If there was anyone that deserved the spotlight to lead a murder mystery movie, it’d have to be Michelle Yeoh. The Crazy Rich Asians and Everything Everywhere All at Once star has, no doubt, made an impact with such powerful performances. However, Yeoh’s one role that’s stuck with fans the most has to be Star Trek: Discovery‘s Philippa Georgiou. Throughout the show, Star Trek fans developed a soft spot for the ruthless, yet tactical, leader of the Terran Empire despite her comeuppances. With her growing popularity, what better way to further involve her in this world than putting Georgiou in the Federation’s most dangerous in Star Trek: Section 31?
To those unfamiliar, Section 31 is a clandestine organization that involves dangerous outlaws carrying the Federation’s objectives. To put it in more popular terms, think The Suicide Squad meets Star Wars: The Bad Batch (and I’m very sorry to make that comparison!) Section 31 was always present throughout the franchise, but never seemed to make itself present. However, this film fully explores that through Georgiou’s perspective as she discovers a mysterious conspiracy. With the help of her new team, led by agent Alok (Omari Hardwick), Georgiou races against time to save the Federation while facing the sins of her past.
Despite everything that it initially throws, one doesn’t need to be familiar with the Star Trek world to enjoy this movie. Director Olatunde Osunsanmi makes every single detail as concise as possible while still allowing the audience to follow Georgiou’s story. Following a short recap of Discovery‘s events, it puts us into a flashback involving Georgiou’s final test, which is harsh. Yet, it’s supposed to help humanize Georgiou in a way that makes us sympathize with her rise to power. It’s one of the more harrowing sequences that might feel brief on a first watch. However, this moment in Georgiou’s life helps set the stage for the sinister plot’s unraveling.
Moving into the present, it introduces its roster of unique characters, each who have their own piece of the pie. Alok’s like a combination of Rick Flag Jr. and Deadshot: personally troubled, but compelled to do what’s right. Rachel Garrett’s (Kacey Rohl) the tip-top, mostly clean agent representing Starfleet, who played an important role in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Quasi’s (Sam Richardson) the “Tech” of Section 31 with a bit of that introverted charm, never being too smart for his own good. Fuzz (Sven Ruygrok), Zeph (Robert Kazinsky) and Melle (Humberly Gonzalez) round the team out, with their own personalities happily colliding.
Every member of Section 31 provides this charismatic joy to the film, but it’s best not to get fully attached. We expect some sacrifices with the stakes and the film’s premise of ‘dangerous individuals coming together.’ Without giving away huge spoilers, that is the case with some characters that appear here. Some of the deaths that happen range from somewhat expected to being outright surprising. Sure, this is usually expected when dealing with a story that continually twists and turns. Yet, in some way, it feels like they occur just for shock value.
This is probably because Star Trek: Section 31 was supposed to be a TV show akin to Creature Commandos. Considering this, it’s all likely that this film could’ve played out in a 5-or-6-episode series, expanding on Section 31’s members. That feels clear from Osunsanmi’s direction, with Craig Sweeny’s script putting more emphasis on Georgiou’s character. As such, it may feel like certain areas of the narrative feel the film is moving much faster than anticipated. However, it’s the suspense of it all really keeps things on their toes.
In a way, its incorporation of elements from the spy and thriller genres almost feel like a mish-mash of several stories. It wants to be a “hunt for the deus ex machina” while still being a murder mystery while also being a personalized story. There’s just a lot to contend with given the nature of Section 31; it would’ve been better if more time was focused on one thing. Whether this was an effect of the original plan being turned over remains to be known, but it’s certainly felt.
However, it really does feel like the new format had the most impact on the dialogue. Although there are some funny moments, there are lines that could’ve had more emphasis. Specifically, the second act itself suffers from this because there’s more telling than showing. It has this need to announce every detail, continuously nailing in those narrative points so the audience can keep following. As such, it makes each proceeding event feel less emotionally impactful than they should be.
The action itself is pretty fun thanks to all of the closed off sets. It maintains a sense of practicality through the choreography, with most fights having that excitement. However, the crazy, somewhat over-the-place cinematography is a lot to take in. In certain scenes, the zoom-ins and different camera angles can feel awkward given the circumstances. Furthermore, the color palettes, while diverse overall, can be somewhat blinding. Though it wants to emulate the visual aesthetic of shows like Star Trek: Discovery or Strange New Worlds, they can be a little brash.
However, the performances essentially carry Star Trek: Section 31. Michelle Yeoh is still irresistibly compelling as Philippa Georgiou and every scene she’s in has this intriguing sadism to it. Furthermore, as her younger self, Miku Martineau really shines in the opening moment of the film, which has a great setup. Omari Hardwick, Kacey Rohl, Sam Richardson, Sven Ruygrok, Humberly González and Robert Kazinsky are also very confident in their performances. There are specific spots in between all the action where you can see how much they enjoyed these characters. To tie it all off, James Hiroyuki Liao is intense and intimidating as San, who has much to prove here.
Star Trek: Section 31 feels like it could’ve been better if it remained a TV show, but Michelle Yeoh and the cast absolutely carry this. Its narrative contains so much to the point where it may pour too much on audiences. Fans want to fully enjoy Georgiou as a character, but there’s a lot to handle here. Plus, the weird cinematographic choices and the dialogue can really hold back Section 31 from being the story it wants to be. If a potential sequel is in the works, then it would be better to make it a more character-driven series. It’s better to wait and fully flesh out every character and emphasize those personal moments rather than cramming everything into a short experience.
Star Trek: Section 31 premieres on January 24, 2025 on Paramount+.
