| Star Trek: Insurrection | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jonathan Frakes |
| Screenplay by | Michael Piller |
| Story by |
|
| Based on | Star Trek byGene Roddenberry |
| Produced by | Rick Berman |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Matthew F. Leonetti |
| Edited by | Peter E. Berger |
| Music by | Jerry Goldsmith |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 103 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $70 million[2] |
| Box office | $118 million[2] |
Star Trek: Insurrection is a 1998 Americanscience fiction film directed byJonathan Frakes. It is the ninth film in theStar Trek film series, as well as the third to star the cast ofStar Trek: The Next Generation, withF. Murray Abraham,Donna Murphy, andAnthony Zerbe appearing in main roles. In the film, the crew of theUSSEnterprise-E rebels againstStarfleet command after they discover a conspiracy with a species known as the Son'a to steal the peacefulBa'ku's planet for itsrejuvenating properties.
Paramount Pictures sought a change of pace afterStar Trek: First Contact (1996).Michael Piller was asked to write the script of the next installment, which was created from story ideas by Piller and producerRick Berman. The story's first drafts featured theRomulans, and the Son'a and Ba'ku were introduced in its third draft. AfterIra Steven Behr reviewed the script, Piller revised it and added a subplot involving a romantic interest forJean-Luc Picard. The film's ending was further revised after test screenings. The special effects depicting outer space were completely computer generated, a first for aStar Trek film. The Ba'ku village was fully built on location atLake Sherwood, California, but suffered weather damage. Sets from theStar Trek television seriesVoyager andDeep Space Nine were reused and redressed.
Upon its release in theaters on December 11, 1998,Insurrection went on to gross $118 million worldwide. Critical responses to the film were mixed; the performance ofPatrick Stewart and the directing of Jonathan Frakes were praised, while many critics compared it to an extended episode of the television series.Insurrection was nominated for both aSaturn Award and aHugo Award, but the only award it received was aYouth in Film Award forMichael Welch. It was followed byStar Trek: Nemesis in 2002.
Lieutenant CommanderData, an android, is temporarily transferred to an undercover mission observing the peacefulBa'ku people. He suddenly malfunctions and reveals the presence of the jointFederation–Son'a task force observing the Ba'ku. Admiral Dougherty contacts theUSSEnterprise-E to obtain Data's schematics for recovery purposes. CaptainJean-Luc Picard ignores orders and takesEnterprise to recover Data. Upon successfully recovering and repairing Data, Picard becomes suspicious when Dougherty insists thatEnterprise is no longer needed and orders Data's malfunction to be investigated.
The crew discovers that the Ba'ku are technologically advanced with warp capabilities, but have rejected the use of technology for simpler lives. Due to unique "metaphasic particles" emanating from the planet's rings, the inhabitants are effectively immortal. By contrast, the Federation's allies, the Son'a, are a decrepit race who rely on medical technology to delay death; excessivecosmetic surgery gives them a mummified appearance. TheEnterprise crew experience the rejuvenation effects of the planet: Lt. CommanderGeordi La Forge can now see without ocular implants, Lt. CommanderWorf experiences puberty symptoms, CommanderWilliam Riker and CounselorDeanna Troi rekindle their long-abandoned relationship, and Picard develops a romantic relationship with Anij, a Ba'ku woman.
Data and Picard discover a submerged and cloaked Federation ship containing a giganticholodeck that recreates the Ba'ku village. Data's malfunction stemmed from a Son'a attack, the result of his accidentally discovering their vessel. Picard confronts Dougherty and learns that top Federation officers colluded with the Son'a to relocate the Ba'ku to another planet deceptively, allowing the particles to be collected massively (poisoning the planet in the process). Dougherty then ordersEnterprise to leave. Picard defiantly retorts that the particles' medical benefits do not justify Dougherty's plans for the Ba'ku and that they violate Starfleet'sPrime Directive.
