By: debbie lynn elias
Warping into theaters everywhere on December 13 is the tenth – and possibly, best – installment of the Star Trek franchise, “Star Trek: Nemesis.” It’s been four years since we last saw the Enterprise and its Next Generation crew in “Insurrection”, and now they all return for what may well be the final chapter for this generation, this time joining forces with the ultimate Trek fan turned screenwriter, John Logan, and director Stuart Baird.
Logan jumps in with both feet giving us an emotional, heartwarming and heart-pounding thrill ride about life, family and passage. In a very effective move, Logan re-establishes and re-familiarizes us with the crew, courtesy of the romantic yearnings of Commander William T. Riker and the ship’s counselor, Deanna Troi, who FINALLY tie the knot. For those not in the know, other principal crew members are Troi’s best friend and ship’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Beverly Crusher, Chief Engineer Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge, android Lt. Commander Data, everyone’s favorite Klingon Lt. Commander Worf, bartender and advice-giver extraordinaire Guinan, and of course, Captain Jean Luc Picard.
Ordered into the Neutral Zone on the fringe of Romulan territory, the crew shuttles down to planet Kolarus III where they pick-up the remains of an early “B-4” version of Data. Although a twin in appearance, B-4 appears “simple-minded” when compared to Data but, as well all know, appearances can be deceiving – and never moreso than in Star Trek. Every action is meant to create some form of reaction – and generally its a cataclysmic one. Pushed even farther into the Neutral Zone, the Enterprise is sent to Romulus where they encounter Praetor Shinzon, who is cloned from Captain Picard. (Hey, he’s been turned into a Borg before, he may as well be cloned!) Shinzon and the Romulans claim to want peace with the Federation – something our old friend Spock was trying to broker some years back. Unfortunately, peace is the last thing on the mind of Shinzon. He wants a war with the Federation, not to mention wanting Picard so he can drain Picard’s blood to stop a degenerative effect of his own cloning. Using the Federation, the Romulans and anything else at his disposal, Shinzon gets his war. In a battle to end all battles, our gallant crew fights to keep him from his ultimate goal – the complete destruction of Earth. (And unlike some other critics, I will not divulge what transpires or the turn of events for our ship and her crew.)
When it comes to the technology (check out the microtransporter) and action of “Nemesis”, words will never adequately describe the mind-blowing mastery seen here. Explosive! Thrilling! You’ll find your heart pounding and pulse racing as you cling to your seat. Visually stimulating with some very exciting CGI effects, you won’t be disappointed. This is the ultimate in Trek viewing.
Beyond the action and techno-mania, however, is a genuinely gifted storyteller. Done intentionally and to pay homage to, Logan draws on the drama from “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”, arguably the best Trek ever (until now), pulling at heart strings and giving us unexpected, albeit sad, surprises. But what’s a story without great performances to bring it to life. Comfortable with their roles, each actor slips into character like a well worn pair of slippers. Jonathan Frakes as Riker, although somewhat inexplicably relegated to the background here, nevertheless stands tall, still puffing his chest and reminding us of the legendary James Tiberius Kirk. Brent Spiner does double duty – as he has done repeatedly throughout the TNG series – this time as both Data and B-4. Although still an android but now seemingly fused with his emotion-chip, Data is perhaps the most human of all, thanks to Spiner’s intuitive performance and gifted sense of timing. Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, still more or less window dressing for the crew, nevertheless is an integral part of the TNG element, while Michael Dorn as the perennially cranky Klingon Worf still finds ways to show evolution of his character under all that make-up. (Wait until you see him as a drunk Klingon – hilarious!) Unfortunately for us, LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge, Gates McFadden as Dr. Crusher and the wonderful Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan (as does Worf) have very little involvement this go round, yet still bring elements of comfort, familiarity and family to the picture. But of course, Patrick Stewart as Jean Luc Picard is incomparable. With a commanding and authoritative delivery almost unparalleled in the arts today, be it bantering with Riker, having philosophical talks with Data or dispensing fatherly advice and concern for his crew, Stewart can make a request to scrub the toilet sound dignified.
But what’s a Star Trek without a formidable enemy and here we have Praetor Shinzon played to the hilt by relative newcomer Tom Hardy in a standout performance. More than holding his own against Stewart, Hardy is one man to keep your eye on in the future. Perhaps the finest performance here, however, belongs to Ron Perlman as Shinzon’s assistant, Reman Viceroy. Thanks to his longtime role as Vincent in television’s “Beauty & The Beast”, Perlman is a master of mental acting and uses every emotional trick in the book to effectively suck you into his menacing persona.
Still under the guidance of Gene Roddenberry protégée Rick Berman (who, along with Spiner and Logan came up with the story), “Nemesis” boldly goes where no one has gone before. And be this the final journey or the beginning of a new journey, it’s been one heckuva trek. Live long and prosper.
