Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

This is probably the most underrated of the Trek movies.

The success of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan made a 3rd Trek film obvious. Naturally, some fans wondered how such a film would go without the beloved Spock. But the ending of the previous film certainly suggested the possibility that Spock could return. Hence, Paramount asked Nimoy, whose love for the character and Trek was essentially renewed during the filming of Wrath of Khan to return. Nimoy agreed on one condition: he would be allowed to direct the 3rd movie. Paramount agreed, although Nimoy said they dragged their feet on the issue before an agreement was offically made. With that, and a script by returning producer Harve Bennett, Nimoy directed his 1st feature film(he previously directed television, including an episode of Shatner's series T.J. Hooker). The film itself starts with a recap of the ending of the previous one (curiously, this is how the first few sequels to Paramount's Friday the 13th series also started). After the opening credits, Kirk states in his log that the Enterprise is heading back to Earth, while David and Saavik (now played by Robin Curtis) are exploring the newly created Genesis planet.

Elsewhere, a small vessel is awaiting a rendezvous with what turns out to be a Klingon Bird of Prey. The Klingon ship's captain, Kruge (Christopher Lloyd) is obtaining info on Genesis which his contact/lover Valkris (Catherine Schirriff) has obtained for him. When she reveals that she has seen the data for herself, Kruge subsequently destroys the ship she is on and orders his ship toward Federation space.

Arriving at the Spacedock station orbiting Earth, the Enterprise docks and the crew eyes the new U.S.S. Excelsior. That's when Chekov informs Kirk that someone has broken into Spock's quarters. Kirk goes to investigate and, upon entering, hears Spock's voice coming from a shadowed figure in a corner. Kirk quickly grabs the figure, which turns out to be McCoy, who says he wants to go home, although Bones is referring to Vulcan in this case. After McCoy collapses, Kirk orders a medical team to Spock's quarters.

Admiral Morrow (Robert Hooks) is later seen evaluating Kirk and company with high praise, although he informs Scotty that his new assignment will be as Captain of Engineering for the Excelsior and that the Enterprise is set to be retired. Morrow also informs Kirk that Genesis has become a rather controversial subject of late and that Starfleet has declared it off limits.

On his Bird of Prey, Kruge and his officers Torg and Maltz are reviewing the Genesis info, as explained by Kirk. The trio express their awe of what Genesis is capable of. After ordering Maltz away, Kruge confides in Torg that they are going to Genesis to attempt to get the secret of the device, which would potentially benefit the Klingon Empire.

We next see the U.S.S. Grissom arriving on Genesis. Aboard are David and Saavik, who begin scanning the planet and discover Spock's casket on the surface, along with a life form. This astonishes everyone as the device was not designed to create anything other than plant life. But Saavik and David convince Captain Esteban (Philip R. Allen) to let them beam down to investigate.

Kirk is at his apartment with Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura discussing recent events. The Enterprise is set to be decommissioned and McCoy is at home sedated. That's when they get an unexpected visit from Spock's father Sarek (Mark Lenard), who requests to speak to Kirk. After Uhura, Chekov, and Sulu leave, Sarek quickly cuts off Kirk's overtures to express his dismay at leaving Spock's body on Genesis. Kirk states that he didn't know what else to do, which leads to Sarek mind melding with him. Sarek is disappointed as the meld reveals that Spock did not mind meld with Kirk, as Sarek thought he had. That's when Kirk thinks that Spock may have potentially done so with someone else.

Looking at records from the previous film, they discover that Spock mind melded with McCoy before he went into the radiation chamber. Sarek says that this means McCoy now possesses Spock's katra, his spirit, and must be brought to Vulcan with Spock's body in order for McCoy's madness to stop. Kirk vows to do so. Saavik and David beam down and find Spock's casket, which is empty, save for Spock's burial robe. They also find small, wormlike creatures surrounding the casket. But they are startled by a small tremor accompanied by what sounds like a cry.

At Spacedock, Morrow denies Kirk's request to go to Genesis and implores him to not pursue the matter further. Meeting up with Sulu and Chekov, Kirk says he's going anyway and they give him their full support. Elsewhere, McCoy is at a bar, where he meets an alien, whom McCoy is trying to get to take him to Genesis. But the alien freaks out when Bones tells him of his destination, prompting a nearby security officer to take McCoy into custody.

Kirk arrives to visit McCoy at his cell, which is a prelude to a break out, which Sulu quickly assists with after arriving himself. They meet up with Uhura who, after forcing a dorky officer manning the transporter with her into a nearby closet, says she'll keep him occupied and meet up with them at Vulcan before beaming the trio to the Enterprise. There, they meet up with Scotty and Chekov. Kirk says that they can still change their minds as he and McCoy are the ones who must do this, but they defiantly stand with Kirk. With that, they get the ship ready to depart. The Excelsior's captain Styles (James B. Sikking) is informed of this and powers his ship up to pursue. After getting the Spacedock doors open, the Enterprise quickly warps away. The Excelsior attempts to follow suit, only to realize their warp engines won't activate and the ship is left adrift.

