Ranking the TNG Movies

[M-Red]

With the four TNG movies, there seems to be a wide range opinions. And I gotta admit, this is pretty tough for me.


So just for kicks -- here goes mine:


FC - the best of the TNG movies: it has some massive plot holes and technical problems that are bothersome, but the good far outweighs the bad. JLP has reached the limits of his own compassion (finally) with the Borg. I also like the Ent-E, most of the action sequences, and thought it had the best villain. Despite its flaws --and there definitely are some --this one is entertaining and a good addition IMO.


GEN - It could have been a lot better. A lot better. But it's the only movie with the Enterprise-D and the TNG aesthetic. The villain and the plot device have some major problems but Kirk and Picard together on-screen is enough to make up for it. Not a masterpiece but an acceptable entry; Trek has definitely done worse. Which leads us to....


NEM - it's really difficult to choose NEM as better than INS....because NEM disappointed me more than any other sci-fi movie except the The Phantom Menace (and maybe Attack of the Clones too). It's almost as if I feel a need to rank it last and call it the worst TNG movie because of the huge letdown....some sort of Shinzon-like need for revenge. All the right ingredients were present for an epic finale for the crew and the franchise. But....nope. Nope, nope, nope. It's ambitious...but way too far-fetched and poorly executed.


INS - upon recently rewatching this one...Im not sure why it ever got the green light. At least NEM felt consequential in some way...and we got to see Romulus. Here, our heroes break with the Federation to help a suspect cause that has no wider relevance outside the movie itself. As other others have said, its terribly small. The worst movie baddies are here...as is the worst Action Picard scene....and one of the most bland Picard love stories also lives here. Many of the TV stories were easily more ambitious and really, INS has some of the same believability problems as NEM.




I always thought TNG deserved better here....that's all just my .02. But what's everyone else think?


Of just the four TNG movies....how would you rank them? And why?

 

[sbk1234]

i'd rank them:
First Contact - It was just an awesome film. It had the larger scope, worthy of a full length film. The story telling seemed better scripted and put together. I liked the new uniforms and the intensity.

Generations - It was a neat idea; the concept of the Nexus, and teaming up Picard and Kirk. Face it, we all wanted to see it. The bit with the Enterprise-B was great. It was, however too much like a TNG episode, and could have been more economical in the story telling. Enjoyable, though.

Insurrection - I liked it. It was a neat idea, but still seemed like a large episode. Perhaps too self-contained instead of continuing story arcs. It did have some beautiful moments, like Geordi seeing the sunset, and Picard "slowing time." No, far from perfect, though.

Nemesis - I didn't hate it, like most seem to. The story had some pacing problems. I didn't like the whole idea of B-4. We've seen that before too many times. I would have much rather seen the Romulans as villains, and not the Remans, although I kind of liked the idea of them. Just not for the first time the Romulans are being really seen in 10 movies. The quiet characte stuff was pretty good, including stuff that was edited out.

 

[M-Red]

I would have much rather seen the Romulans as villains, and not the Remans, although I kind of liked the idea of them. Just not for the first time the Romulans are being really seen in 10 movies

x 1000


of all the flaws in NEM, that's the most fundamental problem -- a bizarre choice that's pretty unforgivable. Everything else just unravels from that point in the film....which is a really bad thing considering it's Point A.


You're going to do a Romulan movie? Awesome! Finally. Then do a Romulan movie!


I didn't mind Data's death. I actually thought it needed to happen considering Spiner's appearance. But it should have been followed by a holo-message goodbye ala Tasha Yar -- an insider goodie that would have seemed natural to the general movie audience.


And B4 shouldn't have been any part of the story...I agree.



edit: that's why I say NEM is one of the most disappointing films ever. It just could have been so good had they done it differently.

 

[BillJ]

Generations - Actually felt like TNG.

Insurrection - Questionable morals but beautiful cinematography.

Nemesis - There was a kernel of a great idea here. Poorly executed.

