The first Star Trek film since 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, Star Trek: Section 31 is a Trek film unlike any other. Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh returns as Emperor Philippa Georgiou, who debuted in Star Trek: Discovery’s first season. The series updated Star Trek for modern streaming television and launched the franchise into an exciting new era. As Georgiou was one of Discovery’s most captivating characters, it seems fitting she should lead Star Trek’s return to film. The film centers around a team of Section 31 agents who recruit Georgiou to help them stop a dangerous new weapon.

Star Trek: Section 31 follows a somewhat familiar plot combining a spy thriller with futuristic sci-fi action. In Star Trek: Discovery season 3, Emperor Georgiou was sent back in time by the Guardian of Forever. She ended up in the early 24th century, running a nightclub located outside of Federation space. Often referred to as Star Trek’s “lost years,” much about the early 24th century remains a mystery, and Section 31 does not spend much time answering questions. Despite being a Trek film, Section 31 feels disconnected from the larger universe, even as it delivers an entertaining sci-fi action-oriented story.

Emperor Georgiou’s Past Catches Up With Her In Star Trek: Section 31

Michelle Yeoh Is Great As Always, But Star Trek: Discovery Already Gave Her A Redemption Arc

The film opens with a flashback to Emperor Georgiou’s childhood, setting up a focus on her supposed redemption arc. This story, however, never quite works. For one thing, Star Trek: Discovery already gave Georgiou a strong redemption story, one that benefited from the longer runtime episodic television provides. Section 31’s opening scene also makes Georgiou even more difficult to root for. The young Georgiou becomes Emperor by poisoning her entire family and, although it’s implied her family would have been killed anyway, this doesn’t make her an endearing character.

As someone who has seen Georgiou’s history on Star Trek: Discovery, I can’t say how newcomers to Trek will react to her as a character, but the opening flashback is a jarring way to introduce her. Fans who have seen Georgiou’s Discovery arc may find more to like in Section 31 than those who have not. The film only offers brief glimpses into Georgiou’s time as Emperor of the Terran Empire, whereas Discovery viewers got to watch her grow and change throughout three seasons of the show.

The idea for Section 31 initially began as a spin-off series, and there are times when the film feels like a collection of scenes from a much larger story. Section 31 sets up Georgiou’s story, but then muddies it by trying to fit too much into its 100-minute runtime. Perhaps this is left over from the story’s beginnings as a series, but it makes it difficult to connect with much of anything that is happening. None of the big reveals are particularly shocking and none of the deaths (of which there are a surprising number) have the effect they should.

Star Trek: Section 31 Is A Fun (If Somewhat Hollow) Sci-Fi Action Movie

The Film Introduces Some Fascinating New Characters I Hope To See More Of

Part of Section 31’s problem is there are too many characters and the film is too short for us to get to know them. Team leader Alok (Omari Hardwick) gets a brief backstory with interesting connections to Trek history, but his teased romance with Georgiou feels out of place. Sam Richardson’s Chameloid Quasi and Starfleet Lt. Rachel Garrett (Kacey Rohl) are the two standouts, and I hope to see more of them in the future. As the only Starfleet officer on the team, Lt. Garrett keeps things feeling more like Star Trek when the film’s franchise connections feel tenuous.

As a tiny alien piloting a robotic Vulcan body, Fuzz (Sven Ruygrok) is a fascinating concept, but the character is all over the place. The muscle of the group, Zeph (Robert Kazinsky) delivers some genuinely funny lines, but his only real defining trait is that he’s overly attached to his mechanical exoskeleton. And finally, the Deltan Melle (Humberly Gonzalez), a species only seen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, has potential, but she gets far too little screen time.

That’s not to say that Section 31 is a bad movie. I certainly didn’t hate it — it’s still a Star Trek movie, after all. Some cool fight sequences make use of a nifty phase device that allows the wearer to pᴀss through walls and other solid objects. The film also plays around with тιтle cards and graphics in fun ways and has plenty of well-done sci-fi action sequences. And seeing a young Rachel Garrett is a treat for any TNG fan. Plus, everything looks amazing, it’s surprisingly funny, and the plot moves quickly enough to keep things interesting.

Overall, Star Trek: Section 31 can best be described as a fun time. And if it sometimes feels a bit hollow, well, not every Star Trek story has to have profound commentary on what it means to be human. I know how great Star Trek can be, and I would be lying if I said Section 31 didn’t leave me a bit disappointed. Still, if we get the sequel the final scene sets up, I’ll be first in line to watch it.