‘Star Trek: Section 31’ review: It’s not classic ‘Trek’, but the Paramount+ exclusive offers some flashy fun

On January 23, 2025By Littum

“Star Trek” fans have been in for a turbulent treatment over the past decade or so, with the dizzying array of feature films, animated shows and live-action TV series bouncing around the franchise’s timeline with varying degrees of success. Most notable of late is the popular “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” series, which is about to launch its third season sometime later this year.

But first heading into 2025 to kick off Paramount+ on Jan. 24 is “Star Trek’s” first-ever streaming movie, “Section 31,” in which the “Star Trek: Discovery” Season 1 character of Emperor Philippa Georgiou is recruited in the titular super-secret division of Starfleet while trapped back in the Discovery era to defend the United Federation of Planets and deal with the sins of her past.

Starring Michelle Yeoh as the former despot of the Mirror Universe’s Terran Empire and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi (“Star Trek: Discovery,” “Falling Skies”) from a script courtesy of Craig Sweeny, “Section 31” is an experimental venture for Paramount , carrying a nervous energy with it as it ventures into uncharted tonal territory for lifelong Trekkies.

From the raw and raucous trailer that dropped back in December, faithful followers of Gene Roddenberry’s “Wagon Train to the Stars” have eagerly awaited this spinoff TV feature with guarded pockets of optimism that this project could deliver on its promise of a darker, more angular. adventure within the expanding confines of the venerable sci-fi property.

Set in spaceways outside the Federation’s official borders in the nebulous gray areas of the galaxy, “Section 31’s” brash and bold style certainly gives it an unconventional edge as it goes where no “Star Trek” film has gone before. And it is a double-edged saber on which Osunsanmi performs a nimble balancing act for her loud black opera space opera.

We open on a flashback scene in the Terran Empire with a young Georgiou and her family recounting a brutal selection process for the right to become emperor – it’s a shockingly depressing start to the film. Her final trial is a testament to her iron will and the sins she has been forged from. This bleak start eventually devolves into “Borderlands”-esque mayhem and campy energy paired with a rebellious attitude that should be applauded for staying true blue to its risky concept.

Two sci-fi commandos on a barren planet

Rob Kazinsky as Zeph and Omari Hardwick as Alok in “Star Trek: Section 31” (Image credit: Paramount)

“Section 31’s” Alpha Team leader receives a “Mission Impossible” message to track down a new black market threat, which leads them to the remote region where Georgiou has been running an upscale nightclub under an alias after going AWOL from Starfleet’s elite spy team. Over at The Baraam, we see Georgiou ruling over her cabaret bar as a sort of diabolical madame, manipulating the working masses that populate this intoxicating entertainment establishment.

Here we meet “Section 31’s” Alpha Squad unit, which Georgiou has already sniffed out in his smart spot. It’s a bit heavy for the exposition to set things up, but they pull her back with promises of action on a “galactic scale”. The temptation is too great for a merciless monarch to resist, and she is privy to the details of the team’s counter-terrorism mission.

“Section 31” also stars Omari Hardwick as the commando crew’s charismatic leader Alok Sahar, Kacey Rohl as Rachel Garrett, Sam Richardson as the shape-shifting Chameloid scientist Quasi, Robert Kazinsky as the mech-suit-wearing Zeph, Sven Ruygrok as a Vulcan nanokin called Fuzz, and Humberly Gonzalez as Deltan Melle.

A man with a green flashlight creeps into the forest

Sam Richardson as Quasi in “Star Trek: Section 31” (Image credit: Paramount)

Their target is a sinister cyborg named Dada Noe, an illegal bioweapons dealer on his way to The Baraan to sell a new doomsday bomb to the Minoan High Council. They must ensure that this transaction does not take place, but things are never that simple and their plans are disrupted numerous times. “Section 31” is blessed with trashy “Suicide Squad”-like DNA that may repel Trek purists, but it remains an engrossing watch with a blizzard of cool ideas sprinkled throughout its just-right 110-minute runtime.

Chewing the scenery with gusto, Yeoh seems to be having a ball in this despicable talon-nailed character. Inventive camerawork and colorful production design help adorn the film with a stylish sheen and sense of cinematic recklessness that makes up for its semi-formal narrative.

Several flashbacks to her time in the Terran Empire serve to tie together the origins of this secret superweapon called The Godsend, which Georgiou recognizes from her tragic past. Things eventually go seriously sideways, and Section 31’s Alpha Team finds itself fighting for survival amid greater looming consequences.

A director on the set of a big sci-fi movie

Director Olatunde Osunsanmi on the set of “Star Trek: Section 31” (Image credit: Paramount)

“Section 31” is a wildly addictive addition to “Star Trek’s” legacy that doesn’t tarnish the sci-fi property’s reputation, but could be cataloged as an enticing side note. It works as an endlessly watchable romp in the final frontier with exciting twists that harken back to the famous Eugenics Wars and the courage to try something completely new.

It might not feel like traditional “Star Trek” to some people, but it works well on its own flashy merits, with impressive visuals and wacky set pieces to reward lovers of cartoon-like escapades. The “Star Trek” fanbase is a vocally temperamental bunch, but if they just simmer down and open their minds, they just might be surprised!

“Section 31” will stream exclusively on Paramount+ starting January 24, 2025.