A Straight Line

As far as time-travel movies go, The Voyage Home has a ridiculously simple narrative structure. It makes Back to the Future look like Primer.

We follow the crew of Enterprise for most of the movie. There are a few scenes that take place elsewhere, like on the USS Saratoga or at Starfleet HQ, but these are few and far between. If you asked us to make a drawing that represents the narrative technique of The Voyage Home, we'd draw a straight line.

That being said, the narrative branches slightly when the crew travels to the past. They separate into small groups and take on different tasks. Despite this, there's a great deal of interplay between the stories, making it feel cohesive. In other words, folks, there are no crazy time-travel paradoxes here. Breathe easy.