Star Trek: Section 31 is a disappointing experience for hardcore Trekkies. The fandom was enthused when Michelle Yeoh’s return to the franchise came to light in late 2018. The Malaysian actress would lead another expansion of the Trekverse with a standalone series based on her Star Trek: Discovery character Captain Philippa Georgiou — everyone was happy!
In April 2023, Paramount+ greenlit the project as an event film with Olatunde Osunsanmi (director) and Craig Sweeny (writer) leading the creative team. The film follows Philippa and members of a secret Starfleet division (Section 31) as they join forces to stop an apocalyptic threat against the Prime Universe. Released in January 2025 to scathing reviews, here are some reasons why Star Trek: Section 31 failed to impress fans of the franchise and moviegoers at large.
1. Unimpactful Characters And Lackluster Performance
While the movie features an ensemble of notable performers, their performances failed to capture the sense of urgency and dread the film’s plot attempted to convey. From the lead actors to those who embodied supporting roles, the cast of Star Trek: Section 31 delivered an underwhelming performance. None of the characters struck a chord among the audience, and neither was there any memorable moment that compelled viewers to root for any character.
Given the shortfalls in developing the characters meaningfully, the film couldn’t draw the audience in to follow their journeys. The characters’ arcs fell below average, lacking the depth expected from a Star Trek franchise. The actors’ unimpressive portrayal of Section 31 characters isn’t a vote against their talents. The film’s weak plot and lazy script might have contributed to the flat performances.
2. The Film’s Storyline Is Rather Uninspiring
For a Star Trek film, Section 31 leaves much to be desired about its story. The movie’s failure to impress the famous franchise’s massive fandom can be blamed on its uninspiring narrative. Apart from the opening scene, the rest of the story is rushed and predictable without any emotional resonance. At best, Star Trek: Section 31‘s story feels like a lazy mashup of ideas peculiar to the franchise, propped against a weak conflict to drag the plot along.
It also didn’t help that the film depended on several expository backstories to push its narrative. It takes a bonafide Trekkie to make sense of Section 31’s story idea, but even at that, it’s a disappointing premise. Perhaps the film would have had more substance if it committed to showing all the major events surrounding its story rather than explaining them through the actors’ dialogues.
3. Star Trek: Section 31 Didn’t Offer Anything New To The Franchise
Star Trek: Section 31 explored the history of the Mirror’s Philippa Georgiou. And that’s just about the only significant way the film expanded the Star Trek franchise. Settling for a standalone movie, the creative team seems to have favored glitzy action sequences and sarcastic (but unfunny) dialogues over exploring themes central to what made Star Trek an enduring property.
When the sci-fi debuted in 1966 with The Original Series, it captured viewers with its quest “to explore strange new worlds… seek out new life and new civilization (and) boldly go where no man has gone before.” The new Star Trek film didn’t accomplish that in any way, except maybe with the Nanokins. Fans anticipated a stimulating entry that would inspire new intrigues about the universe.
4. Viewers Didn’t Understand The Setting Of Section 31’s Story
Although a standalone Star Trek film, Section 31 was developed from Star Trek: Discovery, which ran from 2017 to 2024. The movie is a spin-off from the series, based off Michelle Yeoh’s character Philippa Georgiou, and the franchise’s intelligence group — Section 31. It is set within the universe’s lost era, between The Original Series movies and The Next Generation. So, a deep knowledge of the franchise might aid some measure of appreciation for the film and its concept. But then, most of the fandom thinks the new addition is a huge disappointment despite understanding its premise.
5. Lifeless Dialogues And Bland Humor
It appears the movie’s creative team aimed to engage viewers with lively interactions between characters. Of course, witty dialogues and remarks can elevate the overall appeal of a film when rightly done. This wasn’t the case with Star Trek: Section 31. The interactions between the characters seem forced, just as their banters were poorly delivered and rather cringeworthy. In all, the humor aimed for amounted to a major setback for the movie. Check out the best movie franchises of all time.
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