I would have totally been down for that. But Tomalak never seemed EVIL though. Just someone who was more a rival and adversary of Picard, than an out and out nemesis. I don't see Tomalak wanting to commit genocide. Rather, he seemed more like someone who wanted to beat Picard for the glory of besting a worthy adversary that he has a grudging respect for (whether he admits it or not). Sela, however, just straight up hated Picard's guts and her own human half. I can see her wanting to destroy Earth.
Oh yes, Sela would have worked nicely, but I think her background would have been more confusing and convoluted to non-Trekkies than Shinzon's (Shinzon could be fairly easily described as just "an evil younger clone of Picard," but Sela was "the lookalike half-Romulan daughter of a deceased crewmember from the previous Enterprise in an alternate timeline in which she didn't originally die, but instead forever changed the course of history aboard an even earlier Enterprise").
Yep. I like the Tasha character, and I really like Denise Crosby! I mean her absolutely no disrespect by this, but IMHO, she's quite a mediocre actress. On long running episodic television, I don't think this is too much of a problem, but giving her a prominent role in what was a relatively high profile franchise movie may not have worked out so well.
Hmm...I think Denise Crosby could have pulled it off, but then Sela was not the "typical movie Trek villain"--someone prone to shouting, ranting, and foaming at the mouth. She also wasn't inclined to debate issues with Picard.
I liked the concept of Shinzon, and had no problems with the idea of Jean-Luc Picard being a great man (greatness in this context meaning performing great feats) no matter what kind of life he lived. Captain of the Enterprise and multi-time saviour of Earth and the Federation in one life and Dominion War hero, revolutionary and leader of the Romulan Star Empire in another.
To me the worst is Nemesis - the only Trek movie I watched just once. But Generations and First Contact are almost equally awful. Insurrection is the only TNG movie I find somewhat watchable.
Insurrection. It did nothing to advance the TNG story or timeline. Very unfulfilling for the big screen.
Insurrection by a hair over Nemesis. Nemesis was a rehash of TWOK and TUC smushed together. Insurrection had a mostly original plot, but was dull as mud. At least Nemesis was decent as a crappy action flick.
Insurrection. Nemesis gets a lot of hate, and it has plenty of story problems, but it felt important and kept my interest. Insurrection's story just didn't interest me hardly at all, it felt like a regression, Data's story was a retread, the only parts I really liked were the Riker/Troi stuff. The earlier drafts of the story sounded much more interesting though.
I'm still convinced there's a good movie somewhere there in Nemesis, and some story potential in the character of Shinzon. I'd never have made him a Picard clone though. There's a scene earlier in the movie where the crew are talking about this coup which has taken place on Romulus and Shinzon is just this mysterious guy from Remus who they know nothing about. That's how I'd have kept it. He's a shady character from the sister planet who has spent his entire life being subjucated by the Romulans; but has managed, through gradually ingratiating himself inside their ranks via his role in the Dominion War, to supplant them as their new ruler. Not only does the 'Wild Card' of this unknown new leader of their foe potentially change the stakes for the entire Federation/Romulan situation, thus justifying the Enterprise crew taking a key role in finding out a little more about the mysterious new Praetor, but if Shinzon's beef is solely with the Romulans, and his ultimate plan involves bringing down their empire somehow from within, then Picard and crew get to be big damn heroes by saving the Romulans, thereby strengthening ties between the two galactic powers. It'd kinda be like The Undiscovered Country with a TNG twist. Basically, I think the same plot with just a few small alterations to the existing plot could have turned Nemesis from a big dumb action flick to an intriguing political drama (with some action movie over-tones of course). Hence my feeling it had 'un-realized potential'. None of which excuses the eventual movie of course, which was very much a big dumb action flick. Which was of course exactly what the studio wanted it to be.
Generations. It's just a fucking mess, and easily the worst proper Star Trek film. First Contact is dumb fun, and Insurrection is one of the few Star Trek films to feel like Star Trek, so I'll always like it.
We all know what it's code for. Why bring it up at all if it doesn't belong in this forum? Just got to get a dig in?
All of them. I've got the movie box set, but the only ones I reach for to re-watch is Khan and the Undiscovered Country. I'd rather watch The Final Frontier than sit through Generations.
Yep. Never lets a chance go begging. But the marvellous thing is, for those of us who LOVED the last improper installment, there's more glorious improper romps to come. The haters will have to deal.