Regardless of cancellation and recent non-canonization, the fan-derisive Star Trek: Discovery has garnered a spin-off movie, Star Trek: Section 31. Fascinating. Equally eyebrow-raising is that Section 31 was… not terrible. As is the case with Discovery itself, many fans of the galaxy Gene built may not see this as “true” Star Trek as the movie itself fails in capturing that authentic “somewhere in the 23rd century” feel. Yes, Section 31 is a silly and somewhat-generic sci-fi action movie filled with frustrating and annoying characters (a Vulcan “robot” with an Irish brogue, anyone?), but the f/x work is remarkable, the cinematic action nicely paced, and, most importantly, is a huge spotlight for Michelle Yeoh to ham it up. 

 

The eponymous Section 31 is the Federation’s quasi-black ops team that supposedly keeps those back alleys safe while the valiant crews of Constellation class starships have the more straightforward task of exploring strange new worlds while boldly going. Academy Award winning actress Michelle Yeoh reprises her role of Philippa Georgiou, the former empress of the Terran Empire from the fabled “Mirror, Mirror” universe. Georgiou is enlisted by Section 31 to go after a MacGuffin from her universe that is capable of such reprehensible actions as blowing up planets or sautéing broccoli. Assisting her is a team of back-stabbing reprobates that truly brings light to Section 31’s poor hiring practices. They all go after the MacGuffin in an effort to kick ass and save the galaxy while obtaining decent streaming ratings.

 

Section 31 is ably directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, written by Discovery’s writer’s room team, and produced by a pantheon of studio execs. Osunsanmi, if anything, gives Section 31 a professional look; he is clearly ready for prime-time work. Outside of the fact that the technology presented is blatantly inconsistent for something contemporaneous to Kirk’s five-year mission, the aforementioned non-canonization allows imaginative settings - and set-ups - to play out. In fact, Section 31 improves upon one of Discovery’s many deficiencies and does not have technological trickery win the day, rather, teamwork, and the able use of a garbage scow. 

 

Michelle Yeoh seems to have fun with the role and her smile one-ups the rest of the cast. Not only is Georgiou a bad girl, but she is inherently evil, which makes her a good foil when playing on the side of angels. Star Trek’s history is full of dastardly devils whose allying with Starfleet heroes, even if temporary, makes for good storytelling. From Q to Garak to Martok, being bad in Star Trek can be good. Unfortunately the Section 31 A-Team, outside of Omari Hardwick’s

Alok Sahar and Sam Richardson’s shape-changing Quasi, are all ridiculously incompetent. Too many Murdocks; not enough Faceman. There is a Mutara Nebula-sized difference between comedy and bad writing. One does not need to have a positronic brain to figure out the case here. 

 

The result of this unevenness is unfortunately felt movie-wide. Section 31 warps between Star Trek and Mission: Impossible (both shows are graduates from Desilu Studios) and one of Michelle Yeoh’s alternate lives from Everything Everywhere All At Once. If Star Trek: Section 31 could have been a result of the latter, the movie would have been glorious. To quote Martok. 

Instead, Star Trek: Section 31 is a satisfying if generic spectacle of sci-fi cheese. While the Discovery franchise will probably not live long and prosper, hopefully Paramount can find enough success with this one to ante up at the dabo table for another round.