Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
A displaced starship crew races through 1986 San Francisco to find the only creatures that can answer a cosmic warning and save Earth.
Overview
A time-traveling adventure that blends humor with a vital ecological message.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- breezy
- hopeful
- family movie night
- science fiction marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an unusually accessible and warmly humorous Star Trek adventure, praised for its environmental message and appeal beyond franchise fans.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Kirk and his crew must locate humpback whales to answer the alien probe and save Earth's oceans and atmosphere.
The 23rd-century crew struggles with 1986 San Francisco's punk subculture, pizza, buses, money, and social conventions.
The probe's destructive signals are ultimately connected to whale song, making translation between species central to the mission.
The established Star Trek crew travels from the 23rd century to contemporary San Francisco and must operate undercover there.
Films like Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and why
Back to the Future
time-travel science fiction comedy built around culture shock, environmental stakes, and an accessible ensemble adventure
Galaxy Quest
lighthearted science fiction adventure combining an endangered world, fish-out-of-water humor, and optimistic humanism
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
family-friendly time-travel adventure with comic encounters between future travelers and an earlier era
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
warm, humorous science fiction centered on communication between humans and a mysterious nonhuman presence
Movie Details
- Director
- Leonard Nimoy
- Release Date
- 1986-11-26
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (1728)
Cast
- William Shatner
- Leonard Nimoy
- DeForest Kelley
- James Doohan
- George Takei
- Walter Koenig
- Nichelle Nichols
- Mark Lenard
- Jane Wyatt
- Majel Barrett
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home about?
- A displaced starship crew races through 1986 San Francisco to find the only creatures that can answer a cosmic warning and save Earth.
- What is Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
- What did critics think of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home?
- Critics broadly found the film an unusually accessible and warmly humorous Star Trek adventure, praised for its environmental message and appeal beyond franchise fans.
- Which films are like Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home?
- Films with a similar feel include Back to the Future, Galaxy Quest, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
- How long is Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home?
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home?
- In United States, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home streams on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel.
In Ember's collections
Movies like Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier1989
- My Science Project1985
- Star Trek Beyond2016
- For the Love of Spock2016
- Back to the Future Part II1989
- Star Trek Into Darkness2013
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture1979
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan1982
- Star Trek: Generations1994
- Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...2014
