Star Trek: First Contact | Rotten Tomatoes

Star Trek: First Contact

PG-13

Released Nov 22, 1996

1 hr. 50 min.

Sci-Fi

TRAILER

for Star Trek: First Contact: Trailer 1

List

93%

68 Reviews

Tomatometer

89%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The Enterprise and its crew follow a Borg ship through a time warp to prevent the Borg from taking over the Earth in a past era. Stuck in the past, Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) helps a pioneer of space travel (James Cromwell) in his efforts to create the first warp drive while Capt. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Cmdr. Data (Brent Spiner) battle the Borg Queen (Alice Krige) as she tries to take over the Enterprise.

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Critics Consensus

While fans of the series will surely appreciate it, First Contact is exciting, engaging, and visually appealing enough to entertain Star Trek novices.

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chris h

As far as the star trek universe is concerned.This is the creme at the top.Cast is at its best and most comfortable looking.The iconic Borg and old earth.Script is the best out of all the star treks.Dont get me wrong,jj Abrams did a great job on reboot.But this is the best of the best.Must see for anyone breaking into sci-fi movies or series.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/28/24

Full Review

Mike P

The Enterprise enters into a full-on war with the Borg...With unexpected results in this chapter...(There's time travel and holograms in this one!..Data becomes human in this one!!..In addition to the whole crew almost getting killed off...And then BOTH Picard and Data get girlfriends in this chapter!! It should also be pointed out that this is the only Next Generation movie that is considered good; all the rest of them bombed both with the public and the critics...) The scripting here is very good...Very focused, intense and involving...I always loved the Borg; they are an excellent villain and centerpiece for the story...Jonathon Frakes' direction is a little too up close and personal, though...This comes off like an episode of the 90s-crazy-camera-work on NYPD Blue or something; or a return to Oliver Stone's affected direction in Natural Born Killers...Overall, job still well done anyway...The story is good enough to carry the day here on it's own... And the acting is excellent as well... Marina Sirkis' real bawdy and outspoken personality finally bubbles to the surface in this chapter!..(As anyone who's watched her in any Star Trek panel discussions at Comicon can attest!)... It's also a trip to see a young RED HAIRED Neil McDonough as crew member Lt. Hawk!! (He's Dave on Desperate Housewives, and Buck on Band of Brothers)... James Cromwell, Alfre Woodard and Alice Krige all do excellent cameos here as well... Verdict: 👍 Recommended. A worthy chapter to the venerated, epic sci-fi series.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/21/24

Full Review

Alec B

Its really the only TNG movie that pretty much fully achieves what it sets out to do. While I agree that the Borg Queen is kind of a bad idea in the long run for the franchise, here she works because Krige is absolutely perfect.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/07/24

Full Review

Alysha S

The acting is incredible and the story is remarkable, with a welcome distinctiveness between the A and B plots. Visually, the film is impressive as well. Also, that continued music at the end of these Trek films ...

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/24

Full Review

Blu B

A Sci-Fi Classic and a complete return to form for the franchise. It's amazing how even numbered ones up to this point are all really good. This fixes allthe problems of the previous one and first of the new generation. This sets the plot up in under ten minutes, is much more focused, acually gives Data a real character arc and devlopment rather than making him into the Jar Jar of the series, and more than anything has moved out from the shadow of the original series. The new generation is truly allowed to fly on their own here and the results are excellent. Everything is really well executed across the board. It truly is pure Sci-Fi. The special effects are really good and big step up overall from the last one. My only real complaint here that holds this back is the two plot lines of fighting the Borgs and establishing first contact never really feel like they are tied together but are really well done and interesting. The Borg storyline feels like it has a stronger emotional connection and carries more weight, while the First Contact one feels more lighthearted. It would've been nice if they could've linked the two better together, otherwise this is a classic of the franchise easily. Anyone who is a fan of the franchise, any actors in this, Sci-Fi, or the director will like this a lot.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/24

Full Review

Tamara K

My favorite Star Trek film. It's smart, funny and scary. What more could you ask for?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/19/24

Full Review

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Jonathan Frakes

Director

Patrick Stewart

Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes

Commander William Thomas Riker

Brent Spiner

Lieutenant Commander Data

LeVar Burton

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

Michael Dorn

Lieutenant Commander Worf

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Star Trek: First Contact: Official Clip - Making First Contact

1:50

Star Trek: First Contact: Official Clip - Resistance is Futile

1:50

Star Trek: First Contact: Official Clip - The Borg Queen

1:58

Star Trek: First Contact: Official Clip - Picard's Revenge

1:53

Star Trek: First Contact: Official Clip - Assimilate This!

1:52

Star Trek: First Contact: Official Clip - Live Long And Prosper

2:10

Star Trek: First Contact: Official Clip - Blast Off!

2:05

Star Trek: First Contact: Official Clip - It's the Enterprise

1:41

Star Trek: First Contact: Official Clip - They've Adapted

1:57

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Star Trek: First Contact: Trailer 1

2:19

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Jake Cole

Slant Magazine

Here, the TNG cast gets to show off their longstanding chemistry and further develop their characters.

Apr 5, 2023

Full Review

Leonard Pitts Jr.

Miami Herald

This is why we go to Star Trek: for a tomorrow of promise and possibility and stories that lift us from the muck of what we are to the summit of what we might learn to be.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 17, 2021

Full Review

Jay Carr

Boston Globe

It's easily one of the best in the series -- the best, in fact, since Leonard Nimoy and the old Enterprise crew saved the whales in "Star Trek IV."

Apr 26, 2018

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Star Trek: First Contact is not merely a great Star Trek film. This is a great film, period.

Rated: 4/4

Sep 4, 2023

Full Review

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

remains one of the high points in the overall Trek film franchise, an engaging and suspenseful melding of science fiction, horror, and the kind of high drama that comes close to earning all the Moby Dick references

Rated: 3/4

Jun 19, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Far and away the finest of the TNG crop.

Rated: 3.5/4

Apr 8, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

The Enterprise and its crew follow a Borg ship through a time warp to prevent the Borg from taking over the Earth in a past era. Stuck in the past, Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) helps a pioneer of space travel (James Cromwell) in his efforts to create the first warp drive while Capt. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Cmdr. Data (Brent Spiner) battle the Borg Queen (Alice Krige) as she tries to take over the Enterprise.

Director: Jonathan Frakes
Executive Producer: Marty Hornstein
Screenwriter: Gene Roddenberry, Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore, Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Some Sci-Fi Adventure Violence)
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 22, 1996, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $92.0M
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, Dolby A, DTS, Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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