It is what Enterprise starship Captain Jean-Luc
Picard has been dreading for the past six years. The Borg has
started their invasion of Federation space, but despite the Enterprise-E
being the most advanced ship in the fleet, it is ordered to sit
the battle out. Why? Because its captain was taken into the Borg
collective six years before and is a variable that Star fleet
does not want to risk turning against them. But when the enterprise
sees the federation losing and the admiral's ship blown up, they
deliberately disobey orders and join in the battle. While they
are successful in destroying the Borg's cube, due to Captain Picard's
insider knowledge of the Borg's technology, a Borg sphere escapes
and the Borg create a temporal vortex and travel back in time.
The Enterprise pursues and from the shelter of a temporal wake,
sees that earth of 2373 has been assimilated, and know that they
must follow the Borg back and repair whatever damage they have
done. It is now April 4th, 2063 the day before first contact with
the aliens and man's first voyage at warp speed. The Borg had
badly damaged the Phoenix, the first ship to have warp capabilities.
The Enterprise sends Commander Riker, Consoler Troi and Lt. Commander
La Forge with a team to find Dr. Zefram Cochran (the inventor
of Warp speed) and ensure that he makes his historic journey on
the fifth. Meanwhile the Borg sphere is destroyed but not before
the Borg escape and begin infesting the weakened Enterprise. Picard
vows to destroy the Borg, no matter what the cost!
First Contact is one of many Star Trek movies
and it is one that fans of the series will enjoy. Although it
is considered no as good as Generations, it has many memorable
moments and enough background is given so that even those not
familiar with the television show will not be lost. As in all
Star Trek movies, the cast is blessed with better costumes and
hair than on the television series, and it is very nice to see
Deanna Troi without the perm. As with most movies that involve
time travel, it is best not to think too critically and just to
enjoy what is going on onscreen.
James Cromwell steals the show as Dr. Zefram Cochran,
the alcoholic party-animal inventor of Warp travel. Then interactions
between him and the crew are amusing and his reaction to their
hero worship is amusing.
Patrick Stewart shows some skin in the form of
very well defined biceps, which he uses to do some clinging, and
squirming. He also shows off some over developed drama muscle
in a very passionate speech to lily about the Borg, Moby Dick
and where the line must draw. " The line MUST be drawn HERE-a".
Jonathan Frakes not only plays the dashing Commander
Riker but is also the director. He has in the past directed many
Star Trek: The Next generation episodes, in addition to some episodes
in the other shows in the Star Trek Franchise. His later directorial
efforts have been Star Trek: Insurrection and Clockstoppers.
Alice Krige is wonderful as the slimy Borg Queen,
who takes android Data to places that this reviewer did not really
want to know that Data could go. The Borg Queen spend a good amount
of time alternately caressing Picard and Data while looking like
she's dieing of humidity, but fans of this salamander-like evil
queen will be pleased to know that she will appear in the soon
to be released Star Trek: Borg Encounter.
Great Quotes...
"I don't want to be a statue!" - Dr. Zefram Cochran
"Perhaps today is a good day to die! Prepare
for ramming speed!" - Lt. Commander Worf
"It's my first ray gun." - Lily
".068 seconds. For an android, that is nearly
an eternity." - Lt. Commander Data
Great moments...
When the Borg are attacking sickbay on the Enterprise,
Dr. Crusher activates the EMA, the holographic doctor program
and orders it to great a diversion while she and the others escape.
The Emergency Medical Hologram insists that he is a "doctor not
a doorstop!" But complies anyway. His diversion: the Borg burst
down the door and is walking towards him. " According to Star
Fleet medical research Borg implants cause severe skin irritation.
Perhaps you'd like an algesic cream?"
Captain Picard and Data along with some of the
crew have beamed down to earth to investigate the damage done
to the Phoenix, when Lily, Dr. Cochran's sidekick begins shooting
at them. Data flies down, terminator style, takes some machine
gun fire in the back, spins around and says in his mellow style.
" Greetings." Lily passes out.
The Borg is pursuing Captain Picard and Lily.
But the great captain has plan. They duck into hologram and Captain
Picard blows the Borg away with a machine gun.
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