On The Star Trek franchise. is built on the premise of boldly going where no one has gone before, and Part 31 embodies that mantra and then some. The story takes place far beyond the Federation's reach, in lawless, seeder corners of the universe where nightclub owners consume eyeballs with their martinis and use naughty words. Starfleet characters are also few and far between, and the story centers around the sociopathic Philippa Giorgio (Michelle Yeo) rather than an admirable hero. So while Paramount+'s film technically embodies the franchise's desire to explore new ground, other elements beg the question: Is it really Star Trek?

Well, the consensus among most critics is that "Section 31" is "Star Trek" in name only - a film more reminiscent of modern action films than, well, "Star Trek". How IGN's Jordan Hoffman wrote"Department 31 will piss off Star Trek fans and bore everyone else." He had a similar feeling Den of Geek's Joe Georgewho thought that "'Star Trek: Episode 31' applies a veneer of 'Journey' references to an ugly, forgettable TV movie."

Those reviews sum up many of the opinions surrounding "Part 31," but they're not the only problems critics had with the film. With that in mind, let's boldly explore some other reviews that haven't been kind to director Olatunde Osunsanmi and writer Craig Sweeney's film.

Viewers need only watch a few episodes of "Star Trek: Discovery" to fully understand "Part 31." but general audiences and newcomers will get the gist of the story. It's also obvious that the filmmakers wanted to expand on the franchise's lore, but let's just say that their good intentions didn't result in a good end product.

According to GamesRadar Critic David Opie"Part 31" is tonally all over the place and lacks a cohesive vision:

Star Trek: Episode 31 doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a serious exploration of criminal lubrication, a return to the palace camp, or a tonal combination of the two?

Elsewhere, some critics argued that Section 31 fails to make the most of its excellent cast, which includes the magnificent Michelle Yeoh, Omari Hardwick, Sam Richardson and Casey Rolle. How Collider's Samantha Coley pointed out"Roll also does a solid job as the young Rachel Garrett, and if she'd been given more to do, it would have been fun to see her sink her teeth into the early days of one of Starfleet's most legendary figures."

On a more positive note, /Senior Film News Editor Jacob Hall Praises Star Trek: Episode 31 for stepping out of the franchise's idealistic comfort zone and embracing trashy B-movie qualities:

"(H)onestly, 'sleazy B-movie sleaze' is a taste of Trek we haven't seen before and one that I enjoyed more and more as the film's whirlwind dragged me through set piece after set piece." "

It seems the film may not appeal to all Trekkies, but it will likely find fans among those who appreciate a bit of schlock and awe.

Star Trek: Section 31 begins airing on January 24, 2025, on Paramount+.