My 2¢ about this movie and DVD
Just like in the original Star Trek movies, the crew of the Enterprise is splitting up - Riker
gets his own command and Data appears to have been destroyed (although I think it will be like
Spock and they'll find his consciousness stuffed inside B-4). The story itself specifically
follows Picard and Data as they look in the mirror at themselves - Picard has to deal with his
clone, Praetor Shinzon, and Data finds an early model of himself, comically named B-4. These
themes play out as the crew of the Enterprise once again battles to save earth from certain
destruction. As with most Star Trek movies, the ship is all but destroyed, however, despite
ramming a ship, manages to make it back to space dock.
More Reviews
A Great Movie,
April 22, 2008
I'm simply amazed at how many Star Trek fans abhor this movie! I guess I'm not enough of a Trekkie to understand the hatred, though I have been a fan since the 1970's.
I first saw this movie in the theater, and just recently watched it again on DVD. I loved the movie both times. Sure there are some "How can that possibly happen?" moments, but Star Trek has always required a suspension of disbelief in order to enjoy it; and I don't think the stretches of imagination are that big in this movie to be off-putting.
This movie is definitely one of the more action-oriented of the franchise, but the action (along with the special effects) is well done and is fun and often edge-of-the-seat suspenseful. There is also the cerebral aspect in the question of what makes a human a human, and how a human being's past experiences are what really make him what he is - more so than his genetic makeup. I think Data finally realizes in this movie that he is a true individual and possesses the same quality that makes a human a human, which was a great moment to me.
The main villain Shinzon is very well acted, and his blind anger that has been brewing though years of abuse and his intelligence make him an intimidating and formidable foe. Yet he still has that sense of dignity and formality that you can imagine has been instilled into the Picard family line for generations. I also really like how dark and secretive the Remans are portrayed - particularly by the Viceroy. You get just enough of a glimpse into their culture to make sense of Shinzon's past, but not enough to understand them completely. It leaves you intrigued about them, and hopefully we will see more of them in the future.
Overall, this is a great "Next Generation" movie though not quite up to the level of the outstanding "First Contact."
I also must say that the special features included with this movie are some of the best of all the "Collector's Editions" for the Star Trek movie series - very enjoyable to watch.
Is That It?,
February 11, 2008
Being a long-time fan of Trek and especially of the Classic and DS9 incarnations, I've always had a bittersweet relationship with the ST:TNG concept. I've never been able to understand the need for a ship's counselor as a senior member of the staff with a place on the bridge especially when you have an equally if not more competent Guinan and located where she should be to be an effective counselor i.e. as a bar tender.
I've also wondered just what role Beverly Crusher plays other than just to blindly copy the Bones McCoy character from classic trek. I detest the whole ridiculous Q storyline and overall, I found ST:TNG a totally miscast and unbalanced series except perhaps for Picard, Riker, Data, Jeordie and Worf. And so it has always been painful for me to watch most of the episodes let alone the movies and yet with the exception of the Borg movie, I've enjoyed the ST:TNG movies the least and although this "final" one has some good points going for it. I can't help but feel that I've been shortchanged in some way.
The whole dark mood of the film just wasn't Trek for me while it probably would have fit in say a Batman movie like say a movie of the "Dark Knight Returns" or something like that, this gothic type feel just didn't fit for me in this movie. I've watched it a few times and perhaps it will grow on me but each time I watch I get the feeling in my tummy that I get when I eat a heavily hyped up meal that just didn't deliver.
The dvd though has decent special features with a few documentaries and the Dolby 5.1 surround sound is very good although I regret not getting the widescreen version instead of this full-screen version and I wonder if they could have gotten a DTS sound option included as well.
Overall, I think if the mood was more "Trek" instead of this "Jack the Ripper" gothic type thing, I would have probably enjoyed this a lot more. Also, one of the deleted scenes was very amusing with the new number 1 trying to please Picard as well as the chairs with seat belts which really should have been included in the main picture and they would have certainly helped with the cheerful mood that is sadly missing in the picture. Hopefully they would be included in a future director's cut that is brighter and has more of a "Trek" feel to it.
Verdict: Wait for an improved director's cut with the good deleted scenes included and also for a widescreen version preferably in Blu-ray.
Next Generation Deserved a Better Swan Song,
December 29, 2007
The movie isn't the WORST movie as most Trek fans will claim. They're just upset because this should've been one of the best movies since it was probably the last we'll see of the Next Generation crew.
However the movie isn't good either. Its mediocre, and yes, the crew did deserve a better good-bye.
The plot-well, it ahem, cough cough, doesn't really make much sense. Its as if the writer wanted to create a WWE style battle where Picard fights some serial 2-dimensional 60s style comic book villian, & did every little short cut to get the movie to that battle, even if it didn't make sense or fit with what's been established in Trek. It presents Trek as if its an adolescent genre more on the order of Masters of the Universe or some other sci fi for kids.
Its a shame. Trek at its best appealed to intellect, a hope for a better future, & showing humanity have a place in that future.
The things I liked about the movie-it has some nice though not spectacular effects. There is tight suspense in the film during the long battle.
I would reccomend against buying this DVD even if you're one of those people that happened to like the movie. Why? Paramount once again is screwing with you & trying to get you to buy multiple DVDs of the same movie. Yes there is bonus footage not seen in the movie on this DVD, but not all the "cut scenes" are here. I bet Paramount is banking on you Trekkers out there who'll buy this, and then a possible future DVD release where they release the yet unreleased scenes, then they'll probably want you to buy the Blu-Ray version where they'll probably pull the same stunt.
Makes The Final Frontier look like Shakespeare,
December 1, 2007
I grew up with the TNG crew, since I was young I watched the show every week until it ended. I thought the series was incredible and definately one of the all time sci-fi greats. I'm a proud owner of all the Star Trek TNG Season DVD sets and I even enjoy the Generations and Insurrection movies! But this movie is just absolutely horrid with suprisingly no redeeming qualities. I mean at least 'The Final Frontier', which is widely regarded as Trek's worst, had its -characters- fronting the film. I didnt recognize anyone in this disaster.
The writing is very weak with most of the characters completely ignored. I think Geordi has 2 lines throughout the enitire movie, which on top of everything are delivered badly. He, as well as most of the others looked tired and uninspired by the script. The person that wrote this screenplay didn't know the characters half as well as the average TNG fan. He simply got all of the characters WRONG. Picard does things he never would do, Data isn't himself at all and appears bitter throughout the movie, etc. The actual storyline is laughable and it seems like the plot was developed around the redundant action sequences rather than the other way around.
Every Star Trek movie from Trek 1-9 and all the shows including Voyager and Enterprise have atleast some element of the Star Trek spirit. This film is completely devoid of that spirit. If you are a self-respecting Star Trek (or TNG) fan avoid this like the plague. The story ends so badly for our beloved characters that it simply isnt worth seeing. I mean it, this movie will leave a bad taste in the mouth of any real trek fan and ruin a legacy. TNG ended with the masterful final episode of the series "All Good Things". That is the sendoff they deserved and the end that should be remembered. Trek movies 7-9 can be enjoyed for fluff but this movie should be AVOIDED. I hope I've made my point.
An elongated episode,
October 28, 2007
Not the best Star Trek TNG film, but good to see the cast together one more time (and it's probably their last). Like the "Insurrection" film, it felt like an elongated episode of the series. Of all of the TNG movies, I still think "First Contact" was their best. As for "Nemisis", good special effects and a few laughs. Sad to see them go, but, as they say, all good things . . . .
[
