So another thread got me to think. Since Brent Spiner was complaining about his age reflecting on the character of Data, would it have been a better idea to recast the part with another actor? I think that would have been a great publicity stunt for the movie. Searching for an younger actor who looked like a younger Spiner to come and play the role of Data in the movie. There would have been no need for Data to die at all, and no need for a ridiculous B4 subplot. Instead, the buzz about the cast change would probably have garnered more views for the theatrical release, and maybe the movie itself could have benefitted story wise?
Perhaps not Data, but the B-4 character definitely played a considerable role in bringing tne movie down for me. I understand the thinking behind him, but some scenes were almost excruciatingly grating - "why does the tall man have a furry face"? Ugh.
Not Data, but rather B4 could have been recast with a younger actor or actress (with the same gold skin and yellow eyes). A case could have been made that before Lore and Data, Dr. Soong's first attempt in creating a positronic android was based on someone who didn't look like him as a young man.
No ... as everyone has mentioned. The problems with the film, weren't the problems caused by Data. Basically it was the script.
Supposedly the Writer didn't even know Levar's name, and kept calling him Laverne Imagine that, 7 years on the show and three feature films and some douche comes in and keeps calling you "laverne"
It was the director. Who ironically Burton was more qualified than Baird to direct. I wouldn't put my best effort out for a jerk who can't even get my name right either.
I recall reading 20+ years ago that he and Patrick Stewart had roughly equivalent salaries, while the rest of the cast was paid about 2-3 times less.
No doubt, I had that thought some time ago and now can't unsee him as Data, which was a tiny bit distracting when I saw Thor last weekend.
I also heard somewhere the director didn't know that Geordi was human with cybernetic eyes, and thought that the character was an alien. Writers/directors of a Trek film should at least do some research on the series before making it.
Tom Hiddleston (sp?) is not a bad choice for a reboot of Data. Might be too old by the time nuTNG rolls around. We all know Nemesis had horrible problems, and frankly, I think something was wrong with the make up, it should have been used to make the entire cast look younger, but instead everyone looked old and tired. I know this was also due to the fatigue of the series, as well as being directed by a moron.