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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Play trailer 1:06 Poster for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock PG 1984 1h 45m Sci-Fi Action Adventure Drama Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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78% Tomatometer 51 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Adm. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) has defeated his archenemy but at great cost. His friend Spock has apparently been killed, the USS Enterprise is being scrapped, and starship physician Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) has taken ill. McCoy's odd behavior is evidence he's harboring Spock's katra, or animating spirit, and Kirk seeks to take the Enterprise back to the Genesis Planet and find his friend. Rebuffed, Kirk takes dramatic action that results in war with deadly Klingons.
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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

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Critics 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.

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Critics Reviews

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian 06/14/2024
4/5
You will have to disregard the fact that Kirk and a handful of intimates manage to pilot the Enterprise on their own. But this episode is written and performed with muscular vigour and attack, and there are some nice moments. Go to Full Review
Jay Carr Boston Globe 04/26/2018
This "Star Trek," the liveliest and most likable of the three, will satisfy hard-core Trekkies and win more than a few new recruits to their ranks. Go to Full Review
Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times 09/07/2016
"Star Trek III" has a genuine spirituality, and, at its end, you may be surprised, especially if you're not really a Trekkie, to realize how moved you've been. Go to Full Review
Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight Jul 6
3/4
The central villain of the film is under baked though delightfully portrayed by Christopher Lloyd. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 09/05/2023
3/4
Flaws aside, The Search for Spock is pleasant, character-driven entertainment. Go to Full Review
Kevin Carr Fat Guys at the Movies 06/16/2023
3/4
Not as iconic as The Wrath of Khan, this is still one of the better original Trek film, which stays close to the series original purpose. Go to Full Review
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Matthew H @RT46734446 2d The second of the three great trek movies. This time with a perfect rendition of the doc from back to the future as the evil villain in the story. The stealing of the Enterprise is by far one of the greatest scenes in all the trek movies. And the crews encounter with Kruge is brilliant. Photons launched at each other. Although the battle is very short it is brilliant with perfect music leading to his appearance in the klingon ship. Then the fall of the Enterprise makes the three points work brilliantly to make this movie perfect. Stealing the Enterprise, battle scene and the fall of the Enterprise. A perfect group of major moments in the movie. I can't really say how many times I've watched this movie, but since I was around 8 it's probably in the region of 50 times at least. And my VHS tape never failed until I decided to buy it on dvd and then stream it later in life. A very much recommended movie. You never get bored! See more Jim A. @clt2yngguy 3d The perfect middle child of a three movie group Star Trek 2, 3, and four together make one of the best stories in science fiction. Asimov, Roddenberry, and the entire crew really outdid themselves. The only negative I can say is we should have stuck with the same actresses. If the other one was not available it would be rather simple to change that person out to someone else. It could have been Carol Marcus, another individual from the station, or even a member of the grissom crew. The choice to change actresses like that and allow that to go through broke the magic of the movies a little bit. Otherwise a wonderful middle movie that puts the final end to what must be dealt with after Conn's use of the Genesis device. It's a moment of witnessing the rebirth of a Vulcan who ages along with the planet and when he reaches his full age as he was before it marks the destruction of the planet. In an amazing feat of automation, theft, and ingenuity. Scotty prepares the enterprise will occura sends them over and they break out of space stock heading to the grissom and hopefully Spock. Unfortunately when they arrive grissom cannot be located and Mr sulu catches the outline of a cloaked bird of prey. They quickly fire and the bird of prey takes the initial impact but, engaging emergency power they're able to return fire. The Enterprise shields were down since the automation that was set up was purely for locomotion. The only choice now is to destroy the Enterprise before the Klingons can salvage her. In an act nearly as heart-wrenching as the death of Spock in the prior movie, watching the final code 0 0 0 destruct 0 caused me to begin crying. I was 7 years old at the time and already hooked on the show. When I heard the command I remembered the episode with the white on one side and black on the other when Kirk had to do a bluff for the destruction of the enterprise. She does manage to take several Klingons down with her and as the saucer section explodes, the star drive section and the remaining portion of the saucer our vaporized in the atmosphere. The original Enterprise, the ship that started it all and caused a cultural phenomenon. The show has always given you something to look up to. It breaks down taboos and helps to show there could be a positive happy future. The storytelling is amazing and I'm just happy to have caught reruns of Star Trek that I liked to watch over and over again, I even watched it to the point I had to get new VHS tapes. See more Joel H @RT47793553 Nov 7 I had heard that the odd-numbered Star Trek movies are the bad ones, so I prepared myself to not like Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. However, I didn’t hate it. It does feel a little hokier than the previous films. Characters joke around more and the visual effects, while good for the 80s, feel dated now. It’s also strange how this film is a direct continuation of The Wrath of Kahn, and it also leads directly into The Voyage Home. That makes it feel more like a TV episode than a feature film. Nevertheless, despite its flaws, I thought Star Trek III: The Search for Spock was enjoyable enough. See more Rami A @Bunt101 Oct 14 This was a fun one. Although not as good as the Director's Edition of TMP, it was still solid. This is Leonard Nimoy (Spock 🖖🏻)'s directorial debut, and he does a great job with the technical stuff and performances. The only issue is the weak plot and the fight between Kirk and Krudge. See more Edward W @RT58165293 Sep 8 Severely underrated entry. Holds a nice bridge between to notable films. And that ending always brings a tear to my eye. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Jul 14 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Read all reviews
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

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Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Movieclips: Star Trek - Spock's Best Scenes Movieclips: Star Trek - Spock's Best Scenes 25:54 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - A Damn Illegal Thing Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - A Damn Illegal Thing 2:14 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - I'll Kill You Later Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - I'll Kill You Later 2:11 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - Ever Shall Be Your Friend Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - Ever Shall Be Your Friend 2:13 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - Be Careful What You Wish For Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - Be Careful What You Wish For 2:14 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip- A Klingon Bird of Prey Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip- A Klingon Bird of Prey 2:13 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - Don't Call Me Tiny Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - Don't Call Me Tiny 1:52 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - The Enterprise Self Destructs Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - The Enterprise Self Destructs 2:13 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - I Have Had Enough of You Star Trek III: The Search for Spock: Official Clip - I Have Had Enough of You 2:13 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Adm. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) has defeated his archenemy but at great cost. His friend Spock has apparently been killed, the USS Enterprise is being scrapped, and starship physician Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) has taken ill. McCoy's odd behavior is evidence he's harboring Spock's katra, or animating spirit, and Kirk seeks to take the Enterprise back to the Genesis Planet and find his friend. Rebuffed, Kirk takes dramatic action that results in war with deadly Klingons.
Director
Leonard Nimoy
Producer
Harve Bennett
Screenwriter
Harve Bennett
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures, Cinema Group Ventures
Rating
PG
Genre
Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure, Drama, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 1, 1984, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 16, 2009
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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