INTRODUCTION

Interviews with Stuart Biard would suggest that Nemesis was directed by a non-fan for non-fans. This is great if you're a non-fan. But if you have even average familiarity with Star Trek in general, and TNG in particular, Nemesis is suddenly plagued with too much hand holding and it too often violates established norms for characters and situations.

My critique of Nemesis is that it often feels likes a bold experimental work--where too many of the experiments failed. This edited version of the movie, Antithesis, is an attempt to peel away the non-Trek layers, and in the process reshape the overall experience of the movie. You can judge for yourself whether or not the edit is successful by considering whether or not the movie feels like a fourth and last TNG feature film. It's really that simple. For me, Nemesis has always felt out of place and orphaned as a movie installment; but I always wondered if it could be contorted to feel more like First Contact.


MAJOR CHANGES

I. Cold Open
A condensed version of the wedding scene is presented as a cold open (a brief scene that appears before the opening credits). This helps explain all the marriage references throughout the movie while placing the movie in a somewhat later time frame (after the events of the wedding).

II. Opening Title Sequence
This fanedit uses a new title sequence and opening credits. The original Nemesis film relies on a title sequence without opening credits. Don't get me wrong; I like the original Nemesis title sequence, but not enough to break precedent. The new titles copy several elements from the original (such as typography, the mirror R, and the reveal), but the overall sequence should feel very different, as it runs considerably longer and is set to alternate music from the movie.

III. Message from Starfleet
I don’t care what anyone says: Patrick Stewart mispronounces Kathryn’s name in this scene (he says “Admiral Jayway”) and it drives me nuts—mostly because Patrick is an accomplished stage performer. My solution was to re-work the scene so that Janeway is the one to open dialogue and establish an informal, friendly tone. Look carefully and you’ll see a brand new shot of Janeway smiling and eager to talk with Jean Luc as she first appears on the monitor. In the original Nemesis, the monitor reveal shows her looking bored and bitchy. This scene also cuts dialogue so that the communication comes across as important and friendly, but not so verbose and predictable. Get the lay of the land? Geeze.

IV. New Picard-Shinzon Dynamic
The single most important change in Antithesis is that Captain Picard and his polar opposite nemesis, Shinzon, never meet face-to-face until the movie's climax. You will recall a similar dynamic is used in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, where protagonist and antagonist are never physically together.

This particular plot change is itself dependent on a series of cuts and careful reorganization (see below). Additionally—and because it represents such a large change to the narrative—it alters the interpretation and experience of other, seemingly-unrelated events in the film. A perfect example is when Shinzon delivers his dying words:

    "I'm glad we're together now. Our destiny's complete."

These original lines work so much better for me because, for the first time in their lives (and the movie), the two characters really are together. Another example occurs when Picard says:

    “He wants to look me in the eye.”

This moment has new meaning because it occurs after the virtual encounter in Picard’s ready room, but still well before the two characters are brought together. In the original Nemesis, Picard and Shinzon have already “looked each other in the eye” on three separate occasions.

    4a. Picard's Chat with Crusher
    The former "photograph" scene was heavily edited for plot consistency. It still follows the discovery of the Thalaron radiation, but since none of the crew has yet to meet or even see Shinzon, my scene centers around Picard's mounting skepticism. Listen closely to the opening line and you'll hear Picard say:

        "I really want to believe in Shinzon."

    The original dialogue is "wanted to," which doesn't make sense with the new plot device. Thus, this scene required some dialogue reconstruction.

    4b. Picard's Blood
    The abduction scene is considerably shorter (since it eliminates Shinzon's direct participation) and was re-worked through cutting, reframing and rotoscoping to provide the necessary blood link. The new scene shows that Data, as part of his keen observation and cunning, is responsible for securing the samples of blood that Dr. Crusher later uses to determine Shinzon's genetic and physiological situations.

    4c. Virtual Encounter
    Shinzon's holographic meeting with Picard was edited to improve the dialogue exchange and to salvage the very important "Reman mines" flashback sequence. That sequence provides critical story and character development, so I was obligated to find a new home for it. The sequence now appears much later in the story, but it seems to work very well in this new context.

V. Deleted Rape Scene
Do we really need to see Wil and Deanna humping? This is an example where a deleted scene exposes awful decision making in post-production. The alternate scene that director Stuart Baird shot, in which Deanna is "violated" in the turbo lift, is so much more appropriate for a Star Trek movie. Star Trek does not need gratuitous sexuality woven into its stories for support. It never has--even in the 60's. Wil and Deanna are married. We get it. Move on.

Long story short: I reworked the deleted footage to produce an entirely new rape scene. I hope you like it, because I can hardly sit through the original.

VI. End Tributes
Star Trek Antithesis makes another large divergence during its final 12 minutes. As the movie winds down, voice-overs and flashbacks are used to manipulate feelings of compassion and nostalgia. The scrolling end credits include an upbeat tribute to TNG and Data—so don’t leave your home theater too early.

VII. A Fitting End
B4 is not heard singing to close the movie. He does something that I feel is far more poignant and fitting given the context and closure needed for a "TNG" legacy. I trust that more advanced TNG fans will immediately understand the significance and appropriateness of the new moment.


MISCELLANEOUS EDITS

This is a partial list. If you're attentive and familiar with the original Nemesis, you will no doubt spot dozens more.

    * The introductory bridge scene cuts Deanna's giggly reaction to Picard's playful poke at Worf.
    * Picard does not use the Argo to rationalize his away mission on Kolarus III. Picard is free to enjoy himself during the mission, but he's too professional and proper to premise an important decision on something so juvenile.
    * On Kolarus III, Worf still discovers one of B4's arms, but without the frightened-girl response. Honestly, how did that shot ever make the final cut?
    * There is substantial reduction in the screen time and story emphasis spent on Shinzon's illnesss. There is also zero mention of Shalaft's syndrome because it is completely pointless to the story. Forget the rumors, folks. Captain Picard does not have any major genetic disorders. The only disorder relevent to the story is Shinzon's accelerated genetic degeneration.
    * Counselor Troi now advises, "They're out there, sir" without being prompted by the Captain. She's an empath; she knows when people are bothered or concerned.
    * The Scimitar escape sequence is attenuated 3 dB. The original audio is just too loud and annoying to my ears, as if some intern went overboard with the compression. The attack footage on Kolarus III suffers the same problem, but those shots are not presented in Antithesis.
    * The "Romulan ale" exchanges between Picard and Donatra are gone, because Dina Meyer is absurdly out of character in those shots. I don't blame her; I blame the direction. I cannot think of a single TNG episode or movie that shows a Romulan engaging so lightheartedly with a human. It's not good Trek. The opportunity for camaraderie was fitting for a final movie, but the execution was awful.

 


Length : 89 mins
Media format :Xvid
856x364 23.976fps
Language: English
 
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