Film: Star Trek IV:The Voyage Home (40th Anniversary)

The one with the whales.

I’ve caught parts of this on TV over the years, but seeing it on the big screen for its 40th anniversary was a treat. Since I’d never seen the beginning, I started to doubt my memory, but I settled in with a hot chocolate for a rare evening cinema trip (a fun break from our regular Friday afternoon coffee routine).

It’s fascinating how well its 1986 commentary on climate change and sustainability holds up, all without mentioning those exact terms. Kirk, Spock, and crew jump back to 1980s San Francisco to rescue humpback whales (extinct in the 23rd century) and save Earth. My favourite lines are when Dr McCoy declares everything in 20th-century medicine and culture utterly barbaric and primitive.

Directed by Leonard Nimoy, it’s easily one of the most comforting and repeatable Star Trek films. While my family watched the original series together, I missed these films when they originally hit cinemas. Seeing it on a proper screen was time well spent, especially as a cosy continuation of our Paris trip ending the night before.

7½/10