing matter. Khan plans to use the creation machines as weapons, because the same fire of life that creates new worlds must destroy what existed before. Kirk and crew need all the courage and cunning they can muster in order to save their friend and silence Khan forever. [More]

Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban, DeForest Kelley

Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Bibi Besch, Merritt Butrick, Paul Winfield, Kirstie Alley, Judson Scott

Director: Nicholas Meyer

Director: Nicholas Meyer
Composer: James Horner

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Reviews for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

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1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
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The film plays on the TV series' perceived strengths; strong character interaction, a credible science fiction future, and intelligent plotting.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
09/11/01
Nick Cramp
Nick Cramp
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's not Shakespeare, but it's certainly fun.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
05/19/08
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

probably the best-ever trek movie

comment Comment
07/11/04
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

The net effect, between embarrassed guffaws, is incredulity: a movie at once post-TV and pre-DW Griffith.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment 6 Comments
06/24/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Awesome Star Trek flick!

comment Comment
10/20/05
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures

No review available.

comment Comment
06/25/05
Moriarty
Moriarty
Ain't It Cool Movie Reviews

This movie feels like an extended episode of the television series, and is a success because of it.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
10/10/01
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
Apollo Guide

No review available.

comment 1 Comment
01/09/06
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Ricardo Montalban plays the badass Khan in one of the most commanding performances of his career.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
10/01/03
Austin Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Keep on Trekkin' ... The Star Trek TV series boldly went where none of its movie versions have gone before or since in Meyer's exceedingly space-worthy sequel.

Full Review Source: Boulder Weekly | comment Comment
08/07/06
Thomas Delapa
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly

If only director Nicholas Meyer had grasped the implications of his tale more fully and enthusiastically, this might have become a classic piece of cornball SF poetry, but as it stands the tepid acting and one-set claustrophobia take a heavy toll.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 7 Comments
06/05/07
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader

Although I liked the special effects in the first movie, they were probably not the point; fans of the TV series wanted to see their favorite characters again, and Trek II understood that desire and acted on it.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a movie that transcends it’s genre, it’s format, it’s fan base to really get inside the hearts and heads of people across all barriers the world over. This is the way to make Star Trek movies RIGHT.

Full Review Source: CinemaBlend.com | comment Comment
12/16/02
Joshua Tyler
Joshua Tyler
CinemaBlend.com

No review available.

comment Comment
03/08/08
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

Many fans consider this the best of the series, and I like it very much.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
05/26/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

Has everything you could ask for in a good sci‑fi action-adventure: well-drawn heroes, a terrific villain, exciting outer-space showdowns… and a touch of reflective depth.

Full Review Source: Decent Films Guide | comment Comment
06/24/03
Steven D. Greydanus
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films Guide

There's got to be some moral in the fact that the Star Trek movie with the smallest budget (by far) and fewest resources is still the dominant favorite...

Full Review Source: DVDJournal.com | comment Comment
04/08/06
Mark Bourne
Mark Bourne
DVDJournal.com

No review available.

comment Comment
08/12/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

comment Comment
09/12/05
Nicolas Lacroix
Nicolas Lacroix
EnPrimeur.ca

Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

Full Review Source: Film Written Magazine | comment Comment
10/28/01
Shay Casey
Shay Casey
Film Written Magazine
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

June 03, 2009: Where Will Star Trek Boldly Go Next?
With Star Trek entering popular culture not just as a franchise reboot but a cinematic moment in sci-fi history, talk has already turned to the sequel(s) and where the next... More...

April 24, 2009: Trekking With Tim, Day Two: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
My feeling is that movie adaptations should be able to appeal to both diehards and non-fans alike. They should maintain the spirit of their source material, but should not be... More...

January 14, 2009: Ricardo Montalbán: 1920-2009
Hollywood lost a pair of elder statesmen today, with the Ricardo Montalbán, the actor best-known for his appearance as the mysterious Mr. Roarke in Aaron Spelling's long-running... More...

February 28, 2007: New "Star Trek" Flick to Hit Theaters on Christmas (2008)
Pretty slow news week, so here's a really short one: Paramount's 11th "Star Trek" flick will hit theaters on Christmas Day 2008. As reported a few days back, J.J.... More...

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