In 1996, Star Trek First Contact proved to be a sizeable hit for Paramount Photos, with the action-packed addition to the franchise grossing a robust $92 million domestically and one other $54 million overseas. Certainly, the franchise was set to proceed, however as everybody who is aware of Trek is conscious of, there’s a perceived curse on all of the odd-numbered movies within the sequence, and with this one being quantity 9, would Riot be the film to interrupt the sample as soon as and for all?
Nope.
Star Trek Riot is a curious follow-up to Star Trek: First Contact. Whereas that film was praised for being action-packed, for some motive, a a lot lighter tone was adopted for the follow-up, with the reasoning from Paramount being that they wished one other Star Trek IV: The Voyage House. They actually wished it to make much more cash than First Contact because the finances needed to be elevated considerably because of the crew’s greater wage calls for, which is why Star Trek: Riot has a 70 million greenback finances in comparison with First Contact‘s 45 million, however considerably much less in the best way of motion.
Certainly, that is the one Star Trek movie that feels most like an episode of TNG, and a mediocre one at that. The movie was written by Michael Pillier, a veteran of the sequence, and it revolves across the Ba’Ku, who’re just like the Twenty fourth-century model of the Amish. Regardless of being technologically superior, they’ve eschewed tech to embrace small, communal residing. But, they’re being terrorized by an invading power known as the Son’a, who’re in league with factions of Starfleet who wish to relocate the Ba’ku to use the truth that the planet has rejuvenating qualities that make its inhabitants successfully immortal. For the Enterprise crew, that signifies that boobs and butts are firmed up, Worf goes by way of Klingon puberty – once more – Troi and Riker get sexy, Picard begins carrying a brilliant tight tee, and Geordi will get his imaginative and prescient again.
Whereas it has a nasty status, the film does have some fascinating qualities. On the one hand, we see Picard go up towards Starfleet as he feels his commanders are violating the Prime Directive in trying to relocate the Ba’Ku. Like a number of Trek, the Metaphorical themes on this one are heavy. It additionally digs closely into the relationships between the Enterprise crew members, significantly the connection between Jonathan Frakes’ River and Marina Sirtis’ Deanna Troi. Their on-again/ off-again romance was essential on the TV present, however it was deserted in later seasons. Within the film, when Riker and Deanna get their libidos boosted by the Ba’Ku’s homeworld, they find yourself rekindling their relationship and the chemistry between the 2 actors, who’re such good pals that they did the Blu-ray commentary collectively, is without doubt one of the causes Riot is value watching. Riker even shaves off his beard and moustache for the primary time since season 2.
Notably, Brent Spiner hoped to have Information killed off on this instalment, a la Spock, however Patrick Stewart was completely against them knocking off his foil. In early variations of the script, Information met his maker, however when he acquired the ultimate script, by which Information lived, it got here with a notice from Stewart saying, “Higher luck subsequent time.” Spiner would finally get his want – in a style – with the divisive Star Trek: Nemesis.
For Patrick Stewart, who was all the time involved about how Riot’s scale paled in comparison with First Contact, the Picard position can be considerably underdeveloped. It wasn’t presupposed to be that manner, as he was presupposed to have an precise love curiosity in Donna Murphy’s Anji, however their romantic scenes had been reduce out of the film, a lot to Picard’s displeasure. He additionally wished the ultimate battle to be performed on a grander scale, and his last confrontation with the film’s villain, F. Murray Abraham’s Ru’afo, is simply too paying homage to the low-key battle with Malcolm McDowell’s Soran in Generations. Nevertheless, Patrick Stewart, much like First Contact, will get to indicate off his ripped biceps once more.
Ultimately, Star Trek: Riot was a combined bag so far as Trek films went on the field workplace. It solely grossed $70 million domestically, far lower than First Contact. The tip outcome was $5 million lower than Generations, and that film solely value half as a lot. With its worldwide grosses included, the film made about $117 million, which implies it probably misplaced cash theatrically, the primary time for a Trek film since Star Trek V. Nevertheless, it probably broke even on dwelling video and cable. It wasn’t sufficient to kill the franchise – it could take one other fairly awful film for that to occur, however it paled subsequent to First Contact. Certainly, the studio appears to be shedding religion in it sooner or later, with take a look at screenings for the movie leading to a number of cuts, and the film bought a belated premiere at CineVegas. Against this, the final movie acquired a Royal Premiere in England. It didn’t assist that when Riot got here out, it was the heyday of web sites like Ain’t It Cool Information, and the phrase was out on the film playing around and low-key lengthy earlier than it ever hit theaters.
Trying again at it now, Riot suffers as a result of the story is an absolute dud. How do you go from preventing the Borg to an alien race, The Son’a, who had by no means been within the Trek universe earlier than and turned out to be human victims of unhealthy cosmetic surgery? Sequels must be greater, not smaller, and the commentary monitor by Frakes is invaluable as he goes into a number of the causes the film wound up being so low-key and the way the writing was on the wall for the film lengthy earlier than it hit theaters, leaving him to do his greatest. He can be disastrously changed for the subsequent movie by Stuart Baird, a director many say had no really feel for the franchise, and its unfair that he’s taken a number of the blame for the film’s failings, which embody subpar CGI results. It’s because ILM was not accountable as they had been on First Contact, probably as a result of the film got here out simply six months earlier than The Phantom Menace. This was the primary Star Trek film the place all the consequences had been CGI, and on the time, they appeared respectable, however now appear archaic, which Frakes himself famous within the commentary with some consternation.
Even nonetheless, the film advantages from F. Murray Abraham chewing some surroundings because the unhealthy man, one other positive Jerry Goldsmith rating, and a few wonderful character beats for the solid. One particularly good second has Geordi, whose sight has been restored by the Ba’ku homeworld, opting to throw his lot in together with his comrades, despite the fact that he is aware of it’ll value him his sight, with him telling Picard, in a stunning second, “How might I take a look at one other sundown figuring out what it value them.” I additionally just like the Troi/Riker romance, and Brent Spiner, regardless of wanting Information to die, delivers a relaxed efficiency, together with his chemistry with Patrick Stewart ramped up on this one.
Whereas Star Trek Riot is without doubt one of the worst Trek movies, it’s not really THE worst. Sadly, that was nonetheless to come back in a single last large display screen voyage for the crew of the Enterprise that might make this film appear to be The Wrath of Khan by comparability. However, that’s a narrative for an additional time.