| Author |
Topic:
Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
The2ndQuest
Title: :
-LACWAC
-Lit Mod of Death
-Games
Registered:
Jan '00
|
Date Posted:
12/18/07 1:49pm
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
Figured this would be a better thread than the TOS one to post my ST film reviews since I've arrived at them in my viewing project.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Director's Edition
After an eighteen-month refit process, the Starship Enterprise is ready to explore the galaxy once again. But when a huge, invincible cloud approaches Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk must assume command of his old ship in order to stop it.
T2Q Comments: The intro to the movie with the 3 minutes of just space I could have done without. Interesting setup with the Klingons and threat to Earth. New uniforms are awful. The parade of the refitted Enterprise is the highlight of this film, IMO- good sense of scale, and the expanded shuttlebay design seems practical and logical. Uhura spottin a nice 70's doo, and nice nods to the original series with Decker's name, as well as appearnces by Rand (though she's probably aged worst of everyone) and, later, Chapel.
The transporter malfunctions is appropriately disturbing/gruesome (and surprising, given the original G rating of this movie prior to it's video rereleases). Enjoyed Bones' introduction too ("Probab'y redesigned the whole medlab too- I know Engineers- they LOVE to change things!"). The whole wormhole sequence is generally pointless and really, really annoying- the slow-mo exposes the bald chick's actually bouncing herself in the chair, looks really bad.
Why do they not try to EVADE V'Ger's attacks? Starfleet trooper costumes really, really bad, with the helemts that look like flattened footballs squashed around their heads.
"Any show of resistance would be futile"- amusing comment from Spock given the suggested connections between V'Ger and the Borg.
Whole entering V'Ger sequence really has a deep-sea exploration vibe to it, come to think of it, but really goes on for waaaay too long, lots of neat FX, but nothing really happening. Another good sense of scale with the shot of them standing out on the saucer (gotta pay attention or the saucer emergence distracts from the formation of the bridge to it).
Up until they enter V'Ger the movie's really not that bad, but once the bald chick shows up as the probe, the pacing and stuff kinda goes downhill quickly.
The V'ger/Voyager twist is neat, though a bit repetitive if you've seen The Changeling episode of TOS (some have referred to this movie as "Where Nomad Has Gone Before"); and I gotta wonder- is the blue deflector on the Refit because of V'Ger? Cause it's never blue until they emerge from the V'Decker birth explosion.
Overall, not as bad as I had recalled (it's not quite "The Motionless Picture"), but could have used about 20 mins trimmed from runtime. Drop the stuff with Spock on Vulcan and just have his entrance be as surprising to the viewer as it is to the crew, eliminate the whole first attempt at warp/wormhole sequence, the 3 min of empty space, shrink the voyage into V'Ger, etc. In fact, I smell a Quest's Qut coming on... 
While a good crew reunion movie (though Rand and Chapel vanish for the most part after this point), it still has pacing issues and not much in the way of action. Not quite as relentlessly boring in pace as, say, 2001, but it's part way there.
If the supposed Borg connection was one day made more concrete (outside of a video game), I might consider this "potentially essential", but despite it being the introduction of the refitted Enterprise (my favorite Star Trek ship design, I must admit- so long as the deflector's glowing blue ), it's just not enough at this point to warrant a true reccomendation for anyone but the real Trek fan (I refrain from saying "hardcore Trek fan" if only bcause that dubious distinction must be kept in reserve to anyone willingly submitting themselves to the fifth movie- for purposes other than this thread ). I think this film would ultimately be labeled "average", but only average for Star Trek, not average for movies in general.
Also must make a special mention of Goldsmith's amazing score.
Up next, from hell's heart, I watcheth thee- Star Trek II: The Wrath of KHAAANNNN!
-----signature-----
Yub Nub! Celebrate the lovvve!
K'Kruhk, 140 ABY: "Why haven't I come forth earlier to share my Jedi knowledge with Skywalker?
Well, it's kinda a long story, see, I had this freaking sweet hat..."
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Gobi-1
Title: Manager: LFL Projects / Indiana Jones 4
Registered:
Dec '02
|
Date Posted:
12/18/07 10:50pm
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
|
The three minutes of space is, I assume, an overture.
-----signature-----
In 1977 George Lucas created the Star Wars Trilogy and changed the way we look at movies.
In 1999 George Lucas created the Prequel Trilogy and changed the way we look at Star Wars.
