TNG Movies to 4K Disc in April

[Eddie Roth]

I rewatched Insurrection, while I was in hospital for the day, on an iPad. Probably not the best setup to appreciate the picture and sound, but I was impressed visually for the most part. It’s always been a visually appealing movie to me perhaps largely due to the beautiful location work. Unfortunately, aside from the pretty vistas and Jerry Goldsmith’s score, there’s not a whole lot else to really recommend.

It’s a very middle of the road production, lacking pace and a captivating story. There’s a kernel of a good idea in there somewhere, but the execution is just hopelessly mediocre. The attempt to be “light hearted” totally falls flat on its face because the humour is just so forced and, in almost every instance, just isn’t funny. The shuttle chase with Picard, Worf and Data singing HMS Pinafore is actually one of the most embarrassing scenes in all of Trek. Whatever they were going for, it was a train wreck of awkwardness. It was also the moment I realised it was a big mistake using CGI for all the ship shots because it’s pretty crap compared to old school model photography. There’s something off in the lighting and motion when it comes to the ships—it all just looks fake and unappealing. That said, some of the CGI is pretty nice, such as the Briar Patch.

Generally, one of the very weakest Trek movies though. I’d place it well behind TFF, which at least had some spirit and charm. This is mediocre Trek by numbers with a basic plot that’s ridden with holes. I did kind of like Donna Murphy and think it’s pathetic they cut the kiss between Picard and Anij right as Picard is leaning in toward her. What was the reasoning behind that? F Murray Abraham does his best with a thankless role, and unfortunately his howling “NOOOOOOOO” is another cringe moment.

At least the film has never looked better. I don’t even dislike it actually, it’s just painfully mediocre and uninspired. I think this was probably the point the Trek movie franchise went off the boil, and maybe the franchise as a whole, too.

I second all of this 100%, just rewatched the movie last night. You do want to love it, but in the end you just can't because too much of it is uninspired, flat, tired. I put 90% of the blame for this at the feet of Jonathan Frakes. As a director, you need to be able to take whatever moments a script gives you and get something effective out of it. What I noticed this time especially is how many scenes lack punch directorially. For instance when Dougherty dies 'by facelift', there is so little movement in the shot; it's so similar to Ru'Afo's earlier operation that you don't even realize that the Admiral died. No performance, no musical cue that would clue you in, nothing. And that's just one example.

Or take the 'Mexican standoff' moment with the transporter drones. Bad directorial decision, IMO, because it makes no narrative sense that the drones that previously worked very efficiently would now line up and wait for the camera to pan across the faces of our heroes trying to look badass before they attack. It seems to me that at this point many people involved with the movie franchise were a bit tired and were trying to fill a spot on a release calendar, not actually inspired to make that movie.

 

[ananta]

I agree, Jonathan Frakes’ directing in INS is lacklustre at best. Nothing jumps out at you and it sorely lacks style, pace and panache. He did so well in FC, too. Maybe there was just no turning this particular sow’s ear into a silk purse.

 

[Eddie Roth]

I agree, Jonathan Frakes’ directing in INS is lacklustre at best. Nothing jumps out at you and it sorely lacks style, pace and panache. He did so well in FC, too. Maybe there was just no turning this particular sow’s ear into a silk purse.

Apparently. I'm just now reading Michael Piller's Fade In, the account of the writing process of Insurrection. Very interesting! And what I glean from it is that there were so many cooks in that kitchen and the story dragged into so many different directions by different people that what made it on screen was a compromise script in which pretty much every element that initially had (or seemed to have, judging by a story outline) some drive and passion to it was watered down until they had... this.