Reviews

About half-way through Insurrection, I was somewhat expecting "To Be Continued" to pop up on the screen. It felt like one of The Next Generation's two- part episodes as opposed to a movie. It's hard to blame the writers for taking this approach with the Enterprise-E crew. While the Borg was an incredible villain, most of the TNG series was introspective, examining the human condition and artificial intelligence. This perspective played very well throughout much of the series, but the problem is that is doesn't translate into film. And this might be the downfall of the Next Gen crew as the holders of the movie franchise. The previous film, First Contact, wasn't very philosophical, it instead focused on Picard's struggle with vengeance against a powerful and personal enemy. It made for an exciting Star Trek film with both action and intrigue with the Zefram Cochran warp-speed plot. Insurrection fails in its ability to deliver both of these.

First of all, giving credit where it is due, it was interesting for Star Trek to examine the sad cases in history of the forced removal of peaceful people. Though it was a little annoying that this group of people were entirely beautiful and white. Did the filmmakers think that this would make the audience have more sympathy for them, that it was ironic, or were they just not thinking? But these same people were also very dull. Sure, it was cool to see Picard have an age-appropriate (sort of) girlfriend, but otherwise it was difficult to feel much sympathy for the Baku. They should not have to lose their land and culture, but shouldn't these people find a way to share this "fountain of youth" with society in order to help prevent disease?

Maybe the Baku would have had more time to discuss this with the Enterprise crew if they didn't have a petulant baby trying to capture them. The film's villain, Ru'afo, has to be the most annoying bad guy in the entire film franchise. He's also less sinister than Sybok (sorry to bring that up). Heck, he's less sinister than the whale-loving space probe, at least that could destroy the planet Earth. Basically, a whining brat is trying to get everything he wants while getting a facelift from stylists in tight-fitting clothes. There's nothing scary about him; disgusting, but not very threatening or interesting. Without an effective villain, the Next Gen crew's conversations about youth and forced relocation end up slowly dragging the film.

The effects are very high quality, as the studio gives more and more money to the franchise, and it is funny to see all of the crew revert back to adolescence. But the plot, villain, and pacing makes this feel so much more like an episode of the series rather than a film. In fact, the film might be much more enjoyable if the viewer stops half-way through and finishes it up a week later. That might be something worth trying, but for someone else because I don't think I can take watching Ru'afo ever again.

Some final thoughts: Worf going through Klingon puberty might be worth its own film. Jonathan Frakes, how long have you been waiting to have scenes like that with Marina Sirtis? Also, how did a movie with such a simple plot get so convoluted with those three space ships at its climax? I must have missed something as I was zoning out. And you would think that the Federation would not get so easily used by such a screaming idiot as Ru'afo. Oh well, the scenic shots were nice.

*My film rating follows the soccer player rating measure of 6 as a baseline: you did what was expected of you. This film is a 5 because it attempts to hold to what made the Next Generation series successful as it confronts the horrible act of forced relocation, but its complete lack of a compelling villain makes the plot feel too dull and the strong acting and effects can't carry the movie.

While Star Trek on television doesn't necessarily need a fantastic villain to keep the viewer enthralled, it seems that the series will be at its best on the silver screen if it does. Khan had been undoubtedly the greatest villain that Trek had seen up to this point, but the Borg arguably rivals the old 20th century super- genius for that title. And in comparison to Khan, who was made into a great character because of the performance of Ricardo Montalban, the Borg is a merciless villain with an intriguing take on society attempting to achieve perfect unity. It may be The Next Generation's greatest contribution to the franchise, so it was the right choice for this crew's first film without the original crew.

Of course, Star Trek needs to not just have great villains and action in order to appease the fans. It also needs to make us think. This is where the Borg succeeds. They/It is a collective, a group of individuals fused into one mind, doing whatever is necessary for the progress of the Borg. It sounds like Communism at its most efficient: no free will, but everyone is working for the greater good. Obviously, this is a taboo concept in American thinking, so it is interesting to also hear Picard discuss with the 21st century stowaway, Lily, how the Earth did away with money and became focused on doing everything for the betterment of the world. That's Communist thinking too, isn't it? It just sounds much less sinister this time. But I digress…

While the Borg itself is great in this film, it was the right choice to give the collective a mouthpiece with the Borg queen, leading to interesting scenes between her and our emotional android, Data. But there is another plot line in this film which is given so much screen time that it really is not a subplot: that being Riker & Co's quest to ensure the historical moment of First Contact with alien life is not thwarted by the Borg. This story is not as engrossing as the Borg, but James Cromwell's acting as warp-speed man Zefram Cochran keeps it entertaining. It's hard not to think during the movie that Riker, Troi, and Geordi are extremely lucky to not be up on the Enterprise dealing with the Borg though.

