We are into the home stretch awaiting the new Star Trek trailer coming up this Friday, and today our countdown retrospective brings us to the film that most consider the best of the TNG era, Star Trek First Contact from 1996.
They must travel to the past — to save our future
Theatrical trailer for Star Trek: First Contact.
Commentary:
In line with the film itself, this trailer says ‘big sci-fi adventure" from the gravelly-voiced narrator and epic stakes, to the copious combat and battle shots (even showing off the new new Enterprise E). This trailer also dips into the world of catchphrases to sell the film, especially with the soon-to-be classic line from Picard "The line must be drawn HEEERREEEE!"). All that plus some humor, snappy dialog and the S&M-sexy Borg Queen too. All in all this may be the best trailer of the franchise so far.
Also of note, this trailer uses more music from more previous Star Trek films than any other (TMP, STII and GEN). Even though Star Trek Generations is the first film to get a website, this is the first Trek trailer to list a website URL.
Teaser: Here come the Borg
First Contact’s teaser amps up the spookiness of the coming Borg invasion by bringing in a gravelly-voiced Trailer narrator guy. Without actually saying the word ‘Borg’ this trailer made it clear that this film would be a full on TNG film with the only Klingon in sight being Worf. Like many other Trek teasers, it uses live action from the new film, combined with previously used effects shots. In this case they are even more jarring as we see the Enterprise D (which was destroyed in the previous film). Although the E does not appear, you did get your first glimpse of the new uniforms and the new bridge.
First! First Contact!
I remember watching the teaser and noticing that while they didn’t show the big -E, you could see her schematics on the bridge. I looked at the schematic a lot.
I didn’t like the Enterprise E when I first saw it, but it has grown on me. Nowhere near my favorite, but I think it’s ok.
My personal fav.
uniforms are cool.
First Trek movie I saw in theatres! They had people dressed up as Borg, Klingons, and Starfleet officers at the premier.
Jeez, I remember the teaser at the beginning of Mission Impossible on VHS. Even though it didn’t show much, it reinforced what I loved about Star Trek.
I never got to see the theatrical trailer in theaters, but considering how epic the movie was compared to the trailer, everyone should see the movie, regardless of whether they’re a trek fan or not. The movie was just that good and the trailer scratches the surface of what the movie offers action-wise, story-wise, whatever-wise.
The trailer is great. The teaser had a couple of issues.
I did always find it odd that they used the ‘D’ in the teaser. And what the heck is with the shots of Riker and Troi from the crash sequence in Generations?
The trailer is executed much better.
However, my favorite part is in the teaser: I always loved that “Borgified” Trek logo. Resistance is futile! Awesome stuff!
Best. Trek. Movie. Yet.
The Enterprise E is gorgeous, warlike, and menacing. Not exactly the Star Trek that won my heart (my favorite is the Enterprise-A, for it’s modern but graceful sensibility), but very very cool.
Enterprise E is the crappiest design they ever came up with. Looks like a toy. FC is the best of the TNG movies and it was still garbage.
You forgot to mention the Voyager cameo at the 45 second mark in the teaser. It is seen firing a broadside at the cube for about a second. NCC-74656 can be clearly read on the hull.
I have mixed feelings about this film. It is a huge improvement on its dire predecessor but I still find it good only in parts.
I do enjoy time travel stories that focus on culture shock, particularly those that take the issue seriously (which are extremely rare.) In this case, I find Lily’s reactions reasonably plausible and I think the scenes between her and Picard are fine. They are the heart of the film.
Sadly, the rest of the film does not work so well. Time travel stories always introduce plot holes, such as “why didn’t the Borg simply go back to pre-industrial Earth and take over the planet then” and so on…
Cochrane is a ridiculous character. I realise many fans do not like this portrayal because it contradicts the canonical figure but to me, he is simply a seedy character that will appeal to the lowest common denominator through the “humour” of his crude behaviour. Comedy in Star Trek has fallen a long way since The Voyage Home. I realise he is meant to contrast with the “civilised” world of the Federation future but a much more meaningful story could have been written around him if we actually cared more about the rehabilitation of this character.
