Star Trek: The Motion Picture
G

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

The human adventure is just beginning.

1979 • 131 min • Science Fiction · Adventure · Mystery

Synopsis

When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Captain James T. Kirk returns to the newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command.

Our family guide

Best from age 8
48
Movie Knight Score
1972 reviews
  • 33 Reviewers · 3 · 53%
  • 65 Audience · 1969 · 47%

Captain Kirk and the Enterprise crew embark on a mission to intercept a massive, mysterious alien entity approaching Earth. They must understand its purpose before it destroys all life in its path, leading to a profound encounter that challenges humanity's understanding of existence.

Violence & peril
2/10
Language
1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking
0/10
Romance & sensuality
1/10
Scary moments
3/10

Heads up

  • Long stretches of contemplation and exposition
  • Some intense sequences with a powerful alien entity

What it models well

  • Curiosity and exploration
  • Teamwork and problem-solving
  • Understanding the unknown
  • The importance of communication

Talk about it after

  • What it means to be alive and human
  • The benefits and dangers of advanced technology
  • How different forms of intelligence might communicate

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

Where to watch

Stream

  • fuboTV
  • Paramount Plus Premium
  • Paramount Plus Essential
  • Philo
  • Paramount+ Amazon Channel
  • YouTube TV
  • Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel

Links go straight to each service. Some are affiliate links that support Movie Knight at no cost to you. Availability data by JustWatch via TMDB.

Top billed cast

Director: Robert Wise • Crew: Alan Dean Foster, Harold Livingston

Trailers & clips

Douglas Trumbull Saved STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE

Dana Gould on STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE

スタートレック劇場版 ドキュメンタリー / STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE DOCUMENTARY

"Restoring The Enterprise" Featurette

Fathom Events Spot

Official Trailer

STAR TREK The Motion Picture 1979 miniature effects (part 2)

STAR TREK The Motion Picture 1979 miniature effects (part 1)

Reviewer notes

Not recommended

To be fair, this film does pick up quite plausibly from the television series. The characterisations are roughly the same, if somewhat older - and that does help give it some cohesion; but the opening scene goes on interminably. The premiss is stretched to breaking point and riddled with metaphors and pseudo-philosophical clichés; and there is precious little action. Persis Khambatta who plays "Ilia" - the conduit...

Not recommended

BORING. I mean, it opens great. The first few minutes sort of give you the impression that this movie is going to be epic... ... and then the rest of it is best spent looking at your phone, cleaning your finger nails, watching linoleum curl, defrosting your freezer... ... finding anything else you can do as it plays in the background just to keep you form dying of Boredom. And I say this as a Star Trek...

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers

***Stands Alone in the Feature Film Series*** A colossal, mysterious space cloud called V'ger travels across the galaxy and threatens Earth, annihilating interlopers along the way ; the origins of V'ger are revealed at the end. "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (1979) addresses some of the deepest questions of life: Is this all there is? Why are we here? Does love exist since it cannot be proved via pure log...

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Gallery

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Details

TMDB audience
6.5/10 (1,969)
Age rating
G
Status
Released
Budget
$44,000,000
Box office
$139,346,243
Franchise
Star Trek: The Original Series Collection

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