25th January, 2025: Star Trek: Section 31.
Right, then.
It’s early on a Saturday evening: and it’s dark out.
And?
Frankly, I’ve access to the latest Star Trek movie, Star Trek: Section 31.
Given it sees a return of Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou, possibly the best character to come out of Star Trek Discovery?
I’m going to be glued to it: then tell you what I thought, by this coming Monday, by 27th January.
You’ll be reading this … once I’m done.
25th January, 2025.
Part One: the Summary.
To show us a quote from Aeschylus, then shift: to show us a young Philippa Georgiou (Miku Martineau), returning to meet her family one final time … before poisoning them in the competition that leads to her claiming the throne of the Terran Empire.
The one last thing she must do?
Is enslave the one surviving competitor, San (James Huang), before she sits on the throne.
The scene shifts again: to a briefing film for a team from Section 31, the Federation’s Black Ops group: reminding us that that Philippa (Michelle Yeoh) is from a parallel universe, and that the former Emperor’s help is needed in retrieving an unidentified super weapon … before it goes off.
Then moves again: to show Philippa, happily in charge of a space-station sized nightclub called the Baraam.
Her only problem with what seems to be a good night?
Is the small team of Section 31 agents she’s seen scattered amongst the crowd: and that team’s leader, Alok (Omari Hardwick), heading rapidly towards her.
Alok … ?
Has a proposition for the former Emperor.
~≈🖖≈~
26th January, 2025.Part Two: Thoughts.
Now … what did I think of Star Trek: Section 31?
Of a film with an Oscar winning heavy-weight as its main attraction?
Let’s start with Michelle Yeoh, shall we?
Yeoh is superb!
From the film’s campy, opening scenes, right through to the dramatic ending, Yeoh put in one hell of a performance.
I don’t know if it’s her best: beyond Star Trek Discovery, and Tomorrow Never Dies, I’ve seen little of her work.
But Section 31 has got me thinking I should watch some.
As for the rest of the cast … ?
We have a very strong ensemble cast: especially in the shape of Alpha Team, the Section 31 squad whose story this is.
And — in particular — in the shape of Omari Hardwick as Alok Sahar, the team’s leader: a human augment born in the 20th Century, recruited by Section 31, and on a redemptive journey similar to Georgiou’s own.
The character is more than a match for Georgiou … and the actor, Hardwick, an equal match for Yeoh.
There’s one, early, scene, where Alok is making his initial recruitment pitch to the former Emperor, that I felt was riveting to watch.
It shows us Emperor Georgiou’s restraint, reminds us that she’s a leader, and a leader you have to persuade.
Much as, I suspect, we would have to convince Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Julius Caesar, et al.
Or any other hard-nosed leader.
I suspect they would be much like Georgiou at her most imperial.
You don’t need to grab her attention torturing half a dozen puppies — she’d enjoy that, granted — but persuade her with an explanation of what’s happening and how to solve it.
The hard facts, as much as anything else.
Something I felt Hardwick as Alok did: with both restraint, persuasiveness … and with a lot of quiet charisma.
That scene … ?
Showing exactly how to coax Georgiou?
Makes the thing worth watching!
~≈🖖≈~
Part Three: More Thoughts.
What else should I tell you?
That the supporting characters, Quasi, Zeph, Rachael Garrett, Fuzz, played by Sam Richardson, Robert Kazinsky, Kacey Rohl and Sven Ruygrok were both well played and are as dirty a metaphorical dozen as we could hope for.
That goes without saying.
That the plot is a mixture of any three given heist movies you care to mention, with far wittier dialogue, and some riveting chases and fights?
That goes without saying, too.
The fact there’s the inevitable easter eggs?
- The name of the ship, the Garbage Scow, is a reference to the original series Enterprise.
- Turkana 4 is a reference to a The Next Generation character’s home world.
- At least three aliens species crop up, who’ve not seen for years.
Is something fans will enjoy, without spoiling non-fans fun.
That’s more unsayable stuff.
Including the fact that the voice of Control, heard in the opening of the film, is a big Hollywood superstar, a superstar who’s not going to be mentioned by me.
There is plenty to say about Star Trek: Section 31.
~≈🖖≈~
26th January, 2025.Part Four: Last Words.
“Plenty to say.”
Yes, there is plenty I can say about Star Trek: Section 31.
Firstly?
Section 31 deserves a sequel.
It’s a romp, with sympathetic characters, an equally sympathetic villain, action, fights, chases … and a pair of main characters — Georgiou and Alok — who make for engaging, watchable, protagonists.
And characters that deserve development: and have been set up for a follow up.
Secondly?
My only complaint about Star Trek: Section 31 is that — as far as I can tell — Paramount have only released the film to Paramount+, their streaming service.
To TV, in effect.
They’ve not done what Netflix does with some of its films, and give them a simultaneous theatrical and streamed release.
Even if it’s only so they can qualify for the Oscars, I feel Netflix are doing the right thing: it gives people a chance to see a film on the big screen.
I feel that Star Trek: Section 31 deserves the same treatment: watching what I saw on a big screen would make a very good made-for-TV movie, into a fantastic blockbuster.
Lastly? And at the risk of repeating myself?
Star Trek: Section 31 is a hell of a lot of fun: with enough action to satisfy die-hards, characters worth watching, and witty dialogue to die for.
AND a cameo at the end that had me laughing my head off.
You would be a fool to miss Star Trek: Section 31.
Star Trek: Section 31.★★★★⁺
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