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Star Trek: Nemesis [DVD] [2003] starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner

Publisher: Paramount Home Entertainment
Release date: 11th August, 2003
Media: DVD

Audio Formats

English (Original Language)

Subtitles

English

Format

• Anamorphic
• PAL
• Widescreen

Similar Products

• Star Trek Insurrection - Dvd [1999]
• Star Trek Generations - Dvd [1995]
• Star Trek First Contact - Dvd [1996]
• Star Trek: Insurrection [DVD] [1998]
• Star Trek 5 - Final Frontier - Dvd [1989]
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Editorial Review

Despite Nemesis bearing strong echoes of the Star Trek franchise's 1982 zenith, The Wrath of Kahn, the tenth film in the series sadly lacks Kahn's enormous conviction and resonance. That aside, Nemesis is still a strong, enjoyable effort containing all the Trek hallmarks, while making few concessions for non-fans. Following the wedding of Riker and Troi, the Enterprise is called to negotiate peace with longtime Federation enemies the Romulans, now led by the mysterious Reman, Shinzon (a malevolent Tom Hardy), who bears an unnervingly close link to Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart). At the same time, Data's (Brent Spiner) surprise discovery of an inferior prototype of himself leads him to make to some harsh human decisions.

Certainly, the film has a comfy familiarity to it, and there are no shocking changes of direction, but scriptwriter John Logan (Gladiator) and director Stuart Baird (Executive Decision)--both franchise newcomers--make some fine contributions. Logan imbues some scenes with fine seething drama, particularly between Picard and Shinzon, and introduces, in a psychic assault on Troi (Marina Sirtis), a hitherto unseen darkness in the Trek universe. Baird, meanwhile, offsets the series "talkiness" with some superbly realised--and brutal--action sequences. Should this indeed be the final voyage for The Next Generation Enterprise, then it could have been far worse. --Danny Graydon

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Average rating - (more reviews)

Rating: - Compulsory Review Title

If you like Star Trek you'll enjoy this. If you don't, you probably won't even be reading this.

Rating: - entertaining, relatively enjoyable, no originality - were all the writers on strike?

The Good Points:

Special Effects: Look great, best of any of the previous Star Trek films (but consider how the technology has moved on). Highlights being the aerial views of Romulus and the space battles in the latter half of the film.

Solid characterization: It is without question a Picard and Data storyline. Patrick and Brent do a fine job as usual. Always a pleasure to see Patrick squaring off to a suitable antagonist. A shame really that the other characters were really just along for the ride: Wesley back from his travels didn't speak, the enigmatic Guinan not really used.

Relatively thought provoking for a Star Trek film: A bit of a nurture versus nature thing going on here. The Picard genetic stock being subjugated to a different upbringing what would the outcome be? The exchanges between Shinzon and Picard being the highlight of the film (unless you are a special effects junkie).

The Romulans and Remans are further developed in the fiction that follows this film (Titan: Taking Wing for example) with Donatra and Suran developing nicely.

The Bad Points:

Originality, originality, originality. Can the writers not come up with an original storyline?
You can see it now - pull out a copy of Wrath of Khan - make a note of everything that worked - look at fans reviews and then try to apply it to The Next Generation.

1. Intelligent antagonist hell bent on bringing down the captain of the Enterprise: Check
2. Device on countdown to destruction with Enterprise disabled and unable to escape: Check.
3. Crew member sacrifices himself to save the crew of the enterprise: Check.
4. Suggestion at the end that crew member may not be completely dead after all: Check
5. Oh - the fans quite liked seeing the Enterprise crash into the planet at the end of Generations - do you think we could get away with a sequence like that again?

Flavours that have all been tasted before in Star Trek. They are reasonably well executed and architected here. But there is an overall feeling here that this has been done better 21 years previously on a fraction of the budget.

Did anyone notice the score? Perhaps they should have given James Horner a call?

With all that said, it is an entertaining, enjoyable film (when considered in isolation) that I will watch many times.
I guess we just have to accept that they do not make them like they used to...

Rating: - Some good bits, but mostly average

Nemesis is, in principle, very similar to Wrath of Khan, with themes of revenge and sacrifice, but nowhere near as good. While WoK had plenty of action, Nemesis is more of a character piece. In my view, these characters have had 15 years of exposure and just don't need the plodding examination that comprises most of the first two thirds of the film.

Tom Hardy's sneering and supercillious anti-Picard was a masterstroke of casting, though, and he holds his own nicely against Stewart. The closing space battle is also good, one of the few glimmers of real ST (but it loses some impact when watched at home).

I've seen all the ST films from 6 onwards at the cinema (and every episode of every series), and Nemesis (and Insurrection) required conscious effort on my part to remain interested.

Rating: - Enjoyable film with good space battle

I really enjoyed this film. Similar in style to Wrath of Kahn with a good space battle. In some ways it suffers because the plot is too divisive trying to visit too many areas and tie up too many loose ends which can leave the plot feeling shallow in places. However it's by no means a bad film and I found it enjoyable and entertaining from start to finish.

Rating: - That's an hour and 45 minutes of my life I'm never getting back

I'm a huge Star Trek fan but this was nearly as bad as Star Trek 5, dark and depressing. First Contact remaind the ultimate Trek movie. A terrible end to The Next Generation.

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