An exciting plot was required to pass the big-screen torch from the original Star Trek crew to the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and 1994's Star Trek: Generations--scripted by STTNG writers Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore--provides it, uniting Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) and Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in a time-jumping race to stop a madman's quest for heavenly contentment. When a mysterious energy coil called the Nexus nearly destroys the newly christened U.S.S. Enterprise-B, the just-retired Capt. Kirk is lost and presumed dead. But he's actually been happily trapped in the timeless purgatory of the Nexus--an idyllic state of being described by the mystical Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) as "pure joy." Picard must convince Kirk to leave this artificial comfort zone and confront Dr. Soran (Malcolm McDowell), the obsessive madman who will threaten billions of lives to be reunited with the addictive pleasure of the Nexus. With subplots involving the android Data's unpredictable "emotion chip" and the spectacular crash-landing of the starship Enterprise, this crossover movie not only satisfied Trek fans, but also gave them something they'd never had to confront before: the heroic and truly final death of a beloved Star Trek character. The 2004 release of this sensibly-priced special edition DVD is packed with extras that Trekkies (or Trekkers, if you prefer) will relish, especially the onscreen text commentary by Trek experts Michael and Denise Okuda; a well-deserved tribute to the late Matt Jefferies, the engineer and art director whose designs for the Enterprise and other sets influenced Star Trek from the very beginning; detailed featurettes on the film's special effects, and the challenge of "uniting two legends" (Kirk and Picard); scene deconstructions and deleted scenes; a full-length commentary by Braga and Moore; and a gallery of archival materials. Recommended. (J. Shannon)
Star Trek: Generations--Special Collector's Edition
Paramount, 2 discs, 117 min., PG, DVD: $19.99 November 15, 2004
Star Trek: Generations--Special Collector's Edition
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