Pacing is also a problem. The “deflector shield” scenes utterly lack in tension and slow the pace of the whole film to treacle.
The violence in the film can be quite repulsive and the depiction of the new Enterprise as much more of a warship then its predecessors indicates the series is continuing to betray its original ideals. No longer are we exploring the final frontier or encountering new races or exploring humanity’s own philosophical awareness; instead, Star Trek has sadly undermined all of its own potential to become just another piece of military sci. fi.
I understand that the Borg were apparently more interesting to many viewers prior to the introduction of the “Queen.” Here, they come across as poor cousins of the “Doctor Who” Cybermen and the “Aliens” from the Sigourney Weaver films.
To end on a more positive note, I did find the scene of “first contact” between Cochrane and the Vulcans to be quite moving and it left me with more of a positive impression of this film than I might otherwise have had.
In summary, definitely the best of the Next Generation films but still with more weaknesses than strengths. Picard and Lily work well but nothing else captures my interest and the military aspects of this film are deeply unappealing and should be disturbing to most Trek fans who still cling to the show’s utopian ideals.
#11
Wow. Never noticed that before. Weird.
Star Trek: First Contact was everything i and many a mainstream moviegoer ever wanted from Star Trek. With Deep Space Nine and this movie, i thought Star Trek had grown up – sadly, they had to dumb it down again with Star Trek: Insurrection.
I still think if they had done a sequel to First Contact and then merged DS9 with TNG and then had one massive film about the climax to the Dominion War then the franchise might not have been in the place it is now.
Picard and the federation flagship would have never missed such a battle, that could have wiped out the federation, to go off on some hippie journey to the planet of eternal youth sorting out these silly aliens stretching their faces…
Also of note, the teaser makes use of a take of Picard saying, “the line must be drawn here,” not used in the final cut of the film.
The best Star Trek trailer.
i always remember that my friend and I saw First Contact on the 1st show opening day at like 11am or something and we had to wait in line AND the 1st show was sold out. Before the movie started in the packed house, the crowd cheered for the previews for Starship Troopers (!) and for the Star Wars Special Edition trailer. although i had never given DS9 a chance, I loved First Contact so much I became a regular viewer that day. A fun time to be a sci fi & Trek fan….
First Contact is without a doubt the best of the TNG films, the only one that really got the big screen right. It’s one of the rare ones that has almost everything that big mainstream films have- sure it’s dark and a bit creepy (trust me, being quite young at the time- this was the first PG13 I saw in the theatres), but it has all the action and still a lot of humour (probably the most since Voyage Home).
Now a question, when everyone saw this, wouldn’t you say it’s the TNG version of Wrath of Khan, having all the elements of both a great Trek and an overall great film. So, wouldn’t it have made more sense to make FC the first part of a trilogy. I guess neither Paramount or that producer “who shall not be named” didn’t have any creative guts to follow what worked for Harve Bennett and his team a decade before.
Well. We get to the best of the TNG films. This movie had it all.Action and adventure and drama. ime Travel and First contact with the Vulcans. A great battle scens with the borg and well. a great movie worthy of the Tos Films. a truly great Villian in the Borg and great Heroes. What More could you ask. I Loved this Movie and I wish Tng Had done more of this type of movie.
Certainly the BEST of the TNG movies, and lightyears better than Generations…. but I’m afraid I still have a hard time loving it as much as other fans do.
The first problem is that the Borg just aren’t NEARLY as scary or menacing as they need to be. Frakes was clearly trying his hardest to capture that dark, claustrophobic “Aliens” feel with his direction, but I just wasn’t feeling it. The whole thing just felt way too tame and safe.
And then of course there’s Picard acting out of character for most of the movie. Even if I accept that he’s still haunted and obsessed with the Borg, I can’t see the dignified Picard of the TV series lashing out at people the way he does here, or turning into a vengeful Ahab type. Not to mention the ridiculous sight of him running around like Rambo afterwards….
good trailer for a good film – i saw it opening night- i timed moveing to the city in time to see it in november.
it was not a long tng episode- it was its own movie with its own style and tone- a great crowd pleaser- that plenty of people saw even a few non fans i know- a real popcorn munching event film.
