When Gene Roddenberry first created Star Trek back in 1966 there was no way he could have foreseen the expansion of it in this way. Despite a period where the franchise went somewhat dormant, the universe now boasts nine live action series, three animated series, thirteen feature films, countless books, comics, and video games. Thanks in part to Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) the universe has expanded in recent years. But now we have a first for the series – a streaming film.
Star Trek: Section 31 follows Michelle Yeoh's Philippa Georgiou, the leader of the Terran Empire in the Mirror Universe who now lives in the Prime Universe running a bar. Starfleet's Black Ops unit Section 31 recruits Georgiou to help them stop an arms deal that connects to her own shady past.
Star Trek still has the reputation of being a niche fandom, unlike Star Wars which appears to have a much more universal appeal, which might explain why Trek hasn't been as successful at the box office. Deciding to make the move to streaming films makes sense for the series, and offers a chance for shorter form storytelling that still stays true to the franchise as a whole.
The direction by Olatunde Osunsanmi, a veteran of the franchise, is particularly good. It has the feel of the J.J. Abrams films, and while it does at times feel like a pilot or a set up for future films, Osunsanmi keeps the action tight and brisk, never losing the momentum of the film. It helps that Craig Sweeney's screenplay has the right amount of Mission: Impossible style putting a team together and banter, helped by Yeoh being joined by a cast including Omari Hardwick, Kacey Rohl, Sam Richardson, Sven Ruygrok and Rob Kazinsky.
The film is clearly there for fans of Discovery and the franchise as a whole. Characters appear who are very niche references to previous episodes of Trek, and there's a lot to do with the Mirror Universe. It would be difficult to jump into this without being at least fairly aware of what is happening in universe. But, as a spin-off, it makes sense that it assumed you're all in on the series and know your Klingons from your Romulans.
The film is generally let down by the villain, a character with ties to Georgiou's past, the build up promises a particularly good finale, but when it comes down to it, it's not as compelling as it could be. The stakes are there, the action is there but the emotion is somewhat missing, under developing the antagonist means that the key moments in the climax just don't hit as hard as they should.
Even so, this is a good move for Paramount+ and offers a chance to do stories in the Trek universe without being beholden to doing series, it can also offer a way for them to test the waters for certain stories or ideas without committing to thirteen hours of content. In a way, this is how the series will live long and prosper.
Star Trek: Section 31 is streaming on Paramount+ from 24th January