First Contact - Generic zombie flick.

 

[M-Red]

hmm....I thought people would have a lot to say on the TNG movies?


maybe it's an old hat here and its been overdone?

 

[Pat]

I'd rank them thus:

Generations
First Contact
Insurrection
Nemesis

 

[JarodRussell]

All equally good, except for Nemesis, which sucks.

 

[RyanKCR]

My ranking:

1: Nemesis
2: First Contact
2: Generations
3: Insurrection

First Contact and Generations are tied for second for me.

 

[Vasquez Rocks]

First Contact - Best of the bunch. It was good to see the Borg on the big screen. Patrick Stewart does an awesome job and Alice Krige does well as the Queen even though the character itself isn't necessary. She makes it work for the film. Each member of the crew has some nice moments and I loved Jerry Goldsmith's score especially the opening title theme.

Nemesis - Might have been the best of the TNG flicks if Jonathan Frakes directed. Too many character scenes cut out in favor of action. Still, I find it entertaining.

Generations - Loved seeing the Enterprise-D on the big screen. Not as much of a fan of the E. Should have had more scenes with Shatner and Stewart and the story is kind of all over the place.

Insurrection - Strangely, this one actually feels the closest to the series, but the stakes aren't high enough which makes it have zero tension. Also, mediocre special effects with humor that goes overboard puts it at the bottom for me.

 

[RyuRoots]

hmm....I thought people would have a lot to say on the TNG movies?


maybe it's an old hat here and its been overdone?

Well, I stayed away from the thread at first because part of me always thinks "Oh boy, another thread that will degenerate into how bad the all TNG films suck compared to TOS ones." I'm far too jaded by this forum.

For me:

#1: First Contact. No question, really. Everyone had a good character moment or two, and both the A and B stories are really compelling. For a very serious and very lighthearted A and B, they meshed surprisingly well, and the whole thing feels very 'big' despite being rather small in scale. Plus, we get the Enterprise-E, the black/gray unis, and new makeup jobs for the Borg as added bonuses.

2: Generations. I see a shocking amount of hate for this film, but I really enjoy it. It by far feels the most "TNG, but in movie form!" of the four to me, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage, but the end result is pretty nice. Would've been better if some minor nits were revised and we had more time to devote to Picard's time IN the nexus, but I still think it's very good.

3. Nemesis. If you take out the main plot, it's actually quite good! But unfortunately, you can't. The character interactions are terrific, it looks and sounds great, and there are some honestly cool moments. But the story really is terrible. Funny thing though, I think I've watched it only slightly less than FC. I guess it's my guilty pleasure, I get a kick out of popping it in the PS3 now and again.

4. Insurrection. A miserable pile of slop with very few redeeming qualities. I loved the scenes on the Enterprise after she left orbit, the Trill chick on the bridge was very nice to look at, the OST is expectedly fantastic, and the location shooting for the film was nothing short of gorgeous. And we get to see the crew in casual clothes that don't look like typical FYOOTUR CLOTHES (which TNG in particular has been extremely guilty of at times). That's where the good parts grind to a halt, though. The Baku come off as self-righteous dickheads, Picard comes off as hypocritical at best, and the resolution is as cookie-cutter and hackneyed as it's really possible to be. To say nothing of some of the worst unfunny "humor" I've seen in this franchise. Oh, and while we're at it, let's tack on an extremely bland love interest of the week. Glorious.

 

[Lor'Vela]

I'd rank them thus:

Generations
First Contact
Insurrection
Nemesis

My ranking also. And my reason for placing Generations above the others is because it actually felt like TNG, especially the characterisation. The other films feel like they have different characters, save their names.

 

[indolover]

IMO, First Contact hands down. Well acted, well written. The Picard/Lily observation lounge scene is IMO one of the great scenes in all of canonical Trek. Lines like:

"They invade our space, and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds, and we fall back. The line must be drawn here and no further!! And I will make them pay for what they've done!!!" Classic.

