People either enjoy "Star Trek" or they don't.  I for one have enjoyed most of the film series but have a difficult time sitting down and watching the show on television.  The T.V. series is hit and miss to me.  You get one great episode and then sit through ten lame ones before you find another winner.  With the movies they have two years to hammer out an adventure and for the most part you end up with something you want to see.  The last film in the series was a great one.  Dark, action-packed, but still "Star Trek."  "First Contact" actually felt the most like "Star Trek" to me since "The Next Generation" came onto the scene.  More relaxed, witty interplay between the characters.  More fun and adventure.

That new attitude carries over in the latest installment of the film series.  "Insurrection" is fun and exciting.  The characters and performers are having a good time and the movie moves at a brisk pace.
 Jonathan Frakes definitely knows how to direct a "Star Trek" movie. Heck, he's a good director period but we still have to see him do something other than the series that got him recognized as a talent.
What I found missing was the edge of the last movie.  "First Contact" had a mean streak to it.  It was a little darker, a little nastier and the effect worked.  "Star Trek" has always played things a little safe...at least since "The Next Generation" took over.  All goody-goody and touchy-feelly.  "First Contact" let that wholesomeness slide a bit and it was a welcome change.
 
"Insurrection" steps back into the light a bit.  There are no heavy issues to weigh here.  A group of six hundred people belonging to a utopian society are put at risk when there more war-like brethren the
Son'a (lead by a pretty despicable F. Murray Abraham) join forces with the Federation to take over the planet which houses a "Fountain of Youth" type property.  Naturally Picard and his loyal crew think
that's a bad idea and commit treason to protect the innocent.

What ensues is far from bad.  It's a good movie.  The effects are wonderful and the interplay between the leads is fun to watch. Patrick Stewart and company are now, to me at least, just as welcome in the "Star Trek" universe as Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.  It's also nice to see that sense of adventure back that went missing when Gene Roddenbury re-invented the T.V. series back in the mid-eighties. "Star Trek" was always envisioned as a "Wagon Train in space" and not a big moral debate.  "Insurrection" has the spirit of "Star Trek" and works on the level.  It's just too bad it didn't want to keep exploring that always fascinating dark side.  Maybe in part ten!

Oh yah: if you don't like "Star Trek" don't bother with this one.  You won't like this one either.

7.5 out of 10