Star Trek: Section 31 – 3 Likes and 7 Dislikes

Section 31 faced numerous challenges as it debuted as Star Trek‘s pioneering streaming film. The movie centers on one of the franchise’s most contentious themes, and its recent reviews have not been kind. Now that the film has premiered, let’s explore the specific areas where it stumbles and identify the glimmers of promise that make its shortcomings particularly disappointing.

Exploring the Dynamic Cast Chemistry in Section 31

Regardless of your personal opinion about the film’s tone—which often tries to adopt a cool, cynical humor—and even with the script’s tendency to underdevelop many characters, Section 31 features a genuinely talented ensemble cast striving to deliver their best performances. Unfortunately, nearly half of the key characters meet untimely ends throughout the film, leaving little time for meaningful development (we must advocate for justice for Star Wars Outlaws‘ Humberly Gonzalez, who plays Melle the Deltan femme fatale, only to become a casualty within minutes). Nevertheless, the few character moments that resonate in Section 31 shine thanks to the strong performances of its actors, showcasing their ability to elevate the material they were given.

Uncovering the Rare Instances of Star Trek Engagement

While the film largely neglects its connection to the Star Trek universe, there are moments where two members of Section 31‘s crew provide flickers of potential and a hint of what could have been a more introspective Trek narrative. Kacey Rohl’s portrayal of Rachel Garrett, a young Starfleet lieutenant who would eventually captain the Enterprise-C, offers a glimpse into her character’s motivations. Despite the oddity of having a Starfleet officer involved in a black ops division that the Federation publicly denies, when the film stops treating her as merely a hindrance to others’ action sequences and represents her as an equal, it allows audiences to see her commitment as an officer destined to lead the Federation’s flagship.

Another character that shines is Omari Hardwick’s Alok, the team leader who shares a poignant moment with Georgiou, revealing he, too, is a man out of time—a displaced veteran of the Eugenics Wars who was transformed into an Augment before being awakened centuries later. Alok embodies the type of character that should resonate in a story centered around Section 31: a man striving for an ideal future, shaped by past horrors, yet forced into a morally ambiguous existence due to the very utopia he believes in. Regrettably, the film acknowledges this rich backstory only momentarily before neglecting it entirely.

Celebrating the Stunning Fashion Choices of Michelle Yeoh

Is this a setup for a joke about “great gowns, beautiful gowns”? Perhaps. However, when it comes to Star Trek‘s fashion, Michelle Yeoh’s character showcases a range of genuinely striking outfits throughout the film. From her high-glam persona as the owner of Baraam station, adorned in sparkling dresses and high heels, to her bold, all-black ensemble upon returning to Section 31, the costuming is impressive. The film successfully ventures beyond the typical Starfleet aesthetics, celebrating Star Trek‘s unique and fantastical fashion sensibilities. In this regard, Yeoh certainly dazzles and commands attention.

Failing to Address the Core Concept of Section 31

From the moment it was announced, the idea of centering a project around Section 31 was both a bold and risky choice for the Star Trek franchise. Since its introduction in Deep Space Nine, the implications of Section 31 for Star Trek‘s utopian ideals have always been complex. If the film glamorizes what is essentially Starfleet’s covert operations unit responsible for ethical breaches, it fundamentally misses what has intrigued or repulsed audiences about Section 31 for nearly three decades. Conversely, a narrative that deeply examines the ethical dilemmas surrounding Section 31 runs the risk of portraying deeply flawed characters, making it difficult to craft an engaging action film.

Ultimately, Section 31 fails to meet the potential of its premise in an uninteresting manner: it simply ignores the core concept entirely. The little dramatic weight the movie attributes to the characters it involves could just as easily apply to generic Starfleet officers on a mission beyond Federation territory, which Star Trek frequently does. There is no acknowledgment that Section 31 is fundamentally different from the rest of Starfleet, which renders the film all the more hollow. Even subpar Star Trek attempts to evoke curiosity, even if they stumble in execution, whereas Section 31 does not try at all.

Neglecting to Connect with the Broader Star Trek Universe

While criticizing Section 31 for failing to explore its titular organization may seem like an unfair judgment, the film’s most significant shortcoming is that it often feels more like a generic sci-fi action movie than a unique addition to the Star Trek legacy. Throughout the film, there’s an occasional sprinkling of familiar terminology, but true to the spirit of Star Trek, the material should strive to explore new ideas. Unfortunately, Section 31 lacks that ambition and instead feels indifferent to its Star Trek roots.

