Star Trek: The Motion Picture

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Star Trek: The Motion Picture

G

1979

2h 12m

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

51%

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59 Reviews

42%

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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)

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.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 19, 2022

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

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

Rated: 4/5

Aug 18, 2022

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Arthur Knight

The Hollywood Reporter

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

Dec 7, 2021

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

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.

Rated: 2/4

Jul 6, 2025

Full Review

Terry Grimley

Birmingham Mail

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.

Sep 22, 2024

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

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]

Jan 17, 2024

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Joel H

It’s fascinating how Star Trek: The Motion Picture came to be made a decade after the TV series was canceled. And I’m sure that it must have been thrilling for fans of the show to see their heroes (and the Enterprise) on the big screen. It definitely looks crisper and more polished than The Original Series. However, this movie spends way too much time showing off its intricate sets and models. There are prolonged scenes of slow space travel without any dialogue that really bog down the momentum. So while it was interesting to see Star Trek: The Motion Picture, I don’t think I’ll be watching it again.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/27/25

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Alan David J

A long drawn out start to a Star Trek film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/13/25

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Adam W

A film that hasn’t aged particularly well. There’s a really good episode of Star Trek in here, but it’s ballooned to be twice as long as it should be, largely with meandering shots of the Enterprise floating through space. While the impressive special effects for the time might have helped the film get by upon release, it just doesn’t hold the same luster in the modern day. Still, it’s an interesting adventure with a great conclusion.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/11/25

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Wesly R

Awesome flick! Only tools who crave guns, car chases, and explosions every minute throughout the whole duration of a movie call it "slow" "boring" or "motionless". Such viewers are the reason we get all these big dumb action "blockbusters" with goons like Vin Diesel, The Rock, and Schwarzenegar.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/10/25

Full Review

Paul S

It was kind of boring and the story was uninteresting for the most part. It was still fun to watch and the visuals were really captivating. I definitely recommend it for sci-fi and exploration fans, and of course for Star Trek fans.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/08/25

Full Review

Brad L.

The latest directors cut is fantastic!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/03/25

Full Review

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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

Movieclips: Star Trek - Spock's Best Scenes

25:54

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Official Clip - Kirk Needs Bones

1:53

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Official Clip - Spock Reports for Duty

2:12

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Official Clip - Kirk Takes Over

1:35

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Official Clip - VGER is a Child

1:48

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Official Clip - Attempting to Communicate

1:31

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Official Clip - VGER is Voyager 6

2:12

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Official Clip - The Light Probe

2:03

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Official Clip - VGER's Journey

1:11

Star Trek: The Motion Picture: Official Clip - Thattaway

2:13

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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
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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