Rating: 
Summary: Die Hard in Space
Review: First Contact is something like Die Hard in space with Jean Luc Picard as John McClain. Sort of, anyway. If you're a Star Trek fan, it's even better. I recently re-watched this movie with a good friend of mine who liked Generations a lot. I was hoping to convince him that he was missing the boat with First Contact, which is the only really strong movie from the Next Generation series of movies. I don't think I succeeded, and it's unfortunate, because any movie that can turn me into a Next Generation fan is something special indeed. Patrick Stewart's performance as Ahab/Picard/Action-movie-hero is so unbelievably good that it eclipses just about everything else in the movie. The last time I saw melodrama this good was from Shatner and Montalban in The Wrath of Khan, and this even rivals that. This movie was so good in fact that it even inspired a certain fondness for Jonathan Frakes in me--as a director anyway, since as an actor he really only has two expresssions/emotions: amused and determined. The only major flaw in the movie was the character of Lily and her interaction with Picard. There wasn't necessarily anything wrong with their exchanges; it's just that most of the criticism she through Picard's way would have been so much more powerful coming from a character we knew and loved from the series. If only we could see this kind of drama and excitement and wonder in all the Star Trek movies...
Rating: 
Summary: Cromwell triumphant
Review: Although watching a Star Trek film requires shedding reality for a couple of hours, both the novice and the dedicated "Trekkie" can enjoy this one. The newcomer may wonder about technical matters: how fast is "warp ten"?; what's a "temporal vortex"?; why are Federation weapons so ungainly? Ignore these minor issues for later reflection. For now, watch this film for the adventure and the people living it. There's plenty of adventure and some of the people are a treat. The adventure is a chase through time and space to Earth of this century. The Borg, a triumph of biotechnology, are trying to disrupt history itself. A mixture of machine and organisms, they are personified as the epitome of evil. They aspire to assimilate members of any sentient species into their "perfect" collective. They simply want everybody to be like them: rather like globalization on a galactic scale. Their leader is rather like a queen bee, a superior among equals . She's a truly gross character, both physically and morally, the perfect example of the "modern woman" as a corporate manager. Superbly portrayed by Alice Krige, one can only wish the make-up team who turned this beautiful South African into such a monster roast in the eternal flames. The scene of her blowing on the android Data's emotion chip will remain etched in the viewer's memory forever. Most of the other Enterprise crew break a little from their traditional TV series roles from time to time. Picard sheds his lofty role as Captain as he guides the confused Lily Sloane [Alfre Woodard] through a glimpse of her future. Counselor Deanne Troi, usually so cool and collected, becomes wonderfully sloshed in a Rocky Mountain grog shop. Worf the Klingon lapses a moment into space sickness. Jonathan Frakes, as the film's director, has no time for acting, still pompously blustering his way through events just as he does in the TV episodes. The walkaway portrayal in this film is James Cromwell as Zefran Cochrane. Since faster-than-light travel is a mainstay of Star Trek tales, it was only logical that some means be devised to show us who perfected it. Cromwell is outstanding in shattering every image we have of the sombre, knowledge-seeking, ivory tower researcher. A lecherous old lush, practical as only an inventor can be, he seems more human than any other character in the film. Confronted by Chief Engineer Jordi La Forge's adulatory account of future honours, he bolts, fearing the wealth he dreamed of coming from his invention will evaporate. Cromwell evokes the common in all of us - how would we react if this mob appeared in our midst? Cromwell captures the wonder, resentment, fears and ambitions any of us might if confronted by our future. Calling his role "supportive" is a terrible misnomer - the film is clearly his. In short, this is a speculative fiction film worthy of your consideration. There's much pathos, the visual effects don't overwhelm unduly, and the combat, which is a bit obtrusive, is still better than many of the type. The proximity in time to our own day brings an fillip of novelty from other Star Trek movies. It's worth watching and keeping, if for nothing else than to generate interest in younger viewers to see how close it comes to the reality of the future.
Rating:
Summary: Best of the Treks
Review: In my opinion, I believe that First Contact has by far been one of the BEST Trek flicks to date, from the beginning as the camera zoomed out of Picard's eye to show the vast Borg cube he was in when he was assimilated, to the end where the Vulcan got spooked by "Ooby Dooby." It has a serious tone, but we also get a glimpse at the past, to see what made the Star Trek universe what it is now (in the 24th century that is). Even though the mood was dark, enhanced by great music conducted by Jerry Goldsmith, and also some from his son Joel, it had its elements of humor as well. By far, the best scene in the entire movie would have to be where Riker finds Troi totally wasted at the bar: "Timeline? This is no time to argue about time, we don't have the time! *long pause* What was I saying?" and after Riker confronted her, she was adamant. "I'm not drunk! It's a primitive culture...I am just trying to *blend in.*" Riker's reply and Troi passing out at the table...I fall out of my chair laughing every time I watch it...sometimes I pop in the DVD just to watch that one scene, its that good! I do have to admit, I did not really like to see Cochrane portrayed as a drunk...but then if he did not do all that drinking, we would have missed Geordi's response to his "I have got to take a leak." Another great scene! All in all, a great flick, and I also love the fact I get to see the trailers for the movie again...they give me goose bumps. Though I found it real funny in the theatrical trailer, they had quick clips from the last TNG episode "All Good Things...", "Best of Both Worlds", Star Trek: Generations, and there is even a snippet of VOYAGER firing phasers at a Borg cube!!! What was up with that one? *shrug* Oh well. Its worth the money for any die-hard fan.
Rating:
Summary: Great Trek flick...
