--- title: "Star Trek: The Motion Picture: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/star-trek-the-motion-picture/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/star-trek-the-motion-picture" critics_score: 67 critics_reviews: 14 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979): what the critics said Critics' score 67 from 14 reviews: 11 positive, 1 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics come down in its favour, and the warmest reviews are the most recent. Praise clusters on the scale of the thing: Douglas Trumbull’s effects, Jerry Goldsmith’s brassy score and the long, unhurried approach to V’Ger draw admiration across four decades of notices. Several reviews of the restored versions argue that the film’s seriousness, its interest in consciousness and the search for meaning, now looks like a virtue rather than a failure to be fun, and that it plays as a proper 1970s space odyssey. The reservations cluster almost entirely on pace. Contemporary reviews call it sluggish and talky, and even admirers concede it drags. The spread is wide. The Times calls it possibly the most satisfying film in the franchise; Empire calls it the worst, with effects that look tacky beside Star Wars. The dissenters, Empire and The AV Club among them, mostly want the television series’ charm and do not find it here. ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★★★★☆. 19 August 2022. The critic argues the film is better than its initial reputation as a plodding sci-fi suggests, calling it possibly the most satisfying in the franchise. They single out the classier existential denouement involving V'ger and the lavishly shot heavy material for praise. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/star-trek-the-motion-picture-1979-review-kirks-first-theatrical-outing-is-better-than-you-remember-d23dd2sc6) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 December 1979. The film is a solid, well-made piece of work with an interesting premise about an alien entity seeking its origins, though familiarity with the TV characters somewhat undermines the sense of wonder. It lacks the brilliance of 2001 but delivers an enjoyable ride thanks to strong special effects that improve as the story progresses. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/star-trek-the-motion-picture-1979) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 18 August 2022. The critic finds the 4K restoration of the 1979 film watchable and enjoyable for its over-the-top acting and unhurried visionary sequences. They single out the theatrical resonance of the Kirk-Spock-McCoy dialogue scenes and Shatner's distinctive delivery for praise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/aug/18/star-trek-the-motion-picture-review-high-definition-with-enough-high-camp-to-boldly-go) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Arthur Knight Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 December 2021. The critic calls the film a big, spectacular epic with strong entertainment values and professional craftsmanship throughout. He praises the visual effects, score, photography and production design while noting some pacing issues and overly talky scenes. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/star-trek-the-motion-picture-1979-review-1235058609/) ## The New Yorker — Roger Angell Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 December 1979. It is a medium-range, medium-boring vehicle that is not as inventive as Star Wars or as beautiful as 2001, but there is room for it; the special effects and score create puzzling and awesome travelogues that make the trip enjoyable despite some deficiencies and familiar sci-fi tropes. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1979/12/17/high-and-low) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1978. Producer Roddenberry and director Wise deliver state-of-the-art screen magic with impressive effects under Trumbull and a brassy Goldsmith score that justify the budget; the film makes good use of TV familiarity in a search-and-destroy thriller with philosophical elements, romance, and a twist ending. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1978/film/reviews/star-trek-the-motion-picture-1200424425/) ## The AV Club — Zack Handlen Rating C. 21 May 2009. The critic finds the film overly long and lacking the charm of the original series, criticizing its tedious pacing and weak character work. He notes some effective visuals and ideas but concludes it fails to be fun or engaging. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/star-trek-star-trek-the-motion-picture-star-trek-1798206281) ## Los Angeles Times — Charles Champlin Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 9 December 1979. It is less a conventional film than a cultural phenomenon and fan reunion that audiences willed into being, with spectacular effects and polish from director Robert Wise, but it is sluggish and falls short of its aspirations despite the visual splendors and Goldsmith score. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-star-trek-motion-picture-review-19791210-snap-story.html) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic calls this the worst Star Trek film, failing to capture the TV series' tone with a dull, stretched plot and unconvincing effects that look tacky next to Star Wars. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/star-trek-motion-picture-review/) ## /Film — William Bibbiani Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 February 2023. The critic argues the film is riveting and exciting when seen as a serious, mature sci-fi drama continuing the TV series, praising its vast visual scale, effects, and exploration of consciousness and existence. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1196231/star-trek-the-motion-picture-isnt-boring-youre-just-not-watching-it-correctly/) ## Collider — Rebecca Landman Rating B+. 5 April 2022. The critic praises the Director’s Edition’s upgraded visual effects for finally realizing the film’s original vision as a grand space epic. They highlight how it celebrates the story’s exploration of human emotion versus logic and its role as the franchise’s big-screen origin. [Read the review](https://collider.com/star-trek-the-motion-picture-directors-edition-review/) ## Den of Geek — Charlie Brigden Rating 4/5. 8 May 2009. The critic appreciates the film's epic scope and visuals, especially the V’Ger sequences and Jerry Goldsmith's score, but criticizes the languid pacing, lack of urgency, and editing issues. Overall, it's a fascinating but flawed attempt at something more ambitious than typical Star Trek. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-trek-the-motion-picture-blu-ray-review/) ## Film Stories — A J Black Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2023. The critic views the film positively in retrospect as a philosophical work about connection, humanity, and the search for meaning, noting it gains emotional resonance with age despite its initial slow reputation and mixed reception. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/star-trek-revisited-the-motion-picture-1979-and-a-film-whose-reputation-has-enhanced-over-time/) ## The Ringer — Tim Greiving Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 5 April 2022. The critic argues the restored film is the best entry for non-fans, praising its patient, meditative sci-fi approach, Jerry Goldsmith score, and naturalistic performances as a thoughtful 1970s space odyssey focused on humanity’s search for meaning. They note its contrast to the more action-oriented sequels and its critical and commercial success upon release. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2022/04/05/movies/star-trek-the-motion-picture-restoration-trekkies) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/star-trek-the-motion-picture.md