Star Trek: The Motion Picture

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Star Trek: The Motion Picture

G

1979

2h 12m

Sci-Fi

Adventure

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

51%

Tomatometer

59 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

The Federation calls on Adm. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the crew of the Starship Enterprise to contain an immense nimbused object that's on a crash course with Earth. After investigating, the crew discovers that the alien cloud harbors artificial intelligence with an ominous primary directive. Crisis strikes when a probe dispatched by the energy cloud attacks the crew, abducting navigator Lt. Ilia (Persis Khambatta). An android look-alike containing her memories shows up soon after.

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Critics Consensus

Featuring a patchwork script and a dialogue-heavy storyline whose biggest villain is a cloud, Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a less-than-auspicious debut for the franchise.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

Aug 19, 2022

4/5

A cerebral, 2001: A Space Odyssey-inspired story that sends our heroes into the heart of a dangerous alien megaship. Yet what they discover... is the essence of human scientific inquiry and the existential despair at reaching the end of all knowing.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Aug 18, 2022

4/5

It’s a bit overextended but very watchable with flourishes of exotic invention...

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Arthur Knight

The Hollywood Reporter

Dec 7, 2021

No mistake about it, Star Trek is a big movie - big in scope, big in spectacle and, most important, big in entertainment values.

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

Jul 6, 2025

2/4

Shatner’s performance is always one of the weakest of the original crew and there’s not much here that disproves that notion. While he’s adequate, those around him help prop up his liabilities.

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Terry Grimley

Birmingham Mail

Sep 22, 2024

In fact, so much more was apparently spent on the effects than on the script that the chief mystery is why there is so little action and so much talk.

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Jan 17, 2024

Star Trek is good entertainment, with moments of genuine lyricism and no convincing reason to last two hours and eleven minutes. [Full review in Spanish]

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Marc milinovich

3 days ago

Excellent movie with excellent acting for the first Star Trek movie

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Donavan H

3 days ago

The Enterprise never looked more gorgeous, and seeing an episode of the show on the big screen was fun.

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First L

3 days ago

This was fun. Directors cut. Vastly improves the movie.

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John O

3 days ago

Amazing film. My favorite of all the Treks!

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Tristan

4 days ago

The director's cut is much better than the original in my opinion. The practical effects are great, the music is wonderful, but many of the shots are far too long and could have done with a trimming.

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Michael H

4 days ago

So rare to see an old episode on the big screen. Thanks for that! And I always take advantage of the opportunity to see The Motion Picture in the cinema!

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Robert Wise

Director

William Shatner

Admiral

Leonard Nimoy

Commander Spock

DeForest Kelley

Lt. Cmdr, Leonard H. 'Bones' McCoy, M.D.

Stephen Collins

Capt.

Persis Khambatta

Lieutenant Ilia

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Synopsis

The Federation calls on Adm. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the crew of the Starship Enterprise to contain an immense nimbused object that's on a crash course with Earth. After investigating, the crew discovers that the alien cloud harbors artificial intelligence with an ominous primary directive. Crisis strikes when a probe dispatched by the energy cloud attacks the crew, abducting navigator Lt. Ilia (Persis Khambatta). An android look-alike containing her memories shows up soon after.

Director: Robert Wise
Producer: Gene Roddenberry
Screenwriter: Alan Dean Foster, Harold Livingston
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Century Associates
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 6, 1979, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 16, 2009
Runtime: 2h 12m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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