(Credit IMDb) Admiral James T. Kirk is still in charge of a space fleet, but from behind a desk. Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock convince him to take on a mission which sounds simple, but with the appearance of the mysterious Khan, things get a little tricky.

After the dreadfully boring original, the franchise decided to step it up, and give us a worthy Star Trek movie. While it's not a classic like fans claim, it's still very enjoyable and a memorable movie that holds up well. Ricardo Montalban gives a performance for the ages of Khan, and some of the scenes he had with Shatner are classical. Star Trek's main fault was that nothing of note ever happened really, here the filmmakers made sure to give us some entertaining things, and things we could pay attention too. The final showdown is great, and it was a fitting follow-up, considering the disappointment I felt with my Star Trek viewing.

Performances. William Shatner is great as Kirk. He's focused, likable, and managed to inject charisma this time around. Ricardo Montalban is utterly spellbinding as Khan. His menacing attitude I could never forget, and his actions where we first see him appear on screen I will never forget. DeForest Kelley and Leonard Nimroy both give fine performances as Spock and Dr. McCoy. Kristie Alley is actually pretty good in an early role. Unfamiliar Trekkies might be amused to see her here.

Bottom line. It's not the perfect follow-up many claim, but it's certainly great entertainment. For Star-Trek beginners, I would seriously recommend this film as your starting point.

8/10

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForrest Kelley. and the rest are back with a rather exciting installment to the "Star Trek" franchise. The writing is inspired, so the plot twists and turns are credible and the viewer doesn't get lost. The use of the "Kobayashi Maru" test exercise as a part of the situations encountered by the characters throughout the movie was well-thought and complemented the action well. Spock and Kirk make a classic heroic team in this movie, and use guile more than brute force to engage their enemy, the "Khan" of this movie. Ricardo Montalban is delectable in his role as the villain, and is a perfect counterpoint to Kirk as an adversary.

This movie, more than any other "Star Trek" movie, inspired a multitude of parodies, which ranged from making fun of Montalban's accent to Shatner's over-the-top scream when Kirk is trapped inside of a planet: "KKKHHHAAANNN!" To be fair, it's not as over-the-top as Daniel Day-Lewis screaming "DRAINAGE!" in "There Will Be Blood," but watching Mr. Shatner's face scrunch in mock-anger is still a classic scene of cinematic melodrama.

Fans of science fiction will enjoy "The Wrath of Khan." It's more intelligent than the "Star Wars" movies, and the action is more subdued, but the cast's acting and the plot are still engaging and entertaining.

I totally loved this film the first time I saw it and have seen it over and over. Bringing in a character from an old Star Trek episode was inspired and Ricardo Montalban doesn't disappoint. Wrath of Khan is exciting, compelling, poignant and sad. Kirk's dealing with the aging process, his family and, ultimately, his brotherhood with Spock makes this film a very special entry in the Star Trek series.