Posted August 29, 2017
Compared to the show, they are all... different. Partly because all characters except Picard and Data are basically reduced to extras (the show was usually pretty balanced in the portrayal of the different characters, it's not like the original series, where Kirk, Spock and McCoy were clearly the main characters in every episode and so were also in the center of every movie - but even in the TOS movies the other characters usually got more to do than in the TNG ones) and Movie Picard has almost nothing to do with Series Picard - he basically becomes an Action hero *SPOILER* who battles every Bad Guy one on one in every movie.
*More spoilers ahead*
As for the individual movies, "Generations" could have been awesome (Kirk and Picard together in one movie, what could go wrong?), but it's really pretty dumb - but at least it's kind of fun. I really watched that one a lot as a child.
First Contact is easily the best TNG movie, as others have said. However, while I consider it to be a great action movie and an OK sci-fi movie, I don't think it is a good Star Trek movie. Granted, even the TOS movies were mostly quite shallow and more focused on action or humor than complex issues like the show often was, but the TNG movies are particularly bad in this regard. "First Contact" is a lot of fun, has great effects and a cool story, but it strips what was arguably the strangest and most complex enemy of the series of what it made so unique by replacing the collective consciousness of the Borg with a single, individual "leader" in form of the queen. It makes sense in the context of the movie, but it somehow makes the Borg less threatening and interesting.
"Insurrection" is probably the most boring of the TNG movies, but at the same time the one that may have most in common with the series. It feels like a mediocre two-parter in many ways, but that's not enough for a major motion picture. It has also arguably the worst of all Trek Movie villains. You almost feel bad for him when Picard beats him up in the end - almost.
But it's still better - a lot better - than the terrible mess Nemesis was. To this day I consider it the worst of all Trek movies, even more so than the dreaded "Final Frontier". I hated it from the first time I saw it, and if anything, I like it even less today. No need to say anything else about it (I also don't have any more time right now), but no wonder it killed the TNG movies and (partly) Trek in general.
The one thing I really like about the TNG movies is the Enterprise E, however. A really cool ship and one of my favorites of the entire franchise. I would have loved to see more of her, or see her in better movies.
*More spoilers ahead*
As for the individual movies, "Generations" could have been awesome (Kirk and Picard together in one movie, what could go wrong?), but it's really pretty dumb - but at least it's kind of fun. I really watched that one a lot as a child.
First Contact is easily the best TNG movie, as others have said. However, while I consider it to be a great action movie and an OK sci-fi movie, I don't think it is a good Star Trek movie. Granted, even the TOS movies were mostly quite shallow and more focused on action or humor than complex issues like the show often was, but the TNG movies are particularly bad in this regard. "First Contact" is a lot of fun, has great effects and a cool story, but it strips what was arguably the strangest and most complex enemy of the series of what it made so unique by replacing the collective consciousness of the Borg with a single, individual "leader" in form of the queen. It makes sense in the context of the movie, but it somehow makes the Borg less threatening and interesting.
"Insurrection" is probably the most boring of the TNG movies, but at the same time the one that may have most in common with the series. It feels like a mediocre two-parter in many ways, but that's not enough for a major motion picture. It has also arguably the worst of all Trek Movie villains. You almost feel bad for him when Picard beats him up in the end - almost.
But it's still better - a lot better - than the terrible mess Nemesis was. To this day I consider it the worst of all Trek movies, even more so than the dreaded "Final Frontier". I hated it from the first time I saw it, and if anything, I like it even less today. No need to say anything else about it (I also don't have any more time right now), but no wonder it killed the TNG movies and (partly) Trek in general.
The one thing I really like about the TNG movies is the Enterprise E, however. A really cool ship and one of my favorites of the entire franchise. I would have loved to see more of her, or see her in better movies.
Post edited August 29, 2017 by Pherim