![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
grinninfooleI was genuinely shocked and saddened that Data died. It's been such a long time since I thought about that show, or since I respected what the writers of the movies have done with them. First Contact was OK, but I thought that they seriously underplayed the dramatic tension of Data's temptation by the pleasures of the flesh, and the ending turned out to be, once again, Data ex machina. The rest of the cast were pretty superfluous to the defeat of the Borg, and I was oddly reminded of the old Superman tv show: one capable hero surrounded by hapless mortals. I really enjoyed parts of it a lot, but in the end, it felt precious. Insurrectionwas a second-rate episode, padded out with a higher budget. Nemesis was a good Trek film, but in many ways sadly still just a Trek film.
Some examples of what I mean: when Picard, Worf and Data go looking for the other android in the desert, who are those guys who attack them? What prompts them to start shooting? What do they hope to accomplish? Who do they think our three heroes are, anyway? Other than adding a few more explosions and a chase scene, what does it add to the plot? Frankly, since we knew that the film-makers were not going to kill off major characters so gratuitously that early into the film, we know that the good guys are in no danger, so the scene lacks any dramatic urgency or interest.
Also, why does Shinzon fixate on Troi, and attempt to telepathically rape her? I mean, yes, she's the first human woman he's ever seen, and he's clearly had a horribly abusive childhood, but why does this kind of shit always happen to Troi? It seems confusing considering that this guy has seen Troi for all of 2 minutes. Also, the imposition of Shinzon on Riker was a great choice, and the scene would have been really powerful if they had filmed it properly. Do you really expect me to believe that Troi still has a sheet tucked demurely up over her breasts when she and Riker are fucking? If so, it implies a distinct chasteness and propriety between them that rather undercuts the dramatic power of their bond.
Why is Worf in Starfleet uniform? Why is he part of the crew? I can see him being there as a wedding guest, but as of the finale of DS9 and the end of the Dominion war, Worf is Federation ambassador. Why is he back as a mere Lt. Commander in the service? I can accept that he could have made this choice, but might he not feel a certain loyalty to his adopted brother, now serving as High Chancellor? I can understand not wanting to get bogged down in Trek continuity, but
I did like a few things--the Romulans didn't appear much, but they were interestingly ambitious and yet principled characters. I liked that, having set up yet another mind-rape for Troi (if not the audience), they actually allow her empathic abilities to be useful by allowing her to turn the tables on her telepathic attacker. Troi's greatest enemies on this show have always been the writers who marginalized her abilities, and it was nice to see her get SOMETHING out of them. Properly speaking, she should have been the most dangerous bad-ass on the ship if she wanted, but one wouldn't know it from watching the show.
I like that the big action was broken up for a conversation, and in it Picard offered the bad guy a moral argument and a moral choice. It's always sad when said bad guy chooses to embrace his wickedness instead of making a hopeful or redemptive choice. (I was reminded of the Saruman/Gandalf confrontation that Peter Jackson didn't yet show us in Two Towers.) A good choice, and a very Trek choice, too.
And, of course, Data died. Heroically. Stoically. Willingly. But, still, boom--gone. I like that the characters were allowed to grieve on screen, and I like that the movie gave us enough of Data doing stuff other than being super-smart and super-capable to make his loss ache. Such a waste, just like Shinzon....
I'm sorry that Nemesis wasn't better, but I'm glad that they have ended these movies with a pretty good swansong. I wish that they'd give up on the feature films, and make a new TV series, or have TV specials, or something that would allow a broader and slower canvass.
And I do wonder what will happen to the folks from DS9. And without Data, now what will they do when the Borg attack?
Some examples of what I mean: when Picard, Worf and Data go looking for the other android in the desert, who are those guys who attack them? What prompts them to start shooting? What do they hope to accomplish? Who do they think our three heroes are, anyway? Other than adding a few more explosions and a chase scene, what does it add to the plot? Frankly, since we knew that the film-makers were not going to kill off major characters so gratuitously that early into the film, we know that the good guys are in no danger, so the scene lacks any dramatic urgency or interest.
Also, why does Shinzon fixate on Troi, and attempt to telepathically rape her? I mean, yes, she's the first human woman he's ever seen, and he's clearly had a horribly abusive childhood, but why does this kind of shit always happen to Troi? It seems confusing considering that this guy has seen Troi for all of 2 minutes. Also, the imposition of Shinzon on Riker was a great choice, and the scene would have been really powerful if they had filmed it properly. Do you really expect me to believe that Troi still has a sheet tucked demurely up over her breasts when she and Riker are fucking? If so, it implies a distinct chasteness and propriety between them that rather undercuts the dramatic power of their bond.
Why is Worf in Starfleet uniform? Why is he part of the crew? I can see him being there as a wedding guest, but as of the finale of DS9 and the end of the Dominion war, Worf is Federation ambassador. Why is he back as a mere Lt. Commander in the service? I can accept that he could have made this choice, but might he not feel a certain loyalty to his adopted brother, now serving as High Chancellor? I can understand not wanting to get bogged down in Trek continuity, but
I did like a few things--the Romulans didn't appear much, but they were interestingly ambitious and yet principled characters. I liked that, having set up yet another mind-rape for Troi (if not the audience), they actually allow her empathic abilities to be useful by allowing her to turn the tables on her telepathic attacker. Troi's greatest enemies on this show have always been the writers who marginalized her abilities, and it was nice to see her get SOMETHING out of them. Properly speaking, she should have been the most dangerous bad-ass on the ship if she wanted, but one wouldn't know it from watching the show.
I like that the big action was broken up for a conversation, and in it Picard offered the bad guy a moral argument and a moral choice. It's always sad when said bad guy chooses to embrace his wickedness instead of making a hopeful or redemptive choice. (I was reminded of the Saruman/Gandalf confrontation that Peter Jackson didn't yet show us in Two Towers.) A good choice, and a very Trek choice, too.
And, of course, Data died. Heroically. Stoically. Willingly. But, still, boom--gone. I like that the characters were allowed to grieve on screen, and I like that the movie gave us enough of Data doing stuff other than being super-smart and super-capable to make his loss ache. Such a waste, just like Shinzon....
I'm sorry that Nemesis wasn't better, but I'm glad that they have ended these movies with a pretty good swansong. I wish that they'd give up on the feature films, and make a new TV series, or have TV specials, or something that would allow a broader and slower canvass.
And I do wonder what will happen to the folks from DS9. And without Data, now what will they do when the Borg attack?