Picard and some crew help the Ba'ku escape abduction while Riker moves theEnterprise to transmission range to communicate the violation to Starfleet. The Son'a launches robotic probes to locate and capture the fleeing Ba'ku. The Son'a leader, Ahdar Ru'afo, convinces Dougherty to allow two Son'a ships to attack theEnterprise, butEnterprise escapes after taking damage and destroying a Son'a ship. With the Son'a plan exposed, Ru'afo insists on immediately harvesting the radiation source. Picard, Anij, and several Ba'ku are transported as prisoners onto the Son'a ship. Dr.Beverly Crusher discovers that the Son'a and the Ba'ku are the same race. Picard then informs Dougherty that the Son'a are a splinter faction of Ba'ku who abandoned their bucolic existence a century earlier and embraced technology. Their attempt to seize power failed, and the Ba'ku elders exiled them from the planet, denying them the rings' rejuvenating effects. The Son'a developed an artificially imperfect means to extend their lives at the cost of disfigurement and now seek revenge. Ru'afo kills Dougherty after he reneges on their plan and moves to complete the collection.
While Picard is prepared for execution, he convinces the disillusioned Son'a Gallatin to help him stop Ru'afo. Picard masterminds a ruse to transport Ru'afo and his bridge crew to the holoship and disable the harvester. Ru'afo discovers the deception and transports to the harvester ship to manually restart the process. Picard follows and sets the harvester to self-destruct, killing Ru'afo just as theEnterprise rescues Picard. The remaining Son'a are forgiven and welcomed back by the Ba'ku. Picard arranges a meeting between Gallatin and his Ba'ku mother to thank him for his help. The crew takes a moment to enjoy their rejuvenated selves before returning to their previous mission.
Patrick Stewart thought that the firstNext Generation film,Star Trek Generations, was too much like a television episode but thought that his character, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, was redefined as a "movie hero" inStar Trek: First Contact.[3] He was concerned that in the new film the character would return to that seen in the television series. Michael Piller said that in order to be a hero, Picard "should be acting out of a moral and ethical mindset, and stand for principles that are important to [humanity]".[3] Stewart was later pleased with the film's romantic sub-plot, calling it "charming" and saying that he was "feeling very good about it."[4] He thought that the film had a lighter tone than previous films, saying, "It shows our crew having a little more fun than we normally see them doing".[4] Stewart was disappointed that a scene in which Picard and Anij kiss was cut from the final version of the film,[5] saying that "It was a studio decision, but still somewhat inexplicable to me as I feel the audience were waiting for some kind of romantic culmination to the relationship, which did happen and was extremely pleasant."[6] Stewart received a producer's credit on the film.[7]
Jonathan Frakes appeared as Commander William Riker, and as withFirst Contact he directed the project.[8][9] Brent Spiner starred as Lieutenant Commander Data, asking for the character to be killed inInsurrection out of concern for aging out of the role. His copy of the script came with a note from the production team saying, "Sorry, kill you later".[10] The underwater scene required Spiner to wear extra makeup to make it waterproof.[6] LeVar Burton reprised his role of Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge; a month before the release ofInsurrection he appeared in the role in a guest appearance in theStar Trek: Voyager episode "Timeless".[11]
Michael Dorn returned as Lieutenant Commander Worf, having portrayed him inDeep Space Nine since 1995.[12] Reprising her role as DoctorBeverly Crusher,Gates McFadden said that "ShootingStar Trek and getting paid to do it is great. But what's actually changed my life the most is traveling around and ... being a tiny little part of this huge mythology that has changed people's lives, in many ways for the better."[13] Marina Sirtis appeared once more as Counselor Deanna Troi. She was positive about the film, saying "we've been involved with this for eleven years, we've done 179 episodes, three movies, and there are still surprises. There are more layers in this movie, it's not as black and white. It goes back to a lot of what Gene Roddenberry felt aboutStar Trek — I think he's going to be very happy up there when he sees this movie."[14]
Before the casting process, no actors had been considered for the roles of the Son'a leader, the Ba'ku woman, and the Starfleet admiral.[15] The Son'a leader, Ahdar Ru'afo, was portrayed by F. Murray Abraham, who won anAcademy Award for his performance inAmadeus.[16][17] Abraham was given the role without an audition.[17] Abraham said of the franchise, "I was around when the series was first introduced to television and it was a hoot".[6] He praised his make-up and prosthetics, saying "The idea that you can be somebody else behind the mask is an extraordinary feeling — it's very primitive and mysterious. A gap opens somewhere in the brain and it encourages wildness. It had me chewing at the scenery".[6] He was particularly pleased to be working with Patrick Stewart.[14]