First Contact uses much of the same elements that made the previous quality Star Trek films (2, 4, & 6) enjoyable. A strong and ruthless villain, intriguing concepts about the progress of society and cooperation, literary allusions (Captain Ahab, again!), and even time travel. I appreciated the simplified take on time travel in this film, however, compared to The Voyage Home. It's probably best to not spend time explaining something that is implausible, so just go with it like it's an easy thing. The high points in this come with seeing the Next Generation crew members have their own moments to show that they can hold their own in a Star Trek film, especially Capt. Picard and Worf. This is such an exciting film with strong acting that I wonder if it is even better than Wrath of Khan, making it the best Trek film, but I'm not sure I'm ready to make such a bold statement after some considerations below.

Some final thoughts: It makes sense that Vulcans would be the first alien life to make contact with humans on Earth, but why would they be speaking English?! I would think being above radioactive gas would still be lethal, but apparently it takes more of a "hot lava" approach. Data and the Borg Queen discussing sexual pleasure is a little gag worthy, though it is interesting that even cyborgs know this is how you get a man to do what you want. While it is realistic and probably a correct prediction, it's depressing to think that humans will only achieve unity and begin looking to the stars after we have decimated each other in World War III. Ugh…

*My film rating follows the soccer player rating measure of 6 as a baseline: you did what was expected of you. This film is a 9 because First Contact keeps the viewer on the edge of the seat for any scene involving the Borg. The plot involving Zefram Cochran's forced quest to achieve warp speed might be unnecessary, but still makes for an intriguing look into how humanity changed for the better.

After Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was made, everyone had to be feeling that The Next Generation crew had to given their chance, especially after how successful the aforementioned film had been. And while I understand the excitement behind combining the two Enterprise captains, Kirk and Picard, it was a highly unnecessary step in passing the baton to the new crew.

Generations has its quality moments: Kirk unease with the struggling new Enterprise captain, the always enjoyable give-and-take between LaForge and Data, the acting chops of Patrick Stewart, Riker's turn to lead an astro-naval battle against Klingons, and state-of-the-art visual effects. But overall the film fails to captivate the viewer because of very mundane plot seemingly designed solely to bridge the gap from the Original Series crew to the Next Generation. The Nexus is hardly a sinister problem since it provides so much comfort to those who fall in it (and can seemingly get out of easily). The main villain in this film is played by Caligula himself, Malcolm McDowell, who definitely brings a sinister edge to Dr. Soran. But his motivations to return to the Nexus are unremarkable aside from the fact that he clearly believes in "the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many," a truly poor choice of words from Kirk back in Search for Spock.

The drama is mainly lacking in this film and it never requires the viewer to consider moral issues, like a great Trek story should, since the Nexus has almost no bearing in our real world. Yes, it can be unwise to constantly reminisce and dwell in the past or what could have been, but that usually does not have a widespread impact on society. The moment when Kirk and Picard meet is enjoyable for long-time fans of Star Trek, but The Next Generation crew has enough clout of its own, not needing the reins of Trek to be passed on to them by Kirk in this movie. Now, give this crew their very own film and see what happens…

Some final thoughts: It was disappointing that the audience was shown which characters from the original crew in the opening credits, taking away from the hopeful suspense of seeing old friends. And were we really supposed to believe that Ferris Bueller's friend would ever get promoted to captain of the Enterprise? While, I'm sure Shatner thought Kirk's heroic death was a fitting end to the character, we were already given a perfect ending for him in the previous film. And Picard's crew really has too much time on its hands to spend so much of it in the Holodeck.

*My film rating follows the soccer player rating measure of 6 as a baseline: you did what was expected of you. This film is a 6 because it gave us generic Star Trek intrigue, but lacked the villain and plot to really captivate the audience. The Next Generation crew rose up to the occasion, but were held back by being forced to take the baton from Kirk & Co.

The final film with the original crew delivers exactly what we hope for from Star Trek. It challenges and forces us to consider our own way of thinking in a way that is so incredibly rare in an action film, which is another element of The Undiscovered Country that is well presented. The Enterprise crew is tasked with brokering peace talks with a proud and fading Klingon Empire. As many members of the crew, especially Capt. Kirk, are forced to examine their own feelings of prejudice and hate, the audience is forced to do the same with their own world view. This theme feels just as, if not more, poignant in a 2016 world.

