10 Reasons You Need To Revisit Star Trek: The Motion Picture
9. It's Not As Lifeless As You Remember
One of the most common criticisms of The Motion Picture is its slower pace and more serious tone compared to The Original Series. Such accusations have led critics to deride the film with nicknames like The Motionless Picture and The Slow Motion Picture. Real clever, guys.
At the core of the issue is the film's supposed inability to properly characterize the likes of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, whose witty banter and bromance were among the most beloved hallmarks of The Original Series.
Yet The Motion Picture's slower pace doesn't mean there isn't rich character development here. And one can hardly bemoan the film's producers for preferring to tease the rekindling of this friendship rather than give us a heartfelt reunion from the outset. Where's the payoff in that?
Kirk's initial insecurity/midlife crisis in taking command of the Enterprise from Decker, only for the two of them to gradually build an abiding respect for one another, is a forgotten arc worthy of far more appreciation.
Spock rediscovering the value of friendship after mind melding with a machine that can never hope to experience what he has with Kirk and McCoy also ranks among the film's strongest moments. What is life without love? As it turns out, not very much.
These scenes changed our understanding of the cast and set the table for future films, where the subject of aging and mortality would become even more pronounced. Go a little easier on your dad the next time he brings up his motorcycle.