Donna Murphy played the Ba'ku woman Anij, who is Picard's love interest. Eighty actresses auditioned for the role,[18] which was awarded to Murphy who had previously won twoTony Awards for her roles in the Broadway musicalsPassion andThe King and I.[16][17] Murphy was such a favorite of Frakes and the producers that after auditioning, only a small number of other actresses were seen.[17] She said of the role, "I feel a great honor and responsibility to be a part of this film, because I know that theStar Trek audience has such a devotion to and affection for these richly drawn characters."[14]
Anthony Zerbe originally auditioned for the role of Ru'afo,[16] and was considered to be the best choice for it.[17] However, the production team decided instead to cast him in the role of Admiral Matthew Dougherty.[16] During Zerbe's audition, instead of reading the lines provided, he recitedDante's Inferno before seamlessly moving into the script. Frakes and the producers unanimously decided to award him the part of Dougherty.[20] In the film's smaller roles,Stephanie Niznik played Ensign Kell Perim andDaniel Hugh Kelly appeared as Sojef. Gregg Henry appeared as Gallatin, and 10-year-oldMichael Welch played the Ba'ku child Artim.[21]Michael Horton returned as the tactical officer he portrayed inFirst Contact; his character was calledLieutenant Daniels in this film.[22]Rage Against the Machine andAudioslave guitaristTom Morello played a Son'a warrior.[23] Morello's make-up regime began at 5 am, at which time he said he would normally "be crawling back into my coffin".[6]
Several of the film's actors had previously appeared in theStar Trek franchise.Bruce French, who portrayed Son'a Officer Number 1, appeared as Sabin Genestra inThe Next Generation episode "The Drumhead" and as the Ocampa doctor in theVoyagerpilot episode. Son'a Officer Number 3 was played byJoseph Ruskin, who appeared in four episodes across theStar Trek franchise:The Original Series episode "The Gamesters of Triskelion",[24] and theDeep Space Nine episodes "Improbable Cause" and "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places" and theVoyager episode "Gravity".[19]McKenzie Westmore, daughter of make-up supervisorMichael Westmore, played a Ba'ku woman.[21] She previously appeared as a child inThe Next Generationseason one episode "When the Bough Breaks" and as Ensign Jenkins in theVoyager episode "Warhead".[25] Scenes cut from the film would have featured two of the actors who playedFerengi onDeep Space Nine:Max Grodénchik, more familiar asRom, was to have appeared as a Trill in the library scene.Armin Shimerman filmed a scene in his role asQuark, in which he tries to set uptimeshares on the Ba'ku planet at the end of the film.[19]
Following the success ofStar Trek: First Contact,Paramount Pictures wanted a change in pace to give the follow-up film a lighter tone.[26] BecauseStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home is light in tone, yet was the most successful of all theStar Trek films at the box office as of then, Paramount reasoned that this success could be repeated with the new film.[27]Michael Piller was asked to write the script, and accepted the position.[26] Piller wished to escape thedevelopment hell his other projects were stuck in.[28] He wanted to give the crew a feeling of family, with a story featuring overtones of theJoseph Conrad novelHeart of Darkness.[26]Rick Berman wanted to see Picard undertake a rescue mission in a similar manner to the 1937 filmThe Prisoner of Zenda.[26] Berman also originated an idea to have Picard kidnapped, and replaced with a surgically modified imposter. Piller was doubtful about Berman's idea, reasoning that the audience would not want to see an entire film in which Picard is not the lead star — the character would look likePatrick Stewart, but would be different.[29] A further idea from Berman would have seen the return ofLore, last seen in the episode "Descent", in a film which was described as similar in tone toStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.[30]
Piller initially thought to write aFountain of Youth-type story, later saying: "Everybody's consumed with images of youth. There's commercials, plastic surgery — our culture seems obsessed with youth."[26] He called the initial treatment "Heart of Lightness".[31] Piller's first draft treatment for the film was titledStar Trek: Stardust, taken from the 1927 song"Stardust" byHoagy Carmichael[26] after hearingNat King Cole's version on the radio.[31] The treatment featured Picard resigning from Starfleet after he is sent to retrieve a population and their youth-giving power, and bring them to an alien government, and included a betrayal by Picard's rogue colleague. The draft went through several versions with only the crew's mission and theBriar Patch — named after the area from theBr'er Rabbit stories — remaining. Berman suggested that Data become the renegade crew-member that Picard must deal with.[26] The plot was similar toThe Next Generation episode "Homeward" in that a people were being relocated through use of a holodeck. The use of a duck blind to observe cultures was previously used in the episode "Who Watches the Watchers".[19]
