Star Trek: Section 31 takes a daring step into new territory, offering the franchise's first-ever streaming movie, blending action, intrigue, and the world of Starfleet's shadowy black ops division. While packed with spectacular visuals and gripping moments, the film often feels like a pilot episode stretched into feature length, more concerned with laying the groundwork for potential future episodes than delivering a fully contained story. It’s a captivating experiment that introduces new ideas but falters in its execution, leaving fans intrigued but wanting more.
Originally conceived as a spinoff series from Star Trek: Discovery, Section 31 was meant to spotlight Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Philippa Georgiou as she takes on missions for the secretive Section 31, the Federation’s intelligence and espionage arm. When the series idea was scrapped in favor of a film, the final product bears the unmistakable hallmarks of a pilot, with characters and plotlines that feel like setups for a larger arc that may never come to fruition.
The story begins by diving deep into Georgiou’s backstory, recalling her rise to power in the Mirror Universe as the ruthless leader of the Terran Empire. This grim opening sequence features a young Georgiou in a brutal selection process to become emperor, where she is forced to kill the last contender in a grim, almost gladiatorial fashion. It’s a shocking and sobering start to the film, setting the stage for the moral complexities that will define Georgiou’s character. The film attempts to explain how this past has shaped her personality, though the transition from this grim history to her future actions feels uneven.
Fast forward to the 23rd century, where Georgiou has returned to Federation space after her time travel escapades in Discovery Season 3. She’s now hiding under the alias “Madame du Franc” and running a bar in the borderlands outside Federation space, trying to escape her past and find solace in relative obscurity. However, her quiet life is interrupted when Section 31's Alpha Team shows up, offering her the chance to rejoin them for a mission that promises galactic-scale action. Despite her reluctance, Georgiou can’t resist the pull of a larger purpose, and the mission pulls her back into the web of covert operations and political intrigue.
Georgiou’s reluctant return to Section 31 leads to her team-up with a colorful group of agents. The Alpha Team is tasked with retrieving a highly dangerous and mysterious weapon known only as the “hypergizmo,” which is expected to appear on the black market in the near future. What exactly the hypergizmo is and why it’s so important remains a mystery, but its potential to destabilize the galaxy is clear.
The team is an unlikely mix of characters, each with their own quirks and backstory. The team leader, Alok Sahar (Omari Hardwick), is a former soldier turned “augment” from Earth’s Eugenics Wars, who was “asleep” for several hundred years.
He’s a man with a troubled past, but his leadership skills and charisma make him the natural choice to guide the team. Then there’s Quasi (Sam Richardson), a shapeshifting Chameloid scientist who freezes when presented with too many choices, providing some comic relief in the otherwise tense atmosphere. Zeph (Robert Kazinsky) is a man encased in a powerful exoskeleton, while Fuzz (Sven Ruygrok) is a microscopic creature inhabiting a Vulcan body, offering an interesting mix of comedy and menace. The team also includes Melle (Humberly González), a Deltan whose exotic looks are a throwback to classic Star Trek tropes, and Rachel Garrett (Kacey Rohl), a Starfleet officer assigned to keep the peace within the team. Garrett’s strict adherence to order makes her an interesting foil for Georgiou’s chaotic tendencies, and her “chaos goblin” comment further highlights the tension between the two.
Despite their differences, the team must come together to track down the hypergizmo and stop its distribution. However, their personalities often clash, as they struggle to work together while facing constant danger. The mission is complicated by a series of chases, battles, and tense encounters that feel straight out of an action movie. One of the film’s standout sequences is a thrilling fight on moving vehicles, reminiscent of the action set pieces from Indiana Jones. There’s also an extended fight scene in an extraterrestrial nightclub that’s a visual spectacle, even if it leans a little too heavily on sci-fi clichés.
One of the most interesting aspects of Section 31 is its tonal inconsistency. The film tries to balance humor, action, and drama, but the transitions between these elements can feel jarring. On one hand, the team’s bickering and the banter between Georgiou and the other agents provide some much-needed levity. However, the film also includes more serious moments, such as Georgiou’s internal conflict about her past, the weight of her former role as a ruthless leader, and her relationships with the team. Unfortunately, the serious moments often feel forced, as if they were inserted to give the film more depth than it naturally possesses.
There’s also a sense of unevenness when it comes to pacing. The first act is heavy on exposition, with the film spending a lot of time explaining the mission and introducing the team. This results in a slow build-up before the action finally kicks in. Once the mission begins, the film picks up momentum, but the narrative feels more like a series of disconnected events than a cohesive story. The mission to retrieve the hypergizmo is exciting, but it’s hard to fully invest in the plot when the stakes never feel truly personal.
Where Section 31 excels is in its visuals. The effects are impressive, and the world-building feels expansive, with the film introducing new corners of the Star Trek universe, from the gritty, neon-lit underworld of the borderlands to the futuristic tech of Section 31 itself. The high-tech gadgets, alien species, and space battles are all visually striking, making the film a treat for fans who love the franchise’s more fantastical elements. The set design and cinematography give the film a sleek, cinematic feel that separates it from the more television-centric Star Trek series.
Star Trek: Section 31 is a film full of potential but ultimately feels like it’s still finding its footing. While the movie offers exciting action, engaging characters, and a bold new direction for the franchise, it struggles to maintain a consistent tone and narrative focus. The decision to shift from a series to a film leaves the story feeling like it’s just getting started, with plenty of unresolved plot threads and character arcs that feel underdeveloped. Nonetheless, for Star Trek fans, Section 31 offers enough intrigue and spectacle to keep them engaged, even if it leaves them wanting more. The film’s wild mix of espionage, action, and humor offers a fresh take on the Star Trek universe, and while it may not be a classic, it serves as an exciting preview of what could be in store if the series ever comes to life.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
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