The Best Star Trek Movie

People often ask me which is my favorite Star Trek movie. Im a huge fan of the Star Trek universe, although Im not a true trekkie. Ive never been to a convention, I dont own my own costume, nor do I participate in any of the role playing games out there. But Im still a huge fan. I own all the movies and television series on DVD. I watch them with some regularity. And even though I watch my DVDs I also find myself watching the syndicated re-runs on television. So, to my friends, Im an expert, and when it comes up, they want to know which movie I favor.

I enjoy all the movies, except perhaps, Star Trek: The Motion Picture. As you would expect, the effects are better in the later movies, and I think the dialog and characters are more evolved in the TNG movies. (TNG = Star Trek, The Next Generation for those who dont know.) Factoring in dialog, effects, and plot, my favorite Trek movie would have to be Star Trek First Contact. It opens with Captain Picard having a nightmare about his Borg assimilation. When he wakes, he learns that the Borg have attacked the Federation, but because of his history, he and the Enterprise are ordered far from the battle. This sets them up to come into the battle as the good guys are losing and help the Federation destroy the Borg ships. However, one sphere manages to get away by opening a temporal vortex allowing them to travel into the past. Enterprise rushed to follow to prevent Earth from being assimilated in the past which would destroy their future.

I have a little trouble with the whole time travel thing. Its a frequent theme in Star Trek and I wouldnt have an issue with it except that it seems the Federation, who doesnt have the technology to travel through time itself, always manages to use time travel to their advantage. I know, I know, its a movie

And I must suspend my disbelief, because the plot line that I have so much trouble with mentally, time travel, is the vehicle that sets up most of what makes this movie so entertaining for me. The crew of the Enterprise find themselves thrown back to 21st century earth to a civilization on the brink of discovering warp drive. The general Federation guidelines for First Contact with any species are that that species must not be a pre-warp civilization. Our heroes discover that the Borg are here to prevent First Contact between the Vulcans and the humans by interfering with the first warp flight.

Now in the 21st century, the Enterprise destroys the Borg sphere, but only after the Borg have already disabled the Phoenix, the first warp-capable ship. On the surface of the earth we meet Lily, assistant to Zefram Cochrane, inventor of warp drive, and creator of the Phoenix. Lily is suffering from radiation poisoning and so she is beamed to sick-bay for treatment aboard the Enterprise.

For me, one of the more fun plot lines in the movie is watching the crew of the Enterprise meet a hero from their childhood. Theyve all studied Zefram Cochrane. Some of them have gone to Zefram Cochrane High School. This man is a larger than life character in their personal histories and they have a chance to meet him. (Dont forget, hes long dead in their timeline.) Of course, history has been kind to him. He is nothing like the man he has been portrayed to have been. And he is rather freaked out by the idea that he becomes a revered historical figure. He considers himself a regular guy.

Meanwhile, things are getting worse on Enterprise. We learn that as the Borg sphere was destroyed, many of the Borg were able to transport themselves aboard Enterprise. Fighting ensues and we watch as Picard struggles with the idea of destroying the ship.

Some of the best dialog is between Lily and Picard. Most of the Enterprise crew have so much respect for Picard that they unquestioningly follow his orders. Occasionally there is some dissent, but not often. Here we have an outsider assessing the situation and seeing the emotions blinding Picard to the right course of action. Even more entertaining for us viewers is watching Picards emotional outburst. He destroys the model ships hanging in his ready-room and exclaims, I will make them pay for what theyve done. To which Lily replies, You broke your little ships.

Perhaps the most entertaining scene in the movie comes as Data is being tempted by the Borg queen to add his distinctiveness to their collective. She has given him a bit of grafted skin on his forearm, skin that allows him to feel, the thing Data wants more than anything. One of my favorite lines in the movie comes when Data is grappling with the idea of ripping the skin off his arm, the Borg queen says to him, Do it! Dont be tempted by the flesh! We truly dont know what Data will decide to do.

The movie ends predictably. The Borg are destroyed on the Enterprise, the ship and the timeline are saved. Our heroes get to stand on the sidelines and watch as First Contact occurs. Even if its somewhat formulaic, its a great movie. The cast delivers a completely believable performance, the dialog is well thought out, and the plot is one of the more enjoyable Treks.