Star Trek: Generations
★★★ · 3/5 · 1994
Watched on October 29, 2026
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner
Director: David Carson
Cinematography: John A. Alonzo
Writers: Brandon Braga, Ronald D. Moore
Editor: Peter E. Berger
Composer: Dennis McCarthy
"Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. But I'd rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment because they'll never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we lived. After all, Number One, we're only mortal."
I need 2026 to knock it off.
Sir Patrick Stewart just passed away today at the age of 86. He has played and voiced many iconic roles over the years but is mostly known for his portrayal of Charles Xavier in the X-Men movies and Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. I grew up with Xavier and, in recent years, absolutely loved him in Star Trek. He brought a level of professionalism and stoicism to his performances that many actors strive to achieve. He's a talent that only comes around rarely, and he's certainly left his mark on the film industry and fans alike.
This year has taken many great people from us, from Catherine O'Hara to Dolly Parton, but seeing the notification pop up on my phone that Patrick Stewart passed away hit me hard. Around five years ago, I started watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. I tried to watch the original series, couldn't get into it, decided to settle with Next Generation, and immediately fell in love with it. Strangely, Picard was not likeable out of the gate. He was a prickly, rigid, by-the-book captain who ensured the Federation's Prime Directive was followed no matter what. It took a lot to get him to bend the rules or understand moral matters, making him a hard nut to crack. I would talk to my dad and ask, "How can you watch a show with such an unlikeable lead?" and he would tell me, "Keep watching. He'll become one of your favorite characters in the show". And he was right.
I love all of the characters in that show, but Picard really is special. As he begins to open up, you understand him more. You see his complicated family relationships, the reason he lives by his principles, his fascinating passions and interests, his resilience despite the odds, and his unique perspectives on what it means to be a good man. His experiences in the show, the good and the bad, as well as the friends, love interests, and family he encounters along the way, shape the character that fans have come to love. He's certainly one of my favorite characters of all time.
Because of my love for this universe, I'm surprised that I never got around to watching the movies associated with the series. It was a long show, and I guess after I got finished with it, I wanted to move on to something different (even though I'm in the middle of Deep Space Nine right now). With his passing today, I couldn't watch anything else but something with the man himself in it, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally check these out. I may not watch all of them right now, but I certainly plan to complete them.
This first one, Generations, feels like it wants to be a major cinematic event. On the surface, it sounded like the Star Trek version of The Avengers or something, bringing some characters from the original series back to the big screen for one last hoorah. It seems that people didn't receive this one very warmly, and while I enjoyed it, I can understand why many didn't.
The team-up between Kirk and Picard happens in the last 20 minutes of this 2-hour movie. The rest of the film simply feels like one of the extended episodes of the series, which may be disappointing for some, but I mostly enjoyed it. That being said, most watched this to see the two most iconic Star Trek characters help each other out, and I'm with them. They have good chemistry when they're quipping back and forth and figuring things out. Shatner is as charismatic as ever as Kirk, and it was exciting to see him on screen. His character's end is handled pretty poorly, and it's not a very heroic one considering his legacy, but it works as a torch-passing moment for Picard, and at the very least gives his Jim Kirk a conclusion as opposed to guessing what happened to him.
I think the overall premise is actually pretty neat. The concept of this enticing but insanely destructive space-stretching ribbon that sends those who touch it into a pocket dimension where they live out the happiest versions of their lives is really cool. Does it make me wonder where the heck that's been this whole time in the series and why no one has mentioned it since? Yes, but I don't care that much, really. It made for some very touching scenes with Picard given the events prior, and I liked getting some idea of what Kirk's life was like before Starfleet. The bits with Data having emotions are hilarious and are surprisingly very impactful to his character. He's another one of my favorite characters that always steals the scenes he's in. I'll be curious to see if his emotions are carried through the rest of the movies.
There are some incredible special effects, as always. I especially loved the crash scene in the second half of the movie. Star Trek always nails the practical stuff, but the bits of CGI that are sprinkled throughout the film are also well implemented. The costumes look great, and the environments and sets look fantastic. It's just like watching the show with a bigger budget. The score is just as great as ever. There were some great original themes on here as well as the return of the iconic ones that I've come to appreciate.
Probably my biggest gripe with this movie is the villain, Tolian Soran. Malcolm McDowell does a perfectly fine job with his performance, but the character just has no depth or interesting motivations of any kind. The film's prioritization of Kirk in the latter sequences takes away what could have been some development time for Soran, but more Kirk is not a bad thing. The connected themes between Soran and Picard's ponderings of mortality and time could have been so good, but instead were left to be a bit underwhelming. Regardless, I still enjoyed this one.
I should also mention that Walter Koenig, who plays Chekov in the original series, passed away a few days ago. Since I didn't watch that show, I didn't appreciate his cameo as much as I could have, but it was still fun to see his character.
Sir Patrick Stewart will absolutely be missed, but his incredible filmography means that his work and legendary performances can be enjoyed forever. Rest in peace.