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Star
Trek: Nemesis
(2002)
 
This is the tenth film in the Star Trek franchise, and the fourth to use the cast from the Star Trek: The Next Generation series (1987-1993). During the 24th Century, the crew of the USS Enterprise discover the remnants of a prototype for android Data (Brent Spiner), before being diverted into the Romulan Neutral Zone to conduct peace talks with the new Romulan leader Shinzon (Tom Hardy), who turns out to be a clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), and has developed an extremely powerful new spacecraft.
As with all of the Star Trek films, this
one is very well-made with high production values and good quality special effects.
However, it has the same problem of many other Star
Trek films in that it basically feels like an extended episodes of the
television series. One of the more interesting aspects about the film is that
it has quite a dark feel to it, with some surprisingly disturbing scenes (such
as a love scene between ship's councillor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and second-in-command
Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), during which the villain tries to psychically
link with Troi, in essence attempting a kind of mental rape). Even the Enterprise
design is grimmer than before, more like a battleship than the intergalactic
luxury liner of the Next Generation television series.
The usual humour from the show is mostly absent
from this film, except from a wedding scene at the beginning. There is quite
a strong feeling for Star Trek history however, and there are countless references
to the various television series, which are mostly kept refreshingly subtle
and should amuse fans without irritating newcomers. Some fans may be irritated
by the sidelining of some popular characters such as Worf (Michael Dorn), Beverly
Crusher (Gates McFadden) and Geordi LaForge (LeVar Burton), neither of whom
is given much to do.
The principal villain is more annoying than anything else,
most of his threat coming from his new spaceship rather than anything else,
although it is crewed by impressively gruesome looking
aliens (apparently their design was based on the iconic vampire in the 1922
classic Nosferatu), none of whom really do much. The film's many space battles
tend to get quite tiring, however impressive the special effects are, as does
the sometimes heavy-handed moralising (which seems to be a feature of the whole
Star Trek franchise).
The main problem is that there really isn't anything new
here, and the whole franchise just seems to be getting quite tired by this stage.
Certainly, this film is unlikely to win over any new fans. Still, Trekkies will
probably enjoy it for the most part.
-Robert
Foster
Other
Thoughts: Mark Moreland
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All contents ©
2004-2009 Thoughtsonfilm.com |
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Director:
Stuart
Baird
Writer: John Logan & Rick Berman & Brent Spiner
Starring: Patrick
Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden, Tom Hardy, Ron Perlman
Distributor: Paramount
Pictures
Runtime: 116
min
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: December
13, 2002
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