I saw it every night of the box office opening weekend! thursday -friday-saterday-sunday- lol
I was also lucky enuff to see it the next year with a theatre full of star trek fans and patrick stewert.
But that said i rarely crave watching it over the other next generation era films- even Nemisis.
but when i do- usualy in a tng movie marathon i do enjoy it just as much.
I know this is the wrong thread but i still wanna know why the Generations trailers are not on the DVD’s does anyone know? its been bugging me for years.
My favorite Star Trek movie ever. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Always loved First Contact, especially the music. Action and pacing was nice. And love the actual contact scene with Vulcans at the end. But have to say I didn’t like the external design of the Enterprise E.
First Contact was the first Trek film I saw in the cinema. I was really young at the time and all I’d seen of Star Trek was movies 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (taped off TV), so when the movie started I was all like “Where are Kirk and Spock? How come a Klingon’s a good guy?”
But yeah, now I love First Contact – it’s easily my favourite TNG film. And I actually like the Enterprise-E design very much – externally and internally. And it’s definitely a lot better than the Enterprise-D, which is ridiculously top-heavy and unbalanced-looking.
#24 – how come you asked those questions yourself after seeing 6 ;)
Best Trek ever!
“You are astronauts on some kind of a star trek?” – best line ever!
6. Newman,
Same here. I went with my dad to see it. I remember my brother wanted to come but couldn’t because he had fallen behind on his schoolwork.
The only other Trek movie I saw in theaters was Nemesis, which I liked at the time. My opinion of it has changed since them.
I do like First Contact a lot, but I agree that it really didn’t do justice to TNG’s Borg. They tried too hard to make them “scary” and actually made them much less scary in the process. Changing them from the pale, emotionless, and sterile creatures from the show into essentially space zombies was a poor choice. Voyager then managed to further ruin the Borg.
When I First Saw this Movie I really Liked it, but now that I’m older I Can’t Stand the Story or lack there of, I mean Time travel again?
We’ve done that in the movies already. Why is it never the Future?
Anyway. Picard not Acting like Picard wasn’t so Great. And Worf started the stupid Action one liners With “Assimilate This!!”, terrible.
Though it’s Saving graces to me, were all of the Aesthetic Changes that were made. First off the New Ship “1701-E”, is an elegant, Sleek Design. Absolutely worthy of the Name Enterprise. Mad props to John Eaves for that one. Second the New Uniforms are SO much Cooler looking than Those Horrible Voyager ones(Good thing DS9 inherited those too) They’re so Dark and Serious perfect for such a sunny Crew. Third The Borg, My God!! I never thought the Borg were all that Menacing on TNG, save for “Locutus”, but these Guys I’d Be pretty scared of. Michael Westmore hit it out of the Park on them. He pulled off this intimidating yet Suffering look about them. I really Loved how the movie was given a very Dark tone,
including the lighting, The Sets were Pretty cool also. Geordi’s Eyes were Bionic implants. cool. Beverly Had Short BLONDE hair Pretty hot I gotta say. All in all I guess it stands as a Decent TNG flick. I liked the Music too.
27. Prologic 9,
The problem with the Borg on VOY was oversaturation, IMO. The more we saw them, the less mysterious and menacing they became. That, and the depiction of Borg nanoprobes as being able to fix and cure anything (even death) became an easy cheat to solve any and every problem Voyager faced. I guess really teo problems with VOY’s handling of the Borg.
Sorry, in post # 29, that should read ” I guess that’s really two problems with VOY’s handling of the Borg.”
Sloppy trailer, but still best TNG Trek movie.
Best TNG movie, but still a bad one. In my opinion, Borgs are a very lame nemesis and #29 is right, there was an oversaturation. FC has *huge* plot holes and Picard is totally out of character. Plus, come on, this is an action movie with some plot and good lines here and there.
