'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan' returning to theaters for 35th anniversary
It remains considered the best of the Star Trek movies, and is returning to theaters next week for its 35th anniversary.
The director's cut of " Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan " will be shown in select theaters on Sept. 10 and Sept. 13.
Participating theaters can be found online at Fathom Events .
The screenings include an introduction from Capt. James T. Kirk actor, William Shatner.
Released in June 1982, the film features Ricardo Montalban reprising his role as Khan Noonien Singh, which he first portrayed in 1967 in the original series first season episode, "Space Seed."
Khan is a genetically engineered 20th Century tyrant, who fled Earth with his followers aboard a spaceship, which the Enterprise finds adrift in the future.
After preventing Khan from taking his ship, and knowing Khan and his people can't be rehabilitated, Kirk exiles them and a member of his crew on a planet to make their own destiny. Years later, another Federation starship on a survey mission for a top secret project finds Khan and his surviving followers, enabling Khan to seek his revenge on Kirk.
In its sci-fi setting, the film touches on themes of aging, loss, sacrifice and renewal.
It holds an 88 percent "fresh" rating on the movie rating website, Rotten Tomatoes .
Movie reviewer Roger Ebert wrote that Montalban plays Khan "as a cauldron of resentment."
"His performance is so strong that he helps illustrate a general principle involving not only Star Trek but 'Star Wars' (1977) and all the epic serials, especially the 'James Bond' movies: Each film is only as good as its villain," Ebert said. "Since the heroes and the gimmicks tend to repeat from film to film, only a great villain can transform a good try into a triumph. In a curious way, Khan captures our sympathy, even though he is an evil man who introduces loathsome creatures into the ear canals of two Enterprise crew members. Montalban doesn't overact. He plays the character as a man of deeply wounded pride, whose bond of hatred with Admiral Kirk is stronger even than his traditional villain's desire to rule the universe."
With a total gross of $78.9 million, Wrath of Khan was the sixth highest grossing film of 1982, coming in behind "E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial," "Tootsie," "An Officer and a Gentleman," "Rocky III," and "Porkys," according to Box Office Mojo.
Significantly different in style and theme from the first film of the franchise, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," Wrath of Khan was the first installment in an unofficial Star Trek trilogy that continued with "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," and concluded with "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home."
Wrath of Khan was also notable as the motion picture debut of "Cheers" actress Kirstie Alley as Lt. Saavik, a role she did not reprise for the next two films.
Wrath of Khan would influence the Star Trek franchise for decades. Its story was reimagined for the second installment in the rebooted movie franchise, " Star Trek: Into Darkness ," in 2013, with Benedict Cumberbatch portraying Khan in the movie's alternate timeline.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@tribweb.com or on Twitter @BCRittmeyer.
