Olatunde Osunsanmi’s new TV film “Star Trek: Part 31” includes the exploits of Empress Philippa Georgiou, an escapee from a parallel universe and the previous ruler of the evil Terran Empire. Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) is a depraved sadist, mass assassin, and vile cannibal who, due to some soul-searching adventures on board the united statesS. Discovery, proved that she was able to precise restraint. That was sufficient for Starfleet to recruit her for Part 31, the black-ops arm of the “Star Trek” universe.
Part 31 is, for a lot of Trekkies, antithetical to “Star Trek.” The group was launched within the sixth season of “Star Trek: Deep Area 9,” and it was all the time introduced as morally dodgy. Why would an ostensibly utopian future based mostly on pacifism, diplomacy, and scientific betterment require a CIA-like order of spies and assassins? Sure, the Federation had rivals and enemies, however all through most of “Star Trek: The Unique Sequence,” battle was to be averted in any respect prices. Part 31 depicted Starfleet as a corporation that was keen to interrupt its personal guidelines in occasions of battle. It did not slot in with “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry’s beliefs.
However we’ve got arrived at a Part 31 film regardless, and the filmmakers — mercifully — took a smart strategy to the controversial materials. Slightly than join “Part 31” on to the remainder of the “Star Trek” canon, or hyperlink it to an extant “Star Trek” story arc (like, for instance, a battle with the Klingons), it’s wholly separate, making solely scant references to the bigger “Star Trek” universe. This allowed “Part 31” to face as an unbiased sci-fi motion caper, free from the stuffiness of Starfleet diplomacy. It is extra like a heist film, that includes largely new aliens and characters.
So, we’ve got a “Star Trek” film that does not happen amongst Starfleet officers, is not set on a starship, does not possess any of the franchise’s well-worn utopian rules, is not paced like a “Star Trek” present, does not appear to be a “Star Trek” sequence, and includes a easy motion plot that “Star Trek” normally does not do.
Wait. Why is that this even “Star Trek?”
Part 31 is a motion/heist film greater than a Star Trek film
“Star Trek,” I’ve all the time felt, has functioned higher when it eschews motion. The extra historically action-packed “Star Trek” films, whereas thrilling, appear to be lacking the purpose. “Star Trek” is all the time at its greatest when it is wrestling with moral dilemmas or presenting actually cerebral sci-fi tales. The characters are able to preventing, and starships are geared up with weapons, however no Starfleet officer or vessel ever fees right into a state of affairs with phasers blazing. Motion films current violence as a simple resolution to tough issues; simply kill the Dangerous Man. “Star Trek,” usually refusing to undertake ethical absolutes, usually tries to transcend easy options, seeing each foe as a fancy, full particular person with their very own motivations.
“Part 31” is an motion movie through-and-through, full with informal murders, a number of battle scenes, and last-minute escapes. It does not really feel very “Star Trek” in any respect.
However that is solely a tonal situation. Heck, the Kelvin-verse films had an identical drawback. Greater than something, “Part 31,” in being so disconnected from the “Star Trek” universe at massive, does not really feel prefer it even must be “Star Trek.” The characters are broad archetypes and “Part 31” screenwriter Craig Sweeny appears to have created them out of entire material. There’s a Chameloid (Sam Richardson), sure, however he may have been any random shape-shifting species from any sci-fi story. There’s a Deltan (Humberly Gonzalez), however I’ve seen alien intercourse goddesses earlier than. Rachel Garrett (Kacey Rohl) seems in “Part 31,” however she does not look or behave just like the older model of the character Trekkies could bear in mind from “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology.”
This movie may have been launched as an unique motion/sci-fi caper, that includes all-new characters and aliens, and it will have functioned simply as effectively. The “Star Trek” imprimatur does not improve it and even alter the story one whit.
Star Trek has all the time had hassle defining life exterior of Starfleet
After all, the primary purpose “Part 31” feels wholly divorced from “Star Trek” is that it does not happen on a starship. Most “Star Trek” sequence thus far have been office exhibits, following officers who’ve essentially the most attention-grabbing job within the universe: piloting an area vessel towards unusual new worlds. There are engineers, science officers, and command officers who, utilizing their skilled acumen and interpersonal abilities, clear up advanced diplomatic points and unlock uncommon scientific secrets and techniques. Everybody works collectively they usually responded to a series of command. The army formality of Starfleet is essentially the most important element of “Star Trek.”
But it surely’s been uncommon for Trekkies to get to see what life is like exterior Starfleet. What does a mean citizen’s existence appear to be within the “Star Trek” universe? How does Roddenberry’s utopia seem on a non-military, on a regular basis situation? The “Star Trek” franchise has by no means actually outlined that a part of its mythology, at the very least not very effectively. “Part 31” opens in a hotel-like house station the place individuals collect to look at nightclub acts and drink. They put on wild fashions and appear to pay utilizing actual cash. Not one of the aliens are terribly acquainted. When a brand new character is launched, they’re given a “Suicide Squad”-like rundown of their backstory and traits. Here is the cyber-hulk with a mood (Sven Ruygrok). Here is the shapeshifter. Here is the mysterious FBI-like dude (Omari Hardwick). Here is the microscopic being that pilots a human-shaped android (Robert Kazinsky). I might suggest not getting killed by him.
It appears, although, that the civilian world of “Star Trek” is disappointingly generic. The magical Starfleet utopia hasn’t reached the world of “Part 31,” so it might as effectively happen wherever. This might have been a derivative of “Insurgent Moon,” for all of the connections it has to “Star Trek.” With just a few alterations, it may have even been a “Valerian” spinoff or a “Babylon 5” offshoot. As an entire, “Part 31” is as removed from “Star Trek” as “Star Trek” has ever been.
“Star Trek: Part 31” is now streaming on Paramount+.
