Out today from Paramount comes the set I've been waiting years for, as I'm sure others have as well. Buy them all in one complete set, or individually with the original poster art, Paramount ensures you won't be disappointed. With the height of the Star Trek resurgence, it's a great time to be a fan.
“Fan favorite Star Trek characters Picard, Riker, Data, LaForce, Worf, Troi, and Dr. Crusher embark on four iconic action-packed big screen adventures, collected here for the first time on 4k UHD with HDR-10 and Dolby Vision, and remastered bonus Blu-rays. The journey begins with original cast members Kirk, Scott, and Chekov in a story that spans space and time in Star Trek: Generations, continuing with a terrifying face-off against the Borg in Star Trek: First Contact, a dangerous plot against a peaceful planet in Star Trek: Insurrection, and a familiar old foe returning in Star Trek: Nemesis. Engaging trek fans of all ages, this is an essential must-have 8 disc set with extensive legacy special features.”
There isn’t a better time to be a Star Trek fan than now, with its popularity and content larger than ever, with Discovery pushing the boundaries of the spirit of the show, Strange New Worlds capturing the original feeling and wonder that Star Trek was renown for, Prodigy a great introduction to a younger generation, and Picard, a service to fans of the cast featured in these films, something I never thought I’d see during this age of show revivals everywhere you turn. This release comes at a perfect time with Star Trek: Picard Season 3 that features the entire legacy cast in their final journey together; a near perfect season that still has a few episodes to go, that is leaving its fans excitedly guessing at the mysteries to come. Indeed, it truly is a great time to be a Star Trek fan.
Star Trek: Generations will always have a special place in my heart, as it’s the one I remember most about seeing in theaters. Being still young at the time, I saw it during the midnight showing with a packed crowd; the first feature film with a cast I had grown up with and mourned when the series came to an end. Seeing these thematic elements on the big screen was mesmerizing, and quite different than the show, with much darker tones, and even lighting that would go on to set the course for the franchise. When critics of these new Star Trek shows mention how dark everything is now, they neglect to mention it started here, with literal scenes in shadows as Picard is tortured by the death of his brother and nephew. The film also introduces the emotion chip integration into Data, something he and the audience had always longed for, which provides for a lot of comedic moments that are still hilarious today. While Dr. Soran (Malcolm McDowell) doesn’t rank that high for me for villains in the Star Trek universe, he’s still an interesting character with a believable motivation for doing the things he does, and he’s responsible for the death of James T. Kirk, succeeding where all others failed.
There are those that believe that Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn is the best Trek film of all time, but I’ve always been in the camp of Star Trek: First Contact. Although they both have their appeals, and are accessible films to audiences that aren’t fans of the shows, First Contact had the emotional exploration of Picard like no other film or story in the show had come close to doing. With his experience with the Borg six years behind him, the opening sequence tells us just how much he’s still haunted by those events, a rare insight to the stoic Captain of the Enterprise we don’t get to see often. This film solidified The Borg as one of the best villains in the franchise, which continued on to subsequent shows and even to this day, hold an important part in Star Trek: Picard. It also highlighted the talent of Jonathan Frakes not just in front of the camera, but behind it as well, crafting a superb film that reinvigorated the franchise.
Star Trek: Insurrection gets an unjust reputation in my eyes. Following one of the best films of the franchise, it’s a big departure from the action and stakes of the previous film. What I always enjoyed about it was the feeling of it being a glorified episode of the show, and in truth, that’s what it is, but that’s not a bag thing at all. For seven years we got to know the characters and most importantly, the Enterprise-D. With that ship now gone, there was little we got to see of the new one in the previous film that wasn’t covered by Borg technology or being destroyed. Insurrection took the time for us to get to know the ship again, the crew, and their places amongst it. It may not have been as exciting as the previous film, but the exploration of its themes of the relocation of a small group of people to serve the greater good, or more powerful in this instance, is unequivocally Star Trek, and to that end is an important chapter in the movie franchise.
While I think Star Trek: Nemesis is the weakest of the franchise, it does provide a lot of insight to an otherwise secretive race that we didn’t get to see enough of in the television series: the Romulans. Introducing a new race alongside them, the Remans, this exploration of their culture is reminiscent of our own world history when nations have been competing against each other. With an early performance from Tom Hardy as Picard’s clone and essential younger self, it provides a lot of reflection upon the character and how his life would have been different given the circumstances. The film’s decision for the final send off of one particular character still has consequences to this day in the latest season of Picard, and it’s great to re-visit that moment that has shaped the course of the newest incarnation.
Video
The films in this set are presented in 2160p Ultra High-Definition Widescreen featuring HDR 10 and Dolby Vision. This is the best they’ve ever looked, with ultra-high detail, brilliant colors and deep darks that UHD is known for. While a lot of the sequences can be rather dark, especially in First Contact, the colors are remarkably vibrant. There is so much detail in a lot of the makeup that I had never noticed before, and it all looks phenomenal, with film grain kept at a manageable and organic level. If you’re a fan of the series, this should be the best reason to upgrade.
Audio
The audio for each film is presented in Dolby TrueHD 7.1. From a comparison of the older Next Generation Motion Picture Collection on Blu-ray, it appears the audio has been upgraded from 5.1 to include some extra channels. While the extra height channels from an Atmos track are definitely missed, these tracks sound exceptional, with a great balance between the surrounds and center channel, with clean and crisp dialogue. Some of the battle sequences in particular can really demonstrate the output of your system and won’t disappoint.
Special Features
This set features the legacy bonus material from previous releases, hours of supplemental material including interviews, featurettes, text commentary, and much more to list. While nothing new seems to be included, it’s great to see it all included.
The Star Trek: The Next Generation 4-Movie Collection in 4k is as good as it gets for fans of the show. Paramount’s dedication to the franchise in these physical releases makes me hopeful not only for the future of the Star Trek universe, but for potential releases of other Star Trek shows in HD, such as Deep Space Nine and Voyager. If you’re a fan, pick this one up, show them we care about the franchise, and want more Star Trek in our lives! This set is out today!
