Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

The best thing about seeing a Star Trek movie is that when the 
inevitable projection problem occurs, there's always someone more-
obsessive than yourself who gets up to go notify the management.  
STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT is the perfect movie for those dedicated 
fans, because they can project their own excitement into an other-
wise talky action movie.  Despite a strong script and an excellent 
ensemble cast, there's a fundamental visceral tension that's mis-
sing here.  Or, rather, that leaks out over time.  In fact, the 
most exciting moment in the movie is a cabin-room confrontation 
between Patrick Stewart and Alfre Woodard.  (How odd.  Even with 
the best FX in eight movies, FIRST CONTACT is surprisingly thrill-
less.)  Everything else, however, is par for the course:  in-jokes, 
one-liners (most of them hilarious), gizmos with lots of flashing 
red and yellow lights, explosions heard in the vacuum of space, and 
plenty of technical mumbo-gumbo like "we appear to be caught in a 
temporal wake."  By the end, the resolution of the lengthy conflict 
(the Enterprise goes back in time to battle the Borg) makes perfect 
logical sense and little else.  Next time, please reactivate the 
emotion chip.  (Rated "PG-13"/122 min.)

Grade: B-

Copyright 1996 by Michael J. Legeros

Originally posted in triangle.movies in MOVIE HELL: November 24, 1996