Unquestionably, among the most significant sci-fi series in history is, without a doubt, Star Trek. Subsequent generations of writers were continually motivated by the saga's upbeat outlook on the world. Its science fiction concept of a world free of racism, misogyny, and hate was a complete paradigm shift. The fictional components of Star Trek were not only socially progressive but also came before actual advances in technology and space exploration.
Thirteen films later, and a bit over four decades after the debut of The Motion Picture, Star Trek has grown to become one of the most enduring cinematic series ever. The Star Trek movies feature a number of memorable characters and scenes that have become essential to the franchise's legacy, despite not being as well regarded as the tv series. Even the films' shortcomings are interesting in this complex, varied series. So let's order every Star Trek movie in order of best to worst.
13 Star Trek Into Darkness (2009)
In Star Trek: Into Darkness, the Star Trek 2009 crew is back for a brand-new quest facing John Harrison, a renegade Starfleet captain who has fled to the Q'onos and is out for vengeance. Kirk and his team uncover a Starfleet-wide plot that puts them in jeopardy of war while on their assignment. Due to its recycled plot developments, Into Darkness got negative reviews. Instead of taking the risk to create a brand-new world, Into Darkness clumsily plagiarizes the existing one. However, it is also one of the best Benedict Cumberbatch movies.
12 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
The Star Trek series was nearly completely destroyed by The Final Frontier. William Shatner tried his hand at directing the movie based on an original screenplay, continuing after Leonard Nimoy. The film portrays the Enterprise-A as the crew battle with Spock's step-brother, Sybok, as he sets out to seek the Vulcan heaven, Sha Ka Ree. It has kept its reputation for being the poorest Star Trek movie throughout time due to its drawn-out story, never-ending, weak action sequences, and cringeworthy dialogue. Most of The Final Frontier is unimaginative, although some scenes are so outrageous and kitschy that they're inadvertently humorous.
11 Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
The Enterprise-E squad, led by Captain Picard, learns in the movie that there has been a Federation-wide plot to invade a harmless alien planet in order to take its assets. When they learn of this information, they turn against Starfleet. In the series, Insurrection is regarded as a mid-tier entry. Critics noted that the movie was not a stand-alone movie but rather felt like an elongated Next Generation segment because of its poor tempo and unimpressive storyline. Since the narrative wouldn't even strike out on TV, the movie is the weakest of the ones starring The Next Generation actors.
10 Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Nemesis, the fourth and last Next Generation movie, chronicles the Enterprise-E squad as they look into a mutiny on Romulus, another planet. They quickly learn that Shinzon, a Captain Jean-Luc Picard replica, who aims to annihilate the United Federation of Planets, is the current Romulan commander. Similar to several of the failed Star Trek movies, Nemesis had a solid premise in concept, but failed miserably in practice. The film was the final Star Trek movie before the 2009 reboot since a fifth installment was scrapped in response to its underwhelming reviews.
9 Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
The initial Star Trek movie, appropriately titled Star Trek: The Motion Picture, brought the famous stars from the original franchise to the cinema on a grander, if less interesting, journey. The movie has Kirk, an Admiral now, gain control of the Enterprise to prevent a lethal cloud from annihilating Earth. Fans were unable to give heed to The Motion Picture. The movie's absence of a compelling antagonist and solid action sequences made it significantly less engaging than similar movies at the time.
8 Star Trek: Generations (1994)
The sixth movie in the series, Generations, sees Kirk and Captains Picard team together. Tolian Soran, an El-Aurian researcher, is attempting to gain entry to the Nexus, and Captain Kirk and the Enterprise-D of Picard must thwart him before the time runs short. The reunion of the casts from the original franchise and the next-gen in Generations was a success, but the movie received criticism for its poor antagonist and story. Despite the negative reviews, the movie was a commercial success, mainly because of the effective marketing effort focused on Picard and Kirk's historic meeting.
7 Star Trek Beyond (2016)
The third movie in the reboot sequence is entitled Star Trek: Beyond. The Enterprise team is abandoned on an unidentified planet in the film when their starship is irreparably damaged. They soon come up against Krall, the alien group's head, who is anti-Federation. Compared to its forebears, Beyond disappointed both in reviews and monetarily, but it was praised for returning to Star Trek's daring origins. Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin were honored at the dedication, since both artists died suddenly before the movie's premiere.
6 Star Trek (2009)
Paramount Pictures
Anyone other than the original actors tackling the original franchise felt inconceivable, and a prequel quest posed to further complicate the already complicated mythos. To revive the series and even bring in Leonard Nimoy again as the senior Spock Prime, who had become Kirk's tutor, J.J. Abrams devised a clever technique to establish an alternate reality based in the Kelvin world. The bond between Spock and Kirk is the center of the plot in the 2009 film Star Trek. The film also does an excellent job balancing the ensemble cast and providing each member fair time on screen.
5 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
In the immediate aftermath of The Wrath of Khan, Kirk and the Enterprise team are traveling to Vulcan in an attempt to retrieve Spock's remains and Katra when they come across a Klingon army. The picture received a largely favorable response. Although Leonard Nimoy's direction was acclaimed for retaining the spirit of the original franchise, this also gave the movie a made-for-TV vibe that several other films missed. In The Search for Spock, similar to the fan-favorite installment "Amok Time," Vulcan culture and heritage were explored extensively. Sadly, Leonard Nimoy who starred in Spock of Star Trek passed away at 83.
4 Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Even though Star Trek: First Contact is arguably the most adventurous segment of the entire franchise, director Jonathan Frakes was able to harness his understanding of the crew's characteristics to give each role a compelling emotional journey. The movie does a great job of making use of Picard's PTSD as he meets up with the Borg, the adversary that used to hold him hostage. The movie's uplifting plot about Dr. Zefram Cochrane, an Earth researcher who serves as a transmission medium between humans and the visiting Vulcans, has a Star Trek-style fondness for positivity.
3 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
The original franchise's ensemble bids goodbye in The Undiscovered Country. The Klingons unexpectedly come to terms with their longstanding foe, the Federation. McCoy and Kirk are declared the prime perpetrators in the killing of a Klingon envoy. The Excelsior and the Enterprise-A have to use all available means to redeem their names. After the devastating The Final Frontier, the movie marked the series' comeback. The storyline, dialogue, and graphics were all much superior to the last film. However, the graphic effects weren't much improved.
2 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
The Search for Spock's incidents is continued in The Voyage Home, as Kirk and his other crew members are up to deal with the fallout. When they return to Earth, they discover an alien gadget that will destroy the world unless they go back through time and locate the beast that can halt it. Most reviews of The Voyage Home were favorable, and many praised the movie's comedic style and cast. Because of its lighter plot, it was considerably more appealing to viewers who were not really as into the dense sci-fi of prior Star Trek movies. It is among the best movies about time travel.
1 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
The Wrath of Khan, the franchise's second and most popular Star Trek movie, features the victorious comeback of the widely recognizable Star Trek antagonist. The Enterprise's team must prevent Khan, the genetically modified superhuman, from gaining a terraforming technology that can turn any planet livable. Khan is an old nemesis. The Wrath of Khan received overwhelmingly positive reviews, surprisingly, considering the poor quality of The Motion Picture. Together with Ricardo Montalbán's remarkable depiction of Khan, the movie received accolades for its increased emphasis on the individuals and their connections between them.