Star Trek: Section 31 is finally here.
We’ve been waiting for this latest film entry into the Star Trek franchise for some time. Originally conceived as a spin-off series from Star Trek: Discovery starring Michelle Yeoh, Section 31 has gone through quite the evolution and now it’s here! What follows will be a largely spoiler-free review of the new Star Trek: Section 31 film. Let’s break down what works, what doesn’t, and who this film is really for.
What Works: Michelle Yeoh
Section 31 gives Michelle Yeoh the opportunity to showcase her action and dramatic chops in spades. Yeoh stuns in every scene, delivering an exciting, action-filled performance. If you enjoy her stunt work, you’ll definitely want to watch Section 31. Her costuming is on point for the entire film as well. But what works best in Section 31 is we see the Georgiou that we were getting glimmers of in Star Trek: Discovery–a Georgiou that is beginning to learn compassion while still being the tough-as-nails emperor we know and love.
What Works: Kacey Rohl
One of the best parts of Star Trek: Section 31 is Kacey Rohl as Rachel Garrett. While Rachel Garrett is the only legacy character in Section 31, her legacy is only that of one poignant episode—Star Trek: The Next Generation’s “Yesterday’s Enterprise.” In “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” we see a Rachel Garrett who’s tenacious and ready to roll with the punches. In Section 31, Rachel Garrett is finding her feet. She is straight-laced and by-the-book. Watching Rachel Garrett grow a bit in this film is quite fun. With lines like, “Chaos is my friend with benefits,” Kacey Rohl’s portrayal of Garrett is wonderfully charming. I hope we can see more of her in the Star Trek universe.
What Works: Stellar Score
Jeff Russo’s score for Star Trek: Section 31 might be my favorite composition of his yet. I’ve made no secret in my previous Star Trek coverage that I am an absolute mark for a good film or television score. Russo’s work here takes his usual vibrant orchestral fare and gives it a rock edge. With some pop song-stylings in the club scenes to some heavily percussive pieces overlain with rock guitar and bass, it seems that Jeff’s taken a page out of Star Trek: Prodigy and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds composer Nami Melumad’s book. The pieces with the rock overlay, in particular, reminded me of some of her Star Trek: Prodigy work. That edginess plays well with the themes and ideas of Section 31, and makes for an enhanced viewing experience.
What Doesn’t Work: Weak Story
I was not sure what to expect from Star Trek: Section 31. With all the hullabaloo involved in the pre-production, I think the story suffered in the conversion from a TV series to a TV movie. Action-heavy and light on plot, Star Trek: Section 31 is not what I expected from a Star Trek movie. I’m honestly not even sure that it works great as a story about Section 31.
This is a sci-fi action film from start to finish and lacks the political intrigue and darkness of a traditional Section 31 story. With all the changes behind the scenes, and challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not surprising that the story is the weakest part of this film. It’s disappointing and, honestly, feels very little like a Star Trek story at all. If you feel differently, please sound off in the comments. I would genuinely love to hear your perspective.
Final Thoughts: Who is This For?
At the end of Star Trek: Section 31, I could only ask the question, “Who is this for?” I expressed in a previous article that my hope would be that Section 31 could serve as an introduction to the Star Trek franchise for many new fans. Star Trek (2009) was my entry point to the franchise. It made the broad ideas of what Star Trek is accessible and enticed me to watch every Star Trek series and film. And Section 31 may indeed serve as that entry point for some folks.
My concern is that Star Trek: Section 31 is a sci-fi action film; it is not a Star Trek film. Sure it has the name, but I gain no insight into the ideals of the Federation when I watch it. I have no more knowledge of how a Starship operates within the Federation than before I hit play. Sure, we might draw in new folks with a Michelle Yeoh action movie. But will they stay for Star Trek? I suppose we’ll have to wait and find out. However, Section 31 does have one thing to offer that hearkens to the ideals of the Federation. It’s a word we all need to remember right now: “There are no benevolent dictators.” If that is what we take from Section 31, then it was all worth it.
Star Trek: Section 31 is streaming now on Paramount+.
