After a neat double role in Star Trek: Discovery, Michelle Yeoh returns to the Star Trek universe, leading the streaming film Star Trek: Section 31. The film has the distinct honor of being the first Star Trek television film and the fourteenth entry in the vast science-fiction franchise. Yeoh was easily the selling point of this film to me, and there’s a sense of pride in vindication as this film would not have worked without her. Star Trek: Section 31 should be on Trekkies and Yeoh fans’ radar for various reasons.
Star Trek: Section 31 is a fun blend of genres within itself
Look, the first thing that comes to mind when Star Trek appears before your eyes is science fiction and nothing else. Sure, drama and adventure may also permeate that conversation, but first and foremost, it is a science fiction property. Yet, Star Trek: Section 31 makes it more than simply that by blending in components of other genres. The one that stood out the most to me was the Ocean’s Eleven heist, with the banter and stakes all in play. There’s a sequence that feels stolen from Ocean’s that introduces the cast and has some playfulness that brings down your guard until the central conflict is magnified and its consequences for the world around it.
It’s not Star Trek if you’re not out exploring planets and interacting with many species and civilizations. If that wasn’t already enough, there’s also the Mirror Universe, from which Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) had initially been exiled and shifted over to the Prime Universe (the one this story is set in), which expands the vastness of this story. Although Section 31 is a secret division within Starfleet, its importance in the scheme of the Federation is notable, as the mission they are on has implications for a massive scale.
Then, there’s the ensemble factor of this film. Aside from Yeoh, what had also captured my attention was the inclusion of Sam Richardson as the Chameloid named Quasi, a hilarious actor who’s made quick appearances in many funny shows. Omari Hardwick as Alok was another interesting addition to the cast, along with Robert Kazinsky as Zeph, an easily manipulated mechanical exoskeleton. There are a couple more cool characters, but it’s best to save their introductions when you see the film, which has a suave presentation of them in a slick style.
Yeoh deserved the lead role in Star Trek: Section 31
I’ve been watching Yeoh since I popped a copy of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon into my PSP over twenty years ago and have only recently gotten into Star Trek (see my reviews of Star Trek: Lower Decks). With a new fascination with Starfleet and the inclusion of Yeoh as the lead in Star Trek: Section 31, I knew I had to give this one a shot. I still have not seen much Trek to consider myself a real fan, but a cool hour-and-a-half film felt like a new way to broaden my horizons with the franchise. They did well in using something she’s always been known for: absolute kick-ass fighting.
Look, simply put, she’s a warrior, both Yeoh and her character Phillipa. Knowing this, the film leaned into it and gave her a couple of enjoyable sequences, one in the beginning that was unique as she fought an invader at a different frequency that allowed them to run through solid matter. Even during the film’s climax, her killer instinct still flows through her blood and makes for a decent final fight.
Phillipa’s character is not too complex, but not in a negative way. She has developed from a tyrant to someone who is still ruthless, but no longer cruel. Yeoh has the chance (via flashbacks) to show the old Phillipa, and she keeps them separated enough to make them different enough. Her interactions with the Section 31 team are actually quite hilarious, as she uses condescension to put them in their places. Phillipa reads every one of them like a book, which frustrates the team and makes the dynamic even more tense as they hesitate to work with someone like her.
Uncommon camerawork and modern expressions make this Paramount+ film special
It’s difficult to describe, but there’s an almost amateurish decision to zoom in and out of characters and situations through Star Trek: Section 31. Yet, that works for it since it is, after all, a television/streaming movie. But this decision complements the “cool” and “suave” nature I mentioned earlier. Instead of trying to build up to these cinematic set pieces, it shifts the focus to the characters or whatever situation is present. The whole production seems like it was a lot of fun and trying to play around with the circumstances rather than be overly serious like old Star Trek could tend to be.
Beyond the different visual takes, a sense of current culture is inserted within the dialogue. One that stood out to me was, “I love that for us,” a phrase I’ve only seen come to prominence recently. It’s actually kind of refreshing to make the film a little more accessible, but I wonder how this will date it in the future. Still, these silly moments add personality to Star Trek: Section 31. There’s another one where they argue over the pronunciation of the film’s plot device, which is groan-inducing.
Star Trek: Section 31 is now streaming on Paramount+! Have you seen Yeoh’s character in Star Trek: Discovery? Are you going to check this film out? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or @TheCosmicCircus.com on Bluesky!
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