Star Trek X: Nemesis |
  • USA • 2002 • 116m •    • Directed by: Stuart Baird. • Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden, Tom Hardy, Ron Perlman, Shannon Cochran, Dina Meyer, Jude Ciccolella, Alan Dale. • Music by: Jerry Goldsmith.      On their way to Riker's and Troi's honeymoon, the Enterprise is sent near the neutral zone to Romulan space, and picks up a prototypic twin of android Data. Immediately they are further sent to Romulus, where a new praetor, Shinzon, a half-Reman cloned from Captain Picard, appears to want peace with the Federation. But then the crew detects a break-in on their computer systems, and Picard is captured by the Romulans because Shinzon needs him as his only matching supplier of genetic material. Picard and the Enterprise can escape, only to find themselves battling Shinzons completely cloaked Warbird, who is after the complete destruction of earth.
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In the movie, a new leader of the Romulan Star Empire has emerged through seditious means and he petitions Captain Picard's Enterprise for a long awaited and seemingly impossible peace treaty with The United Federation of Planets. Soon it is discovered that this new `Praetor', Shinzon (Tom Hardy), is actually a clone of Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart). After having been enslaved in the dilithium mines of Remus since childhood, Shinzon comes to power with the assistance of his mentor Reman Viceroy (Ron Perlman) and through the subterfuge of Romulan idealists. Chaos results when the true intentions of Shinzon are discovered.
From the first scene, something is missing from this movie - something that a film such as this desperately requires: grandeur. One would expect a massive Star Empire's senate hall to be bigger than a lecture hall and to contain many more that thirty or so members. Throughout Nemesis, there is a lack of a necessary, substantial scale. The dangerous connotations of Shinzon's plot don't feel at all comprehensive or grand. Ideally, one should be able to feel the importance of the protagonists' cause. But in Nemesis, the possible outcome of failure is merely discussed, not felt. This drastically weakens both the plot and tone of the film.
One would expect that a story and screenplay written by Gladiator heavyweight John Logan would bring considerable value to the plot of Nemesis - but it doesn't. The most it brings in is some better-than-descent dialogue and moralistic monologues. Director Stuart Baird (Lethal Weapon, Tomb Raider, MI2) brings a suitable tone to the film and directs the action sequences honorably. But the scenes of battle become tediously and soporifically elongated. Furthermore, the only substance of Nemesis amounts to long minutes of confusing violence punctuated by short periods of inopportune calm. A special weapon that Shinzon boasts is simply fatuous. These are not at all what Star Trek is about. It truly seems to me that the skill of the Trek crew is deteriorating as quickly as that of James Bond.
Consumer Anthropologist Robert Kozinets believes that `[this] movie, one of the most dark and violent in the series, comes at a time when the American public is seeking the reassurance that comes with clear moral guidance, and also anticipates the outbreak of a war based on moral differences.' This may be true. However, Nemesis paints a poor picture of the motives of the antagonist as well as the cause of the Enterprise crew. The film violates Star Trek's moral and intellectual integral precepts with disproportionate and unintelligible scenes of war.
Nemesis story and screenwriter John Logan said, `In any story, if there's a personal connection between the hero and villain, it gives you more opportunity for drama. The dramatic possibilities here were all the better because the villain not only is equal to Picard, he is Picard." This idea too, is generally true. But the idea of cloning is not at all new to the science fiction genre nor is it fresh in our world. The enigmatic and mendacious conflict between Picard and his nemesis is credible but far from fully developed. At times it even takes the appearance of a petty quarrel. Perhaps the weakness of the villain is at fault here as well.
Tom Hardy plays Shinzon to par but no further. Stephen Holden explains: `Shinzon is a really a futurist Caligula who speaks in the high, sour whine of a spoiled boy emperor throwing a hissy fit.' This description is remarkably precise. The only acting that shines through in Nemesis is that of dependable Patrick Stewart: playing the always-impeccable Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Still though, his efforts here pale in comparison to his performances in Star Trek: First Contact and in the original Next Generation TV series.
Review by StarshipJockey from the Internet Movie Database.
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