Considering that the theme is the first element of the film begging discussion, not the effects, acting, or plot, proves how refreshing Star Trek VI is. It also then makes perfect sense that the director is Nicholas Meyer, taking the reins of Trek for the first time since Wrath of Khan. Meyer seems to have a great understanding of how to present the franchise at its best. In this film, racism is questioned, the cost of peace examined, fear of an unknown future presented, a murder mystery conducted, and Kirk gets his last naval battle on the Enterprise.

One can see Meyer's fingerprints on this film. Works of classic literature are quoted from both heroes and villains alike. Most of the action is methodical rather than gratuitous. There is also a fantastic element of tongue-in-cheek humor used fittingly to say goodbye to the crew. Spock quotes an old Vulcan proverb that "only Nixon could go to China" and Kirk points out to "himself" that it's been a long ambition to kiss Kirk. At one point, a female alien explains to Kirk that not all species have genitalia in the same place, an idea that certainly came up in our minds while watching Kirk's libido in the Original Series. Meyer even pokes fun at himself when Spock tells the constantly Shakespeare-quoting villain, General Chang, to shut the hell up. Each crew member gets to have moments like these in the film in which we can appreciate the unique personality that he or she brought to the series for decades.

It's difficult to criticize much about Star Trek VI, which is remarkable after many likely found themselves thinking the franchise was dead after the last film. The scenes where Kirk and Bones are imprisoned in a Klingon gulag are hokey, but they also felt like a tribute to the Original Series. It was heartwarming to see these two friends confront their age and complete a great escape one more time. My biggest complaint about the film is the costume design, which is very weak and may turn off casual viewers. On the other hand, the effects are some of the best presented in the entire franchise up to this point.

So, as the film ends, the viewer is given one last chance to say goodbye to the original crew. Instead of seeing each character go off into retirement, Meyer sends them off in the Enterprise, continuing their search to go where… well, you know.

Some final thoughts: It looks the filmmakers learned something from The Next Generation series of how to make Star Trek successful without unnecessary of action. How is possible that Uhura has spent so much time as a Starfleet linguistics officer without learning Klingon? Wait, did Mr. Robot get his start on the Excelsior, working for Capt. Sulu? On that note, it's good to see Sulu got that mole removed, it was starting to look a little worrisome. Outstanding tribute in the film to, not only Gene Roddenberry, but also Merritt Butrick who played Kirk's deceased son David but who also had recently passed away from AIDS-related complications.

*My film rating follows the soccer player rating measure of 6 as a baseline: you did what was expected of you. This film is a 8 because it holds true to Star Trek's title as the Thinking Man's Science Fiction and gives us all the perfect opportunity to say goodbye to the original crew.

With most Star Trek films, I've seen them several times, but this was only my second viewing of the fifth installment. I thought this film was very stupid and, actually, fairly boring the first time I saw it. But I thought that I may have been jaded knowing that most people strongly dislike this movie, so I watched it again, trying to keep an open mind. It turns out, it just is a stupid movie.

I'll give William Shatner, who I lay the blame on as director of the film though I know he wasn't alone in creating the story, this much credit: the idea that "Eden", known as Sha'Ka'Ree to Vulcans, could exist at the center of the galaxy is somewhat intriguing. But that's all I can say in the movie's favor, and that's not much.

It just seemed like this was never really happening, that Capt. Kirk is dreaming his own macho vision of Trek while on shore leave. Since when does Star Trek simply feel like a extremely poor rendition of Star Wars? That's how the film felt when we were taken to Paradise City (fan of Appetite for Destruction are you, Bill?) and it never improves from there. Could you have made Uhura any more of a stereotype? Couldn't you have tried a little harder to make stunts seem more credible? If it was really that easy to fly through the "Great Barrier", why hadn't anyone done it yet?? The humor is so out of place, the Klingons so unbelievable, the set of Sha'Ka'Ree so unimpressive, the three-breasted cat dancer so stupid, it's such a shame.

Please, someone call the guy who directed Wrath of Khan or else this franchise is sunk.

Some final thoughts: Just change the channel.

*My film rating follows the soccer player rating measure of 6 as a baseline: you did what was expected of you. This film is a 2 because I'm sure that there are worse films out there, somewhere, maybe on Nimbus III.

There is little doubt that this is the most fun Star Trek film you'll see, only the J.J. Abrams' 2009 remake can rival it. The fourth installment in the series puts delightful spotlights on each of the Enterprise's crew, despite the ship's absence from the film, and contains fantastic humor. Many people credit this as their favorite Star Trek movie and it is easy to see why. On the other hand, there are many Trekkies who dislike this film because, in many ways, it is so not Star Trek. This comes to my point that this feels like a perfect episode of Doctor Who. The Enterprise crew travels back in time, to the late 1980's, where they must save a creature in order to save the Earth, while dealing with a broken-down time machine, in this case the starship Enterprise. How many episodes of Who have we seen like that?

