THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 25, 1994 TAG: 9411230106
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E13 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: TEEN [movie] REVIEW
SOURCE: BY BRENT A. BOWLES, TEENOLOGY MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
THE SERIES may have ended after seven years, but the cast of ``Star Trek: The Next Generation'' isn't through yet. In ``Star Trek Generations,'' the Enterprise's new crew explodes into theaters with all the cowboy heroism and epic action that made the series so great.
This seventh film to bear the Star Trek name and the first of a new series of features has so much action and humor crammed into 116 minutes that it seems impossible, even for those who abhor the series, to dislike it.
Storywise, ``Star Trek Generations'' is a little thin. The plot concerns a mysterious ribbon of time that transports anyone it encounters into an intergalactic paradise called the Nexus. The bad guy, an alien named Dr. Tolian Soran, is out to capture the ribbon and, in the process, destroys millions of lives.
Patrick Stewart stars as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in what might amount to an Oscar-nominated performance. Stewart infuses a great deal of emotion into the stoic captain, elevating him to the legendary status of Capt. Kirk.
Another could-be Oscar performance is that by Brent Spiner as the android Data. Data finally gets emotions, thanks to a nifty little emotion chip. What Spiner does with his new emotions is hilarious.
The rest of the new crew from the television show is joined by two old favorites - James Doohan as Scotty and Walter Koenig as Chekov, as well as Whoopi Goldberg as the mysterious bartender Guinan.
And William Shatner makes his final outing as the unbeatable Capt. James T. Kirk. He plays his scenes for all they're worth; the old warrior's still got it in him, and he will be missed.
No Trek movie would be right without a bad guy, and chewing more scenery than Ricardo Montalban as Khan in ``Star Trek II'' is Malcolm McDowell as Soran. His bad guy is the best of the series. His obsession with the ecstacy of the Nexus is deliciously frightening. He gets some fabulous lines.
Freshman feature director David Carson could not have made a more exciting movie out of the weak plot. Carson is the best director of the Trek film series.
This is a very dark film, but the message that Carson and the screenwriters try to convey is uplifting.
``Star Trek Generations'' is a technical marvel. Oscars are likely for the cinematographer and the production designer. The special effects of powerhouse Industrial Light and Magic are everywhere, especially in the Enterprise's explosive demise.
Besides the thin story, the only other complaint is the lackluster score, which utilizes a quiet choir and low-key action music; the usual deafening and exciting Star Trek music is absent.
Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike will enjoy ``Star Trek Generations.'' It's got more epic shoot-'em-up action, nail-biting suspense and special effects than all the past Star Trek films combined.
The cast is solid, and the razzle-dazzle and humor make up for the pointless plot. This is the best Star Trek of them all, a gritty explosive and utterly enjoyable adventure. MEMO: ``Star Trek Generations'' is rated PG.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Brent Bowles is a graduate of Princess Anne High
Photo
ELLIOTT MARKS / Paramount Pictures
Taking over the Star Trek movie franchise in the new film ``Star
Trek Generations'' is the crew headed by, from left, Capt. Jean-Luc
Picard (Patrick Stewart), Cmdr. William Riker (Jonathan Frakes, Lt.
Cmdr. Worf (Michael Dorn) and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina
Sirtis).
by CNB