In one draft, Picard kills Data early in the film, and the android is later resurrected to help the Captain in the finale. The first two drafts featured the Romulans as the antagonists,[26] since they had never prominently appeared in aStar Trek film.[31] The second draft was seen by Jonathan Dolgen at the studio; Dolgen was not pleased and Patrick Stewart thought that it would have been only suitable for a television episode.[32][33] In the third draft, the Son'a were introduced as the children of the Ba'ku and the alien race that wanted to plunder the planet. That version also included the crew sub-plots, such as the Troi-Riker romance and the regeneration of La Forge's eyes.[26] Stewart, who was concerned that the film was a step back in scope fromFirst Contact, was consulted on the treatments.[34]
Piller drafted the first version of the script and askedIra Steven Behr, executive producer ofStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, to review it. Behr was critical of the script, describing the Son'a as "paper tigers".[34] Piller said that "I knew he was right. There's no question that first draft was trying to tell two stories, and that's one too many for a movie."[34] Piller re-drafted the script, adding a romantic subplot for Picard in the shape of Anij, a Ba'ku woman. He added gravitas to the Son'a to make them more menacing, and the ending was changed to include a massive Son'a collector ship and a confrontation between Picard and Ru'afo aboard the ship.[34] A version of the script was subsequently leaked onto the internet.[16] At the same time, Piller and Berman were exploring titles for the film, includingPrime Directive,The Directive,The Resignation,The Enemy Within,Breach of Promise,Dereliction of Duty andApostasy, because, they reasoned, that they could not submit it to the studio under the title ofStardust. They could not settle on a title, so they submitted it asStar Trek IX.[35]
The studio was pleased with the post-Behr version of the script, which was the first version of the script they saw, having previously only seen pre-script treatments.[36] In a memo to Piller, it was described as "easily the funniest and sexiestStar Trek story to date".[36] They gave Piller a series of directions, including a request for a resolution to the Troi and Riker romance and for the character ofReginald Barclay to be replaced with expanded roles either for Beverly Crusher, Worf, or a new character.[37][38]
Patrick Stewart sought a change to the script to have the crew defend the Ba'ku village in the manner of theBattle of the Alamo instead of fleeing into the mountains. Piller could not find a feasible way to include this in the script, and the budget ruled out the creation of Alamo-like structures in the mountains.[39] Several titles were considered for the film as shooting approached.Star Trek: Where Time Stands Still,Star Trek: Forever andStar Trek: Beyond Paradise were all considered but were rejected. Piller's favorite wasStar Trek: Sacred Honor, but the studio rejected this, because they were concerned that it sounded too religious. When shooting began, the film was still calledStar Trek IX.[40]
The final version of the script was distributed to the cast, but Patrick Stewart did not receive a copy. Berman was concerned that if anyone had a problem with it, they would call Stewart to complain, and it would appear as though Stewart was being left out because he had criticized the story. LeVar Burton called Stewart to praise the script. Stewart was sent a copy and requested a meeting to discuss changes. Piller feared the worst, but after a twenty-minute meeting with Stewart, who requested several dialogue changes, the script was finalized.[41] During pre-production, the marketing department wanted to decide a title, preferringStar Trek: Revolution.Alan Spencer, a friend of Piller, suggestedInsurrection, which was selected from a choice ofInsurrection,Rebellion,High Treason andAct of Treason.[38]
After filming was complete, test screenings were held,[16] and the production team became aware of a problem with the ending.[42] In the original ending, Ru'afo is ejected into space from the Son'a collector ship and de-ages rapidly as he floats amongst the rings of the planet Ba'ku. Test audience members found this climax underwhelming, and some weren't even sure that Ru'afo had died.[42] The revised ending saw theEnterprise swoop in at the last minute to save Picard while the collector ship explodes with Ru'afo aboard.[43] The studio liked the new ending but wanted a bigger space battle. The production team agreed providing they could postpone the release to allow enough time for this. Because the studio wantedInsurrection to be released in time for Christmas, no further revisions were made to the ending.[44]