So we could criticize the film's cute concept of going back in time to save the whales, we could criticize the fairly unnecessary misadventures of the crew in San Francisco, we could criticize the unexplained origins of the intergalactic probe, and we could definitely criticize the film's method of time travel, but who cares about that? These silly elements do not take away from the joy of the film. Kirk and Spock learning, or at least trying, to use profanity is hilarious. Spock conducting a mind-meld with a humpback whale is outstanding. Chekov falling right into the middle of the Cold war is perfect, including holding this scene on the 20th century model of the U.S.S. Enterprise. For me, the show stealer was Bones walking through a hospital and angrily criticizing all modern medicine, asking if we are "in the dark ages." Given the fame and focus of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy throughout the series and films, I know I have often under-appreciated DeForest Kelley's performance as Dr. McCoy. This scene reminded me of how brilliant his character is, especially as an emotional and hopelessly humanist antithesis to the logical half-Vulcan, half-human Spock.

I can't say that this is a perfect film, and for me The Wrath of Khan still holds rank as the best original crew Star Trek movie. The Voyage Home has everything wrap up all too perfectly, much like a Doctor Who episode. The crew's San Francisco misadventures seem to be put in the movie just so that we can enjoy the humor of each character. Also, the film requires a suspension of disbelief so that we can accept the plot of a space probe threatening to destroy the Earth if they don't hear from an extinct species. That of course leads to some very cheesy effects for the interpretation of time travel.

But these elements of the movie hardly detract from what is a hell of a good time. It is impossible not to love every member of the crew and Catherine Hicks gives a believable performance as the earnest whale biologist. Plus, even if the movie feels a little off for Star Trek, one can't argue with the film's message of reminding us of the terrible consequences of the short-sighted nature in which many of us treat the Earth. That is a very Star Trek theme of learning from our mistakes and looking toward to a better future.

Some final thoughts: How awesome was it to see Kirk handing out money to the crew like a dad on allowance day? "I'll give you 100 dollars." "Is that a lot?" I wonder how difficult it was for Catherine Hicks to find Stephen Collins wrapped up in the consciousness of V'Ger in order to form their Seventh Heaven. Sorry, Saavik, after your… interesting moment with post-adolescent Spock, we're gonna have to leave you exiled here on Vulcan. There's just going to be too many awkward silences. What's that Bill? You want to take your turn and direct the next one… Yes… that should be… fine…

*My film rating follows the soccer player rating measure of 6 as a baseline: you did what was expected of you. This film is a 7 because it is a consistently fun ride with a tremendous amount of humor among the crew. It is does however feel a little out of place compared to typical Star Trek story lines and doesn't necessarily intrigue in a way that this series should.

It feels a little strange to say, but this film may be worse than the first Star Trek movie. At least the first film was creative and slightly intriguing, even if it did not translate to the big screen. But The Search for Spock contained little mystery, a prolonged and obvious outcome, and continued the same flawed subplot (and basically the only negative aspect of) The Wrath of Khan, that being the Genesis Project. This unlikely Federation project was at least a bit on the afterburner in the previous film, compared to Khan's quest for vengeance against Kirk. Now it's the main story as it gives Spock his rebirth, but this time there is hardly any thought to the moral dilemma of the project.

There are some positives in this film; I don't think it is a disaster. It was nice to see the rest of the crew given a little more of the spotlight, such as Uhura putting the young Federation member in his place (then she disappearing for basically the rest of the film…) and Sulu taking out the Federation MP's (his hand-to-hand combat is much more believable than Kirk's; more on that in a bit). Also, while it is a little strange to see Christopher Lloyd as a Klingon, he made the character sinister and interesting.

But my main criticism with Search for Spock is that we always know Spock will return, and the child version of the character is found early on. The film could have been so much better if the Spock regeneration was settled during the first or second act, then we can move on to a new Star Trek adventure with the crew back together. There is a sense with this film, especially since it was directed by Leonard Nimoy himself, that Kirk got his movie with Wrath of Khan, now let's explore more about Spock's nature throughout this entire film. But it all just comes across as a lackluster, immediate follow-up to the previous installment. With Wrath of Khan, it felt like a reboot to the franchise, not a sequel. But this film exemplified exactly what most of us don't like about sequels: trying to wrap- up loose ends from the last film and taking it up a notch from there, but failing.

