“Star Trek” fans have had a turbulent treatment over the past decade with a dizzying array of feature films, animated shows and live-action television series crisscrossing the franchise’s timeline with varying degrees of success . Most notable lately is the popular series “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” about to launch its third season later this year.
But the first streaming “Star Trek” movie, “Section 31,” which kicks off on Paramount+ on Jan. 24, will be the first to be set in 2025, in which the character from the first season of “Star Trek: Discovery”, Emperor Philippa Georgiou, is recruited. in the titular super-secret division of Starfleet while trapped in the Age of Discovery to defend the United Federation of Planets and meddle in its past sins.
Starring Michelle Yeoh in the lead role as the ex-despot of the Mirror Universe Terran Empire and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi (“Star Trek: Discovery”, “Falling Skies”) from a screenplay courtesy of Craig Sweeny , “Section 31” is an experimental venture for Paramount that conveys a nervous energy as it ventures into uncharted tonal territory for lifelong Trekkies.
Since the raw and raucous trailer that dropped in December, loyal acolytes of Gene Roddenberry’s “wagon train to the stars” have been eagerly awaiting this TV spin-off with pockets of guarded optimism that this project could deliver on its promise of a darker, edgier film. adventure in the expanding setting of the venerable sci-fi property.
Set in spacespaces outside the official borders of the Federation, in the nebulous gray regions of the galaxy, the brash and daring style of “Section 31” certainly gives it an unconventional distinction of its own in traveling where none “Star Trek” movie has never been before. And it’s a double-edged sword on which Osunsanmi performs a nimble balancing act for his boisterous space opera Black Ops.
We open on a flashback scene in the Terran Empire with a young Georgiou and her family recounting a brutal selection process for the right to become emperor – it’s an incredibly depressing start to the film. Her final ordeal testifies to her iron will and the sins from which she comes. This dark start eventually turns into “Borderlands”-style chaos and campy energy, coupled with a rebellious attitude that should be applauded for staying true to its risky concept.
The leader of “Section 31” Alpha Team receives a “Mission Impossible” message to track down a new black market threat, which leads them to an isolated region where Georgiou operates a posh nightclub under an alias after leaving Starfleet’s elite. spy squad. At Baraam, we see Georgiou reigning over her cabaret bar as a sort of carefree madam manipulating the gyrating masses that fill this establishment with intoxicating entertainment.
Here we meet the Alpha Squad unit of “Section 31” that Georgiou has already sniffed out in her posh place. It’s a bit heavy on the exposition to set things up, but they bring it back with promises of action on a “galactic scale.” The temptation is too strong for a ruthless monarch to resist, and she is briefed on the details of the team’s counterterrorism mission.
“Section 31” also stars Omari Hardwick as the charismatic leader of the commando crew, Alok Sahar, Kacey Rohl as Rachel Garrett, Sam Richardson as the shapeshifting cameloid scientist Quasi, Robert Kazinsky as the role of Zeph in a mechanical suit, Sven Ruygrok as the Vulcan nanokin called Fuzz. , and Humberly Gonzalez as Deltan Melle.
Their target is a bastard cyborg named Dada Noe, an illegal bioweapons dealer on his way to Baraan to sell a new doomsday bomb to the Minosian high council. They have to make sure this deal doesn’t happen, but things are never that simple and their plans are repeatedly disrupted. “Section 31” is blessed with trashy “Suicide Squad”-style DNA that might repel Trek purists, but it remains a compelling watch with a blizzard of cool ideas sprinkled throughout its pitch-perfect runtime. 110 minutes.
Yeoh chews the scenery with enthusiasm and seems to enjoy inhabiting this despicable clawed character. Inventive camerawork and colorful production design help adorn the film with an elegant gloss and a sense of cinematic carefreeness that offsets its semi-formulaic story.
Further flashbacks to her time in the Terran Empire serve to connect the origins of this secret superweapon called The Godsend that Georgiou recognizes from her tragic past. Things eventually go seriously off the rails and Section 31’s Alpha Team finds themselves scrambling to survive amid larger looming consequences.
“Section 31” is a hugely addictive addition to the “Star Trek” legacy that doesn’t tarnish the sci-fi property’s reputation, but could be pigeonholed as a tantalizing side note. This is an endlessly watchable adventure in the final frontier with intriguing twists and turns tied to the legendary Eugenics Wars and the courage to try something entirely new.
It may not sound like traditional “Star Trek” to some people, but it works well on its own flashy merits with impressive visual effects and crazy set pieces to reward fans of comic book-style escapades. The “Star Trek” fan base is a finicky bunch, but if they just calm down and open their minds, they might just be surprised!
“Section 31” streams exclusively on Paramount+ starting January 24, 2025.