

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael 
Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, F. Murray Abraham, Donna Murphy, 
Anthony Zerbe, Lorella Cuccarini, Mark Deakins, Breon Gorman, Max 
Grodénchik, Gregg Henry, Stephanie Niznik, Michael Welch, D. Elliot Woods.
 Written by Michael Piller and Rick Berman. Directed by Jonathan Frakes. 
103 minutes.
Rated PG, 3 stars (out of five stars)

Review by Ed Johnson-Ott, NUVO Newsweekly
www.nuvo-online.com
Archive reviews at http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Edward+Johnson-ott
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To put this review in its proper context, I should acknowledge right up 
front that I'm a "Star Trek: The Next Generation" fan. Yes, I've reached 
that point in life where I can publicly admit that I am in touch with my 
inner geek. Like many who enjoyed "ST:TNG," I was irritated when 
Paramount elected to fold the still-thriving show so that the vigorous 
cast could replace the geezers from the original series and keep the 
company's lucrative "Trek" movie franchise alive. Thanks to the corporate 
money-grubbers, instead of 24 varied episodes a season, we now only get 
new doses of the Enterprise crew every two or three years, usually in 
trumped-up "thrill-ride" movies that bury the characters under a barrage 
of action scenes. 

Thankfully, "Star Trek: Insurrection" is the exception to the rule. While 
the ninth entry in the franchise has plenty of battles to appease the 
testosterone junkies, "Insurrection" places the emphasis more on people 
than explosions. The quirkiest "Trek" yet, "Insurrection" is breezy, low-
key and often humorous. It plays less like an "event" movie and more like 
a juicy two-part episode of the series. 

This time around, the crew faces off against corrupt Federation officials 
allied with some nasty aliens bent on removing a group of settlers from a 
planet that is a virtual fountain of youth. When the Enterprise crew 
discover the true agenda of the Son'a, age-obsessed beings who get more 
face-lifts than Michael Jackson, Captain Picard and company remove the 
pips from their uniforms and become freedom fighters, protecting the 
idyllic Ba'ku colony from Starfleet and the alien invaders. 

Along the way, most of the cast gets a chance to live it up. In 
particular, Patrick Stewart lets his hair down (so to speak) with an 
exceptionally robust portrayal of Jean-Luc Picard. As opposed to the last 
two films, which placed the Captain in a variety of grim situations, this 
"Trek" highlights the swashbuckling aspects of the character. Picard even 
gets a little planet-side romance with Anji (Donna Murphy), a Ba'ku woman 
who bears a striking resemblance to Susan Oliver, the actress who 
romanced Captain Pike in the pilot episode of the original "Star Trek" 
series. 

The Ba'ku planet emits particles that retard the aging process and the 
Enterprise crew quickly feels the effects of the phenomenon. Blind 
engineer Geordi LaForge (Levar Burton) finds his eyes regenerated and 
finally gets to witness a sunrise without using high-tech visors or 
ocular implants to "see." After wearing a car fender over his brow for 
seven seasons and machine-like contact lenses for two films, what a 
relief it must have been for Burton to have his eyes clear of appliances.

The planet affects the libido as well, stirring up the long-dormant 
romance between Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Deanna Troi (Marina 
Sirtis), who share a bubble-bath in one playful scene. Doctor Beverly 
Crusher (Gates McFadden) shows more zest than usual, while Worf (Michael 
Dorn) suffers the indignities of Klingon puberty, dealing simultaneously 
with an increase in his already aggressive nature and a Texas-sized zit 
on the side of his nose. 

Only the android Data (Brent Spiner), who leaves his emotion chip on the 
Enterprise, is unaffected by all the hyper-hormonal activities. He spends 
most of the film tending to business, while a Ba'ku kid tries to teach 
him how to play. After the last two Data-centric films, it was nice to 
see his character in a supportive role, allowing the others a bit more 
time in the spotlight. 

"Insurrection's" mix of humor and heroics is the most successful since 
"Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home." Two early gags, one showing Worf taking 
a bump on the noggin and the other involving several characters singing a 
Gilbert and Sullivan tune, triggered memories of cringe-inducing scenes 
from "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier," the worst "Trek" movie ever, but 
director Jonathan Frakes handles most of the jokes with style. 

The film has its weak moments. Compared to previous "Trek" villains, 
Son'a leader Ru'afo (F. Murray Abraham) is a real featherweight. For an 
exotic race of immortals, the Ba'ku look an awful lot like a bunch of 
lily-white suburbanites preparing for a camp-out. And why, oh why, do the 
producers feel the need to include a leaden catch-phrase in every film? 
When Brent Spiner is forced to say "Saddle up, lock and load," you can 
sense the embarrassment behind his expressionless face.   

But enough complaining. The light and lively "Star Trek: Insurrection" 
deserves credit for daring to break from the standard "Trek" formula. 
While some fans will grouse about the film, I found this change of pace 
most welcome. Instead of witnessing yet another struggle to save the 
universe, it's refreshing to see the Enterprise crew have a little fun 
for a change. 

© 1998 Ed Johnson-Ott