The Star Trek movie series goes supernova with this outstanding episode directed by Nicholas Meyer, who also gave the first sequel, The Wrath of Khan, massive hit-and-myth credibility. Mirroring world news events of the time (the Soviet Union's dissolution), Meyer crafts a near perfect blend of humanistic messages, affectionate lampooning, epic visuals and fairy-tale imagination as the classic Enterprise crew encounters treachery during prospective peace negotiations with the Klingons. Clever Shakespearean touches also heighten the drama.

After years of war, the Federation and the Klingon empire find themselves on the brink of a peace summit when a Klingon ship is nearly destroyed by an apparent attack from the Enterprise. Both worlds brace for what may be their deadliest encounter.