Name: Retro Film Review: Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Item: Star Trek: Insurrection
Rating: 50
Author: @drax

(source:tmdb.org)

(SPECIAL NOTE: Capsule version of the review is available here)

One of the reasons why the original Star Trek series maintained its popularity over the decades was in its dealing with important issues. The series was more than pure entertainment; in the episodes authors dealt with social and political problems that are as relevant today as they were four decades ago. World realities continued to affect Star Trek scripts even after the television series became successful film franchise. One of the examples can be found in Star Trek: Insurrection, 1998 film directed by Jonathan Frakes.

The plot is set in Briar's Patch, section of the universe where one planet is being inhabited by 600 people belonging to B'aku race. Their world is primitive but utopian and local radiation also provides them with immortality. Federation has decided to study B'akus and their way of life, but during the expedition one of its members, Lt. Commander Data (played by Brent Spiner) goes mad and reveals his presence to B'akus. Captain Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) and the rest of USS Enterprise crew arrive to planet in order to investigate. They find that the expedition, supervised by Admiral Daugherty (played by Anthony Zerbe), is actually controlled by representatives of S'ona race. Their leader R'uafo (played by F. Murray Abracham) wants to exploit planet's resources and because of that B'akus have to be ejected from their homes. When it turns out that Federation officials have breeched Prime Directive and went with S'ona scheme, Picard decides to disobey his superiors and save B'akus.

Star Trek: Insurrection is one of the more "politically correct" films of the series. Michael Pillar's script tries very hard to conform to the leftist sentiments of 1990s Hollywood – perfect society that rejects technology, materialism as embodiment of evil and cute little natives being "ethnically cleansed" by ugly-looking imperialists. In Picard and his crew who valiantly try to do the right thing viewers can find scriptwriters' praise for Clinton who did similar thing for Muslims in Bosnia (and would later repeat the same thing for Kosovo Albanians).

But explicit social commentaries aren't the thing viewers expect from Star Trek films. All this content is only a background of standard science fiction adventure story and seriousness of the subject is drowned with film's light-hearted tone. Because of rejuvenating effects of radiation, familiar characters of Star Trek: The Next Generation are behaving silly and it is entertaining to see such adult characters like Riker (played by Jonathan Frakes) and Deanna Troi (played by Marina Sirtis) acting like horny teenagers. Because of the humour film is entertaining and the fast pace guarantees that audience won't notice too much plot flaws.

Direction by series' veteran Jonathan Frakes is very good, while the acting by experienced crew is predictably good. The non-regular cast fares slightly worse - talents of F. Murray Abraham are wasted under the tons of bad make-up. Donna Murphy, on the other hand, is good as Picard's love interest. Film's special effects are solid and Jerry Goldsmith provides another good musical score.

Although this film is in its essence nothing more than a glorified episode of TV series and although it represents a disappointment compared with classic Star Trek films, "trekkies" aren't the only audience who could enjoy Star Trek: Insurrection.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on June 14th 2004)