New Thoughts on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Entry posted by doctorclu
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--New Thoughts on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan---
Seeing Star Trek 2 on the big screen was the first time I've been able to do that since I was in the 5th grade. Naturally it was a big deal and for so many reasons 1) the phaser fire effect in the ship battles 2) James Horner's theme music 3) the story 4) The awesome uniforms. In truth, there was so much done right, why did they ever have to change things in the movie series from there on?
Anyway, in adult eyes, Star Trek II is about a man feeling the effects of growing old. Man I think all of us in the theater could relate. And I could only laugh as he held the book at arm's length to read it as my eyes are doing the same. 
I thought it was cool how Kirk was initially "Hey, I'm an admiral, there is this emergency, if you can give me a lift to Regulus that is all I need." Kirk really was not trying to take back the Enterprise. All of his "friends" thought Kirk never should have accepted the promotion to Admiral. How true to be promoted past a place in life that we were happy with. But let's be honest, you don't know what will work or not till you give a try.
Everyone in Star Trek II make great quotes. The movie is FULL of quotes. But if these people were talking to everyday people you would be like "What the hell? Just answer my damn question." 
So when the USS Reliant and USS Enterprise meet face to face the Reliant slows to 1/4 impulse power. So I read that impulse is generally limited to 1/4 light speed (167,654,157 mph), so 1/4 of that speed is 41,913,539 mph. So realistically Reliant and Enterprise should have barely saw each other as a blur as they whizzed by each other.
I never noticed that the back of Reliant had a "1" and "2" on the back of it. Wild.
Man Lt. Saavak was OBSESSED with loosing in the Kobayashi Maru test. I mean it is not like Kirk outright failed her. Geez, you are half vulcan, get a grip. They never explained that Saavik was half vulcan/half romulan so to the viewer seeing her cry later on over Spock's death must have confused some fans since Vulcans don't usually show that kind of emotion. All and all, I thought she was a nice mix. Not too logical, with just enough emotion to be interesting. In the comic series between Star Trek II and Star Trek III by DC, they would feature a Star Trek with Saavik and without Spock. Some good stories too.
Kirk's quarters at home had some nice antiques, and one of which being a Commodore Pet computer? Nice! He is into ships, antique guns, armor, and a retro computer. I like this guy even more now.
Kahn was a flipping idiot. But this a good object lesson in revenge. Strangely the more you try to enact revenge, the more you hurt yourself. Kahn could have gone anywhere, maybe even taken over a outpost or a planet. With Genesis he could have created a planet. So much waste. But then again, having to survive in harsh conditions for years and years can take a toll on your sanity.
And I always thought: Is it REALLY that hard to find a lifeless planet? Regulas 1, that the scientific outpost was around, was lifeless till they had to populate tunnels with life. Always cracked me up about this movie "We have been searching for a planet with no life, so far, no success". Really?!
And finally, does the Genesis Torpedo also make a orbiting star for the planet for no extra charge?
OH! And Kahn's crew. He boasts that they committed themselves to live or die 200 years before Captain Terrel and Chekov were born. I don't think so. No one aside from Kahn look like they were part of the original crew as everyone else looks in their twenties. 
:/ As for the whole popular debate of if Chekov was on the ship, well, apparently he was in a previous episode and was around SOMEWHERE. And Enterprise is a big ship, soooo... why not? 
Overall, great movie, a great tale of ego and not given into ego. Or vengeance. Sooo much Moby Dick and Tale of Two Cities quoted.
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