STAR TREK: GENERATIONS (1994) A Film Review by Ted Prigge Copyright 1997 Ted Prigge
Director: David Carson Writers: Donald D. Moore and Brannon Braga Starring: Patrick Stewart, William Shatner, Malcolm McDowell, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Alan Ruck
Not being a trekkie, but possessing the ability to enjoy "Star Trek" shows or movies (in moderation), I can't say that I was at all pumped to see this. And rightfully so. Sure, it has come up with an interesting way to pass the torch from TV show to TV show, but there's really nothing else there unless you're a Spock-ears-wearing, live-long-and-prosper saluting, die hard Trekkie. For the rest of us, we have to put up with hokey melodrama, and a pretty weak plot.
"Generations" introduces us film-wise to the crew of "Star Trek: the Next Generation," which wasn't a BAD show, but hardly was as cool as the original series. Sure, we have some cool characters: Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Data (Brent Spiner), and...um...Will Wheaton was cool for the first couple seasons. But there's no other instances of cool supporting characters, other than the blind Jordi (LeVar Burton, who we all grew up with watching him on "Reading Rainbow"), and the quiet Commander Ryker (Jonathan Frakes).
The film basically has the cool idea of teaming up the current Captain Picard and the old and dead Captain Kirk (William Shatner), but that's all it has. There's a plot that is poorly constructed just to get these two together in the end, and even that's not really worth watching the rest for. The plot deals with a crazy, obsessive man named Dr. Tolian Soran (Malcolm McDowell - inspired casting, by the way), who wants to get himself back inside a thing called the Nexus, which is this kind of heavenly body that is kind of like paradise or something, but he was in it before and has been waiting 78 years to get back in (not being a trekkie, I don't know how a man could not age a bit in 78 years).
The Enterprise stumbles upon him when a lab he was working at was attacked by Romulans (some sort of bad guys, I dunno), and he survived. They soon find out he's really working for the Klingons (DUH!), but that he's really in it for himself. He wants to get inside the nexus by destroying a star, which will send the nexus sweeping through a planet he'll be on, thus sucking him in...and subsequently destroying the planet. Eventually, it comes down to a big one-on-one fight between Picard and Soran, and soon enough both are inside the nexus, and Picard has stumbled upon Kirk, who was killed in the opening sequence by it...sorta.
The film's height is at the end, although it's kind of anti-climactic. The only thing that saves it is the acting by both actors, as they have good chemistry. They are pitted together in a hokey sequence, one which never really pays off.
The beginning is cool, with members of the old crew showing up. We, of course, have Kirk, but we also have James Doohan and Walter Keonig...and Sulu's daughter (I guess George Takei was too busy). Note: no Spock, Bones, or Uhura. It's one of the only satisfying parts of the film, even if Alan Ruck has a pretty unfunny role.
Of course, there's some little unnecessary subplots, like one dealing with the android Data who has an emotion chip implanted inside him. Instead of being intelligent or anything, it just goes for some really cheap laughs, as in one scene where he keeps making bad jokes. This is never explored in any kind of depth, and is pretty much annoying.
I personally like the "Star Trek" movies...okay, I like the even ones. They posess a kind of cool-ness to them, and never got overly corny or anything. They had depth to them, and they never became blatanly trying to make some kind of cheap point. This one has Picard discussing his nephew wanting to go into Starfleet, but it stands apart from the rest of the film instead of meshing along with it. When he gets to this nexus, and finds he has an artificial family, it's not as moving as it should be, although the acting by Stewart saves it all.
Another cool thing about the older "Star Trek" is that they could be pretty funny without being stupid. "Star Trek IV" is a prime example of this, which used its gimmick of Spock trying to assimilate into society hilariously (I never thought I'd hear Spock utter the word "dumbass"). But most humor in this is corny, and just bad. Brent Spiner's a funny guy, but the writing for his character is so awful in some scenes that it gets embarassing. And a scene towards the beginning, taking place on an artificial boat is just...ugh.
Then there's the nexus, which is supposed to be a place of absolute bliss, but instead shows stuff that its inhabitants either never had or once had, but lost. It's supposed to be a place where you'd never want to leave, yet Picard and Kirk do, all due to a really simple way of thinking. If it were so tempting, it'd be impossible to leave it.
There are some plusses to the messed-up story, though. There are certain exciting and awesome scenes, like the beginning, end, and when the nexus sweeps through the one planet towards the middle (creating one of the most gorgeous shots in "Star Trek" history). The dialogue between Kirk and Picard is pretty intelligent, and witty and all. And Stewart is, of course, awesome, as usual. Oh, and Malcolm McDowell makes a fantastic villain, even if he's too under-written.
"Star Trek: Generations" thankfully isn't horrible and un-watchable, but it's so messed up, confused, and cheap that even the sight of Picard and Kirk fighting together can't save it. I really wish it could have, 'cause casting McDowell as the villain is purely inspired casting, and it's such a shame he has to go to waste.
MY RATING (out of 4): **
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