IslandGuru Who payed the critics

Micransix Crappy film

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

zkonedog Despite the fact that William Shatner's Captain Kirk was the ostensible lead of "Star Trek: The Original Series", it was ultimately Leonard Nimoy's Mr. Spock that often stole the show. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Trek, Leonard's son Adam Nimoy decided to make a documentary somewhat focusing on his father's time as Spock. When Leonard unexpectedly passed from COPD, however, Adam decided that the documentary must take on a more personal, emotional tone. "For the Love of Spock" was the end result, an emotional piece that thrives on its ability to show Mr. Nimoy the husband and father.Because Nimoy (and his alter-ego Spock) had become such a luminous figure in the entertainment community, it is very interesting to get "insider" glimpses into what his life was like when the cameras stopped rolling. That is the heart and soul of "For The Love Of Spock". Thoughts about Leonard/Spock from fellow actors and family members are quite poignant, while Adam's composure and dignity in hearing all this about his father is interesting to take in as well.The reason I can't give this the full five stars is because the parts dealing with Trek/Spock in general are rather generic, using footage I had seen before and not really giving me any new information. Without the shift in focus towards the familial side of Nimoy, I think this may have been a rather middle-of-the-road documentary.Overall, though, I very much enjoyed watching "For the Love of Spock", as it provided me with new insight into the personality of Leonard Nimoy and how not only his peers but also his family viewed him. Adam Nimoy does a good job of getting the most out of the experience, and many emotional moments are present. Highly recommend for those who still can't quite believe that Mr. Nimoy has left this mortal coil, and want to get a peek into his life both on and off camera.

sddavis63 It may be called "For The Love Of Spock," but this documentary is really about the entire breadth of Leonard Nimoy's life. Perhaps the most beloved and iconic character and actor in the long history of the Star Trek franchise, this film obviously has a heavy focus on Star Trek, but also provides a fascinating (to use a word made famous by Mr. Spock) look at Nimoy's family and the way in which Star Trek fame impacted his family life. It can be a bit jarring at times to those who want to see Nimoy as interchangeable with Spock. He wasn't as in control as his famous alter-ego. His family life wasn't perfect, he had his own demons and addictions to deal with. The documentary was made by Nimoy's son, Adam, who used a letter his father had written to him in the early 1970's as a sort of catalyst, moving the film forward. Theirs was at times a troubled relationship, but was ultimately a healed relationship, and this film is clearly the story of a man paying tribute to his father, who died partway through the film's production.There's a lot to follow - from Nimoy's early days as a struggling actor (never working more than two weeks at a time until Star Trek, as he tells us in an interview) to the fame he achieved as Mr. Spock, and a brief look at some of his other work as an actor and director. One thing we learn is that fame came with a price. However, clearly Nimoy was a man respected by his many peers and whose portrayal of Spock had an influence beyond his own work. There are interviews with the cast of the new Star Trek franchise, some discussions with Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik from "The Big Bang Theory" about Spock's influence on Parsons' "Sheldon" character, appearances from a variety of others (including Neil deGrasse Tyson) and interviews with many of Nimoy's original Star Trek castmates (William Shatner, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig all appear.)I must be honest and confess that it seemed a little bit too long at almost two hours, but it does have a lot of interesting material in it. It will be of most interest to fans of Star Trek, obviously. (8/10)

dcarsonhagy Let me start this review by stating I have never been that much of a "Star Trek" fan. I thought the series was okay, but it never held my interest that much. However, since the time it first aired, it has now become an iconic series, and Leonard Nimoy's role as Spock is one of the reasons why.This movie is directed by Spock's son, who up until a few years ago, the two were as estranged as most Hollywood father/son duos. It was amazing to see how they both worked to turn that relationship around and you can tell they cared deeply for each other. The interviews with Nimoy are spellbinding. He certainly did not know how his characterization of this one character would be his calling card even after his death.Overall, the movie was very interesting, enlightening, and heart- felt. I highly recommend it. The movie has a little salty language, but nothing else to offend. More an 8-1/2 rating than an 8.

Catskill This film should have been entitled 'For the Love of Leonard', for, in essence, it is director Adam Nimoy's eulogy to his late father. As such, the film is drenched in the sentimentality and nostalgia of a recently bereaved son. There's a whole lot of interview footage he conducts with the much missed actor's family, friends and colleagues and, unsurprisingly, no-one has a bad word to say about his dad. What they do say is, on the whole, trite and predictable. The broad strokes of Leonard's life and career are dutifully documented and, while this may hold some interest for anyone unfamiliar with his trajectory, it offers little that fans of Star Trek won't already know. We gain absolutely no insight into his relationships with Gene Roddenberry, Paramount or, especially, the cast and crew. His fractured friendship with William Shatner is never alluded to (Shatner himself appears for about 30 seconds), and Deforest Kelley and James Doohan are barely mentioned. Of the show's directors and writers there is hardly a peep (but we do get plenty of time with his sister-in-law).But by far the film's most disappointing aspect is the treatment of the character of Spock himself, the apparent subject of the piece. Yes it covers the evolution of the ears, the nerve pinch, the Vulcan salute etc. and yes, there is some examination of his motivations, inner turmoil and the relationship with Kirk and McCoy. But there's no depth, no insight, no analysis of the growth of the character over time. Any discussion of particular scenes, episodes or films is fleeting and perfunctory. The cultural impact of Spock, and Star Trek in general, is also treated in a facile manner unrelated to any wider social context.This film works as a fairly insipid memorial to Leonard Nimoy's life and work but disappointingly fails to offer anything else of substance.