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Movies / On DVD / Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

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Reviews Counted:38

Fresh:29

Rotten:9

Average Rating:6.4/10

Consensus: Though it may be short on dazzling special effects, The Search for Spock is still a strong Star Trek installment, thanks to affecting performances by its iconic cast.

Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Synopsis: In the third STAR TREK feature film, directed by Leonard Nimoy, Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) has defeated the genetically created genius Khan, but Spock (Nimoy) is dead and McCoy (DeForest... In the third STAR TREK feature film, directed by Leonard Nimoy, Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) has defeated the genetically created genius Khan, but Spock (Nimoy) is dead and McCoy (DeForest Kelley) is suffering from a strange mental aberration. Defying Starfleet orders, Kirk takes the Enterprise to Genesis to recover the body of Spock. Wonders--and dangers--await the Enterprise crew on the strange new planet. [More]

Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan

Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Christopher Lloyd, Merritt Butrick

Director: Leonard Nimoy

Director: Leonard Nimoy
Composer: James Horner

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Release:

May 1, 2003

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Reviews for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

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1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z)
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Decent SFX, but a little more action wouldn't have gone amiss.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out

One of the best of the series.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
05/26/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

'Star Trek III' takes nearly forty minutes, much of which is filled with silly, mystical exposition about the current state of Spock's soul, before things start moving. The last twenty minutes are equally slow, but the stuff in between is quite enjoyable.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It has the physique and will of a bold adventurer, but it's afflicted with acute brain-stem damage. Mixed in among some of Trekdom's best moments are some of the canon's sloppiest choices...

Full Review Source: DVDJournal.com | comment Comment
04/08/06
Mark Bourne
Mark Bourne
DVDJournal.com

Offers a thiought-provoking treatment of the mind-body problem.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
07/23/03
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

The best odd-numbered Trek movie.

Full Review Source: Film Written Magazine | comment Comment
10/28/01
Shay Casey
Shay Casey
Film Written Magazine

This is a good but not great Star Trek movie, a sort of compromise between the first two.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

May be the unappreciated middle child of the Trek franchise, but it's still one of better and more indispensable episodes.

Full Review Source: Decent Films Guide | comment 1 Comment
02/11/06
Steven D. Greydanus
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films Guide

All the old Enterprise personnel carry the film, as it is more concerned with character re-animation than development.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
09/11/01
Nick Hilditch
Nick Hilditch
BBC

This 1984 film's few and unimpressive special effects evidently qualify it as science fiction, but the genre it really belongs to is the male weepie: there hasn't been a gooier buddy romance on the screen since Joe Buck took Ratso Rizzo to Miami.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 3 Comments
06/04/07
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Something of a let-down, a longwinded paean to the grandeur of Leonard Nimoy’s famous Vulcan character, which shouldn’t come as much surprise since Nimoy himself directed it.

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment 1 Comment
11/10/02
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

Directed by Leonard Nimoy, this episode could best be described as functional, in that the situation is interesting enough for a routine episode of the TV show.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
10/28/02
Jeremiah Kipp
Jeremiah Kipp
Filmcritic.com

...a somber, mournful installment of the Star Trek franchise. And when the defining trait of your series is dullness, this isn't exactly the best strategy.

Full Review Source: LarsenOnFilm | comment 1 Comment
03/25/09
Josh Larsen
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm

The humanity of the Star Trek series, unexpected as it is in a sci-fi setting, remains the series' best feature.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Familiarity breeds contempt since this is not really a notable entry in the Star Trek series.

Full Review Source: Sci-Fi Movie Page | comment Comment
01/01/00
James O'Ehley
James O'Ehley
Sci-Fi Movie Page

These are classic directorial occasions, and Nimoy rises to them with fervor, in effect beaming his film up onto a higher pictorial plane than either of its predecessors.

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
05/03/09
Richard Schickel
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An emotionally satisfying science fiction adventure.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/26/09
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

christopher lloyd!

Full Review Source: sbs.is | comment Comment
07/05/08
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
sbs.is

If Wrath of Khan is the 'action' entry and Voyage Home is the 'comedy' installment, then Search for Spock is the 'drama' – and it's a damn good entry overall.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment 1 Comment
03/06/03
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
Apollo Guide

Not bad, but the series would boldly go to better places.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
05/19/08
Channel 4 Film
 
 
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Latest News for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

April 27, 2009: Trekking With Tim, Day Three: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Before I get into my assessment of Star Trek: The Search for Spock, allow me a brief moment of indulgence. After my first day of first grade, my parents asked me who was in my... More...

July 25, 2007: Has Abrams Found His Spock?
The guy's done a LOT of TV, but you'd probably remember him best from 24 or Heroes. And now it looks like the guy (Zachary Quinto is his name) has been tapped to play Spock in... More...

February 28, 2007: New "Star Trek" Flick to Hit Theaters on Christmas (2008)
Pretty slow news week, so here's a really short one: Paramount's 11th "Star Trek" flick will hit theaters on Christmas Day 2008. As reported a few days back, J.J.... More...

January 11, 2007: J.J. Abrams Wants Newbies to See His "Star Trek" Movie
In the world of fandom, you simply won't find many groups as old-school passionate as the "Star Trek" enthusiasts. So whenever a new movie or TV series is announced,... More...

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