This was the first Star Trek movie I saw on the big screen when I was like 11. Back then the borg scared the crap out of me and they’ve never been done better. As Ive grown older Ive seen more and more flaws with this movie, but Frakes was still the best TNG director and this the best of the films, in a way the TNG equivalent to Wrath of Khan. I never liked the idea of the borg queen, though, to me thats where the borg went down hill. The idea of then having a collective mind with no individuals was half of what made them so frighting of a villan but the queen took that away, and instead it was like some being collecting drones. And yes, VOY went and killed the borg for me and as others have said they were just too over exposed. I do wish the movie had focused more on the borg part of it, had more of the enterprise crew getting driven back, deck by deck, and assimilated one by one, that would have been nice. I guess they do have budgets though.
Re: 18. Jason – November 10, 2008
“… Now a question, when everyone saw this, wouldn’t you say it’s the TNG version of Wrath of Khan, having all the elements of both a great Trek and an overall great film. So, wouldn’t it have made more sense to make FC the first part of a trilogy.”
I have also always thought this film should have been part of a trilogy. I would’ve liked to see them somehow stranded in the past at the end of the film, instead of simply (and much too easily) returning to the future. I also thought they made a huge mistake by deciding to make huge gaps between films after Insurrection… by the time Nemesis came around, most people had sort of forgotten TNG as a show and a crew, or just didn’t care much anymore. Me aside, of course!
To destroy the D in Generations was stupid. All they wanted was a cool Warship for the people who didn´t know Star Trek. No families aboard. No peaceful sense is given to such a Warship. AND: the end of the “A” had after all a good sense! Roddenberry always thought about the Enterprise as one main character. Well, a lot of main characters died in Generations in a quite ungraceful way… Nevertheless, yes! The “E” IS cool!
This is the best Star Trek film, along with The Wrath of Khan.
The combination of action and drama was the right mix. It is still a great film this day.
new posters of spock and kirk: http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=62053
I never did like the Enterprise E but I remember the D reportedly being a nightmare to film but I’d loved seeing it on the big screen. The first flyby was awesome :)
Loved this film though in spite of that and the uneven pacing.
Ah, First Contact – in retrospect, the only bad thing about this movie is that it’s (and probably remains) the only good TNG movie to date.
Well, I do not particularly like the design of the Enterprise E – it has just too much of a Warship. But then again: Star Trek on the Big Screen has always been more “action-trek” (except TMP, of course) – the atmosphere of TNG as we knew it just wouldn’t have worked in a feature. In fact the character design for Picard in this movie was really quite a stunt! – But hell, it worked!
always critiscing TNG because of JJ Abrams retconning ST with his new movie.
This is a great movie and the Enterprise E was a great design.
talk about people being more tolerant for being dudious about JJ Abrams]
from the pics and trailer descrip of the new movie Trek fans have a lot to be worried about .
I love all the Star trek shows
Remember TNG was a great show, don’t change your opinion just because this new movie is coming along and going back to TOS era and changing it.
All Batman fans praised Tim Burton for his two movies and I feel like they betrayed Burton when Nolan’s film were more faithful to Batman comics of later years. however as much as I love the new movies there was a comic book darkness I loved to Burton’s two.
What I am saying is that everyone is forgetting about Batman and Batman Returns bcaause of The Dark Knight. I like both to complemen each other.
Same with Trek and its spin offs and this movie
#10-agreed. Cheap little toy.
I actually think the E is way better of a design than D. Loks so much more impressive and a return to the designs of earlier ships more than the Holiday Inn look of the D.
I love the original and refit Constitution class Enterprises, but the Sovereign class is the best looking and best designed of them all. Sorry.
Best TNG movie but still lacking.
That rock music when the Warp ship lifts off is a very poor choice as it should have been full blast Goldsmith to set the correct tone.
Goldsmith created a very strong score and the sound FXwere also good. This movie was a great experience in the cinema.
Cochrane as a drunk was also another poor decision and when he takes a leak must have been a new low for Berman trek (if thats possible!!).
Really a Picard & Data show the rest of the crew get very little to do or say.
