Fortunately, the Star Trek franchise survived this rather stodgy start to its cinema run.

Glamorous Persis Khambatta joins the Trek regulars, as a bald-headed Deltan beauty who forms part of a desperate Earth bid to reunite the original crew of the Starship Enterprise and stop an irresistible force travelling towards our planet.

Special effects are good, as well they might be in the hands of Douglas Trumbull of 2001 and Silent Running fame.

So are the set designs and Jerry Goldsmith's music.

But the cast often seems undecided whether the venture should be played straight or tongue-in-cheek. 'Dammit, Bones' growls William Shatner at one stage to DeForest Kelley, 'I need you - badly.'

Not as badly, Captain Kirk, as you needed some better lines in the script.