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Star Trek: Section 31
               review by Bobby Blakey

With the launch of Paramount+, previously known as CBS All Access, they launched a new entry into the iconic sci-fi franchise with Star Trek: Discovery. The series introduced us to the character Philippa Georgiou played by Michelle Yeoh who was on the show off and on for three seasons before her character went off onto a new adventure. A spin-off TV series has been in the works years and now shifted into an all-new Star Trek: Section 31 that released under the radar on the streaming app. Now those that couldn’t check it out can bring it home.

 

Star Trek: Section 31 follows Emperor Philippa Georgiou, who joins a secret division of Starfleet. Tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets, she also must face the sins of her past.

 

My love of Michelle Yeoh goes back to her early martial arts films so bringing her into the Star Trek franchise was a big win for me. Her character in Discovery was cool and had lots of layers to the point it got confusing at times which version we were getting. For those in the know, the Section 31 aspect has been around for years in the Trek universe, but never got this kind of focus so was hoping for something that really stood out.

 

I will say I feel like this is the least Star Trek thing to date and that is both good and bad. It’s not surprising it changed to the streaming as it does mostly just feel like a long episode, but not in a bad way. I enjoyed it for what it was most and loved getting to see more history behind Georgiou, but sadly a lot of the characters that inhabit the world around her current mission are not all that compelling and some just silly.

 

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As the film unfolds it has moments that pull you in and get you invested along with some decent sc-fi action sequences, but it gets derailed by these uninteresting and unrelatable characters at times. I felt like everytime I started getting pulled in and starting to see the greatness underneath all the mess one of these characters reminds you of its shortcomings. It’s far from bad mind you and still a decent romp in the Star Trek Universe, but there is something better here and wish they had been able to find it.

 

While not the perfection I had hoped it is still elevated with Yeoh starring and if you watch it like a special episode as opposed to a film then it works a lot better. Decide for yourself when Michelle Yeoh boldly returns to the Star Trek universe when Section 31 comes to DVD on April 29th from Paramount Home Entertainment.

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