Frasier, Lost, and Whose Line Is It Anyway? are the best tv shows ever.
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Jedimarine
Registered:
Feb '01
|
Date Posted:
12/19/07 5:15am
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
Is it actually in space (stars, etc) now? In the original cut, it was a totally black screen. Just Goldsmith's theme played and then WHAMO, you got the Main theme and "Paramount Pictures" in that wussy powder blue. At least with a starfield. there's something to look at.
-----signature-----
GO SEE "THE DARK KNIGHT"
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
The2ndQuest
Title: :
-LACWAC
-Lit Mod of Death
-Games
Registered:
Jan '00
|
Date Posted:
12/19/07 8:25am
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
Yeah, it's an overture, but I'm just not a fan of them. 3 minutes is too long- I'd say anything over 30 seconds would be. If people were to see it in theaters today, they'd probably think the projector was broken
And yeah, there's some stars/space in the Director's Cut (haven't seen the original cut so I cant comment beyond that).
-----signature-----
Yub Nub! Celebrate the lovvve!
K'Kruhk, 140 ABY: "Why haven't I come forth earlier to share my Jedi knowledge with Skywalker?
Well, it's kinda a long story, see, I had this freaking sweet hat..."
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Gobi-1
Title: Manager: LFL Projects / Indiana Jones 4
Registered:
Dec '02
|
Date Posted:
12/19/07 4:15pm
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
I've always thought that overtures were created for the big premiere a film might have, and that it was a signal for everybody to take their seats and to give a few more minutes for the ushers to seat last minutes arrivals.
-----signature-----
In 1977 George Lucas created the Star Wars Trilogy and changed the way we look at movies.
In 1999 George Lucas created the Prequel Trilogy and changed the way we look at Star Wars.
Frasier, Lost, and Whose Line Is It Anyway? are the best tv shows ever.
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
The2ndQuest
Title: :
-LACWAC
-Lit Mod of Death
-Games
Registered:
Jan '00
|
Date Posted:
12/19/07 4:28pm
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
|
Perhaps, but in a home video or mass market release, it's unneccesary, since at home you know when it'll start since it's a time of your choosing, and in theaters they actually have their "feature presentation" announcements as a cue.
-----signature-----
Yub Nub! Celebrate the lovvve!
K'Kruhk, 140 ABY: "Why haven't I come forth earlier to share my Jedi knowledge with Skywalker?
Well, it's kinda a long story, see, I had this freaking sweet hat..."
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Gobi-1
Title: Manager: LFL Projects / Indiana Jones 4
Registered:
Dec '02
|
Date Posted:
12/19/07 4:55pm
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
True, overtures and intermission are not needed for home viewing but films with built-in intermissions do made it easy to split the movie between two video tapes or DVDs. I think that's one reason why they don't edit them out. The best opition would be to take the overture/intermission out but give the viewer the choice to reinsert them back in via branching technology.
Anyway getting back to Star Trek I have seen the last two films but haven't posted my reviews yet. I'll try to get them up as soon as possible.
-----signature-----
In 1977 George Lucas created the Star Wars Trilogy and changed the way we look at movies.
In 1999 George Lucas created the Prequel Trilogy and changed the way we look at Star Wars.
Frasier, Lost, and Whose Line Is It Anyway? are the best tv shows ever.
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Vortigern99
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '00
|
Date Posted:
12/19/07 10:11pm
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
My rankings of the Star Trek films:
1. II: The Wrath of Khan
2. VI: The Undiscovered Country
3. III: The Search for Spock
4. X: Nemesis
5. VII: Generations
6. IV: The Voyage Home
7. The Motion Picture
8. IX: Insurrection
9. V: The Final Frontier
10. VIII: First Contact
-----signature-----
"I knew from the beginning I was not doing science fiction.
I was doing a space opera, a fantasy film, a mythological piece,
a fairy tale."--George Lucas
My "Vader's Origins" thread:
http://boards.theforce.net/Classic_Trilogy/b10002/8708417/p1
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
timmoishere
Registered:
Jun '07
|
Date Posted:
12/20/07 1:00am
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
|
You don't like First Contact? Blasphemy!
-----signature-----
What ain't no country I ever heard of. They speak English in What?
