In their second big screen adventure, the year is 2373 and the crew of the Enterprise-E has learned the Borg has returned. Because of Captain Picard's past experiences with the Borg, Starfleet has ordered the Enterprise to stay out of the fight. Realizing too much is at stake, Picard disobeys orders and takes the Enterprise to Earth. His knowledge of Borg technology leads the Federation fleet to victory, but a Borg sphere escapes and opens a temporal vortex. The Enterprise pursues and travels back to April 4, 2063; the day before the first warp flight.

CRITIQUE

My mother has always been the “Trekkie” of the family.  Some of that has rubbed off on me.  I don’t really care for any of the TV series’, but for the most part – I love the Star Trek movies.  The “First” of the “First Contact” title has many meanings.  It was the “first” Next Generation film on its own (no passing the torch or intersecting, like in Generations.)  It was the first to really feel more like a true science fiction film rather than a Star Trek film.  And it was the first in the series to get the PG-13 rating.  In fact, when figuring out how Star Wars Episode Three will play out, graphic wise.  Just take a look at First Contact.

There are quite a few great aspects to “First Contact.”  Up to this point of the Star Trek films, the special effects are at its best, making the philosophy-based science fiction even more surreal, but also realistic.  It is also the most exciting of the series.  That could be for many reasons.  The restriction of having it PG friendly isn’t there, so it could spark more action/adventure.  But I think because there is finally a villain in the series that actually is both creepy and violent.  The Borg is the most freakish species of the entire Star Trek mythology, which makes the film more compelling.  Furthermore, the Borg is presented more like the Aliens in the Alien series or the Orcs in Lord of the Rings. 

I think one other aspect to this film is an underrated actor that goes by the name James Cromwell.  He plays a unique version of an old character from the Star Trek mythology, Dr. Zefram Cochrane.  What’s great about this is how he presented the character.  The best analogy of this character is trying to imagine Han Solo of the Star Wars films as a complete and utter buffoon (like in A New Hope) but also, an old drunk.  That’s Dr. Zefram Cochrane of First Contact.

What is very interesting about the overview of Star Trek films are the ones that worked, and the ones that did not.  In fact, there should be a study conducted just on this concept alone.  What seems to be considered the classics and best from the Star Trek film series are the ones that aren’t watered-down but also doesn’t spoon-feed for the general audience.  For instance, Wrath of Khan connects to things from the original series.  And that elaborated to Search for Spock. 

With First Contact, it goes into many depths from the mythology of Star Trek, which makes it the strongest from the Next Generation side of the movies.  Why is the Star Trek franchise somewhat failing now to the general audience?  Because it has been over-exposed to death nowadays, and the quality isn’t even being considered. Insurrection is like a two-hour episode gone-bad from the Star Trek TV series.  And while Nemesis isn’t too bad of a film, it basically is five Star Trek movies in one.  The originality isn’t even there.  So considering the obvious, First Contact is the last strong film of the Star Trek movie series.

THE VIDEO

Paramount Home Video presents Star Trek First Contact in 2.35 widescreen format.  Because this was my first Star Trek film on DVD to own, I am amazed of the picture quality.  It’s not an old film.  It is only about nine years old.  But nonetheless, the quality looks like it came out yesterday.  No expected grain at all.  Picture perfect.

THE AUDIO

Paramount Home Video presents Star Trek First Contact in English (DTS 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround).  DTS and 5.1 English surround sound is the best options.  I am also amazed at the sound effects.  This is the third Star Trek/Wars comparison I shall make, but hearing First Contact in stereo surround sound on DVD is like hearing one of the remastered Star Wars on DVD in stereo.  Very awesome.  Worth being extremely LOUD!

THE EXTRAS

For starters, I wish Paramount put time and love into their other titles.  I own half-a-dozen Paramount titles, that I wish has extras, but don’t (Better Off Dead, Explorers, Fire In the Sky, Scrooged, Some Kind of Wonderful, and Summer School.)  I understand the value of the Star Trek films, but those films shouldn’t be the only ones that has extras. 

On the other hand, TOO MANY extras get boring.  How can a DVD have TOO MUCH?  Quantity over quality.  I shouldn’t be this truthful as I am reviewing but I must confess, I only got to about half of the special features.  I’ll mention why in a little bit, but let me first go into the stuff I did watch.

We have two commentary tracks on the first disc, one by director-actor Jonathan Frakes, and another by screenwriters Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore.  There is also a text commentary by Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda.  I didn’t get into these commentaries at all.  Frankes isn’t the most boring guy ever, but hearing one person talk is.  I don’t really care about “our first day shooting!”  I wish they included cast, writers, and crew – and maybe even some of the original Star Trek-ers. 

On the second disc, there are five sections worth of features. The Star Trek Universe, The Borg Collective, First Contact Production, Scene Deconstruction, and Archives.  The Star Trek Universe is probably the best of the sections. 

S.T. Universe includes three featurette’s The Legacy of Zefram Cochrane is an interesting short featurette (all the featurette’s are short.)  It’s similar to Marvel Comic’s “origins of” featurette’s on the Marvel movies DVDs.     The third is called First Contact: The Possibilities.  Bascialy, cast and crew gives their thoughts on the idea of whether or not we will either be contacted by UFOs (if we haven’t already.)

The first featurette, I saved for last.  Its called Jerry Goldsmith: A Tribute.  Jerry Goldsmith (along with Alexander Courage, Jerry Fielding, James Horner, Leonard Rosenman, Cliff Eidelman, Dennis McCarthy, and many more) supplied the legendary score for Star Trek (both movies and TV.)    Jerry Goldsmith recently died last summer.  I am very familiar with Goldsmith, who is just as great of a composer as James Horner, Danny Elfman, and John Williams.  He supplied scores to films like The Mummy remake, L.A. Confidential, Rudy, Poltergeist, and most recognizable – Gremlins.   The tribute is well done with great taste, and certainly makes this DVD set a bit more special. 

The other featurettes include:

# The Borg Collective:

# Unimatrix One

# The Queen

# Design Matrix

# First Contact Production:

# The Story

# The Missile Silo

# The Deflector Dish

# From "A" to "E"

# Making First Contact

# The Art of First Contact

# Scene Deconstruction:

# Borg Queen Assembly

# Escape Pad Launch

# Borg Queen's Demise

# Archives:

# Storyboards

# Photo gallery

# Teaser trailer

# Theatrical trailer

I tried watching some of the featurettes but was bored to death.  Maybe if they combined the featurettes into an ultimate documentary – maybe it would be better.  Just because I didn’t enjoy the features, does not mean no one else will.  There is still a lot considering.  From my standpoint, I just didn’t care for it.

FINAL THOUGHTS