All 13 Star Trek movies ranked from worst to best

3. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, released in 1986, sticks out like a sore thumb in the Star Trek universe, but in the best way possible. Trading in the usual politics and menacing threats for a lighter, more comical vibe, the movie delivers an unexpected adventure with an environmental message that really does hits home. The Enterprise crew’s mission, this time, is to time travel back to 20th-century Earth to save the humpback whales from extinction – a refreshingly original story that actually works.

While other Star Trek movies are loaded with tense space battles and morality issues, The Voyage Home uses its humor and charm to hook audiences, offering plenty of comedic moments as Captain Kirk and his crew deal with the cultural subtleties of the 1980s.

But it isn’t all laughs. Within the comedy, the movie tells a powerful narrative about humanity’s relationship with nature, using the fate of the humpback whales as a sobering reminder of our responsibility to the environment. The Voyage Home manages to strike a perfect balance, offering both an entertaining journey through time and a moving commentary on environmental conservation – a combination that resonated deeply with fans, cementing its status as a standout entry in the Star Trek canon.