Vikings > Pirates > Ninjas
Everything tastes better wrapped in bacon, especially bacon
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Darth_Omega
Registered:
May '02
|
Date Posted:
12/20/07 1:05am
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
timmoishere posted:
You don't like First Contact? Blasphemy!
The fact that he rated IX, V and I higher is just an insult to all Trekkies IMO.
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Jedimarine
Registered:
Feb '01
|
Date Posted:
12/20/07 5:44am
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
Now, now, I'm sure he has his reasons...and First Contact can be extremely clunky at times.
If anything, it proves just how broad the disparity is in reference to Star Trek films...
THEY ALL CAN BE SEEN AS JUNK! 
-----signature-----
GO SEE "THE DARK KNIGHT"
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
I-poodoo
Registered:
May '01
|
Date Posted:
12/20/07 5:57pm
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
star trek film rankings
1. II Wrath of Kahn
2. VIII First Contact
3. VI Undiscovered Country
4. IV The Voyage home
5. V The Final Frontier
6. VII Generations
7. III The search for Spock
8. IX Insurrection
9. X Nemesis
10. I The motion picture
-----signature-----
"It is the actions of a man that defines him not his intentions."-yours truly
"Though battles have been lost, the Alliance still lives.
We have not surrendered. We do not concede the stars.
We will win back our birthright.
Freedom." -Jaius Yorub
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Vortigern99
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '00
|
Date Posted:
12/20/07 7:11pm
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
No insult intended! I just find First Contact very cheesy and goofy, poorly made and lacking verissimilitude. It comes across like an especially silly episode of TNG. Insurrection, on the other hand, has a meatier story IMO; anything to do with Data I personally find very intriguing. As to Final Frontier, I agree it's awful, but at least it has Kirk, Bones and Spock in it -- which for a child of the 70s such as myself makes it preferable to an equally bad NG film. This is purely subjective opinion from a sci-fi/fantasy fan who is not a trekkie.
Darth_Omega posted:
timmoishere posted:
You don't like First Contact? Blasphemy!
The fact that he rated IX, V and I higher is just an insult to all Trekkies IMO.
-----signature-----
"I knew from the beginning I was not doing science fiction.
I was doing a space opera, a fantasy film, a mythological piece,
a fairy tale."--George Lucas
My "Vader's Origins" thread:
http://boards.theforce.net/Classic_Trilogy/b10002/8708417/p1
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
The2ndQuest
Title: :
-LACWAC
-Lit Mod of Death
-Games
Registered:
Jan '00
|
Date Posted:
12/20/07 9:46pm
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
|
I tend to feel that Insurrection had meatier story potential that was unfortunately served frozen in a handy franchise-killing portion
-----signature-----
Yub Nub! Celebrate the lovvve!
K'Kruhk, 140 ABY: "Why haven't I come forth earlier to share my Jedi knowledge with Skywalker?
Well, it's kinda a long story, see, I had this freaking sweet hat..."
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
Jedimarine
Registered:
Feb '01
|
Date Posted:
12/21/07 8:23am
Subject:
RE: Recommendations for the best Star Trek film?
|
You know what the worst part of all the films after Generations is?
It's the Enterprise.
They never take an opportunity to really explore anything that might be unique or new when it comes to the new ship...it might as well be any of the dozens of ships in the fleet...the decks, the holodecks, etc...none of this is unusual anymore...The Enterprises always had something unique about them.
As such...the E is cold and unlikeable ship beyond it's basic aesthetics...it's obvious from First Contact through Nemesis that the creative teams were more convinced the series' focus was with the characters, not the ship...ala the original cast films and the success of Voyage Home.
Except the TNG crew were never as beloved as the Original crew...even if the show they were on was. Picard/Data can't hold a candle to Kirk/Spock...and I say this being a hater of the TOS. As a result, the TNG movies needed those aspects of wonder in the films...instead we got some cheese action and an alien home ship which, honestly, no body cares about, despite Patrick Stewart's best efforts to make you think Picard loved E as much as D.
Anyone else think the E is reason #1 they felt they could move Riker to his own boat? Losing the D was like losing a crew member...and the E has been an empty shell replacement.
I truly hope with this new film, Abrams takes this into account and make the reinvented (as I'm sure it will be) Enterprise and integral "character" in the tale...not just a setting.
-----signature-----
GO SEE "THE DARK KNIGHT"
|
|
|
Quote Reply |
Active Topic Notification |
Private Message |
Post History
|
