▁the ▁film ▁number ▁four ▁on ▁its ▁list ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁Se qu els ▁That ▁Are ▁Way ▁Better ▁Th an ▁The ▁Originals . ▁Popular ▁Mechan ics ▁would ▁later ▁rate ▁Spo ck ' s ▁death ▁the ▁t enth ▁greatest ▁scene ▁in ▁science ▁fiction . ▁ ▁Roger ▁E bert ▁of ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Sun - Times ▁and ▁D erek ▁Adams ▁of ▁Time ▁Out ▁compla ined ▁about ▁what ▁were ▁seen ▁as ▁te pid ▁battle ▁sequences ▁and ▁perce ived ▁mel od rama . ▁While ▁E bert ▁and ▁TV ▁Guide ▁felt ▁that ▁Spo ck ' s ▁death ▁was ▁dram atic ▁and ▁well - hand led , ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post s ▁Gary ▁Arnold ▁stated ▁Spo ck ' s ▁death ▁" fe els ▁like ▁an ▁unnecessary ▁tw ist , ▁and ▁the ▁film m akers ▁are ▁obviously ▁well - prep ared ▁to ▁f ud ge ▁in ▁case ▁the ▁public ▁dem ands ▁another ▁sequ el ". ▁Neg ative ▁reviews ▁of ▁the ▁film ▁also ▁focused ▁on ▁the ▁acting , ▁and ▁Empire ▁sing led ▁out ▁the ▁" d od gy ▁co iff ures " ▁and ▁" S anta ▁Cla us ▁tun ics " ▁as ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁film ▁that ▁had ▁not ▁aged ▁well . ▁ ▁Christopher ▁John ▁review ed ▁Star ▁Tre k ▁II : ▁The ▁W r ath ▁of ▁Khan ▁in ▁A res ▁Magazine ▁# 1 3 ▁and ▁commented ▁that ▁" By ▁not ▁taking ▁itself ▁so ▁seriously ▁– ▁that ▁is , ▁real izing ▁the ▁film ▁should ▁be ▁an ▁action ▁advent ure ▁with ▁elements ▁of ▁path os ▁and ▁philosophy ▁g ently ▁added ▁– ▁The ▁W r