First Contact: Riker Appears from Nowhere

[Tomalak]

Another gripe I have is Picard's backstory is never explained. If you didn't watch BoBW and Family Picard makes no sense. FC was a good crossover movie due to the zombie-like Borg, but for a casual viewer I don't think the dream-within-a-dream sequence is quite adequate.
Like when he says "I can hear them". Why can he hear them ? How?

Maybe, but I would have thought there were enough clues. The opening pull-back, Picard's dream, the talk with Riker - Starfleet thinks Picard having been assimilated makes him a risk - and it's later spelled out to Lilly even more overtly, and the final confrontation with the Borg Queen makes it obvious if you've not picked up on it already. If you still don't get it, go watch a different movie.

Obviously with these films they are going to assume a certain familiarity, but they can't really make it any more obvious without breaking the flow of the movie and inserting a scene early on where a character recounts the events of BoBW.

Of course, they then could have had a scene talking about I, Borg, in which Picard passes up a perfect chance for revenge because he's moved past such things.

*Smashes glass display case*

 

[Gojira]

In First Contact, when the Enterprise first arrives in the 21st century, Picard beams down with an away team, telling Riker he has the bridge.

Then, five minutes later, Picard is rolling down a hallway @ Cochrane's place, having sensed the Borg presence on the Enterprise and announcing his intent to return to the Enterprise, and lo and behold, trailing behind him with Data, etc is...Riker.

Of course, for purposes of the story, Riker will lead the away team while Picard battles the Borg aboard ship. But still, where the hell did he come from? He just up and beamed down on his own?

I watched this movie this past weekend and for the firs time noticed this! I wonder if a scene had been cut or chalk it up to a mistake.

 

[Iamnotspock]

In First Contact, when the Enterprise first arrives in the 21st century, Picard beams down with an away team, telling Riker he has the bridge.

Then, five minutes later, Picard is rolling down a hallway @ Cochrane's place, having sensed the Borg presence on the Enterprise and announcing his intent to return to the Enterprise, and lo and behold, trailing behind him with Data, etc is...Riker.

Of course, for purposes of the story, Riker will lead the away team while Picard battles the Borg aboard ship. But still, where the hell did he come from? He just up and beamed down on his own?

I watched this movie this past weekend and for the firs time noticed this! I wonder if a scene had been cut or chalk it up to a mistake.

Read the rest of the thread.

 

[beamMe]

You're going to get out of character moments like that when you have scenes that are so hastily constructed filmed and edited that way. The whole early part of the movie is so rushed. I think I recall they are traveling back in time about fourteen minutes into the movie. Way too fast.

It's a fast-paced opening, but it's not rushed.

Those first few minutes set up the premise of the movie quite successfully, gives the viewer just enough information to follow what's happening but hold back enough to keep him curious to find out what's the backstory and what will happen next.

 

[Gojira]

In First Contact, when the Enterprise first arrives in the 21st century, Picard beams down with an away team, telling Riker he has the bridge.

Then, five minutes later, Picard is rolling down a hallway @ Cochrane's place, having sensed the Borg presence on the Enterprise and announcing his intent to return to the Enterprise, and lo and behold, trailing behind him with Data, etc is...Riker.

Of course, for purposes of the story, Riker will lead the away team while Picard battles the Borg aboard ship. But still, where the hell did he come from? He just up and beamed down on his own?

I watched this movie this past weekend and for the firs time noticed this! I wonder if a scene had been cut or chalk it up to a mistake.

Read the rest of the thread.

I am guilty....I didn't do that before I posted my response. But it was true, I hadn't noticed that before.

 

[ScottDS]

Agreed. In-universe, I think it can be seen as an ill-judged attempt on Riker's part to lighten the situation, while Worf's look can be read as him thinking; "This is not the time for jokes!"

You're going to get out of character moments like that when you have scenes that are so hastily constructed filmed and edited that way. The whole early part of the movie is so rushed. I think I recall they are traveling back in time about fourteen minutes into the movie. Way too fast.

That's true. That scene is particularly glaring because Worf is coming onto the bridge, against Crusher's advice, still bloodied from battle. Another gripe I have is Picard's backstory is never explained. If you didn't watch BoBW and Family Picard makes no sense. FC was a good crossover movie due to the zombie-like Borg, but for a casual viewer I don't think the dream-within-a-dream sequence is quite adequate.
Like when he says "I can hear them". Why can he hear them ? How?

Ron Moore and Brannon Braga mention this on their audio commentary and they basically admit it was a bit contrived on their part, not to mention the fact that this special power only occurs when it's needed.