Star Trek: First Contact (1996) 6/10
Let me preface this by saying I went into this with exactly zero familiarity with these characters, and my only Star Trek experiences are Wrath of Khan and the two recent reboots. On the plus side, the film does let you get enough information from context to understand the story and the general character roles, so not having familiarity shouldn't, in theory, preclude enjoyment of the film.
It's good to know that there is enough information to have the movie stand alone, for the most part. I wouldn't be able to answer that question on my own. Too immersed.
That said, I also felt like there was a lot of winking to the audience with references I didn't get, and also with really overt and blunt references that I did get but were distracting ("you're all astronauts on... some kind of star trek." really?).
ick! I am impressed though, that James Cromwell was able to deliver that line while keeping a straight face. Oh, if I had two more words to explain my love of this movie they would be James Cromwell!
Actually, most of the dialogue seems really on the nose and stilted, it was my biggest problem with the film. I don't know if it's bad writing, bad acting, or just a stylistic quirk that you get used to if you've seen the show and are familiar with the characters, but I had a hard time getting past it. With all that, the film was significantly hamstringed. But, I did enjoy it with it's half-camp half-serious atmosphere and a generally compelling split narrative, even if some of the specifics don't make sense on inspection. I had enough fun that I can kind of see why people enjoy Star Trek, but not enough to get me particularly eager to watch more.
There is definitely a certain style that has it's roots from the beginnings, I tend to like the humor more as it's evolved from
The Original Series, to
The Next Generation and onto the new Start Trek movies. Yes, lots of winking and nodding, but it feels more sophisticated, each iteration.
I'm curious, is there something specific about this film that puts it in your top 100, or is it more a representative sample of the series?
Yes and yes. I'll start with the second one.
I've never really considered myself to be a trekkie, but there has been a type of Star Trek through line throughout my life. I didn't watch re-runs of
TOS growing up, but for some reason my family went to see the movies as they came out. I thought they were okay, but was mostly happy just to go to the theater, or more often than not, the drive-in. Cheaper that way, since the cost was by the carload and we could fit all ten of us in our van. Great memories sitting on top, or on folding chairs outside. Anyway! I did watch
TNG, but didn't really appreciate it until the 3rd season and then my kids got into it later, as well as
TOS and
Voyager, the animated series and the movies, so I did my share of peripheral watching and provided a few Star Trek parties, complete with easy homemade costumes and a "replicator." So yes, it does seem fitting to have the Star Trek franchise represented in my top 100 somewhere.
As for specifics! Yes, there are some very specific things about this movie that make it my favorite Star Trek movie.
* Goldsmith's main theme, a darker more melancholy approach, that chokes me up a little each time I hear it. I kept hoping smirnoff would use it for one of his horse races! Goldsmith also peppers past themes throughout the movie at key moments, giving the film a real nostalgic feeling.
* Alfre Woodard. Man, is Lily spunky! The sparks really fly as she pushes all the right buttons and I too wish there were more scenes with her and Picard.
* James Cromwell. I love his arc. Here's an anti-hero that steps up anyway. Overall, I think we all have a more heroic nature inside us, than we give ourselves credit for.
* Picard's "journey." This might be a little less meaningful for someone that hadn't followed the series, but at the end of season 3, Picard is assimilated into the Borg, the most daunting and impenetrable of all enemies to that point. What's worse, is that we all had to wait out the summer months of him being a Borg, until season 4's first episode's resolution. That is a lot of trauma!! Season 4 explored Picard's recovery and
First Contact explored it further, as he dealt with his residual trauma, head on. His warrior side really explodes, which is not his usual demeanor at all.
* Data's exploration of the senses. This too might not have as much impact, not having watched Data's conscious efforts to understand humanity, episode after episode. Here he is thrown into fear and desire and we're all not sure what's going to happen. New emotions are a huge thing and it's fascinating to watch Date deal with them.
* Steppenwolf!
I like to dream yes, yes, right between my sound machine
On a cloud of sound I drift in the night
Any place it goes is right
Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here
Well, you don't know what we can find
Why don't you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ridehaha!
* Lines like... Lt. Commander Worf: [before blasting some Borg]
Assimilate this!
It looks like I may be more of a trekkie than I had considered!
Thanks for the review and the questions, PeacefulAnarchy. I had a good time watching it again and pondering why it's in my top 100.