As a lifelong Star Trek fan, it pains me to see how far this legendary franchise has fallen. Time and time again, whenever the creative team strays from the core characters of The Original Series or The Next Generation, the results are underwhelming. Section 31 is no exception. Originally intended as a spin-off of Star Trek: Discovery—which, in my opinion, was a failure in its own right—this film attempts to expand the Star Trek universe but ultimately stumbles.
The story follows Emperor Philippa Georgiou (from the Mirror Universe—if you haven’t seen Discovery, you’ll need that context), who is recruited by a secret Starfleet division tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets. She must confront the sins of her past, including a doomsday weapon she created that could wipe out millions. Her mission? Stop the weapon and prevent an all-out Terran Empire war.
The biggest flaw of Section 31 is that it feels like a condensed television series awkwardly crammed into a two-hour movie. Character development is rushed, and the plot recycles the tired trope of a troubled figure seeking redemption. The film lacks the depth and direction that made past Star Trek stories compelling. Additionally, one frustrating trend persists—Star Trek continuously introduces new alien species that appear out of nowhere, only to be forgotten in subsequent installments.
On the bright side, the acting is solid. Omari Hardwick delivers a strong performance, and Michelle Yeoh, as always, commands the screen. However, her character feels trapped between being a ruthless villain and a redeemed hero, making her motivations inconsistent. For someone responsible for the deaths of billions, her romantic attachment to a man who once tried to kill her feels forced and unconvincing.
The cameo by Jamie Lee Curtis was a nice touch, but it wasn’t enough to salvage the film. If this was meant to be the start of a new movie franchise, it shouldn’t be. If the plan was to launch a series, there might be potential—provided they bring in better writers.
At this point, Star Trek needs to embrace what it does best: revisiting and expanding upon its beloved classic characters. Every time the franchise tries to break new ground without solid storytelling, it stumbles. Section 31 had potential, but in the end, it failed to live up to the hype.
