Rating: 
Summary: A line must be drawn clear !
Review: The first Star Trek film based in the universe of the New Generation series is outstanding, particulally the performances of Patrick Stuart, Alfre Woodward and Alice Krige as the borg queen. More than just the scary bad guys, i think the borgs are kind of a metaphore of the increasing dependence of people and society on science and technology. The borg are the most perfect and terrible example of what might happen to us the way things are. Picard is the most fascinating character of the movie, because behind the heroic and daring captain front is just a man like all of us determined to get even with the borgs for the unspekable things done to him. The movie's high point is when Lilly(Alfre Woodward) tells Picard to blow up the Enterprise and he answers with a soundly no, smashing with his phaser his model ships. James Cromwell is excellent as Zefram Cochrane showing that legends not always are what the books and documentaries tell us about. An classic nonetheless, First Contact will have a place garanted in the hearts of all Star Trek fans or people that just like a good Sci-fi film
Rating:
Summary: First Contact is locked on target!
Review: Along with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, this is the Star Trek film with the most "mass audience appeal." A thrilling action-adventure suspense ride, Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes deliver a one-two punch with a great story and fantastic acting by this ensemble cast. In particular, Patrick Stewart is at his very best here. In a film filled with stunning, suspenseful action scenes and breathtaking visuals, Stewart's portrayal of Cpt. Picard shines above all. The best scene in the film is not an action or f/x sequence, but one played between Stewart and Alfre Woodward near the conclusion. It's worth the price of the whole movie. Jonathan Frakes does a fantastic job creating suspense, action, humor, and fun in just the right balance. There is a storyline being played out on two fronts, and director Frakes does a great job moving between the two and keeping the viewer interested in both. To date, this is "The Next Generation's" finest moment, and my second favorite of them all behind "Wrath of Khan"
Rating:
Summary: Solid Trek, Great Script, Wonderful Look
Review: May be the best of all of the Trek movies. Even Number One looks like he lost weight for this one! From the very beginning to its final moments, this is a script that shines. Great characters. Sharp, fresh dialogue, terrific and appropriate humor, exciting scene after exciting scene, and an enemy worthy of the chase. I watched this again after a year or so of its release and it was every bit as entertaining. Weak moments? Deanna. Marina Sirtis is just a lousy actress, and her bad delivery and semi-comatose performance (her best scene is one in which she's dead drunk) take away more than they should from the movie. But that's a small complaint for such a great action movie. Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly a joy!
Review: First Contact is absolutely great! It involves the Borg making another run for earth. Starfleet feels that Captain Picard would not be helpful in the situation and orders the new Enterprise-E to patrol the Romulan Neutral Zone. Picard is hearing the Borg and knows what they're planning. He disobeys orders and heads straight for the battle. When they arrive, the battle is afoot; the USS Defiant from Deep Space Nine commanded by Lt. Commander Worf is fighting valiantly and losing. Captain Picard determines the proper strategy to destroy the cube and coordinates it perfectly. Just before the cube is destroyed, the Borg launch a smaller vessel and it heads straight for earth, opening a time portal the past. Captain Picard orders the Enterprise in. What follows is clearly one of the best Star Trek films to date. We see cameo's from Robert Picardo as the EMH, Ethan Phillips (Neelix from Voyager and Barclay makes an appearance. Overall an extremely well written story and directed perfectly by none other Jonathan Frakes (Commander William T. Riker). In the best tradition of the Gene Roddenberry ethos and the other even numbered movies that can be watched over and over again. Nods to Alice Krige who does a very good villain in the Borg Queen. If you've not watched, buy it here at Amazon, rent it, borrow it, do whatever, it's great!
Rating:
Summary: "Assimilate THIS!"....First Contact moves at Warp 9.9!