Piller would agree to write a book about the making ofInsurrection and the writing process forPocket Books. They hiredEric A. Stillwell as Piller's typist and research assistant (he was also Piller's executive assistant and script coordinator).[45] The book, however, went unpublished, and it was alleged that Paramount Pictures suppressed it due to its portrayal of the development process. Following Piller's death in 2005, the book, titledFade In, was published on the internet for free.[46]
Make-up supervisor Michael Westmore aimed to create a look for the Son'a that was not exaggerated. He consulted several sculptors;Dean Jones, who was on the production staff forStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, created the look. The prosthetics for Ru'afo consisted of overlapping layers that were stretched over Abraham's head. Westmore said Abraham's prosthetics was "like a rubber band, F. Murray Abraham could turn his head and the skin would look translucent. It was so thin, and the layers were pulling on each other."[18] The two other aliens on the Son'a vessels also had specific prosthetic make-up designs created. The Tarlac's look was based on reptilian skin, while the Ellora required only nose and forehead prosthetics.[18]
The film also gave costume designerRobert Blackman an opportunity to address issues with the Starfleet dress uniforms, which Blackman had changed on several occasions duringThe Next Generation.[18] The uniforms appeared for the first time in the episode "Lonely Among Us", and were based on the 18th century designs for theRoyal Navy.[47] ForInsurrection, Blackman initially thought of creating a uniform with short jackets in blue, red and gold, which he later said was "not a good idea".[18] His eventual design minimized the use of division-specific colors. Blackman said, "No matter what, white over black has a formal look to it."[18] Sanja Milkovic Hayes created the remaining new costumes for the film. She avoided making the Ba'ku look too cute, and used material made from cellulose fiber specifically created forInsurrection. She said it was organic, and was simply cooked and then glued together.[18] The Son'a costumes were made from layers of crushed velvet and metal strips. The female bodysuits were made of latex; Hayes wanted them to appear "sexy, but not vulgar" and described the outfits as "very conservative".[18]
Insurrection was the firstStar Trek film with space-based effects produced entirely usingcomputer-generated imagery (CGI).[34] While CGI had been used for specific effects sinceThe Wrath of Khan;Insurrection was the firstStar Trek film to be made without using physical models of spacecraft.[48] Santa Barbara Studios produced the effects, which included CGI starship models.[24] The texture on the model of the Enterprise-E was created from a series of close-up photographs of the modelEnterprise which had been used inFirst Contact.[49] The planet-based effects, such asphaser fire,transporter effects and the Son'a drones were created byBlue Sky Studios.[24][34]Peter Lauritson was the co-producer for post-production.[34]
Herman Zimmerman was the production designer, and had three months to design and construct 55 full sets for the film, eighteen more than used in the previous film in the series.[34][50] Zimmerman said that it was "probably the most scenery we've built for aStar Trek motion picture since the first one, when everything was brand new".[14] The Ba'ku village was built in full scale on location at Lake Sherwood, California, with architectural designs combining Thai, Balinese and Polynesian styles.[34] The village included a bakery, a farm with a full irrigation system, a city hall, and a city square which was referred to as the "rotunda".[50] The location shoot lasted for six weeks.[51] The buildings included sections built withstyrofoam, which were cut out usingcomputer aided design andcomputer-aided manufacturing techniques.[52] These were covered in hardcoat to make them look as though they were made from stone,[52] but they were not made waterproof. The set suffered water damage following record levels of rainfall during the spring of 1998. The foam warped as it dried out in the sun, causing delays in shooting while repairs were made.[53]
Sets built for use inStar Trek: Voyager were redressed to appear as theEnterprise-E inInsurrection; CaptainJaneway's quarters became Picard's, theVoyager briefing room became Riker's quarters, and part of theVoyager engineering set became theEnterprise library. The interior of the scoutship flown by Data was originally the cockpit of theVoyager'sshuttlecraft,[53] while the interior of theEnterprise shuttlecraft used the interior set from aStar Trek: Deep Space Ninerunabout.[24] Filming began on March 31, 1998, and concluded on July 2.[14] According to Frakes, half of the time shooting was spent on location. The scenes in which theEnterprise crew and the Ba'ku take refuge in the mountains were shot on location aboveLake Sabrina in theSierra Nevada in locations which could only be reached by helicopter. The location was around 10,000 feet (3,000 m) above sea level, and a medic was on standby with oxygen if the cast or crew required it.[14]