Final thoughts: Please, no more hand-to-hand combat from Kirk, it doesn't work anymore. The character plays so much better as a captain outwitting the enemy, as he does with the destruction of the Enterprise. And are you serious with that Ponfar scene? I know Kirstie Alley said she didn't want to be typecast, so she chose not to continue her role as Saavik, but I have to think that this scene with post-adolescent Spock had to really push her over the edge. Plus, do we really think that these characters who are pushing 50 could walk up all of those steps on Vulcan carrying a comatose Spock? Scotty must have been freaking out. And what is Bones regular "poison"? Gotta be Romulan ale.

*My film rating follows the soccer player rating measure of 6 as a baseline: you did what was expected of you. This film is a 4 because it fails to intrigue and shows essentially nothing new. It is simply a sequel trying to continue the excitement of its predecessor, but utterly failing.

After the disappointment of the big-budget blockbuster Star Trek: The Motion Picture, everything was reinvented in Nicholas Meyer's take on Trek. This film delivers the action, adventure, humor, camp, and villainy, that made for the best moments in the Original Series. Granted, there are a few flaws. The low-budget effects can be weak, even for 1982, and it feels difficult to believe that the Federation would support a potentially world destroying project like Project Genesis. But instead of a slow-paced quest for "knowledge," Wrath of Khan gives us naval battles in space, terrifying alien creatures, and one of Trek's greatest villains, while still being somewhat introspective with Kirk's attempts to cope with age and the morality of pushing science to its limit.

There's no doubt that this is the best Star Trek film, with the original crew, at keeping the viewer on the edge of the seat, and it is the individual battle between Kirk and Khan that makes this film great. Really, both of these men are Captain Ahab; two men relentlessly searching for something that is unattainable. Khan is seeking contentment from vengeance and Kirk is seeking the heroism of youth. It almost seems that Khan, given that he is from the 1990s, is simply a less evolved version of Kirk. Both men care for their crew and want to guide them to victory, yet it causes them to hurt their crew in the process.

And Trek has never seen such an engaging individual conflict as Kirk vs. Khan since. Kirk loses a loved one, gains a son, and embraces his true self. This may have been the perfect conclusion to the original crew's story line (even if it would have been sad to say goodbye), however, it was not.

*My film rating follows the soccer player rating measure of 6 as a baseline: you did what was expected of you. This film is a 9 because, despite its effects and shaky sub-plot, it showed us what Star Trek should look like on the big screen.

There are some fascinating visuals in this film. They are certainly outdated, but I've always (somewhat) enjoyed the scene in which the Enterprise travels into V'Ger's center. Obviously a lot of time was given into making a stunning visual display of what an intergalactic traveling space probe would look like after it has continuously picked up life from throughout the universe, and the filmmakers sure took their time showing it off to you.

With that, I can think of few other positives for this film. I will clarify that I am a child of the '80s, who grew up loving the original Star Wars Trilogy. As a kid, I found Star Trek: TNG boring and never took the time to watch the Star Trek films. As an adult, however, I found my love for Star Trek, recognizing its rightful claim as the "Thinking Man's" Science Fiction, which makes it real Science Fiction. In preparation of the release of the latest Trek film (more on that later), I decided to watch these films again, with an extra critical perspective.

When watching this first Trek film, it is important to remember that the Enterprise crew had been taken away from fans for about a decade. To see them back together again, especially the triumvirate of Kirk, Spock, and Bones, had to be especially heartwarming for fans in 1979. And, of course, to see the Enterprise taking off into warp drive again must have been exhilarating. This must explain why director Robert Wise took so much time to reacquaint us with these characters. The problem is, the glacial pacing seems to suck the joy out of the event. And when one watches this film after 1979 (as most of us did), the viewer is just left confused and sleepy. Yes, we get it, we've seen the Enterprise many times before, move on! Hats off to Bones' beard though.

I will give some credit to the fact that this may be the only Star Trek film that feels like "true Trek". The major "villain" in the film is a piece of intriguing Sci-Fi, and not necessarily an enemy. The crew is on a quest to search for truth, not conflict. It just doesn't register well, at all, on the big screen. Star Trek still needs it moments of action, humor, and camp, like the Original Series, to really remind one of why Trek can be so enjoyable. It's an interesting take from one-time Trek director Wise, but it was the right decision to take the franchise in a whole new direction with the next film. This one was too slow and introspective; let's hope that Star Trek Beyond doesn't take the complete opposite, yet still poor, take on Trek with nothing but action… Oh well, on to Wrath of Khan!

*My film rating follows the soccer player rating measure of 6 as a baseline: you did what was expected of you. This film is a 5 because it did all it could to be Star Trek, but still let down nearly all of the viewers.