Amazon.com video review:
There were only two ways for "classic Trek" cast
members to appear in a movie with the cast of Star Trek: The Next
Generation: either Capt. Kirk and his contemporaries would have to
be very, very old, or there would be some time travel involved in the
plot. Since geriatric heroes aren't very exciting (despite a welcomed
cameo appearance by the aged Dr. McCoy), Star Trek: Generations
unites Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) and Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick
Stewart) in a time-jumping race to stop a madman's quest for heavenly
contentment. When a mysterious energy coil called the Nexus nearly
destroys the newly christened U.S.S. Enterprise-B, the
just-retired Capt. Kirk is lost and presumed dead. But he's actually
been happily trapped in the timeless purgatory of the Nexus--an
idyllic state of being described by the mystical Guinan (Whoopi
Goldberg) as "pure joy." Picard must convince Kirk to leave this
artificial comfort zone and confront Dr. Soran (Malcolm McDowell), the
madman who will threaten billions of lives to be reunited with the
addictive pleasure of the Nexus. With subplots involving the android
Data's unpredictable "emotion chip" and the spectacular crash-landing
of the starship Enterprise, this crossover movie not only
satisfied Trek fans, but it also gave them something they'd
never had to confront before: the heroic and truly final death of a
beloved Star Trek character. Passing the torch to the Next
Generation with dignity and entertaining adventure, the movie isn't
going to please everyone with its somewhat hokey plot, but it still
ranks as a worthy big-screen launch for Picard and his stalwart
crew. --Jeff Shannon
Amazon.com video review:
Star Trek: Generations
There were only two ways for "classic Trek" cast members to appear in a
movie with the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation: either Capt. Kirk
and his contemporaries would have to be very, very old, or there would be some
time travel involved in the plot. Since geriatric heroes aren't very exciting,
Star Trek: Generations unites Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) and Capt.
Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in a time-jumping race. When the just-retired
Kirk is happily trapped in the timeless purgatory of the Nexus, Picard must
convince him to leave this artificial comfort zone and confront Dr. Soran
(Malcolm McDowell), the madman who will threaten billions of lives. Passing the
torch to the Next Generation with dignity and entertaining adventure, the movie
isn't going to please everyone with its somewhat hokey plot, but it still ranks
as a worthy big-screen launch for Picard and his stalwart crew.
Star Trek: First Contact
Even-numbered Star Trek movies tend to be better, and this one (number
eight in the popular movie series) is no exception--an intelligently handled
plot involving the galaxy-conquering Borg and their attempt to invade Earth's
past, alter history, and "assimilate" the entire human race. Time travel, a
dazzling new Enterprise, and capable direction by Next Generation
alumnus Jonathan Frakes makes this one rank with the best of the bunch. Capt.
Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his able crew travel back in time to Earth in the
year 2063, where they hope to ensure that the inventor of warp drive (played by
James Cromwell) will successfully carry out his pioneering flight and
precipitate Earth's "first contact" with an alien race. Sharply conceived to fit
snugly into the burgeoning Star Trek chronology, First Contact
leads to a surprise revelation that marks an important historical chapter in the
ongoing mission "to boldly go where no one has gone before."
Star Trek: Insurrection
Star Trek fans were decidedly mixed in their reactions to this, the ninth
big-screen feature in Paramount's lucrative Trek franchise, but die-hard
loyalists will appreciate the way this Next Generation adventure
rekindles the spirit of the original Trek TV series while combining a
tolerable dose of New-Agey philosophy with a light-hearted plot. This time out,
Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his executive crew must transport to a
Shangri-la-like planet to see why their android crewmate Data (Brent Spiner) has run amuck
in a village full of peaceful Ba'ku artisans who--thanks to their planet's
"metaphasic radiation"--haven't aged in 309 years. Many humorous asides make
this film as entertaining as it is slightly disappointing. Without the laughs,
this is a pretty routine entry in the franchise, with no real surprises, a
number of plot holes, and the overall appearance of a big-budget TV episode.
--Jeff Shannon
Amazon.com video review:
The torch is passed--and then some--in these, the first two
Star Trek films to feature the cast of Star Trek: The Next
Generation. (And really--weren't William Shatner and crew getting a
tad long in the tooth to be believable as action heroes?) In fact, the
gimmick of Generations is that a universe-destroying time warp, which
an evil villain (Malcolm McDowell) hopes to harness, brings Picard
(Patrick Stewart) together with Kirk (Shatner) to battle side by side.
First Contact offers a popular Star Trek theme--time travel--and
one of the best Next Generation villains (the Borg) in the story of
the first man to achieve warp speed.
--Marshall Fine
