Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
I've heard that NEMESIS was a difficult shoot, and that Stuart Baird wasn't necessarily beloved by the cast and crew, but maybe out of adversity something really good can result. Certainly seems like YOSSARIAN liked what he saw. I'll let him tell you about it. I'll warn you... this guy doesn't hesitate before plunging into MONSTER spoilers, and even though I've inviso-texted them, they're pretty blatant. Proceed at your own risk.
Hello Moriarty,
Call me Yossarian. I haven't seen anything on Nemesis on AICN in a while. I've been on the Paramount lot several times over the last couple months and have watched with keen interest as they film the latest and i'm sorry to report last movie with the TNG crew.
Besides wondering through the sets, which I have to add are the best I've seen for any trek movie so far, I also managed to get a hold of a new version of the script by Gladiator scribe John Logan.
MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!!
As everyone has probably heard the bad guys this time out are the Romulans, and all I can say is it's about damn time. As the film opens, Riker and Troi are getting married in Alaska, with the entire crew there to celebrate. it's a wonderful way to begin saying goodbye to these old friends, and there are some truly funny and touching moments here.
After some serious libations, the hung over crew boards Enterprise and heads for Betazed for the second half of the wedding, a nude reception no one is looking forward to.
On the way, they pick up a strange sensor reading from a nearby star system. It appears to be a positronic signature like Data's.
Picard, Worf and Data head down to the planet in a large shuttle to investigate. On the surface they set out in a dune buggy? (it looks a lot cooler than it sounds). they find pieces of a Data like android, (no, it's not Lore), scattered over a small area. After a brief chase sequence involving some not so friendly natives, Picard and company get back to Enterprise. Data and Geordi reassemble the android, named B-9, only to find out it's more like Forest Gump than Data.
Before we find out anything else, Enterprise is ordered to Romulus. There has been a coup by the military, and the new leader, Shinzon, wants to open peace negotiations with the Federation. Nothing suspicious so far, huh?
On Romulus, we find out that the Remans, a warrior slave race from the planet Remus, have taken over the empire. These guys are exceptionally creepy.
HIGHLIGHT TO READ SPOILERS!! Now for the real shocker, Picard meets the enigmatic Shinzon, only to find out he's a young human. And not just any human, he's Picard's clone!
The rest of the movie is basically a long action scene that focuses mainly on Picard and Data. The sequence where they steal a small Romulan fighter and tear ass around the inside of Shinzon's ship looks particularly cool.
HIGHLIGHT TO READ SPOILERS!! And it is my sad duty to report that the rumors are true, Data does die at the end.
My impressions? This has the potential to be the best TNG movie, and one of the best Trek films ever. Picard is finally given a nemesis worthy of himself, himself? I know the clone thing will rub a lot of people the wrong way, but Logan handles it well. You have a lot of sympathy for Shinzon, even hoping at the end that he might be turned to the light side, (sorry i'm mixing my franchises). The script is full of humor and action, and should be entertaining to Trekkers and normal moviegoers a like.
I also got to meet Marina Sirtis on the lot, and let me tell you, she is still hot!
This is Yossarian, signing off.
Thanks, man. Anything else you can send along for TREK fans to geek out on would be greatly appreciated.
"Moriarty" out.
