Let's be honest here. Statistically speaking, you're not likely to every achieve your wildest dreams unless you have really low expectations.
Wait, that seems a little unnecessary and rude. But the statement gives a fair impression as to how you should approach this movie. Star Trek Generations exists only because The Next Generation TV show didn't tell you what happened to Kirk, despite covering Bones, Scotty and Spock.
Also, someone really wanted to wreck that Enterprise D model they'd had kicking around for close to a decade.
But suffice it to say, I have a fond place in my heart for this movie. Is it fantastic? Nope. Not remotely. But it's passing good, really really funny, and hits all the good campy sci-fi notes dead on. So let's talk about why I like it.
First, the humor. You can't talk about this movie without talking about the humor, because let's face it. There wouldn't be much to say without the humor, aside from "say bro, did you notice that whoever wrote that movie apparently never finished their first semester of introductory physics?" But let's not talk about that, let's talk about humor!
See, in this movie Data finally has the emotion chip made for him by Dr. Soong (which was stolen by Lor posing as Data and then taken back when they finally beat Lor but not until after Lor has done some really terrible stuff and then Data decides not to use the chip because... You know what, skip it) installed so that he can finally have emotions. And watching Brent Sp... I mean, Data, explore a full range of human emotions is abso-freakin-lutely hilarious. Some of my favorite moments are when he's drinking gross stuff, personifying his tricorder, and swearing. And then there's everyone else's reactions to Data's new found emotions, especially his sense of humor, which range from mildly amused (Riker) to really annoyed (Geordi). It's classic, all of it.
The next thing to like is Bill Shatner's second legitimate performance. I think he was probably just afraid of being shown up by Patrick Stewart. Which he was. Absolutely. But he pulls of an admirable attempt, nevertheless. His high points are being a little pudgy but still doing (some of) his own stunts, somehow managing to be a better hand-to-hand combatant than Picard, which I guess is fair since he was in hand-to-hand combat in nearly every episode of The Original Series, and dying. Twice. Though really, the second time is better. Which is fitting. Oh, and did I mention that Shatner can chop wood? Serious! He's not half bad! Better than me, at least. And I'll say it again. For all of his failings as an actor, Shatner can do funny, and he adds a good dose of that signature silliness to the second half of the film. What a tender way to kill off Kirk. As he lived, saying ridiculous things with dramatic pauses in every sentence.
And do it twice.
Oops... Um, spoilers?
What else is there to like? Oh, it gives you a great conversation to quote the next time you eat something new. Also, if you ever don't have something when someone asks for it, you now know the proper response for when you'll be getting it. The next time somebody is explaining something to you and says "Get it?"responding with "Got it" and a push is suddenly hilarious. Oh, and don't forget the life forms song!
Yes, those are all humor related, but this movie is worth a watch because of awesomely quotable moments just like those! Yes, we could talk about how you can't stop the fusion reaction in a star with a small cruise missile no matter what magical elements you put into it, or about how the effects of gravity related to that star don't magically disappear when all fusion in the star stops. Gravity is based on mass, not nuclear reactions. The mass is still there, hence gravity is still there. To say nothing of the fact that even if the star were suddenly gone, objects affected by it's gravity would not turn suddenly away from where it had been. They'd just keep going straight. Some writer on this movie should have probably stuck with writing sitcoms.
But what does dwelling on those facts get you? A lost experience. Treat this like the Star Trek version of Airplane, and you'll enjoy it just fine.
Wait, that seems a little unnecessary and rude. But the statement gives a fair impression as to how you should approach this movie. Star Trek Generations exists only because The Next Generation TV show didn't tell you what happened to Kirk, despite covering Bones, Scotty and Spock.
Also, someone really wanted to wreck that Enterprise D model they'd had kicking around for close to a decade.
But suffice it to say, I have a fond place in my heart for this movie. Is it fantastic? Nope. Not remotely. But it's passing good, really really funny, and hits all the good campy sci-fi notes dead on. So let's talk about why I like it.
 | ||
| And we'll start with the phrase "remove plank." |
First, the humor. You can't talk about this movie without talking about the humor, because let's face it. There wouldn't be much to say without the humor, aside from "say bro, did you notice that whoever wrote that movie apparently never finished their first semester of introductory physics?" But let's not talk about that, let's talk about humor!
 |
| Let's talk about the snazziest dress uniforms since the seventeenth century! |
See, in this movie Data finally has the emotion chip made for him by Dr. Soong (which was stolen by Lor posing as Data and then taken back when they finally beat Lor but not until after Lor has done some really terrible stuff and then Data decides not to use the chip because... You know what, skip it) installed so that he can finally have emotions. And watching Brent Sp... I mean, Data, explore a full range of human emotions is abso-freakin-lutely hilarious. Some of my favorite moments are when he's drinking gross stuff, personifying his tricorder, and swearing. And then there's everyone else's reactions to Data's new found emotions, especially his sense of humor, which range from mildly amused (Riker) to really annoyed (Geordi). It's classic, all of it.
 |
| He does "annoyed" really well for not having eyes. |
The next thing to like is Bill Shatner's second legitimate performance. I think he was probably just afraid of being shown up by Patrick Stewart. Which he was. Absolutely. But he pulls of an admirable attempt, nevertheless. His high points are being a little pudgy but still doing (some of) his own stunts, somehow managing to be a better hand-to-hand combatant than Picard, which I guess is fair since he was in hand-to-hand combat in nearly every episode of The Original Series, and dying. Twice. Though really, the second time is better. Which is fitting. Oh, and did I mention that Shatner can chop wood? Serious! He's not half bad! Better than me, at least. And I'll say it again. For all of his failings as an actor, Shatner can do funny, and he adds a good dose of that signature silliness to the second half of the film. What a tender way to kill off Kirk. As he lived, saying ridiculous things with dramatic pauses in every sentence.
 |
| And a blaze of glory. |
And do it twice.
 |
| Admittedly a bit less glory this time. |
Oops... Um, spoilers?
What else is there to like? Oh, it gives you a great conversation to quote the next time you eat something new. Also, if you ever don't have something when someone asks for it, you now know the proper response for when you'll be getting it. The next time somebody is explaining something to you and says "Get it?"responding with "Got it" and a push is suddenly hilarious. Oh, and don't forget the life forms song!
 |
| One of the great moments in Trek history. |
Yes, those are all humor related, but this movie is worth a watch because of awesomely quotable moments just like those! Yes, we could talk about how you can't stop the fusion reaction in a star with a small cruise missile no matter what magical elements you put into it, or about how the effects of gravity related to that star don't magically disappear when all fusion in the star stops. Gravity is based on mass, not nuclear reactions. The mass is still there, hence gravity is still there. To say nothing of the fact that even if the star were suddenly gone, objects affected by it's gravity would not turn suddenly away from where it had been. They'd just keep going straight. Some writer on this movie should have probably stuck with writing sitcoms.
But what does dwelling on those facts get you? A lost experience. Treat this like the Star Trek version of Airplane, and you'll enjoy it just fine.
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