I did mention Star Trek: Insurrection during my immense praising of 1996’s Star Trek: First Contact which is my favorite Star Trek movie. Before my epic Star Trek rewatch, I would have told you that Star Trek: Insurrection was a 5/10 movie at best and that it was not one of my favorites in the franchise. This was the first time I watched this in many years and it was actually better and more fun than I remembered it being.
How to Download Star Trek: Insurrection
Star Trek: Insurrection was released on December 11, 1998. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
A huge part of the problem I had with Star Trek: Insurrection when it was released in 1998 was that I loved First Contact so much, my hype for the next Star Trek movie was honestly impossible to live up to. I remember going to watch this opening weekend with some buddies from high school and it just felt like the movie never properly got going.
First Contact vs. Insurrection: Expectations and Reality
While Star Trek: First Contact was an epic sci-fi action movie that even those who were not massive fans of Star Trek could enjoy. With Star Trek: Insurrection, this was very much a movie made for Star Trek fans, and it feels like an extended version or a special episode of the show. Hey, that, to be fair, is not the worst thing in the world, but it feels a bit more scaled back compared to First Contact.
The Plot of Star Trek: Insurrection
Data is incognito and exploring a peaceful planet that is home to a race known as the Ba’ku. The Ba’ku are a peaceful race who are very advanced, but they like to live a more scaled-back style of life. However, due to the rings around their planet, the Ba’ku are pretty much immortal due to the healing properties that their planet offers them. On the surface, this is a very peaceful mission, and there should be no problems.
Trouble Brews on the Ba’ku Planet
Well, Data malfunctions, and when Picard tries to get him back and find out what is happening, he is brushed off and told that he, his crew, and the Enterprise are not needed. With Picard being the smart guy that he is, he realizes that something is up, and before long, a huge conspiracy is revealed.
The Son’a and Their Sinister Plan
Turns out that the Ba’ku have enemies in the Son’a who are not a peaceful race and desire the healing properties that the planet has for themselves which will destroy the planet. The Son’a are awesome, I love their grotesque design, and when we find out what the deal with them is, it is a pretty cool reveal.
Fun Moments and Personal Touches
The stuff with the Enterprise crew being effected by the properties of this planet is a lot of fun. From the two romances that we have to Worf experiencing puberty and Geordie being able to see without his visor. The more personal stuff is a lot of fun and it is something that I never appreciated a great deal until I watched the movie again for the first time in a few years.
Visuals and Direction
There is no denying that director Jonathan Frakes well and truly knows Star Trek, as the movie looks fantastic. We have a great mixture of practical sets, some of which are very impressive and some digital effects which at the time were state of the art. I have to say, I was quite impressed by how well many of the special effects held up.
Final Verdict on Star Trek: Insurrection
I have to say that I think I was a bit harsh on Star Trek: Insurrection for all these years. In no way is this anywhere near the level of Star Trek: First Contact, but I do think this is better than I gave it credit for. It is like a fun double episode of the show, and it certainly has a very “Star Trek: The Next Generation” feel about it.