Generations in 2nd place. Nemesis third, and Insurrection fourth.

Generations is a good movie. I like how they changed the photography for the Enterprise. It was still the same set, but not as much coverage of the background as in the TV series. Nemesis was so-so. Insurrection had the wrong premise.

I reckon Insurrection should have been a Dominion War movie, or at least had a Vorta or even a Founder as the protagonist. Whether this would have sold in the box office, I say yes. How many non-Trek fans give a shit about the Romulans? Yet the last two Trek films featured them big time. The only Star Trek aliens that a non-Trek fan would know are the Klingons and Vulcans; the only Trek alien species in pop culture.

 

[Too Much Fun]

The amount of hate for "First Contact" on this forum never ceases to amaze me. I'm glad there isn't much in this thread...so far (knock on wood). I'll always believe it's not only the best TNG movie, but the best of all the Star Trek movies. I suppose it's conceivable that one in the future could top it, but I highly doubt it. I don't think any of the other 10 are as good, although in terms of heart, performances, and thoughtfulness of writing "Star Trek II" is almost equal. The rest of the TNG movies each suck in pretty similar ways. They all portrayed the characters poorly and had uninteresting stories and villains.

"Generations" and "Insurrection" had a few nice moments between characters, I guess, but too few and most of the time the way they acted was annoying. Especially Data. They way he played being scared and his singing were awful. I did enjoy some of his cheesy moments in the show when he was trying to be more human and not succeeding very well, but on the big screen those moments just fell flat. I liked Tom Hardy's performance in "Nemesis". He seems to be getting praise for his acting lately and I could see even back then that he had a lot of charisma. It's just too bad his character was such a stupid idea.

 

[sovereign]

1. First Contact- Well written, great score, just an awesome movie.
2. Nemesis- Severely underrated Trek film.
3. Insurrection- Fits the series well, a nice soft film.
4. Generations- The film with the most potential was byfar the biggest letdown. Still had a few moments though.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

First Contact: Pretty darn good, apart from one nagging issue; it starts too soon. Its first moments really bug me. *** (out of 4)

Nemesis: Severely underrated Trek film indeed. ***

Generations: Not half as bad as some say. **1/2

Insurrection: Patently average in most ways, and yet felt like a double-length 'regular episode' of the series, sometimes in the wrong ways. **

 

[TV's Frank]

Admittedly, this topic is pretty well-worn on this board, as is most threads involving ranking best or worsts, but I feel like I need to play along...

As time goes on, I get older and I revisit the TNG films as a long-time ardent TNG fan, I find that INSURRECTION is the one I like more and more. I can absolutely understand why FIRST CONTACT is the most often selected top favorite of the four, it's there for me as well, but INSURRECTION might just tie it for me now.

I happen to really love the effortless, charming interplay of the cast in both Frakes' directed features, but there are some wonderful moments here in INS. I might be weird to find so much of this film funny, such as "I seem to be missing several memory engrams - oh, there they are". I love the rekindling of the Troi/Riker romance and find their scenes early on very endearing. When Riker asks about 2 people going back in time to change things and Troi responds, "On this ship, anything is possible", it's just magic to me.

I might be the only fan of the story element following Data and the little boy - again, I find it charming. I happen to like the understated romance between Picard and Anji and let me stress that once more - UNDERSTATED. There is a mature chemistry between them and I like Donna Murphy's confident, intelligent performance, tinged with the growing affection for Picard. I happen to love the opening arc of Data causing havoc for everyone and later, when Riker commands the Enterprise for the 2nd half of the film, climaxing with a winning, last-minute rescue of Picard.

There are some clunky aspects but the movie's heart is in the right place and I can sense that each time, that means a lot to me.

 

[Roald]

1. FIRST CONTACT
It reinvented the Borg to a maximum effect, and made the Borg an interesting creation for non-Trekkers too. It may not be perfect, but as TNG movies go, I think this one is the only real winner.