After filming, parts of the interior sets of the So'na ships were added using CGI.[54] Stage 15 on the Paramount lot was used for the climactic scene between Picard and Ru'afo. Because of the dangers of the four-story scaffolding-like set, the actors were attached by safety cables at all times.[14][48] Paramount's B tank, which was used to representSan Francisco Bay inStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home, was used to shoot footage of Picard, Data and Anij at the Ba'ku lake. For a scene in which Data walks along a lake bed, the actor'stricorder prop was covered with plastic to make it watertight.[24]
The score forInsurrection was composed byJerry Goldsmith; his fourth score for the franchise.[55] Goldsmith continued using the march and Klingon themes written forStar Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979, adding new themes and variations.Insurrection opens withAlexander Courage'sStar Trek: The Original Series fanfare, introducing a six-note motif used in many of the film's action sequences. The Ba'ku are scored with a pastoral theme with repeating harps, string sections and a woodwind solo. The Ba'ku's ability to slow time was accompanied with a variation of this music.[56]
Goldsmith used quick bursts of brass music to accompany the starship sequences. For scenes in which observers are watching the Ba'ku unseen, Goldsmith used a "spying theme" that resembles his conspiracy theme fromCapricorn One. Composed of a piano, timpani percussion, and brass, the theme builds until it is interrupted by the action theme as Data opens fire. Goldsmith did not write a motif for the Son'a, but scored the action sequence without designating the Son'a as an antagonist, suggesting the film's revelation that the Son'a and Ba'ku are related. The film's climax is scored with the action theme, which is balanced with "sense of wonder" music similar to cues fromThe Motion Picture.[56][57]
One scene in the film shows Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner conducting a duet of "A British Tar" from theGilbert and Sullivan comic-operaH.M.S. Pinafore.[6] This replaced the original idea of Picard and Data reciting scenes fromShakespeare's playKing Lear.[58] Stewart had suggested that they sing "Three Little Maids From School Are We" fromThe Mikado instead, but the producers described this as "too vulgar".[6] Stewart and Spiner had previously sung together on Spiner's 1991 albumOl' Yellow Eyes Is Back.[6]
In 2013,GNP Crescendo Records re-released the soundtrack for the film as an expanded collector's edition [GNPD 8082], featuring previously unreleased tracks by Goldsmith plus four bonus tracks.[59]
The world premiere ofInsurrection launched the 1998CineVegas film festival.[60] It went on general release in the U.S. and Canada on December 11, 1998. The film grossed $22.4 million over the opening weekend; the most of any film during that period.[61] It averaged a total of $8,417 per location across 2,620 theaters,[62] but fell short of the opening weekend takings of bothFirst Contact andGenerations, which were $30.7 million and $23.1 million respectively.[61]
Insurrection was the highest-grossing film during the first week of its release in the United States, beatingA Bug's Life,[63] and stayed in the top ten for a further three weeks.[62] During its first week of release in the UK, it was the highest-grossing film, exceeding the takings of theWill Smith filmEnemy of the State.[64]Insurrection enjoyed a two-week spell at the top of the UK box office and eventually earned £7,429,398, roughly the same asGenerations.[65] It went on to gross $70,187,658 in the US and $47,612,342 in other countries for a total of $117,800,000 worldwide against a $70 million budget.[2] It was the firstStar Trek film to be promoted through the official website, which was called the "Star Trek Continuum" at the time.[66] Following the success of the film, Rick Berman said that he wanted to release the next film in the series three years afterInsurrection. ReferencingStanley Kubrick's2001: A Space Odyssey, he said: "The notion of releasing a science fiction film in the year 2001 is very seductive."[6]
The critical response toInsurrection was mixed. Review aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoes gave the film a score of 55% based on 67 reviews, with critic consensus being that, "Although not terrible, the sluggishly pacedInsurrection plays like an extended episode of the TV series."[67] OnMetacritic the film has a score of 64 out of 100, based on reviews from 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[68] Audiences surveyed byCinemaScore gave the film a grade B+.[69]
TheLos Angeles Daily News said that the film had the "bare bones of one of those pseudo-philosophical political allegoriesTrek has always done so entertainingly. But the movie blows it." It praised the directing of Jonathan Frakes and the computer generated special effects and gave the film two and a half stars overall.[70] TheDaily Herald also gave the film two and a half stars, describing it as a "slickly made" movie with a plot "scaled down to its TV roots", and criticized the "frivolous" romance between Riker and Troi.[71]The Washington Times gave the film one and a half stars, saying that it was "consistently flat-footed and slow on the uptake", and that there was "ramshackle confusion during the climactic scenes".[72]
