The Motion Picture (1979)
This is the movie which kickstarted Star Trek again, after the TV series was cancelled in 1969. It was also rushed into production after the staggering success of Star Wars.
The Wrath of Khan (1982)
This is consistently voted as the best Star Trek movie of the lot. A bad man called Khan and his crew escape from a 15-year exile from a planet not exactly known as being hospitable. They are therefore intent on revenge against, and part of their plan involves stealing a terraforming invention called Genesis.
The Search for Spock (1984)
While the previous film left fans wondering if Spock had died, the title of this one revealed the truth. Spock isn’t dead, merely regenerated.
The Voyage Home (1986)
The crew start to make their way home, to stand trial for their crimes. But in their absence, Earth has been crippled by a mysterious entity which is looking for now-extinct humpback whales. Kirk and the crew decide to time travel back to the 20th century and bring back two whales to communicate with the entity.
The Final Frontier (1989)
The Final Frontier was an instant dud. Spock’s half-brother believes he has been summoned by God and steals the Enterprise to go and meet him. Kirk also faces problems from a Klingon wanting to avenge the incident on Genesis.
The Undiscovered Country (1991)
The Klingons make peace overtures to the Federation, but it is not well received on either sides. The Klingon chancellor is assassinated on his way to the peace conference, and Kirk is held responsible.
Generations (1994)
This was the film which finally ended the Kirk era of Star Trek, with the baton being passed over to Picard and his crew. At the start of the movie, Kirk is presumed dead in an accident, but is later found alive in an alternative universe called the Nexus.
First Contact (1996)
This re-introduces the Borg as the really bad guys who try to alter past events by stopping the first contact between Earth and the Vulcans, an event which led to the events in Enterprise.
Insurrection (1998)
A Starfleet admiral decides to violate the Prime Directive and move the population of a planet elsewhere, so the Federation can steal the rejuvenating properties of the planet.
Nemesis (2002)
A clone of Picard created by the Romulans assassinates the entire Romulan Senate, assumes dictatorship, and lures the Enterprise under the guise of peace overtures.
Star Trek (2009)
After the flop of the last movie, this movie “reboots” the franchise and takes the movies back to the beginning, to before Kirk assumes command of the Enterprise. Directed by J.J. Abrams, this is the only Star Trek movie to date to win an Academy Award.
Into Darkness (2013)
This movie explores some of the back story relating to Khan (from The Wrath of Khan), and why he hates Kirk so much.