Review: Even though Star Trek: Generations was a good first entry in The Next Generation era of feature films, it wasn't until Rick Berman, Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga wrote Star Trek: First Contact's story and screenplay that Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew proved that they could carry a Trek film without help from The Original Series' cast. It also helped that the film was more action-oriented than Star Trek VII. Sure, the last battle of the NCC-1701 D was impressive and the brief meeting of Captains James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Picard did provide Trek fans with some exciting and moving moments, but what fans really wanted was a muscular...action movie with a mission (and antagonists) worthy of the Next Generation crew and the new, top-of-the line Enterprise E. Star Trek: First Contact brings back the Borg, a race of half-organic, half cybernetic beings whose goal is to destroy other races by assimilating their technology and transforming the survivors by injecting microscopic nanoprobes that turn humans, Vulcans, El-Aurians -- anyone, really -- into unfeeling, relentless drones. As fans of the 1987-1994 syndicated series know, Capt. Picard was once captured by the Borg and transformed into Locutus, a Borg strategist/spokesdrone whose intimate knowledge of Starfleet technology,its tactics and its officers nearly spelled certain defeat for the Federation at the Battle of Wolf 359. Now, several years later, the Borg are back and meaner than ever. Having been thwarted more than once in the 24th Century by Picard and his crew, the Borg Queen (Alice Krige) leads a single-cubeship invasion force into Federation space, hoping to defeat the Federation by either conquering Earth in a battle against Starfleet...or tinkering with the timeline and going back to the 21st Century to prevent humanity's first contact with another spacefaring race. Actor Jonathan Frakes (Cmdr. Will Riker) makes his feature film directing debut in this eighth installment of the Star Trek movie series, and although he would only direct the weaker Star Trek: Insurrection, he does a great job at helming a very high-octane action flick that involves time travel, space battles, a strong Picard/Data storyline and elements from The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and the then-still new Voyager. Guest stars James Cromwell (The Sum of All Fears, Babe) and Alfre Woodward join the cast of TNG as warp-drive inventor Zefram Cochrane and his friend and assistant Lily, who add a certain mixture of edginess and wit to the film. Cromwell fares particularly well as Cochrane, a character first seen in The Original Series episode Metamorphosis. While Cromwell doesn't remotely look like the then-30 or 40-something Glen Corbett, he portrays the legendary "father of warp drive" as a very human and flawed genius -- he is cranky, cynical and drinks way too much -- who is bemused by the hero-worship he receives from the Enterprise crew. He also gets some of the best lines. (My favorite: "You're astronauts...on some kind of star trek?") Also contributing to the excitement is Jerry Goldsmith's score, a mixture of a lovely new main theme and such familiar touchstones as Alexander Courage's fanfare for the Original Series theme and Goldsmith's own "Main Theme" for Star Trek's first feature film (and later adapted as The Next Generation's main title). Although First Contact does require some familiarity with the Star Trek universe and its history, it's clearly among the best of the 10 in the series.
Rating:
Summary: The best one...
Review: "Star Trek: First Contact" is exactly what any sci-fi blockbuster should be: loaded with special effects, laced with light humor, blessed with interesting characters, and packed with non-stop action! This is the very best of the "Star Trek" movies. The plot concerns the evil cybernetic race the Borg and their attempt to go back in time to invade Earth and the crew of the Enterprise-E rushing to save humanity. The visuals are amazing and the action is the best in the series. From the first space battle to the Borg invading the ship to the deflector dish battle to the final showdown, this movie has a fast pace as well as rich characters. Jonathan Frakes, who also plays Riker, is a talented director who directed some of the best episodes of "The Next Generation" TV series. He keeps this movie flowing and the action frequent. But most of all, this movie has heart and deep concern for its characters. That's what "Star Trek" is all about.
Rating:
Summary: Make Contact with First Contact
Review: Johnatahn Frakes otherwise known as Commander William RIker leads the helm on this feature. Stepping in front of and behind the camera with a lot of skill and technique. He articulates the technical and artistic details with both cast and crew extremely easily. Having directed some of the STTNG series epsiodes he certainly got his feet wet in the department of special effects photography. There are great funny moments, lots of drama and another time-travel story that is very intriguing and detailed in its goal to save mankind once again. The score once again in my all time favorite, Jerry GOldsmith - and does he set the mood! We have th eBorg to thank for this movie. Constantly trying to assimilate the universe...they make one more attempt to their fatality. They are the most enticing aliens since the Talosians of the original Trek. Alfie Woodard and James Cromwell put in very good performaces. The finally is extremely good with the evil Borg Queen taunting Data to do the dirty deed - in many ways. This is film is fun and adventurous for all. A must!
"Make It So!"