Review: Hey, I proudly call myself a Trekkie, but some of the reviewers here take this stuff WAY too seriously. It's only a movie, folks, and I suggest if you are so upset that Zefrem Cochrane is a drunken lout, that you should really find something better to do with your time. This is a fun Trek back in time to, oh, about 50 years from now, after World War III but before Warp Drive. The Borg are trying to wipe out The Federation before they even exist (like most Trek time-travel shows, it's best to not think too hard about the science or even the plausibility of the plot, just accept it and you'll enjoy it far more). The key interactions here are between Picard, who is bent on revenge and redemption owing from the time of his captivity with the Borg, and the Borg Queen. Data also features prominently, and well. There is plenty of Trek humor too. Add in a decent ending and you've got a great Trek flick. Still only 4 stars because no Trek flick is worth 5 stars. (Although I did give 5 stars to "All Good Things..." TNG's 2-episode finale.) Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: A bitterly disappointing departure. . .
Review: . . .from the established "Star Trek" Canon. First, the good bits: This was an exciting adventure movie involving the Borg -- certainly one of the better adversaries ever created in a science-fiction setting. THIS BEING SAID: The DEPLORABLE portrayal of Zephram Cochrane, inventor of the warp drive and the equally DEPLORABLE "first contact" encounter with the Vulcans flies in the face of everything that REAL Trekkies know and have known about the "future history" of the Star Trek world. Rick Berman and crowd have apparently successfully completely taken over the world envisioned by the late Gene Roddenberry, and the thousands of TRUE Star Trek fans from the 60's, 70's and early 80's. I, for one, don't like it. For Canonical Star Trek information about the invention of the warp drive, first contact with the Vulcans, etc. please allow me to refer the reader to the sadly out-of-print "Star Trek Space Flight Chronology" and to the early classic Trek novels. For an adventure movie, yeah, this was worth the minimal time investment. For a true "Trek" fan, however, this was a sad disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Kick *ss Star Trek
Review: If you like the Borg, you will love this movie. Its none stop action, with a great ending.
Rating: 
Summary: Why ruin the borg
Review: I hated this movie. Hated it. One reason I really hated this movie is it's inconsistant with the TV series. In the old TV series we've already been introduced to Zefram Cochrane. He's not even remotely the same type of person in this movie. They didn't make this mistake with Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan so why did they mess it up here? Then, worse, the changed the borg. The whole point of the borg is that they are relentlessly logical. They act like a computer. You can't reason with them. That's what made them different and therefore interesting from all the other enemies in the Star Trek universe. Once they introduce the Borg queen and she turns out to have emotions and to be seducable etc she's all of a sudden boring because at that point the borg are no longer the borg but just like any other regular enemy with all the standard faults and crap. *Warning: Spoiler* Next on my list was the miss direction of the trailer. In the original trailer for the movie you see Picard saying "The line stops here!!!". It looks like he's going to kick some major butt. So then in the movie when he actually never kicks any butt it's big let down. The whole time I was waiting for him to step up and really take the borg on and instead it all comes down to Data punching a hole in a can with his fist. That's the big finally. Punching a hole in a can. How exciting, NOT!!!
Rating:
Summary: Better than 'Insurrection' but NOT the best Trek film...
Review: While I very much enjoyed 'First Contact' it left me asking a few questions...such as how did they come to all be on the new Enterprize E? Or when/where/why did Geordi get Ocular Implants? Or my personal favorite: why did they alter established Trek History with the way they handled First Contact with Zephram Cochran? Albeit only the true Trek nerds will understand that last one, but it seemed to me as though the story was unfolding before I came in at the beginning and I feel like I missed something important, and left me wanting more. Now while wanting more is a good thing, it isn't necessarily so good when you feel that the storyline was incomplete, even if by just a little. With that criticism out of the way, and I apologize it if is too big, but other than that, I very much enjoyed this 2nd outing on the big screen for the Next Generation. It allowed a lot of humor which had been missing from the previous film, and gave us an exciting story mixed with a great deal of Trek History (even if it was altered a bit to suit Studio heads). The effects were as usual top notch and while I am STILL waiting for a Trek movie to deal with the greatest nemesis the Next Gen folks ever faced (namely 'Q') I am fervently hoping that Paramount will give the folks a chance to redeem what a fiasco 'Insurrection' ended up being (not unlike how Trek VI more than made up for how horrible Trek V was...). Folks, contact your Congressman, or whoever it takes to convince Paramount that a 4th Next Gen movie IS possible and SHOULD be made--provided they actually come up with a decent script.
Rating:
Summary: What is this movie about?
Review: Um, Convaluted story line, wooden characters. 'Nuff said. the only cool thing about this turkey is that it features Enterprise-E. Of course we could just get Inserection to see that and it would make more sense. It was worse than The Mummy Returns. And note I am a serious Trekkie not some sports jock who just wants to make fun of Star Trek cause he cant pronouce Borg.
Rating:
Summary: RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!!
Review: First off, I AM NOT a Star Trek fan. I am a Star Wars FREAK. Fortunately, my Trekkie uncle helps me get the plot, which was so excellent I didn't really need his help. He even lends me his awesome Locutus action figure! The only reason I watched FC is because I think the Borg are COOL! I don't know why, but I have a fascination with cybernetic beings, like the Cyberdyne Systems Terminator Endoskeleton Series 800 Model 101 (Terminators!). DON'T ASK ME WHY I LIKE CYBORGS!!!! Anyways, I felt this film covered everything. Special effects, dialogue, & the plot is not a "Trekkies Only!" type of thing. Of course, you should have some basic knowledge of the show, though. GEORGE LUCAS DOES NOT DO STAR TREK!!!!!!!
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