ILM really did probably their best work of the entire ST series here by using plenty of CGI to give scope & awe to the space shots like walking on the Enterprise hull was very well done as was the battle of the borg. Their reward was to get thrown of ST9 + 10 by Berman to save money!!
not all the footage in the trailer is tng…weirdly enough there a WTF? FTW? shot of unbelievably THE USS VOYAGER firing on the cube as part of the battle fleet…the only explanation for that i have even though it was footage not used in the film, is that assuming voyager was destroyed, starfleet did what they later did when the defiant was destroyed by the breen in ds9…take another ship of the same class and recommission it as a replacement ship…no alteration in registry number…no bloody a, b, c, or d… lol
as for the songs used in the film, i do agree that they were poor choices…i personally would’a picked the doors’ ‘light my fire’ or a different steppenwolf hit, ‘born to be wild’ or the rolling stones’ ‘start me up’ for the warp launch and for the bar scenes i’d have used chubby checker’s ‘the twist’ instead of that stupid roy orbison song ‘ooby dooby’
as for picards seemingly uncharacteristic vengeful attitude, picard was always a reserved man…therefore according to basic psychology, he would most likely be the type to rage in such situations…furthermore the evilness of the birg couldve rubbed off on picard via his latent telepathic link with them…then when you look at shinzons rage issues in nemesis (btw another reason nemesis bombed is since dealing with an evil clone of himself was a very personal violation to picard, picard shouldve exhibited a rage similar to that in first contact), you see how similar he and picard really were so no, picards rage wadnt out-of-character…it made him more human…more real…almost, although in a different way, like mccoy
Paul: “That rock music when the Warp ship lifts off is a very poor choice”
agreed, although I understand the producers wanting to frequently touch base with the 60’s, as that is Trek’s roots. At least he didn’t play “Faith of the Heart.” ughghgg… made myself shiver.
The CGI work here actually works, which is nice. Also agree that it totally does not work in ST9 and ST 10. That’s coming… so I’ll kvetch more then, but the Captains Yactch was a missed opportunity.
Loved the new uni’s in ST:FC, and the E-E. Although, the E-E has just a ridiculous number of life pods. Does everyone in Starfleet think their ships are gonna blow up? And what do you do if you’re not in orbit around Earth? Kinda screwed then, huh? I doubt the pods have warp drive, shields, phasers, transporters, holosuites, jacuzzis, et al. It would be unlikely you’d live more than a week or two in one of those. Maybe they have subspace transmitters, but even then, they’re a nice bit of target practice for whomever just disassembled your vessel to a molecular level.
The trailer still shows the late great D. Berman said he couldn’t justify a new model for Generations, then made a new model for ST:FC, then went digi-crap for Insurrection and Nemesis. Makes lots of sense.
re:12 Kerr Avon
“Cochrane is a ridiculous character. I realise many fans do not like this portrayal because it contradicts the canonical figure but to me, he is simply a seedy character that will appeal to the lowest common denominator through the “humour” of his crude behaviour.”
Not his fault, since this is how they cast the role, and the actor who plays him is OK in some other things I’ve seen, but this is not Cochrane. It’s like Larry the Cable Guy invents warp drive. And I despise Larry the Cable Guy.
Oh well, it’s only a Next Generation movie. :)
This movie worked technically on several levels, but again I came out of the cinema disillusioned because of its unused potential and missing depth. Watch TNG’s “Best of both Worlds – Part 1/ 2” for comparison only and you know what I mean… these TV episodes much more got to the point than any of the ragged TNG motion pictures.
I think First Contact was a missed opportunity. As others have said, why not go to a different time period and assimilate Earth. I’ve always said why even go to Earth first, go back in time at the edge of Federation space and then cruise to Earth in the past and assimilate Earth with no resistance.
What should have happened is the Borg did not have time travel but attacked Earth and there was some kind of accident that sent the Enterprise and some Borg back in time. Also, the Enterprise-D should not have been completely destroyed till maybe this movie. In Generations Kirk could have commanded the battle section with a skeleton crew from the D while the saucer section escaped and Kirk fighting off the Klingons and stopping the missle from hitting the sun and dies in the process.
The saucer section gets a refit with a new battle section and goes on to battle the Borg in First Contact.
Hindsight is great.