Wonderful character development!

Excellent adaptation.

A Major Disappointment

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

I never really got into "Star Trek" the tv show even though I've probably seen every episode. I never really cared about "Next Generation" when it was on. But I did see a couple of episodes here and there. I certainly wasn't a fan. That said, I'm a fan of the movies. I really enjoy both the original crew and the Next Generation films. But "Insurrection" doesn't scratch the inch like the other ones. For the first half of the movie I feel like an outsider. LIke, I'm not a real fan. That I should know the relationships better. Then it get's stuck in second gear way too long. When it finally starts to shift up, it gets wildly entertaining. I'm sure I will like more and more after repeated viewings. But right now, it feels like an okay dinner followed by an extra long dessert.

Continuing a well established pattern this uneven numbered movie is one of the worst Star Trek movies.Synopsis There's a planet with healing powers. Nifty, Starfleet says, taking heavy casualties from the Dominion War and occasional Borg visit. Unfortunately the BaKu, a 600 strong race lives there. So Starfleet observes them hoping to beam them to a holodeck planet with the help of the SoNa. But Data malfunctions, reveals the observatory and brings the Enterprise into the story. When Picard discovers the plan he defies Starfleet orders with his crew, battle the bad guys and wins the day.Good Stuff-...........Well darn it, it's good to see the TNG crew back at it-The movie has some nice ideas (onfortunately they've been done before, even by TNG. In fact, in Journey's End, Picard wants to beam people against their will into a holodeck.....the hypocrite!)-Stewart, Spiner and Abraham are fine actors and we get flashes of their talentBad Stuff-Oh where to begin. Well the biggest problem is the story: it simply isn't enough to sustain a 40 minute episode, let alone a full length movie. This makes the pacing too slow and some scenes unbearably obsolete.-Gates McFadden is in this movie-The planet's magic is never explained. At 2 different points, the woman BaKu slows down time and we get no explanation.-Please give Geordie something to do. In the series he gives technobabble, strikes out with girls, and gets kidnapped. He is even more neglected by the movies.-For a technology hating species the BaKu seemingly have used technology to build a freaking dam and even a hydraulic system to empty a lake. In the flick, they do not complain when the TNG crew uses technology to protect them and save their lives.-There is little in the way of character development, which, in the case of the SoNa would have been nice-Ah Humor. Star Trek and humor have a difficult relationship. TOS had a horrible campy taste and TNG intentionally tried to avoid this. TNG failed mostly at humor too, but whenever Data's cat and/or Reginald Barclay were present there were laughs to be had. But Insurrection reverses this. If you think a half naked Uhuru doing a moon dance was ridiculous, watch Picard dance and flirt with a mirror, see Data play in the hay, hear Troi and Crusher discuss their bosom, watch Worf getting pimples. It takes a special sort of person to laugh at this sort of humor and it's usually the sort who takes a special bus to go to school.After 7 seasons and 2 movies Data's learning to be human is getting a little old.ConclusionI love TNG and it's great to see the main characters together again. The story is very thin and nothing particularly interesting happens. There a some good ideas, nice effects, decent acting, but it's not enough to fill a whole movie. The pacing is too slow, the other characters not interesting and everything that needs an explanation doesn't get it. It's not as bad as people say but it's not good either. 4/10

This was a good episode of Star Trek. I think you could argue that it was not worth a movie when you could follow a more significant plot line (perhaps the end of hostilities between the Romulans and Federation ala Undiscovered Country, which I think they meant to do with the following movie but failed somewhat due to who was at the helm of the project). But I think it was also an attempt to add some fun for the crew (and audience), Riker shaving his beard, Picard's mambo, etc. It's great fun, decent but simple story, well executed. People arguing the philosophical questions are one, not suspending disbelief- this is the future, your problems are not the future's problems and two, forgetting the godd*mn Prime Directive. In the whole 7 seasons and movies the Prime Directive is a central theme. Yeah, let's throw it out because of a planet's potential benefits. Lastly, for some reason there are a few reviewers that are upset with the Amish aliens in the movie. Boo hoo. There are different kinds of people in the universe. Relax. Enjoy the movie.

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998): Dir: Jonathan Frakes / Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiners, Michael Dorn, F. Murray Abraham: Ninth Star Trek film is about rising up against civil and political authority. It involves a race of 600 people called the Ba'ku whose lives span many years. They are peaceful but enemies wish to conquer the land and discover the youth secret. Commander Data suffers a malfunction and Captain Piccard is ordered to destroy the android. Director Jonathan Frakes presents many surprises all the while providing humour with amusing developments with the crew. He does a fine job as director and everything seems well in place particularly the production. Frakes shaves his beard to impress a female. This is funny considering what his job requirements are. One would think that impressing a female would be easy on board the Enterprise. Patrick Stewart as Piccard is compelling as always in his concern for Data as well as the well being of these people on the planet. Brent Spiners presents the curiosity Data who encounters problems with a malfunction. Michael Dorn is featured as Worf. F. Murray Abraham joins the cast to remind viewers how great he was in Amadeus, and what he brings here. With the expected splendid makeup effects this ninth installment is visually stunning light entertainment that will please fans of the series. Score: 9 / 10