Customer Reviews
Enjoyable sci-fi. - By: N. Thompson, 04 Jul 2008 
'The Search for Spock' continues where 'The Wrath of Khan' left off & its a fine continuation of the franchise. Like many of the original movies, it has dated but that doesnt spoil the fun. This is also the first star Trek film where the Klingons take on the role as the major villians. The original crew still alll look yound enough to make it believable & there are some inpressive visual effects for a sci-fi movie this old. A must for even the most casual of Star Trek fans.
Enterprising - By: Mr. S. Kerfoot, 30 Dec 2007 
Please forgive the title, it's nearly 2008 & here I am reveiwing a film nearly a quarter of a century old. But that's the point of the reveiw. Star Trek II is of course the best ST film. Star Trek III is however also very good. With a retrospective view, this film, one of the so callled poor odd ones in ST cinematography, is very fine indeed.
Does it have the tension of ST II? No. It's a different film entirely, the beautiful score is the exception, flowing seamlessly on. Why it wasn't continued in IV, V & VII I reallly have no idea. But like ST II, there is action aplenty, more thoughtful moments & yes, some superb special effects.
A film where Kirk & crew steal the Enterprise is never going to be the usual Star Trek. This film has one major plotline. Having read the novel of the film, you'd realise what they had to leave out. And that's the main problem with ST films; running time. However, the acting is better than usual in ST, the production values high & if ST IV hadn't started with the comedy moments as much as it did, ST V & VI would have been better too.
So, if new to Star Trek, watch ST II then this film for the two best films in the cannon.
'The Kobayashi Moru has set sail for the promised land'. - By: Mr. A. E. Hall, 08 Aug 2006 Star Trek III, The Search for Spock is often knocked for being one of the 'poor' Trek films. Yet whenever I hear people talk about the 'even numbered films' being so much better than the odds, I always come back to this film which is the best exception.
There are certainly flaws; once the Enterprise has docked in orbit near Earth, tedium sets in. Thankfully the film does pick up shortly, but during that segment, it appears as though the series is tiring, with a crew without a purpose & the investigation of Genesis proving unengaging.
The strengths, however, are many & strong: The Klingon Bird of Prey is outstanding, as is Christopher Lloyd as its Captain. The battered Enterprise looks superb & this is BY FAR the best film for shots of the great vessel. Both the docking & the theft of the ship are wonderful sequences, as it the brief encounter with the Klingons. The best scene in the film (and perhaps the best in alll of Star Trek) is the eventual destruction of the Enterprise. The scene is mesmerizing; never in my mind could I have expected to see such a fate for the great star ship.
Unfortunately the ending fails to captivate in quite the way it should. While certainly not boring, the incredible reincarnation of Spock is underwhelming.
The Search for Spock has some ordinary moments; these are mainly the parts in between the action which appear to be lacking in emotion (quite fitting seeing as how Leonard Nimoy was behind the camera). Nonetheless, the action packed parts in between make up for this & make this film thoroughly worthwhile.
One of the best - By: Dr. W. E. Allen, 18 Nov 2005 Let's be honest Star Trek has never been at its best in the cinema. The best of Trek is to be seen in the TV series. However as far as the films go this would have to be the second best, with only Star Trek 2: The wrath of Khan better. For me alll the other films both with original characters or those from the TNG have been silly, probably due to the light hearted ST IV having done well at the box office. But sorry if I want comedy I will watch a comedy film not a Star Trek film. As another reviewer has said of alll the scenes in Star Trek movies the scene with Kirk's theft of the aging & crippled Enterprise is the one that sticks most in my mind. It easily rivals Spock's death scene in the previous film. The ship always was one of the characters, & unlike spock she never did come back. For me no other version of the Enterprise was ever a patch on the good old NCC 1701.
one for all and all for one - By: Alejandra Vernon, 14 Jul 2004 Leonard Nimoy spent most of his time behind the camera directing this film, & though I miss his presence as Spock, it's one of my favorite of the Star Trek series; it's more subdued & introspective than the others, & the overalll theme is friendship, & risking one's life for a friend.
The year is 8210, & the plot centers around "The Genesis Effect", an experimental device that can be placed on a "lifeless space body", like a dead moon, & make it flourish with life, but because one of the scientists used risky methods, "life" is happening at a fast clip.
The evil Klingons of course, in their constant lust for power, want the "Genesis" secret, & Admiral Kirk must stop them.
William Shatner is fabulous as Kirk; I've always found him to be a unique, immensely watchable actor, & alll the original ensemble cast is wonderful: DeForest Kelley ~ McCoy, James Doohan ~ Scotty, George Takei ~ Sulu, Walter Koenig ~ Chekov, Nichele Nichols ~ Uhura. Added are Mark Lenard as Spock's father Sarek, Robin Curtis as Lt. Saavik, Merritt Butnick as Kirk's son David, & Christopher Lloyd as the Klingon Kruge. Dame Judith Anderson plays the Vulcan priestess TLar, in a scene that is high camp, & quite marvelous.
There are some nifty special effects on the Planet Genesis, & some nice cinematography by Charles Correll, as well as an exceptionallly lovely score by James Horner. Leonard Nimoy gave this film a moody, thoughtful atmosphere, & it works for me, & I find the ending quite touching, no matter how many times I see it.
Total running time is 105 minutes.
