Analysis
Symbols and Tropes
Hero's Journey
Ever notice that every blockbuster movie has the same fundamental pieces? A hero, a journey, some conflicts to muck it all up, a reward, and the hero returning home and everybody applauding his or...
Setting
Enterprise and the Klingon EmpireIt's the same Enterprise we know and love, but it just feels...different. Darker. More claustrophobic. More tense. It's giving us shivers just thinking about it. An...
Point of View
Slow-Cooked StorytellingThe Undiscovered Country is all about the slow buildup of tension.The opening of the movie makes the overall narrative fairly clear: the crew of Enterprise must make peace w...
Genre
Science-Fiction; Political Thriller; ParablePro-tip: if it's Star Trek, it's science fiction. Unlike Star Wars, which takes a fantastical approach to its interstellar setting, Star Trek tries to re...
What's Up With the Title?
Oh, wow—a movie with a Shakespeare quote for a title. What a novel concept.Recognize the quote in question? No? We'll give you a hint: it's from Hamlet.Check it out:HAMLETFor who would bear the w...
What's Up With the Ending?
After showing the Shakespeare-quoting General Chang who's boss, the crew of Enterprise rushes down to Camp Khitomer to stop the assassination attempt on the Federation President. They accomplish th...
Shock Rating
PGThis is some good, clean Star Trek fun. The only bit of gore is some blood during Gorkon's assassination scene, but the CGI is so delightfully cheesy that we can't help but giggle.