Star Trek: Nemesis Cinema

Paul Greenwood reviews

Star Trek: Nemesis

• Cert:
• Running time: 116 minutes
• Year: 2002
• Released: 3rd January 2003
• Widescreen Ratio: 2.35:1
• Rating: 7/10

Director:

Stuart Baird

(U.S. Marshals, Executive Decision)

Cast:

Jean-Luc Picard: Patrick Stewart
Will Riker: Jonathan Frakes
Data: Brent Spiner
Geordi La Forge: Levar Burton
Worf: Michael Dorn
Beverly Crusher: Gates McFadden
Deanna Troi: Marina Sirtis
Shinzon: Tom Hardy
Viceroy: Ron Perlman
Donatra: Dina Meyer

I’d have to say I’m probably a fairly low maintenance Star Trek fan.

I didn’t much care for the Kirk days, I don’t think I’ve ever watched an entireepisode of DS9, and I gave up on Voyager after a couple of seasons.Next Generation though, I know and love.

After a shaky start, it hit its stride and produced some fantastic episodes overits seven year run. Some, such as The Inner Light and Chain of Commandare, as far as I’m concerned, not only great Star Trek episodes, but stand amongstthe best things I’ve ever seen on television.

Which is why it frustrates me that, with the time and money available to producea motion picture, the makers of Star Trek can’t come up with something a littlemore inspiring when it comes to the big screen outings. Of the four Next Generationfilms so far, onlyFirst Contacthas truly stood out, with the rest degenerating into little more than a fist-fightbetween Picard and the bad guy for control of the Big Weapon.

Nemesis is no exception but, thankfully, there’s also a bit moreto it than that and, if nothing else, at least it’s better thanInsurrection.The plot is decent, if ultimately under-developed, involving a clone of Picard,old foes the Romulans, and various plans to do bad things to lots of people.

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I’ve just realised that I’ve been blabbing on for 200 words about films,programmes and characters which some of you will have never encountered.That’s another slight weakness of Nemesis – if you’re not Trek minded,you’re going to be lost. Worse still, you’re going to miss out on the emotionalpay offs and much of the humour because, along the way, we have a wedding, afew in-jokes and the death of a major character to digest.

Chances are though, that most of the audience will have some level of familiaritywith the Trek universe, and they’ll find much to enjoy here. The actionsequences are big and bold and the special effects, now that we’re in thedigital age, are probably the best of any of the Star Trek films. The look ofthe film is very good too, all dark greens and shadows, and the music score iswell used.

All this counts for nothing though if we don’t have characters to root for andbelieve in and this is where the Next Gen crew has always delivered. While allseven principals can’t hope to receive equal screen time (indeed, Geordi andDr. Crusher barely register) when they do appear we’re genuinely interested intheir fates, and this is down to the depth of the characters and the skills ofthe players.

Spiner, while starting to look a little old for his android make up,has fun with a dual role. Riker and Worf do some ass kicking and Troi gets tofly the ship. The biggest plus, as it always has been throughout the series,is Patrick Stewart. He is an actor of inestimable talent, able to riseabove the sometimes hokey material, and sci-fi fans should be grateful thathe’s given us fifteen good years.

More minus points? There are a couple of plot threads that are introduced thenabandoned that could have been quite interesting and the Romulans are under-used.When the for and against columns are totted up, we’re left with a solid if notclassic entry that may well be the last with this crew. If there is to beanother one I won’t complain and it would be nice to see them go out with abang.

Review copyright © Paul Greenwood, 2002.E-mail Paul Greenwood

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