Gene Roddenberry didn't like Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan but did see value in one aspect

It may surprise you, but Gene Roddenberry didn't really care for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. It's a bit shocking to hear, right? After all, Wrath of Khan is a film that many hold as if it were the bible of Star Trek itself. To even suggest it's not the best film in the franchise's history will often cause a sea of fans to descend on you for your wrong opinions.

But just so we're clear, many of us believe it's not the best film in the franchise, myself included. That said, it is one of the best in the franchise's history. Something most, if not every fan can agree with, but it's not something that is seemingly agreed upon by all. Because the creator of Star Trek itself, Roddenberry, didn't like Wrath of Khan.

In fact, he found it too focused on the action. According to SlashFilms, he thought the film was "corny", and didn't really embrace it for what it was.

But as much as he found it corny and didn't like the fact that it drifted away from the introspective franchise he had cultivated it to be, he did find one thing about Wrath of Khan that he adored; the acting of Ricardo Montalban.

And why wouldn't he? Montalban's performance of Khan Noonien Singh is one of the best aspects of the franchise as a whole, let alone the film he starred in. He delivered his scenes with such gusto that it was hard not to find him charming. All while he was torturing and killing those he thought beneath him.

But hey, history has shown that genocidal maniacs are often very charming, and thank goodness that Matalban was able to capture that essence on screen for all to see. He really did make the movie better with his acting, and we're glad that Roddenberry at least saw the value in having such a dynamic actor step in and show off his talents.