All Star Trek movies ranked from outstanding to underwhelming

When a movie is turned into a franchise it is not possible that all the sequels that follow will be equally good, Star Trek is a prime example. Some of the movies in the franchise are so memorable in pop culture that they make the franchise immortal, while others are stuck in mediocrity. Whether you are die-hard fan or a someone who heard about the franchise from The Big Bang Theory, you must have ranked the movies in your head.

The series follows the crew of the fictional USS Enterprise, led by Captain James T. Kirk (originally played by William Shatner). His crew includes the vulcan Spock (Leonard Nimoy). Star Trek was originally a hit TV series that aired in 1966 until it was canceled in 1969. The saga was resurrected in 1979 with Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and has remained a beloved with sci-fi fans ever since.

However, just like not every finger is the same, not every film of the franchise has been a hit. So, let us check out all Star Trek films and decide whether to say "live long and proper" to them or say "Please jettison this into a black hole."

** Disclaimer: The article is solely based on the wrfiter's opinion. **

All Star Trek movies ranked from outstanding to underwhelming

If you are into sci-fi, action, or have intense love for the cosmic stories then buckle up and prepare because you are about to take a walk through all 13 Star Trek movies and find out which ones to watch ASAP and which ones to avoid.

1) Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

The Wrath of Khan is the film that put Star Trek on the map and made sure many sequels came of it. Ricardo Montalban's performance deserves a seperate article, and the emotional scar that Spock's sacrifice left on everyone's mind still haunts from time to time.

The film has everything from thrills to drama and emotions, and is the gold stantard of Star Trek. The Wrath of Khan was released after the first film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The Wrath of Khan was more in line with the original TV series and was its direct sequel.

2) Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams, the man known for taking cult series to new heights, reboooted the series in the most magical way. Instead of being a remake of the original series, this version explores the same story but in an alternate dimension.

If you are a fan of the original series and the original films then this movie might not be for you, but what could get you interested is the focus on the characters. Watching Chris Pine portray Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Mr. Spock will not dissapoint you. Of course, Leonard Nimoy appearing as Spock Prime is cherry on the cake.

3) Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Picture this, the Klingon empire is in crisis and the Federation is trying to make peace. However, since its a Star Trek movie, nothing can be simple. So, when the Klingon chancellor is murdered, Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy get blamed, jeopradizing the entire peace negotiation.

The film works a political thriller and is packed with mystery, action, and a great message about the importance of forgiveness. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy are brilliant as always but the cherry on top is Christopher Plummer as the Shakespeare-inspired Klingon general, Chang.

4) Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

In this film, a cyber-zombie race called the Borg decides to change the course of time by stopping Earth from discovering warp travel. Now the responsibility lies on the Enterprise crew to follow the Borg and stop the race from succeeding.

In the midsts of all the chaos, fans finally meet the man who created the time warp drive, and he turns out to be a cool guy. It is a treat for every time travel junkie and action fan. Plus seeing Patrick Stewart not in a wheelchair and in full on action mode is a thrill to watch.

5) Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

This epic journey gives time travel a whole new meaning. In the film, an unknown probe threatens Earth and the only way to stop it is to travel back in time to the 1980s. This solidifyies the notion that indeed the '80s was a weird time. What makes it even weirder is that the mission isn't just to travel back in time but also establish contact with two humpback whales.

Strictly in terms of sci-fi, the film could seem outrageous. However, that itself makes it inadvertently hilarious and entertaining. Watching Spock trying to curse, Chekov's pursuit for nuclear vessels, and how the crew deals with the '80s culture is a feast for the eyes in a weird way.

6) Star Trek: The Search for Spock (1984)

After Spock sacrifices himself in The Wrath of Khan, his friends are devastated and can't seem to accept his death, so, they decide to bring him back. They steal the Enterprise and go to a forbidden planet. Besides all the cosmic action, the film has a great story about friendship and sacrifice. Also, Christopher Llyod plays an ubercool Klingon villain, Kruge.

7) Star Trek Beyond (2016)

The third film in the reboot series starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto brought fans another action-packed thrilling adventure that kept them on the edge of their seats throughout.

In this film, the Enterprise crew is stranded on an unknown planet when their ship is destroyed. A dangerous villain with an old grudge against the Federation lives on the planet. The story, acting, and the visuals make this one of the successful reboots of the franchise.

8) Star Trek: Generations (1994)

Generations brings Captain Kirk and Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) together to stop Tolian Soran from destroying the entire planetary system. Soran wants destruction because he wants to return to an extra dimentional realm called the Nexus.

This time the makers tried to do a crossover and bring Captain Kirk and Captain Picard together for an adventure. Although there are many loopholes where Kirk's death (spoiler alert!) feels rushed and the whole idea of the Nexus is confusing, it is a good watch, if only for all the sci-fi stunts.

9) Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

The Motion Picture was the first feature film of the franchise. After enjoying the success of the TV series for years, the makers decided to take it up a notch and make a Star Trek adventure for the silver screen. In the film, The Enterprise is sent to investigate a huge mysterious cloud, V'Ger, that is heading toward Earth, destorying everything that comes in its way.

Captain Kirk readies the Enterprise and sets out to find V'Ger's origins and save Earth. The film has the same star cast as the earlier television series, but since it was the maker's first attempt to convert a series into a movie, today it seems like a raw version of the movies that followed.

10) Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

Often cited as one of the worst films of the franchise, Nemesis received negative reviews and was a box office disaster. The film tried to be emotional and visually spectacular but failed to do both. Instead, it felt dark and sad. Data's death was heartbreak and just when you thought the movie would make up for all the heartbreak with a satisfying ending, the movie just ends.

11) Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

The USS Enterprise travels to the forbidden zone in space to rescue an endangered species. Captain Kirk and his crew travel to Klingon homeworld to find a terrorist John Harrison who is revealed to be none other than Khan Noonein Singh.

The film tries to recreate the magic of The Wrath of Khan along with amazing visuals and brilliant casting choices, but fails to do so. It is fun to watch for the visual effects but is hollow storywise.

12) Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

This installment was directed by William Shatner himself and it almost killed the franchise. Leonard Nimoy directed two direct prequels of this film and maybe that's why Shatner thought to try his luck. Unfortunately, the film didn't work well for him.

Captain Kirk and his crew are tasked with rescuing a human, a Klingon, and a Romulan diplomat from Nimbus II. Once there, they discover that the diplomats have been kidnapped by a renegade Vulcan, Sybok, who is revealed to be Spock's brother. Sybok's mission? To find God.

13) Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Insurrection has a story similar to Avatar but without the good parts, and thus fails to produce the same results. It tries hard to send out a great message but ends up being boring and slow. The story follows the Enterprise crew as they discover a peaceful planet Ba'ku and find the Son'a task force are also observing the planet.

Captain Picard is stunned to discover that the Federation wants to exploit the Ba'ku people for their technological advancements and decides to go rogue and save the peaceful planet.

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Star Trek movies have two kinds of energies, they will either make you want to be an astronaut and save the planet from any cosmic danger, or they will put you to sleep half-way through the movie. However, all the films are part of a glorious universe that fans of different generations have loved. Whether you like space battles or time travel or saving whales, there is a film in this franchise with your name on it.