Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Directed by: Jonathan Frakes | 103 minutes | action, drama, romance, adventure, science fiction | Actors: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, F. Murray Abraham, Donna Murphy, Gregg Henry, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Michael Welch, Mark Deakins, Stephanie Niznik

The great thing about ‘Star Trek’ film adaptations is that they always end well. And so is ‘Star Trek: Insurrection’. No matter how tough the battles on the ground or in space, the unbeatable ‘Enterprise’ always manages to save the skin. With Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean Luc Picard, the producers have a beautiful captain of the starship Enterprise in their hands. Like no other, he knows how to give the viewer the confidence that a captain must radiate.

‘Star Trek: Insurrection’ gives Picard plenty of space to show his human side: love, hope, humor and sadness. Patrick Stewart knows how to set the right tone with his voice, glance and quasi philosophical remarks. The story fits in the ‘Star Trek’ tradition: action, humor, a touch of romance and a penchant for nostalgia.

This time it tells the story of the eternal life of the Ba’ku who is threatened by the Son’a and the Federation. Through Enterprise’s android Data, Picard is on the trail of what the Son’a and the Federation are planning: to move the six hundred Ba’ku in order to “capture” the radiation that gives eternal life. On the planet of the Ba’ku people still live as in the Middle Ages; goldsmith, making bread, clothing of the time. No weapons, no cars, no technology. The Ba’ku knows the technology but does not use it. This life pleases Picard and he feels himself getting younger every day and there are even some romantic feelings for the most attractive woman on the planet: Anij (Donna Murphy). How idealistic and hopeful, but that also fits neatly into the ‘Star Trek’ tradition.

The ‘Star Trek’ stories should not be taken too seriously. It’s fun entertainment with a philosophical or psychological wink here and there. For ‘Star Trek: Insurrection’, all space scenes were computer generated for the first time.

The film looks neat. The scenes on the planet alternate nicely with the scenes that take place in space. This creates a nice balance in the story. Something for everyone and that is not really appreciated by ‘die hard’ Trekkies. The producer, Rick Berman, is therefore detested by many by the commercialization of the ‘Star Trek’ heritage.

The music by regular ‘Star Trek’ composer Jerry Goldsmith is appropriate, with many violins and therefore drama, to give a scene extra charge where necessary. The ‘Star Trek’ series; you have to love that. The stories, the vision of the future, the philosophical texts: it should appeal to you. But because of the recognizable story, humor and romance ‘Star Trek: Insurrection’ manages to reach a large audience. And to imagine yourself, if only for a moment, far away from here.