Star Trek: Nemesis doesn’t deserve all the hate and here are 5 reasons why

Star Trek: Nemesis was the last of The Next Generation movies, but it unfortunately did not live up to the hype. The movie sure has its flaws, but it also gave the audience many noteworthy moments. While Star Trek: First Contact received much acclaim, other TNG movies could not match the same level of success.

Star Trek: Nemesis follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) and the Enterprise crew as they head to Romulus to negotiate a peace treaty. He encounters Shinzon (played by Tom Hardy), a clone of Picard who is planning to take down the Romulan Empire and the Federation.

While the fans and critics panned the movie, Star Trek: Nemesis is still an entertaining watch for many reasons. Let’s look at 5 reasons why the movie deserves some love.

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5 reasons why Star Trek: Nemesis doesn’t deserve all the hate

5) Cameo by Admiral Kathryn Janeway

The first female Captain to lead a show in the Star Trek universe, Kathryn Janeway (played by Kate Mulgrew), made a surprising cameo in the movie. After the events of Star Trek: Voyager, Janeway is promoted to Admiral, as she continues to exercise her steady authority in Starfleet.

She would command Captain Jean-Luc Picard to travel to Romulus and meet Shinzon (played by Tom Hardy), who had taken over the Romulan Senate after a successful coup d’etat. Though this is the first time the two officers interact in Star Trek, the chemistry between Janeway and Picard is intriguing to watch.

4) William Riker and Deanna Troi’s wedding

It is not often that Star Trek invites us to the wedding of senior crew members. So, it was a delight to watch the reception of Commander William Riker (played by Jonathan Frakes) and Counselor Deanna Troi (played by Marina Sirtis). We also get to see Wesley Crusher (played by Wil Wheaton) and Guinan (played by Whoopi Goldberg) in attendance.

One of the key moments during the ceremony was when Picard shared a lighthearted yet beautiful speech about the couple. Picard’s interaction with people outside the Enterprise is always entertaining. Even at the end of the movie, Picard shared a heartfelt moment with Riker, who was going to become Captain of the USS Titan.

3) An epic space battle

The larger-than-life space encounters are what make Star Trek brilliant and exciting, whether it is confronting V’Ger in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, going into the Nexus in Star Trek Generations, or facing off with the Borg in Star Trek: First Contact.

With some exceptional special effects in place, Captain Picard’s Enterprise-E took on Shinzon’s mighty Romulan vessel, Scimitar. It is to be noted that the Scimitar was no ordinary ship and was greater than the Enterprise itself. Yet, it was Picard’s courageous stance to stop the enemy that made him take the spaceship head-on. The scene where Enterprise-E willingly crashes onto Scimitar is a visual treat.

2) Brent Spiner’s Performance

Brent Spiner portrays the role of Data, one of the more beloved characters on Star Trek: The Next Generation. From singing ‘Blue Skies’ by Irving Berlin at Riker and Troi’s wedding reception to taking on the role of B-4, a prototype android created by Dr. Noonian Soong, Spiner gives one of his career best performances in Star Trek: Nemesis.

B-4 is a more robotic version of Data, who would end up deactivating him after learning that he was being controlled by Shinzon. Data’s death is both shocking and heartbreaking. The last scene between Picard and B-4 where the robot walks away humming to ‘Blue Skies’ is one of the more heart-warming moments.

1) Tom Hardy as the antagonist Shinzon

Tom Hardy is one of the biggest names in Hollywood today, but when he appeared in Star Trek: Nemesis, he was still finding his footing. Shinzon was the quintessential Star Trek villain, thirsty for power and driven by revenge against the Romulan Empire and the Federation. Shinzon was a clone of Picard, created by the Romulan Empire. But after the project was abandoned, he became a slave in Remus.

Shinzon led a revolution against the Romulan Empire, which oppressed the Reman people. During a scene with Picard in Romulus, Shinzon shared his genetic connection with the captain. Hardy is manipulative and menacing as Shinzon, making him one of the more memorable villains in the franchise.

ALSO READ: I am convinced that Q’s cameo in Star Trek: Picard Season 3 ensured that we haven’t seen the last of him in the franchise

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