Star Trek: First Contact review

 46 Star Trek: First Contact

Rewatch. The eighth Star Trek movie. The second based on The Next Generation. The Borg are back, and Picard is the only one who can stop them. Following up on the episodes where the Borg appeared in The Next Generation, the movie shows the Borg attacking the Federation again. Picard's distaste at Starfleet's attempt at keeping him from fighting the Borg is well presented (especially when he explains it to Riker in his ready room). The loyalty of his crew is shown when they are willing to follow his disobedience of Starfleet's orders.

The battle against the Cube in the Sol System is also shown rather well. The introduction of Worf on the Defiant is done rather well (with a brief return of the Klingon theme from The Motion Picture) in a way that establishes his character. The way the cube is defeated, with Picard 'hearing' the Collective and using it to the fleet's advantage is also done in a believable way. The progression from this to the Sphere travelling to the past is quite good. Picard is right to order the Enterprise to persue the Borg into the past, to change what they had done.

The situation caused by the Borg attack on the settlement around the Pheonix launch site is well presented. Cochrane's characterization as a reluctant figure, inventing the warp drive not to travel to the stars, but to get rich, is well done. He's more relatable than the 24^th Century characters (who, as Picard tells Lily, more altruistic). The situation on the Enterprise, after the Borg begin to assimilate the ship, is suitably suspensive. In relation to this, the sequence on the deflector dish is well shot, with the stakes suitably high for such a sequence.

Data's experiences with the Borg Queen are also quite well done, building on his character development from the previous film. The launch of the Pheonix and the Borg Queen's attempt at destroying it are done well too. Overall it is a great film. 9/10.