End of a Generation, or a Franchise?
Can Star Trek Survive?

There's one thing to be said about Star Trek fans: they are loyal. Even so, the large fan base that once brought the all-but-forgotten television show to the big screen and (eventually) back to the small screen, may not have enough techno-babble to rescue the crew of the Enterprise this time.

At the start of Star Trek: Nemesis, a rebellion in the Romulan Empire has upset the political balance on the homeworld of Romulus. The population of her twin planet Remus (led by a man named Shinzon, played by Tom Hardy) has decided to take control. This could be the start of war with the Federation, but Shinzon is offering something that no one on Romulus dared: peace. As the crew of the Enterprise is dispatched to begin diplomatic negotiations, it appears that the key to Shinzon and his rebellion may lie in Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart).

To be expected, diplomatic ploys fail sooner rather than later. What ensues is a great space-faring showdown between the Enterprise and Shinzon's ship The Scimitar. To our shock and dismay (not really), we discover that Shinzon's ship is not just a battleship of giant proportions, it is also a weapon of mass destruction. (Hmmm... a second-class caste with a weapon of mass destruction in a ship named Scimitar. Could someone be beating us over the head with a metaphor? Why not have the showdown in Sector 9.11 and be done with it?)

As is often the case with Star Trek films, fans of the television show will enjoy them the most. With me, they are like James Bond films. I enjoy them as a guilty pleasure. They are certainly not art, by any stretch of the imagination, but I do like them. Rather than think of them as big-budget movies (and dare to get my hopes up), I prefer to think of them as special television episodes that only come out every couple of years. Considering my disappointment with Insurrection, I think this is a healthy way to curb expectations.

From this point of view, Nemesis is a decent episode of Star Trek. It doesn't make a bold artistic statement, or redefine the legend. It does, however, offer a pleasant storyline for an hour or two. As with Trek movies in the past, Nemesis is pretty much a Picard/Data (Brent Spiner) show. Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) get some screen time, but Riker is only given one good fist fight in which to showcase his testosterone. To her credit, Deanna actually appears useful for a change.

Unfortunately, there is precious little time devoted to other cast members to truly give each his/her due. Geordi La Forge (Levar Burton), Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), and Worf (Michael Dorn) are merely window dressing here. To his shame, Worf is even relegated to comic relief. Some early cameos by Wil Wheaton and Whoppi Goldberg are barely noticeable. Blink and you'll miss Wesley Crusher. For a film that is billed as the "final journey of a generation," Nemesis has neither the warmth or the tenderness of a farewell episode.

If you don't get the chance to catch this one on the big screen, don't worry. I'm sure it will be as interesting on DVD. In addition, the smaller screen might give the story the perspective it deserves.

MY RATING: 6 out of 10.

RATED:
RUN TIME: 179 min.

End of a Generation, or a Franchise? Can Star Trek Survive?

End of a Generation, or a Franchise?
Can Star Trek Survive?