Rating:
Summary: The Origin of Warp Drive
Review: STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT is one the best of the Star Trek franchise. A nifty time travel story that includes an inventive origin story of humans first meeting with "Vulcans" (i.e. Mr. Spock) and using a major nemesis from the tv-series "the Borg". The "Next Generations" crew is on hand for an above-average adventure yarn along with a great character created as the point of origin, Zefram Cochrane played perfectly by James Cromwell (BABE, L.A. CONFIDENTIAL) along with Alfre Woodard (as Lily Stone) and finally a great villianous turn as the Borg Queen is Alice Krige (GHOST STORY). Director/starring Jonathan Frakes knows these characters very well and with many things going on at once, there is no sag in the storytelling and everything seems to be in sync. One aspect that the screen writers took into account was the toning down of Data's (Brent Spiner) "emotion chip" that was so annoying in the 'ST-GENERATIONS' film and the character is able to redeem himself as one of the heroes in the story. Enough can't be said of Patrick Stewart whose Picard is the glue that holds the movie/crew together. The scenes with he and Michael Dorn (as the Klingon Cmdr Worf) are some of the best. Overall, a Star Trek movie that holds its own to WRATH OF KHAN, THE VOYAGE HOME, and THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY due to some ingenious plot devices, great characters, good special effects, and excellent direction.
Rating:
Summary: Quite Possibly The Greatest STAR TREK Film Ever Made!
Review: STAR TREK - FIRST CONTACT (1996), being only the second film to feature the "Next Generation" characters---and the first one without any of the originals---is a masterpiece of suspense, drama and violence. Easily earning its PG-13 rating, this one deals with (as I'm sure all who are reading this know) the Borg attempting to conquer Earth by going back in time to prevent "first contact" between humans and Vulcans. Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (the wonderful Patrick Stewart), who had once been "assimilated" by the Borg, being renamed Locutus in the process, takes this particularly hard and makes it his professional duty as Captain of the Federation Starship Enterprise 1701-C, and his personal duty as a member of the human race, to stop the Borg from attaining its goal. This entry in the series, directed by Jonathan Frakes (Commander Will Riker), is a full step-up from the original series, employing dazzling visual effects and taking on a decidedly darker tone than previous STAR TREK films. It also ramps up the dramatic tension big-time, as Capt. Picard is so deeply affected by his previous experience with the Borg; his hatred is not just for what the Borg collective is, it's also a result of what the Borg collective had made of him, if only briefly. Meeting him head-on in his anguished tension are an unlikely stowaway (the equally wonderful Alfre Woodard) and the unlikely inventor of the Warp Drive Dr. Zefram Cochrane (the inspired James Cromwell). Of course, series regulars Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn), Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) and Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) are back in fine form, as are Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden). We even get a brief prize of a cameo appearance of The Doctor (Robert Picardo) from the "Star Trek: Voyager" series. But the one who really steals the show is the evil Borg Queen (Alice Krige), who slyly exudes mechanical sensuality even as she provokes danger and disdain (and perhaps disgust). Her kidnapping of the android Data and insinuation into his deep-seated desire to "become more human" makes for possibly the scariest scene in the entire movie. STAR TREK - FIRST CONTACT combines an immense amount of elements in order to make its unified whole. The result is a stark, darkly brilliant film that comes close to sensory overload at times. True, Capt. Picard's climactic head-butting scene with the sharp-tongued stowaway Lily goes dangerously over-the-top at one point (and eventually would be parodied in the hilarious "Fingerbang" episode of "South Park"), but it STILL works. Everything else in this film does, too. Jonathan Frakes did a splendid job in creating the highest-budget STAR TREK film yet (a reported $80 million) in record time, earning himself the nickname "Two-Takes Frakes" from his fellow cast members and the admiration of a new generation of STAR TREK fans. Also, he earned well over the magical $100 million mark for film studio Paramount, making the studio moguls happy in the process! Unfortunately, he couldn't quite match this success with the next series installment, the lighter-toned STAR TREK - INSURRECTION (1998); however, with this film, Jonathan Frakes achieved something of a series masterpiece, of which he should always be proud. Don't get me wrong; I loved STAR TREK GENERATIONS (1994), but in STAR TREK - FIRST CONTACT, the "Next Generation" crew hold their own, and our complete undivided attention, for the nearly-two-hour film. This would easily be the greatest of the "Next Generation" movies, and quite possibly, the best in the entire franchise. MOST RECOMMENDED
Rating:
Summary: Star Trek: First Contact
Review: You don't need to take a second look. BUY THIS DVD NOW!
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