Star Trek 1 “The V'Ger Incident”

carbon based units infest enterprise!!!! This was another one hit thru a blackhole to the other side of the universe. V'ger and I recommend this one and V'ger wants to join with its creator. great job now on to the next one

Star Trek The Motion Picture is not an easy film to watch. The concept is good and I still think the reveal of V'Ger identity is a really awesome idea but the pacing is painfully slow and the characters are not totaly themselves. When the director's edition came out, the movie became more watchable and the pacing was improved.

But now, I have found my go to version. BionicBob has crafted THE definitive edition! There is much to be liked in this. By the way, I have watched the second version of the edit.

First of all, the execution of the new introduction is really impressive and puts us right in the mood! The inclusion of the original series music mixed with the original score works really well. The move feels like a good two parter episode, including the classic fade out. The pacing is way much better and the edit waste no time, launching the enterprise directly into its mission. The pacing slows down a little bit when V'Ger reaches earth but it does not decrease the enjoyment. I must say that I really liked the Spock flashbacks during his mind meld with V'Ger.

I did experience just a little bit of problem with the sound mix during one scene. When Spock wakes up after his mind meld, the background music was great but a tad too strong since it was difficult to understand what Spock was saying.

The relation between Decker and Ilia has been trimmed for the better but it does remove a little bit of motivation in the end scene. Decker is not as present and it feels that the original series characters are now front and center, has it should be. The voyage to V'ger and inside V'Ger have been greatly reduced and because of this, the movie is much tighter and way more enjoyable. It really feels much more in the line with Star Trek!

I wont spoil the finale but it has been modified with two new effect shots which really adds something interesting to the Star Trek mythos.

In summary, this is a fantastic edit!!! If this version was the one shown in theater in 1979, it would have been much more welcomed by the critique and the viewer. Nice work BionicBob!! I look forward to watch your other TOS movies edit!

This is a great edit, and IMO, a great movie in this form.
It is easy to see why this movie didn't become a blockbuster--there is no finale. There is no big fight scene. The plot doesn't call for it, and what a cerebral plot it is!
This movie doesn't back away from the biggest question everyone faces, the big existential Why Am I Here? Is There A God?
And this plot will always be relevant. Anyone watching Cosmos or Through The Wormhole on TV in 2014 has seen questions like these posed. But because of this plot, instead of a big space battle finale, like Star Wars had, we get Decker hooking up with the bald chick in some glowing lights. Again, I can see how it was perhaps disappointing to the masses, but this is the story they told and I still think it was a damned brave one.
I've watched BionicBob's first 3 Star Trek movie edits in order, but am reviewing this one 3rd because I have virtually nothing to say about this edit other than it is flawless. It is never going to be my fav movie, but this is def my fav edit of the movie. And, of the first 3 Trek edits that Bionic Bob has done, this is my fav. Though I am looking forward to Trek 4-6!

Review by JetSetWilly — July 10, 2012 @ 8:07 pm

I first saw this edit over two years ago, and I’m ashamed to say I’ve only just got around to writing a review about it. Overall, I thought it was very well done. BB’s intention of keeping it inline with the original TV series, and as a start to a second 5 year mission, works very well. The original music, fade outs, it all fits, and works very well. It is also an achievement that he managed to take a movie that’s 135 minutes long, and condense it down to 80 minutes, and STILL tell the same story.

UPDATE: April 2013

BionicBob has released an updated version of this edit, which has slight improvements in the video, with a few added extras to boot. Still a good edit, the added bits make this even better.

Is it an improvement? I don’t think it’s a question I can answer, because I still think the original version is a classic Trek story, whereas BionicBob’s version is a different take on it altogether, so it would be unfair to compare them both side by side. What I will say is that it is an excellent way to start a series of edits based on the first 6 Original Series movies, and moulding them into something that he has thought a hell of a lot about.

This is the start of the crew’s second 5 year mission. It would be rude to not join them.

A solid 9/10.

I bought this on DVD years ago and never managed to watch the full thing. It was just very boring in parts, for starters. I also found it difficult to follow.

This edit, despite cutting out an hour of footage, makes an engaging movie. As a result, I can appreciate other strengths of the movie now too.

I would echo another reviewer by saying that the use of the TV show elements seemed jarring to me. There are two very different feels going on. But it’s the most minor of points.

Thanks to the editor for this. I hope you’ll consider revisiting it in higher definition at some point. Although, that’s no small task!