2. GENERATIONS
The art direction and lighting are absolutely fantastic, as is McCartney's music. I love it that this film was made by basically the same crew as the series, and they really made a great effort in giving TNG a true movie look.

3. INSURRECTION/NEMESIS
I've wondered for a long time which I think is the better movie, and I've concluded it's a definite tie for me. I find both films to be very underrated, even though I must admit that its villains could have been a lot better realised.

 

[RAMA]

With the four TNG movies, there seems to be a wide range opinions. And I gotta admit, this is pretty tough for me.


So just for kicks -- here goes mine:


FC - the best of the TNG movies: it has some massive plot holes and technical problems that are bothersome, but the good far outweighs the bad. JLP has reached the limits of his own compassion (finally) with the Borg. I also like the Ent-E, most of the action sequences, and thought it had the best villain. Despite its flaws --and there definitely are some --this one is entertaining and a good addition IMO.


GEN - It could have been a lot better. A lot better. But it's the only movie with the Enterprise-D and the TNG aesthetic. The villain and the plot device have some major problems but Kirk and Picard together on-screen is enough to make up for it. Not a masterpiece but an acceptable entry; Trek has definitely done worse. Which leads us to....


NEM - it's really difficult to choose NEM as better than INS....because NEM disappointed me more than any other sci-fi movie except the The Phantom Menace (and maybe Attack of the Clones too). It's almost as if I feel a need to rank it last and call it the worst TNG movie because of the huge letdown....some sort of Shinzon-like need for revenge. All the right ingredients were present for an epic finale for the crew and the franchise. But....nope. Nope, nope, nope. It's ambitious...but way too far-fetched and poorly executed.


INS - upon recently rewatching this one...Im not sure why it ever got the green light. At least NEM felt consequential in some way...and we got to see Romulus. Here, our heroes break with the Federation to help a suspect cause that has no wider relevance outside the movie itself. As other others have said, its terribly small. The worst movie baddies are here...as is the worst Action Picard scene....and one of the most bland Picard love stories also lives here. Many of the TV stories were easily more ambitious and really, INS has some of the same believability problems as NEM.




I always thought TNG deserved better here....that's all just my .02. But what's everyone else think?


Of just the four TNG movies....how would you rank them? And why?

Michael Piller had such a good track record, everyone thought INS would somehow turn out well..

RAMA

 

[RAMA]

I rank:

ST First Contact...yes flawed, but it was the pinnacle of STNG on film in almsost every sense.

ST Nemesis...compared to to the other films, more consistent, and a bigger epic MOVIE scale, which I enjoyed.

ST INS...never a BAD film, its just...inert.

STGEN...too complicated and non-sensical ever to be good...

RAMA

 

[GalaxyX]

hmm....I thought people would have a lot to say on the TNG movies?


maybe it's an old hat here and its been overdone?

I love your sig!!! where can I find the full size pic of it!!


First Contact had huge plot problems, and some wacky non-sensical stuff (a drunk loser single handedly invents warp drive, and not only that, but he has no PASSION for the work, he's doing it for the money ). I'd like to see NASA engineers that hate their job and are doing it only for the "money" be successful. Strides in propulsion technology, like the Ion Drive, come about because of our desire to get our asses to the stars! Most would probably do it for free!

Then there's the whole thing about the Borg. How long was it from the first attack to the second attack on Earth? 5 years? And what do they send? Just one Cube? pretty cocky to think your first Cube failed and a second one would be successful. Then we get 10 seconds of space battle, and the Borg "assimilate" the plot from Terminator 2 and sent a Borg ship to the past to Kill John Connor....errr the inventor of Warp Drive. Right

We then spend the rest of the movie watching Drunkie....errr Zefram Cochrane get Deanna drunk and trying to cop a feel the entire time, while Data is having sex with the Borg queen.

Riiiight


And I, in general, LIKE First Contact.


Wanna hear my gripes about the other movies?