Scotty informs everyone that he disabled the Excelsior's engines before arriving on the Enterprise, which Kirk quickly orders to Genesis. David and Saavik, now in a snow covered desert, soon find the other life form, a mute Vulcan child Saavik realizes is Spock. David says Genesis regenerated Spock to give him this youthful appearance. Saavik calls the Grissom and requests that they beam up. But Esteban decides to call Starfleet first. However, his message is jammed as Kruge's ship arrives. He orders his gunner to disable the Grissom, and kills the gunner when the torpedo fired ends up destroying the ship instead. But Torg informs Kruge that there are people on the planet who could be useful.

As the Enterprise continues toward Genesis, David admits to Saavik that the reason Genesis is being so wacky like this is because he put to bad mojo into the device in order to cut a few scientific corners. She berates him n her Vulcan way for doing so. Kruge and two of his men come across Spock's casket and see that the worms have grown. Kruge shows off his Klingon strength by killing one of them. That night, Saavik notes that Spock's rapid aging is leading to Pon Farr. That's when they realize they are being followed and David volunteers to see who it is. The Enterprise arrives at Genesis, with our heroes puzzled that the Grissom isn't responding to Starfleet's hails. Kruge soon captures Saavik, David and Spock but, before he can do anything, is informed that the Enterprise is approaching. With his ship still cloaked, Kruge returns and attempts to disable the Enterprise. But Kirk and Sulu realize that there is a cloaked ship nearby and prep for battle themselves. As Kruge's ship decloaks, the Enterprise disables it, killing Kruge's vicious looking dog. But Kruge manages to return fire and, with the shields disabled, the Enterprise takes its own direct hit. Kruge is surprised that the ship is now disabled. Kirk subsequently hails him asking why he's in Federation space. Kruge replies that he has hostages connected with Genesis and will kill them if Kirk doesn't surrender. Kirk manages to talk to Saavik, who informs him that Spock is among them, and David, who admits that he is the reason Genesis is now destablizing and will soon destroy itself. Kruge then proves his serious by ordering one of the prisoners killed. One Klingon takes out a huge knife and moves toward Saavik before David intervenes and, after a brief struggle is killed.

A devestated Kirk agrees to surrender, while Kruge orders his men to prepare to board the Enterprise. Kirk orders Sulu and McCoy to the transporter room while he, Scotty, and Chekov arm the ship's auto-destruct. The five beams down mere seconds before Kruge's men arrive. Reaching the bridge, Torg informs Kruge that the ship is empty and allows his captain to listen to the computer he hears on the bridge. Recognizing it's a countdown, Kruge unsuccessfully orders his men back before the ship blows up.

Watching the destruction of their beloved ship from the surface of Genesis, Bones reassures Kirk that he's, once again, turned death into a fighting chance to live. Sulu points the way to life forms and our heroes soon take out one Klingon upon reaching them while Spock, now deeper in Pon Farr, previously took out the other. After briefly mourning David's nearby body, Saavik informs Kirk that the only way to help Spock, whom McCoy has now sedated, is to get him off the planet. Seeing a Klingon communicator, Kirk contacts a devastated Kruge and says, if he wants Genesis, he has to beam everyone up to his ship. But Kruge beams down himself, where he disarms Kirk and has everyone else except Spock beamed to his ship. Kruge demands Genesis, but Kirk states that they must work together as the planet is destroying itself. This leads to a fight with Kirk ultimately triumphing. He goes to Spock's body and, after realizing he looks like Nimoy again, imitates Kruge's voice in order to be beamed up.

Quickly subduing Maltz (John Larroquette), who is last of Kruge's men, the crew manage to take the Klingon ship to Vulcan. En route, there is a touching scene with McCoy telling Spock that he missed him and wouldn't want to lose him again. Arriving at Vulcan, they meet up with Uhura and Sarek, who takes everyone to the Vulcan priestess T'Lar (Dame Judith Anderson). Sarek requests the ancient ritual known as Fal Tor Pan, to put Spock's consciousness back into his body. T'Lar informs him that the ritual is simply a legend and is potentially dangerous, both to Spock and McCoy, who amusing agrees to submit to it. The crew wait throughout the subsequent evening as T'Lar simultaneously melds with Spock and McCoy.

At dawn, McCoy informs Kirk that he's fine, but Sarek says that they must wait regarding Spock. He thanks Kirk and expresses sadness that this effort has essentially cost Kirk both his son and his ship. But Kirk says he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he hadn't at least tried. Spock is quietly brought out and quietly looks at each of his comrades before stopping finally at Kirk. He asks why Kirk would do this for him, and the film ends with Spock slowly but surely recognizing him and everyone else.

Nimoy being signed on as director of the film pretty much told everyone that Spock would return. While on the one hand, this may have diminished some of the power of Wrath of Khan, this film still managed to surprise me. Unlike the previous year's Return of the Jedi, The Search for Spock, like Wrath of Khan, has a bittersweet ending, even though our heroes have accomplished their objective of getting their pal back, essentially repaying him for saving them at the end of the previous film. Indeed, sacrifice plays a part in this film, too. Kirk and company's decision to throw their careers away to restore Spock to life ends up costing Kirk both his son and even his ship. Hence, for the next two years, while I suspected our heroes would get a new ship in the inevitable Star Trek IV, I also knew that there were some issues that needed to be addresed before they could enjoy their new home!