Movies - TV
Star Trek: The Motion Picture Isn't Boring
By WILLIAM BIBBIANI
Many consider "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" to be a gigantic blockbuster production that was boring, measured, ponderous, and almost entirely devoid of all that mainstream audiences seemed to crave. However, some believe that it’s exciting and interesting cinema, and a fascinating adaptation of all the "Star Trek" TV episodes that came before it.
When it premiered in 1979, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" found itself struggling with a world that suddenly had a different idea of what a space opera should look like, thanks to “Star Wars.” Instead of dashing adventures, Robert Wise's film was a mature, serious science fiction drama about middle-aged men mulling over the ineffability of the universe and their tiny place within it.
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture" is about serious science-fiction considerations regarding the nature of consciousness and existence itself, and thanks to the film's final twist, the strange butterfly effect that may impact events in the distant future. One of the criticisms is that the film borrows elements from the original TV series.
Yet, "The Motion Picture" is the first time fans saw the Enterprise in all its splendor, as well as what every episode of the show would have looked like this whole time if it had the budget to realize its ambitions. "The Motion Picture" wanted to recreate an episode about space, the final frontier, and the place sentient beings have against the backdrop of infinity.