Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Star date: 1986. How on Earth can they save the future?

1986 • 118 min • Science Fiction · Adventure

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Synopsis

When a huge alien probe enters the galaxy and begins to vaporize Earth's oceans, Kirk and his crew must travel back in time in order to bring back whales and save the planet.

Our family guide

Best from age 7

Movie Knight Score

1685 reviews

50 Reviewers · 2 · 51%
72 Audience · 1683 · 49%

When an alien probe threatens Earth by vaporizing its oceans, Admiral Kirk and his crew journey back to 1986 San Francisco. Their mission: retrieve two humpback whales, essential for communicating with the probe, and bring them to the future to save humanity. This sci-fi adventure combines humor with a race against time.

Violence & peril: 2/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 1/10
Romance & sensuality: 1/10
Scary moments: 2/10

Heads up

Some peril when the Earth is threatened by the alien probe.
Brief moments of tension during time travel and whale capture.
Minor cultural misunderstandings for the crew in the 1980s.

What it models well

Environmental protection
Teamwork and friendship
Resourcefulness under pressure
Sacrifice for the greater good

Talk about it after

The importance of environmental conservation and protecting endangered species.
How different cultures and time periods might react to each other.
The idea of taking responsibility for past mistakes or actions.
Why communication is key to solving problems.

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Leonard Nimoy • Crew: Steve Meerson, Peter Krikes, Harve Bennett, Nicholas Meyer, Leonard Nimoy, Harve Bennett

Trailers & clips

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) Original Trailer [FHD]

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
Probably my favourite of these sci-fi adventures. Having revived "Spock" to something akin to his previous, pompous old self; the crew of the now destroyed "Enterprise" set sail for home in their captured Klingon Warbird. Meantime, unbeknown to them, a probe is wreaking havoc on the galaxy as it emits odd pinging sounds on it's way to Earth.…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community

Not recommendedTrusted family reviewers
I guess when I was 6 i liked it, and every generation needs it's time travel movie doesn't it? But, no, bringing them back to contemporary 80s earth just doesn't work. It's sort of too close to home to be good. Star Trek is Sci-Fi, sure, but this just doesn't work.…
GenerationofSwine, TMDB Community