This Discovery Spinoff Is B-Movie Trash (And It’s Good)

What is “Star Trek” in 2025?

That’s the question fans are sure to ask after they finish watching “Star Trek: Section 31,” the new Paramount+ film that literally takes the iconic sci-fi franchise where it’s never gone before. Set outside the Federation, and with barely any Starfleet characters to be found, this is a corner or universe of Trek that is rarely explored on screen – seedy, lawless, violent, and devoid of troubling “morals” and “utopian ideals.” “which movies and shows in the Gene Roddenberry milieu are commonly based on. The Star Trek franchise has always acknowledged that the galaxy can be just that bad, but it usually shows it through the eyes and likenesses of powerful leaders, scientists, and diplomats. But in ‘Section 31 “The universe is saved not by brave people doing the right thing, but by violent, bad people who know how to punch, stab, and shoot their way through bad situations.

So, again, is it “Star Trek” if it’s set in the Star Trek universe, but intentionally avoids the typical elements that define “Star Trek” for many? It’s a question I imagine “Section 31” will ignite among fans, and it’s certainly a conversation worth having. But “Section 31” on its own certainly delivers a certain set of goods: it’s a highly entertaining slice of B-movie trash, it has a distinct smell of “Gerard Butler in January,” and it’s certainly unlike anything else. The last one we saw was called Journey. It’s goofy and silly, and at times downright ridiculous, but the simple fun of the whole thing can’t be denied.

Technically a spin-off of Recently concluded “Star Trek: Discovery” (Largely produced by “Disco” veterans, including writer Craig Sweeny and director Olatunde Osunsanmi), “Section 31” puts one of the nastiest and most unpredictable characters in Trek history at the center of the action. Michelle Yeoh’s Philippa Georgiou, the bloodthirsty tyrant and warlord from the infamous “Mirror Universe” who is now stranded in the main Trek universe, has been recruited once again by Section 31 (aka Starfleet’s CIA-flavored black ops division). To embark on a dangerous mission. importance. Joined by a ragtag team of dangerous and disturbed weirdos (and a Starfleet supervisor), she must, you know, save the galaxy. But this team doesn’t have to worry about things that might upset Picard and Spock. Like morals.

“Section 31” was clearly designed to appeal to action fans outside of Trek’s core audience, and the initial setup screamed “Mission: Impossible” or “Fast & Furious,” but it’s the broadcast budget and general sense of gloom that permeates everything that’s best remembered Undesirable B-movies like Den of Thieves. And honestly, that’s good. “Star Trek” is at its purest when it’s smaller, weirder, and weirder, and although “Section 31” is apparently trying to be the coolest thing in the room, it’s actually pretty stupid, relying too heavily on the franchise’s equally morbid details . Like in sword fights, stage fights, and Michelle Yeoh kicking guys in the face. And that’s how it should be: “Star Trek” that isn’t stupid isn’t “Star Trek” at all.

Frankly, “Nerdy B-movie Sleaze” is a flavor of the ride we’ve never seen before, one that I found myself enjoying increasingly as the film’s whirlwind pace dragged me through set piece after set piece.

As intended, “Section 31” is Michelle Yeoh’s show, and she’s wearing Georgiou like a spiky, bloodstained glove at this point. Either you enjoy watching Yeoh strutting, kicking and smiling during the action scenes, or you just don’t have any taste. Perhaps the most enjoyable surprise in “Section 31” is that she is surrounded by a group of new characters who demand just as much attention. Omari Hardwick provides a solid foundation as the team’s resident “regular guy,” though his backstory is seedy enough to raise some eyebrows if you know your Trek lore. Kacey Rohl is a delight as Starfleet actress Rachel Garrett (Fans may recognize this name), whose descent into the “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” level of her colleagues provides some of the film’s biggest laughs. And no one understands this mission quite like Sam Richardson, whose shifting, amoral world emerges in almost every scene. The best thing I can say about this team of villains is that I would gladly watch them in another adventure, and the film isn’t shy about leaving the possibility open for a sequel.

However, the whole endeavor has a distinct “back-pilot” flair, which makes sense given that “Section 31” was originally a live-action series before turning into the modern equivalent of a direct-to-video movie. You can often see action scenes that struggle with the limits of their smaller budget, though Osunsanmi does his best to let the antics move forward as much as possible, even if the visual effects budget can’t quite keep up. In this case, I found myself appreciating that the film would rather look cheap than polished if it meant that some of the outrageous action scenes could pay off in any way. Journey fans are accustomed to polishingStrange new worlds“You may be surprised, but the unconditional cheapness of ‘Section 31’ is actually a badge of honor – like the original series of the 1960s, ‘Section 31’ always lets its goals exceed its budget.

This brings us back to the question that opened this review. What is ‘Star Trek’ in 2025, and could something as different as ‘Section 31’ be considered ‘Star Trek’? While it’s certainly not my ideal flavor of Trek, which I’d hate to see become the default tone, this is a franchise built on fandom. If “The Next Generation” can incorporate complex tales of morality and scientific thought around football clocks in which the crew is transported into a Robin Hood tale by a god-like alien with a bad sense of humour, then Trek would certainly be allowed to veer into practical garbage TV movie mode . Any rewatch of the original series reminds us that Star Trek, for all its lofty ideals, is built on a delightful, wobbly foundation of hideous trash. The beauty of “Star Trek” is that it kind of is EverythingAnd we’ll argue about what that is until the sun burns out.

So, here I am, offering my recommendation for “Star Trek: Section 31” knowing that it will disappoint a lot of Trek fans who want this franchise to be exclusively hard sci-fi, and also knowing that it’s inherently stupid. And relying on deep Trek references could alienate those looking for a good time with some stupid action. What is “Star Trek” in 2025? It’s something so specific, so strange, so off-putting that it’s not for everyone. This is “Section 31.”

/ Movie rating: 7 out of 10

“Star Trek: Section 31” is streaming on Paramount+ starting January 24, 2025.