Happy 20th Star Trek: First Contact!

"Resistance, is futile."

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Star Trek: First Contact, the first stand-alone film featuring the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Hitting theaters on November 18th, 1996, the movie was a financial and critical success.

The new Enterprise-E

Kirk is dead. The Enterprise is destroyed. Picard and crew is assigned to a new ship. The fabulous Enterprise-E. Not to say anything ill about the Enterprise-D depicted in the series, but the design of the ship wasn't really made for the big screen. Top heavy, ugly at certain angles and difficult to shoot, and now that the crew of Next Gen transitioned to the big screen, it was time. The new Enterprise was sleek, streamlined and still retained its shape as a classic starship.Upon first inspection, the ship was not to my liking. What is this?! I soon came to like the ship after a while, however. Sadly, I can't say the same thing about my thoughts on Daniel Craig as James Bond, but that's a different story for a different blog.

In an episode of Next Gen, "The Best of Both Worlds", Captain Picard is kidnapped and assimilated by the Borg, a race of beings bent on one thing: assimilating all races into their collective. The Borg are a hive mind and have a singular consciousness. There are no individuals and no voices of reason. Perhaps the most dangerous entity the Federations has faced. While captured, Locutus aka former Captain Picard, launches an attack on Earth and destroys many ships. His crew of the Enterprise, however, do whatever it takes to save him and get him off the Borg ship. Fortunately, Picard is saved by his crew and doesn't face the Borg again...until now.

A Borg ship has yet again entered Federation space and is on an attack course for Earth. Defying his orders, Picard engages the ship and destroys it, but not before a Borg sphere enters time travel. Chasing after it, the Enterprise goes back as well to repair whatever damage that ship has done to the past. Once through the portal, they arrive in the year 2063 and must ensure that First Contact be made not only with the Vulcan race, but also the inventor of warp drive himself, Zephram Cochran. The Borg have something planned for the crew and there is non-stop action as the film progresses.

Borg going back in time

It is up to Picard and crew to stop the Borg and do whatever they can to prevent them from assimilating the future.


A direct sequel to an episode has happened in the past with Star Trek. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a sequel to the 1960s episode "Space Seed" where Kirk first meets Khan. Here' as mentioned earlier, First Contact is a sequel to the episode "The Best of Both Worlds". It is so well done because you don't have to see the episodes prior in order to enjoy the story. This is what Star Trek does so well!

A different take:

In what is perhaps more of an action film than a typical Star Trek film, we see the ruthless side of Captain Picard and his crew in the fight for their lives. The depiction of Picard as an action hero wasn't a problem with me. Many people tend to think that the Picard we see on television is a whole different Picard than what is shown on film. In a way, both aspects are true. It's important to realize that when you do a feature film, you have to appeal to not just the fans, but the casual movie goers as well. That may require a sacrifice. The budget is also much higher for a feature film and sometimes you have to adjust. That being said, the revenge factor in the movie really calls for him to come to action because if you have seen the show, you know what he has been through.

The story feels like a major motion picture rather than just an episode. The problem faced with Generations, was that it felt like a two-hour episode on the big screen. This one just feels expensive and superior to what came after.

Out of the four films the cast have done, this one stands out as the best. Generations was, as mentioned earlier, like a mix between a television episode and a child getting rid of training wheels on it's bike with a push from Captain Kirk. Insurrection was like an episode as well and Nemesis...well it speaks for itself. Star Trek: First Contact gives a chance for each character to shine without it being just about Data or Picard, and you want start to learn how each of them have grown since first coming together in 1987. I would highly recommend this film and it's a fun ride for the whole family. Perhaps dark at times, it has the perfect balance of humor.

Have any of you seen this in theaters? What did you think? Is it the best Next Generation film in your eyes as well? Please let me know in the comments below!

UNTIL NEXT TIME FOLKS!

Sources: 

Enterprise-E image: http://www.pinterest.com

Borg Gif: http://startrekships.tumblr.com/tagged/Sovereign

Crew: http://www.movie-screencaps.com

Enterprise-E: http://startrekships.tumblr.com/tagged/Sovereign