10 Reasons You Should Watch The Voyage Home

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is widely considered the most accessible Star Trek movie, which seems a little odd given the fact that the entire plot revolves around bunch of 23rd century guys going back to 1986 to steal a couple of whales. Still, I agree. This movie is accessible. It's funny and sweet and there's not a ton of Star Trek mythology weighing it down. If you've never seen it, you should check it out. Here's why:

1- Our rag-tag crew is without their Enterprise. From the get-go, they're running around in a stolen Klingon Bird of Prey, re-christened the HMS Bounty. This provides for lots of fish-out-of-water jokes and it's just really fun to watch them zip around in something so alien.

2- They use the same sling-shot-around-the-sun time travel technique Scotty developed in the TOS episode, "Tomorrow is Yesterday." It's a nice touch.

3- Seventh Heaven Mom is in it and I kept expecting her to say, "I can't go on a date with you, Kirk, because I've got a date with another handsome captain from the 23rd century. We're going to get married and live in a California suburb with our seven, unbelievably attractive children."

4- Spock's Headband is freaking awesome, especially when combined with Kirk's pantsuit. My grandma used to wear a blouse like that. I remember her referring to the color as 'dusky rose.' 

5- The team-ups are awesome. Kirk/Spock, Bones/Scotty, and Uhura/Chekov all go off to have their own little romps around 1986 San Francisco. Hijinks ensue. 

6- This film was released only months after the Challenger disaster took the lives of seven amazing men and women. Their simple choice of using the word, "spaceship" in the opening dedication of this film completely overwhelms me. I tear up just reading it. 

7- Temporal Prime Directive, Shemporal Prime Directive. These guys just need to get some damn whales on their damn ship.

8- Kirk manages to death-grip Dr. Gillian Taylor's shoulders without any foreseeable, horrific repercussions. Way to beat the odds, Seventh Heaven Mom!  

9- Mark Lenard is all over this movie. I've mentioned him a few times before. He plays Spock's dad, Sarek. I hope to have an entire post about him in the future because he is, hands down, my favorite recurring Star Trek actor. He was an amazing actor and human being and he brought weight to every scene he was ever in. I love him. 

10- And, finally, this is the poster: 

How can you not watch it after looking at this poster?