The Star Trek Cinematic Universe

[Neon Ignition]

To me Nemesis felt like an attempt to recapture the approach of First Contact by people who had no understanding of why that film had resonated so well. It's a broken set of moments and rehashed sequences.

I still prefer it to Insurrection though which is almost insufferably dull. At least with Nemesis I enjoy Picards gleeful jeep chase, the Enterprise ram etc whereas Insurrection... nothing, at all. That film almost gives me viewer whiplash coming off the back of First Contact. For me, I find often the most complained about Star Trek movies are bemoaned for fairly shakey reasoning even if I don't find them to be the best myself, Insurrection though...

[Asura]

To me Nemesis felt like an attempt to recapture the approach of First Contact by people who had no understanding of why that film had resonated so well. It's a broken set of moments and rehashed sequences.

I still prefer it to Insurrection though which is almost insufferably dull. At least with Nemesis I enjoy Picards gleeful jeep chase, the Enterprise ram etc whereas Insurrection... nothing, at all. That film almost gives me viewer whiplash coming off the back of First Contact. For me, I find often the most complained about Star Trek movies are bemoaned for fairly shakey reasoning even if I don't find them to be the best myself, Insurrection though...

I honestly like Insurrection.

[Neon Ignition]

Patrick Stewart Would Do Another "Trek" Film - Dark Horizons
Stewart says he's been pushing for a TNG crew movie as a way to truly send off the cast having found their footing in the Season 03 run. Paramount isn't moving on it as things stand but have apparently retained the set of the Enterprise-D

[Dogg Thang]

They got their best send off with Picard season 3.

[Asura]

They got their best send off with Picard season 3.

Yeaaaaah... It would be risky. I mean, I hate that the TNG movies ended with the worst Trek movie of them all too, but I'm not sure there's much you can do about that now.

[Neon Ignition]

I keep pointing it out... they made one more after Insurrection

[Asura]

I keep pointing it out... they made one more after Insurrection

You can not seriously think Nemesis is better than Insurrection, surely?!

I get that some people find Insurrection boring. I'm willing to concede that, because of all the Trek films, it's the closest to feeling like a Star Trek TV episode strung out to >2 hours. But I rewatched Nemesis recently, making it only the third time I'd seen it, and god, it's just awful.

[Dogg Thang]

For me, it’s a tough call but I think the big issue for me is that Nemesis feels like a really bad movie whereas Insurrection feels like a really bad TV episode and I turned up to both expecting a movie. So as bad as Nemesis is (and it is), I think Insurrection probably let me down more. But it’s like arguing over which turd is the worse turd. They’re probably both below a threshold where it doesn’t matter.

[Asura]

For me, it’s a tough call but I think the big issue for me is that Nemesis feels like a really bad movie whereas Insurrection feels like a really bad TV episode and I turned up to both expecting a movie. So as bad as Nemesis is (and it is), I think Insurrection probably let me down more. But it’s like arguing over which turd is the worse turd. They’re probably both below a threshold where it doesn’t matter.

I actually quite like Insurrection so maybe that's why this surprises me so much I like that it's basically TNG does a Magnificent Seven, in a way. And I didn't mind that it was basically an episode on steroids.

I see Nemesis as actively ruining the franchise. It wasn't meant to be the last movie, but it was so bad that it forced Paramount's hand. The director disliked Star Trek, the cast disliked him (they've said very frank things at live events about how the guy had no creative interest in the movie and was a studio stooge)... It's the only Trek movie that I literally wish didn't exist!

[Neon Ignition]

Yep, I'll stick to my guns on this one. Nemesis has a lot wrong with it but I find the idea of Picard struggling with the idea of an alternatively raised clone to be a worthy one (even if the execution is off) and there are several decent action moments. Insurrection by comparison isn't just a bad idea for a film and also dull but its irredeemably without any part I can pull out as a defence of it. In any of the poorer Treks there are at least moments I can say are alright but Insurrection is a void of tedium, absolutely shocking that came off the back of First Contact.

[Asura]

Yep, I'll stick to my guns on this one. Nemesis has a lot wrong with it but I find the idea of Picard struggling with the idea of an alternatively raised clone to be a worthy one (even if the execution is off) and there are several decent action moments. Insurrection by comparison isn't just a bad idea for a film and also dull but its irredeemably without any part I can pull out as a defence of it. In any of the poorer Treks there are at least moments I can say are alright but Insurrection is a void of tedium, absolutely shocking that came off the back of First Contact.

We could probably argue this endlessly but I totally disagree.

Nemesis was lambasted before launch by both the press & online community when the premise of "Picard vs evil clone of Picard" leaked, and I believe rightly so; I honestly think that idea is the sort of thing that someone throws out in a writer's room that others should've shot down immediately as trash. But even a poor concept can be made to work, and I get the idea they'd build Picard into this paragon, where the only true enemy could be himself; but his enemy needed to be dynamic, principled, calculating. Picard is paragon of fairness, honour and dignity with a drive to succeed; his foil should've been cruel, deceitful, which Shinzon was, but mostly because the script told you he had risen out of the life of a prison miner, instead of showing you his journey.

Even the script... There's a scene where Picard & Shinzon have this analogy to each of them being a mirror of each other, and at the end, Shinzon says,

"See what happens when the echo is louder than the voice."

It sounds cool... But the conversation is about mirrors!

It's bad idea, executed badly.

Whereas Insurrection made sense to me. Enterprise goes to a far-flung planet to investigate a mystery. In doing so, they discover a larger mystery which borders on techno-magic. That mystery is under threat, and the crew are forced to confront their principles as they decide whether to intervene. They intervene, and must depend on each other to succeed. They win, and everyone learns a valuable lesson. It's classic Star Trek.

People say it's mawkish. I can understand that. But screw it; I genuinely like the interplay between Data and the kid, or Riker and Troi. LaForge getting to see a sunrise.

[Neon Ignition]

https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/the-game-grease-rise-of-the-pink-ladies-star-trek-prodigy-queen-of-the-universe-canceled-paramount-removed-1235653191/

Star Trek: Prodigy has been cancelled. It will complete production on the second season whilst Paramount will pull the first season from the service and shop the show to another network

[Travesty]

It's a shame that Prodigy was cancelled, it's a really good show. Some news sites have reported that the season 1 Blu Ray and DVD has been selling out everywhere, but it's only the first half of season 1 that's on physical media, the second half has not even been announced. Also the Blu Ray is region free but DVD is region 1. Will be intresting to see if europe will see a region 2 DVD release of this at all, I hope we do get it because I want it in my collection.

[Neon Ignition]

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" Sets S4 Launch - Dark Horizons
Starts 07 September 2023

[MartyG]

I don't know what's happened to Strange New Worlds season 2, but writing quality has really dipped - very disappointing compared to season 1, now with a terrible crossover with Lower Decks

What it does show is that Lower Decks isn't bad because it's animated, it's bad because the characters in it are so unlikeable coupled with writing that's mostly Memes.