You know, typically, I would say that the old Star Trek serves no purpose whatsoever because it does not have Commander Data in it. That's the only element of The Next Generation that made it cool. Without Data, Star Trek is just--eww--science fiction.
But you'll see no tribbles here. You'll see no blonde aliens in mini skirts and go go boots. Sure, you'll see bad special effects. And you'll see bad acting, but hey, they had to hire William Shatner. But Wrath of Khan is a long way from what I remember about the cheesy old show that is the stuff that Mystery Science Theater is made of.
I forgot that the characters in the original Star Trek are really quite good. They are diverse and play well together. The irrational and emotional Kirk and his best friend? A vulcan. A vulcan, I tell you--who uses the word logical every 5 seconds. And Bones is the best. He is curmudgeonly, and his relationship with Spock is absolutely priceless. They hate each other, even though Vulcans, who are incapable of emotion, are therefore incapable of hate. This is what makes that relationship so ironic and interesting.
The story itself is exciting, I guess, but too science fictiony for my standards. However, the ending is emotional and moving. Spock's "death" is an act of bravery and an act of humanity from a character who has purposely rejected his own human nature. He is, of course, not dead, and the film leaves the story open for him to resurface in later films and what have you.
All in all, not bad for a Star Trek that doesn't contain everyone's favorite android.
