First off: Thanks,
Brutal Strudel. I had considered replying to
Polaris's other point, but I believe you did a much better job than I would have. I must admit to not making some of the thematic connections in TMP that you do, they're very interesting (particularly the part about taking Ilia without the tricorder - that image stands out in my mind for some reason but I can't confess to interpreting it much).
For my two cents on the film, I think it is very operatic. By which I mean the unison of action on film and the response in the film's leitmotif peppered score. My favourite example of what I mean is the Recreation Lounge scene where Decker is trying to stir human emotions in Ilia. For a moment, they surface, and Ilia's Theme soars in its lush beauty - but when her cold, mechanical nature reasserts itself, the score descends rapidly to the familiar rumble of the electric guitar. The score is truly united with what we see on the screen. On this level the film is superb; and I would not be surprised if Robert Wise's familiarity with film musicals informed how he combined this material and worked with Goldsmith.
Starship Polaris said:
Yes, but the fact that this half-hearted, ridiculous but self-conscious attempt to be "thoughtful" is the movie's strongest element is an indictment, not a defense of the story's "depth."
This is certainly true. But my point is that the film's pretentiousness is not what killed the movie, as weak as it is, it
is the strongest suit of the film. So for all the many flaws the film franchise has had, pretentiousness is pretty low on the list.
"Insurrection" is a good example of the Trek movies overreaching thematically and failing
Again, agreed. But I do give it credit for making an effort to interweave serious thematic material into its plot. I think
Star Trek at its very best manages to do this.
Insurrection is a failure; but as far as theme goes at least it was trying to get things right.
Before anyone mentions it, I will get this out of the way: Yes; the moral dichotomy doesn't make a lot of sense. Allowing the Ba'ku to live on this planet simply because they live here rather than removing them so this youth serum can be used throughout the Federation - particularly when the Ba'ku would be peacefully relocated to another planet - is a weakly constructed position for Picard to take the Ba'ku's side. But on the other hand I can see what Piller was trying for here: He wanted to create a genuine moral dilemma, one where you could see the point of view from both sides. This fails both because the premise is poorly constructed, making the viewpoint of the enemy seem more plausible, and because the villains are such obviously cardboard villains.
If I may compare this to one of Orci & Kurtzmann's recent successes,
Transformers; the essence of this film's message is that 'freedom is good.' No, really, that's about it. You couldn't think of a less substanial and uncontroversial bromide in an American context than extolling the virtues of a vaguely defined 'freedom.' The film's moral might as well have been 'Good is better than evil' - which, actually, it also is. That's fine, the film is a feature length commerical for toys anyway. But as a premise for conflict it's not as interesting.
"The Voyage Home" only dodges the bullet by being essentially a comedy - the "author's message" may be typically simplistic, but at least they can't be accused of taking themselves too seriously.
I think it's an eighties comedy that has dated badly. There are eighties comedies that have aged well -
Raising Arizona, for example - but this is not one of them.
As far as the message goes, it's a fairly uncomplicated and a tad preachy bit of environmentalism that, yes, benefits enormously from the fact the film doesn't take itself very seriously.