It is quite surprising that this is the first live-action Trek material to delve into the “Lost Era” between the original Trek films and TNG, yet it does nothing significant with this rich backdrop, merely mentioning a character named Rachel Garrett. It’s equally absurd that the Mirror Universe plays a pivotal role in the narrative, yet the film muddles the distinction between the two realms within a convoluted plot involving a vague doomsday device. Even the visual elements that could anchor the film within the Star Trek aesthetic are largely squandered, whether through Discovery‘s reinterpretation of classic design cues or the retro-modern approach seen in Strange New Worlds. The film’s utter disinterest in delving into its themes leaves it feeling less like a Star Trek entry and more like a forgettable action flick.

Examining the Disjointed Action Sequences

Section 31 sacrifices depth in favor of being an action movie, yet it fails to deliver even on that front. Surprisingly, the film features relatively few action sequences—each segment contains only one significant set piece. Furthermore, the action that does exist is often poorly executed, hindered by confusing edits that obscure the choreography. For example, during the film’s initial major fight, Georgiou battles a masked assassin who steals a dangerous device from Baraam station. The concept is intriguing: both characters utilize technology to phase in and out of sync with reality, allowing them to evade harm or move through objects.

A fight where the combatants alternate between phases should be exhilarating, but Section 31 muddles the execution, making it hard to follow the action. The visual representation of the phasing effect—simply applying a blurry filter to the character out of phase—detracts from the experience. With an action star of Michelle Yeoh’s caliber, the audience deserves to see her fight clearly. This issue encapsulates the film’s action sequences: promising ideas, such as a garbage scow battling a heavily armed vessel or an exciting mine-cart chase, are undermined by lackluster execution.

Understanding Fuzz’s Unique Character Arc

Star Trek has a deep love for innovative ideas and quirky characters, and Fuzz, portrayed by Sven Ryurgok, is a prime example. This character—a Vulcan android with a peculiar accent, piloted by a foul-mouthed alien in a tiny bug ship—should embody this spirit. However, Fuzz is both too unconventional for the film to explore deeply and yet confined to the most mundane spy tropes.

Early in the film’s second act, it becomes clear that there’s a mole within the team, with Fuzz quickly revealed as the traitor. This revelation is almost a relief, given the film’s heavy-handed foreshadowing regarding his ability to hide anywhere. Even though he seems to face consequences by the end of the film, Section 31 quickly negates this by reintroducing his Vulcan persona, now piloted by Fuzz’s estranged wife. This odd narrative twist feels like both too much and not enough at the same time.

Trapped in a Character Rut: The Journey of Georgiou

Michelle Yeoh’s character from Discovery receives the bulk of the character development in Section 31, but the time devoted to her does not translate into effective storytelling. The Philippa Georgiou we encounter feels disconnected from the character we last saw in the third season of Discovery, who had shown significant growth and development, coming to terms with her past as the tyrannical leader of the Terran Empire.

In Section 31, Georgiou is thrown back into the same narrative she experienced after leaving the Mirror Universe, operating a questionable bar. Her relationships with her past—especially with James Hiroyuki Liao’s antagonist, San, a former lover—are overlooked. While some of this might be necessary for a new audience, it results in a lack of meaningful exploration regarding Georgiou’s character. This is not only disappointing for the culmination of her character arc across nearly four years of television but also a waste of the time Section 31 does allocate to her development.

Examining the Pacing Issues in Section 31

Section 31 was initially envisioned as a television series, and remnants of that format linger in its final cinematic form. This is evident in the awkward division of the film into three segments, each marked by title cards, as well as the rapid pace that suggests multiple episodes of a series were crammed into one film. The narrative frequently halts for exposition dumps, only to speed up again for unsatisfactory action sequences. The film’s disinterest in probing the ideas it presents leads to a strange sensation of being both overstuffed and devoid of substance.

A Surprising and Unhinged Final Cameo

In a bewildering choice, Section 31 saves a surprising cameo for its final moments. After the team has successfully completed their mission, Alok formally invites Georgiou to rejoin Section 31 and they connect with their handler, Control—now depicted as a human rather than the evil AI from Discovery season two. This character is played by Jamie Lee Curtis, whose face is partially obscured by a tech-enhanced plate. This cameo is odd not just because of Curtis’s role but because it feels completely out of context; the identity of Control had not been a mystery throughout the film. The moment is crafted as a “surprise guest” reveal rather than contributing meaningfully to the storyline. While Star Trek has a history of stunt casting, this heavy reliance on celebrity status feels misplaced. Ultimately, it culminates in an ending that is as perplexing as the film itself.

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