Review of Star Trek: First Contact (1996) by Mat K — 03 May 2009

"We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile." - The Borg.

Star Trek: First Contact is the finest offering ever done by the crew of The Next Generation.

In the 24th century, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) of the newly commissioned USS Enterprise-E is ordered by Starfleet Command to not interfere in an invasion of Starfleet itself by their cyborg enemy known as the Borg. The Borg travel the universe assimilating all known technology and organic life into its collective. Captain Picard was once himself forced into assimilation and is one of the few humans to be saved from the damnation of being part of the Borg forever. Picard knows that Starfleet alone can not survive in a battle by themselves against the Borg and decides to go against his orders and assist in the battle with his ship, the most powerful ship at Starfleet"s command. The battle is taking place at Earth and Picard uses his knowledge of the Borg to defeat them but the Borg ship quickly launches a small sphere. The Enterprise-E follows it but the sphere quickly forms a time travel vortex that shields the Enterprise and her crew from the time distortions in the present. Now, planet Earth has a population of 9 billion, all Borg. The Borg have went back in time to a date unlike any other. April, 4, 2063, the date humanity makes first contact with an alien race, specifically the Vulcans. Picard and his crew now know that there is only one option: travel back in time to where the Borg first arrived, destroy them, and allow humanity to make first contact.

This film is directed by Jonathon Frakes, the same man who plays the first officer of the Enterprise-E, William Riker. Also of note with the developers of this film, is that the story was written by Rick Berman, Brannon Brage, and Ronald Moore. All these writers are well known within the science fiction community, but Ronald Moore certainly is a legend thanks to his work on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica TV series.

The cast of the Enterprise consists of Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard, Jonathan Frakes as William Riker, Brent Spiner as Data, LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge, Michael Dorn as Worf, Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher, and Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi. The cast of the Enterprise are iconic in the Star Trek fan base and they are also quite well recognizable outside the geek community thanks to the popularity and impact of the hit television show, Star Trek: The Next Generation. Patrick Stewart owns the role of Jean-Luc Picard and he never falters with his role in this movie. He is very aggressive with the Borg and wants to stop them right here and now in this film. He provides action, intelligence, comedy, you name it, and he delivers in this movie. Jonathon Frakes as William Riker or "number one" as he is referred to by the captain is good to see yet again in this offering by The Next Generation crew. He is unbeknownst to the Borg's real dealings on the Enterprise within the film, but serves a great purpose by assisting humanity in its first contact with alien life. Brent Spiner as Data is just as much of an icon as Stewart is as Picard, and nor does he falter with his role either. Data is an android that is loyal to his captain and crew until the end, even when he is forced with the offer to join the Borg. Levar Burton as Mr. La Forge plays his role well and he assists Riker with the duty of humanity making first contact possible. Michael Dorn as the powerful Klingon known as Worf is the bravest man known according to Captain Picard and he certainly lives up to it by fighting the Borg in hand to hand combat. He even does a Schwarzeneggerish one liner by saying to the Borg, "Assimilate this!" Gates McFadden and Marina Sirtis are vital members of the Enterprise, but they both have smaller roles in this story of The Next Generation. Even though there roles are small, they fight when they have to and act there roles as well as they know them. There is also another crew member we meet of the Enterprise specifically for this film and he is Sean Hawk played by Neal McDonough. McDonough has been in big budget films but is never the star of the film. He is obviously not the star of this film either but plays his role well as he does with all his roles. He is obviously a doomed member of the crew from the start and eventually learns first hand the cold machinations of the Borg.

While in the past, the Enterprise crew meets two members of Earth's community. The most prominent member they meet is the legendary Zefram Cochrane player by James Cromwell. Zefram Cochrane is the man responsibility for creating the first warp drive in humanity's history and is thus responsible for making first contact with alien life. Cromwell does a stand out job as Zefram Cochrane and completely nails the character. Co-star and director Jonathon Frakes considers Cromwell's casting a coup as he was then an Academy Award nominee. The second person the Enterprise crew meets is Cochrane's friend and assistant, Lily Sloane, played by Alfre Woodard. Sloane is a fierce woman willing to fight for her cause and develops a bit of a love relationship with good old Jean-Luc. The two fight in multiple battles together and can it is touching when the two have to make their inevitable departure.

The Borg are the main villain of this story but it is the first time within Star Trek chronology where we meet the Borg Queen played by Alice Krige. Alice Krige plays the Borg Queen very well and is an iconic villain in the Star Trek series. The Borg Queen will do anything to get what she wants in order to further her goal of ultimately being perfect or god-like. The Borg themselves are awesome and an important part of science fiction thanks to their very being of machinery and flesh.

The film opens up with great special effects and they continue to be apparent throughout the film. There aren't as many space battles as you would see in a Star Wars film thanks to the low budget of $47 million, but this was the highest ever allotted to a Star Trek film at the time. The music is great for this Star Trek film but is at the odd moment a bit off kilter by going with a higher note, but the excitement of this movie mostly wipes away that problem. This flick is filled with Star Trek clothing, technology, and its own vocabulary as well. This is a Star Trek film and it moves at a Star Trek pace, so don't expect to see this flick move at the pace as Star Wars or Battlestar Galactica would.

In short, this film has great special effects, acting, emotion, and story in possibly the best tale of Star Trek: The Next Generation. If you are a fan of science fiction, then you should definitely watch this movie. And even if you are not a fan of sci-fi, don't be afraid to give this film a chance. Its stories like this that allows Star Trek and science fiction to live long and prosper.

"I will not sacrifice the Enterprise. We've made too many compromises already; too many retreats. They invade our space and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds and we fall back. Not again. The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! And *I* will make them pay for what they've done." - Captain Jean-Luc Picard.