All the king's men, including Syd Meade, Alan Dean Foster, John Dykstra, Phil Jounau, Douglas Trumball and Isaac Asimov (!), couldn't put this cracked egg together.
But they almost did.
I hadn't seen this since it was first running on cable around 1981, but lately I watched the 130 minute widescreen version, and it was not nearly as dreadful as I had recalled. Maybe the 142 minute pan-and-scan would've eventually sent me hurling my tv into the bathtub (the way I remembered the picture), but, AHEM, this time it was pretty good.
Highlights include the late (bless him) DeForest Kelly showing up with a Grizzly Adams beard, infuriated about being recalled into service; Shatner's eternal and indestructible ego served by the plot (he's actually supposed to be more full of himself than usual); the revelation in the cloud, and Spock's simple refusal even to be mildly polite with anyone.
Downsides include the outright clumsiness of the romantic sub-plot and the heavy-handedness of nearly everything. Blame Robert Wise for the above. You'd think that with the talent array behind the cameras and the moolah thrown at this puppy, they'd have gotten someone with a little more zip to helm it (and yes, I think "The Andromeda Strain" is over-rated). Also on the con-side of things is the needless wormhole sequence, which only manages to make it seem as if the crew dropped acid before taking off.
A near miss at being a good film and definitely worth a second look.
(Don't miss the moment where Chekhov gets zapped at his station - his reaction is Star Trek at its cheesy best).
But they almost did.
I hadn't seen this since it was first running on cable around 1981, but lately I watched the 130 minute widescreen version, and it was not nearly as dreadful as I had recalled. Maybe the 142 minute pan-and-scan would've eventually sent me hurling my tv into the bathtub (the way I remembered the picture), but, AHEM, this time it was pretty good.
Highlights include the late (bless him) DeForest Kelly showing up with a Grizzly Adams beard, infuriated about being recalled into service; Shatner's eternal and indestructible ego served by the plot (he's actually supposed to be more full of himself than usual); the revelation in the cloud, and Spock's simple refusal even to be mildly polite with anyone.
Downsides include the outright clumsiness of the romantic sub-plot and the heavy-handedness of nearly everything. Blame Robert Wise for the above. You'd think that with the talent array behind the cameras and the moolah thrown at this puppy, they'd have gotten someone with a little more zip to helm it (and yes, I think "The Andromeda Strain" is over-rated). Also on the con-side of things is the needless wormhole sequence, which only manages to make it seem as if the crew dropped acid before taking off.
A near miss at being a good film and definitely worth a second look.
(Don't miss the moment where Chekhov gets zapped at his station - his reaction is Star Trek at its cheesy best).