The ScottishDaily Record praised F. Murray Abraham and described Anthony Zerbe as "ever-dependable". It said the plot was good, but that it was simply an extended episode ofThe Next Generation, and gave it a score of six out of ten.[73] The British newspaperThe People also said it was an extended television episode.[74]
The Independent said thatInsurrection "never stops being familiarly jolly and antiquated", and called the entireStar Trek film franchise "old-fashioned".[75]The Washington Post also called the film old-fashioned, but "in the best sense of the word", and said that the film did what the "doctor – make thatDr. 'Bones' McCoy – ordered".[76] British journalistSimon Rose, writing forThe Daily Mirror was more critical of the film, saying that it failed to break the odd-numberedStar Trek film curse, and that it was "feeble", "moribund" and "tedious".[77] However,Josh Spiegel writing forThe Buffalo News said thatInsurrection broke the odd-numbered film rule.[78] Further criticism came from theBirmingham Evening Mail, which said that it was "an adult form of entertainment equivalent toTeletubbies for babies", and that there were "lots of repetition, rubbery faces, gibberish dialogue, characters leaping up and down in funny suits and some very basic effects". The reviewer gave the film two stars for fans, and none for non-fans.[79] InFolklore/Cinema: Popular Film as Vernacular Culture, the actions of Data and the Ba'ku child Artim inInsurrection are seen as "a metamorphosis motif where a child becomes computerlike and a computer/android becomes more childlike".[80] Data specifically "is a metaphor for a child who seeks to understand what being human means and then, like the velveteen rabbit, wishes to become. From confronting his father and evil brother to finding his mother, Data also represents the potential within all of us to quest for a fuller humanity".[81]
The film was nominated for theSaturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film at the 25thSaturn Awards; the prize was shared byArmageddon andDark City.[82][83] In 1999, it was nominated for theHugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, which went toThe Truman Show.[84] It was nominated for Best Family Feature Film: Drama at the20th Youth in Film Awards and won the individual award for Best Performance in a Feature Film: Supporting Young Actor for Michael Welch.[85]
The first home media release of the film was made simultaneously onVHS,Laserdisc andDVD on May 11, 1999, in the United States,[86][87] and outside the US on VHS later that year.[88] The film was released on June 5, 2000, in the United Kingdom, and was one of the first titles to be released on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment International in Europe and Japan.[89][90]
A video game which followed up on the events ofInsurrection was released in 2000. EntitledStar Trek: Hidden Evil, it was set nine months after the events depicted in the film. In its narrative, a Son'a colony has been created on Ba'ku, and an archaeological discovery which shares similarities withThe Next Generation episode "The Chase" is made. The game was developed byPresto Studios and published byActivision.[91]
AnInsurrection "Special Collector's Edition" two-disc set was released in 2005 at the same time as three otherNext Generation films andStar Trek: Enterprise's fourth season, marking the first time that every film and episode of the franchise was available on home video.[92] The film was presented with the same technical specifications as the previous release and a newDTS soundtrack, but it shipped without an audio commentary.[93] The DVD includes a text track byMichael andDenise Okuda that provides production trivia and relevant facts about theStar Trek universe.[93][94] The second disc contains six "making-of" videos, including one about the construction of the Ba'ku village and one about Michael Westmore's make-up designs for the film.[93]
As part of a collection ofStar Trek: The Next Generation films,Insurrection was released onBlu-ray and DVD on September 22, 2009. The Blu-ray transfer is presented in1080p high definition enhanced for widescreen television and features 5.1 Dolby TrueHD audio in English, French and Spanish. The release also contains "Creating the Illusion" featurettes and new commentary by Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis.[95] The fourNext Generation feature films were released onUltra HD Blu-ray on April 4, 2023, in standalone and collected formats.[96]
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| Unmade projects | |||||||||||
| Spin-off fiction | |||||||||||
| Aftershows | |||||||||||
| Documentaries | |||||||||||
| Cultural influence |
| ||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
