All four big-screen adventures featuring fan-favorite Star Trek characters Picard, Riker, Data, LaForge, Worf, Troi, and Dr. Crusher arrive for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision.
The journey begins with original cast members Kirk, Scott, and Chekov in a story that spans space and time in STAR TREK: GENERATIONS, continuing with a terrifying face off against the Borg in STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT, a dangerous plot against a peaceful planet in STAR TREK: INSURRECTION, and a familiar old foe returning in STAR TREK: NEMESIS.
For thoughts on the Star Trek: The Next Generation 4-Movie Collection, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
All four films in the Star Trek: The Next Generation 4-Movie Collection have been newly remastered from the original elements and serve as a tremendous step up from their previous inconsistent Blu-Ray releases. This set complements the Star Trek: The Original 6-Movie Collection 4K UHD release that was released last year with the original Star Trek crew. As with that set, these new releases arrive with a miraculous 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer that allows every single film to look the best they ever have by a large margin. In an effort to not duplicate descriptions, I will largely attempt to group the films together while pointing out noticeable differences.
These films offer a consistent level of quality when it comes to the transfers. We are still in a time when these features were being captured on film, and the desired filmic quality of the source is perfectly preserved for all the movies in the set as natural grain yields an eye-popping amount of detail. Distinct textures come through in elements such as the production design, costumes and the various environments with no unsightly DNR to smooth over the detail. The old Blu-rays are an eyesore in comparison. Insurrection proves to be the strongest title out of the four. Some of the special effects shots remain a bit iffy among these features, but there is only so much you can do to fix these moments as it is not an issue with the transfer. Any dated elements are typically short-lived, and there are very few issues with the encode itself.
The Dolby Vision digs deep when it comes to color accuracy as it radiates off the screen with an appealing intensity. Every film delivers its own visual spectacle with distinct interiors and sterling colors in the landscapes, costumes and production design. The nuances within the hues that this disc is able to tap into are spectacular, even if most of them do not go for pure Technicolor spectacle. Black levels are rock solid when it comes to depth, never showcasing unwanted crush. Highlights maintain a notable stability without coming close to blooming at any point. Compression artifacts, banding or other digital anomalies are not an issue with this release. Paramount has completely knocked it out of the park for fans of the franchise.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray set offers an upgrade in the form of Dolby TrueHD 7.1 presentations for the four films. While some may gripe about the lack of a Dolby Atmos presentation, these tracks are formidable on all fronts. All of the sounds are balanced capably during the more kinetic sequences so each element is distinct and impactful. The spotlight set pieces and other smaller moments provide a great amount of activity in the low end. Each track never falters when it comes to nuance and precise directionality in the sound design. These tracks offer a complex immersion into the environments so that discrete elements are not drowned out. Dialogue is reproduced with great clarity as exchanges come through without being muddled. The scores from Jerry Goldsmith and Dennis McCarthy permeate the room in a way that elevates each narrative. Even without a full Atmos experience, these tracks are stellar.
Special Features
Star Trek: Generations
- Audio Commentary #1: Director David Carson and Manny Coto provide a commentary track in which they discuss the process of bridging the old crew with this new generation, the themes of the story, memories from the set, the cast interactions and more. Coto acts as an audience surrogate as he gets Carson to reveal a lot of great details.
- Audio Commentary #2: Writers Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore offer an intriguing perspective as the writers with discussions of how they came to be on the project, the mandates from the studio that had to be included in the script, the difficulties and rewards of blending the two eras of cast members, elements that were not able to include and much more that gives this an overall joyful tone.
- Text Commentary: Michael and Denise Okuda provide a text commentary track which offers consistent background detail about the film and what is happening on screen at any given moment. Fans of pop-up videos will appreciate the depth of information provided here, although it is more consistent.
- Library Computer: An interactive experience that allows you to access more information about people, technology, locations and more within the film.
- Production
- Uniting Two Legends: A 26-minute look at this next step in the franchise’s history, the blending of the original cast with the next generation, the differences between shooting television and feature films, the shooting locations, the thematic resonance of the plot and more.
- Stellar Cartography – Creating The Illusion: A nearly ten-minute exploration of one of the mesmerizing new sets and how it fits into the narrative.
- Strange New Worlds – The Valley Of Fire: A 23-minute tour through one of the gorgeous shooting locations that is central to the film.
- Scoring Trek: A nine-minute look at the work of composer Dennis McCarthy.
- Visual Effects: Two featurettes that explore some of the visual effects demands of the film including some big changes to the Enterprise.
- Inside ILM: Models & Miniatures (9:39)
- Crashing The Enterprise (10:44)
- Scene Deconstruction: Three scenes are given a critical analysis and background on how they were brought to life.
- Main Title Sequence (3:32)
- The Nexus Ribbon (7:08)
- Saucer Crash Sequence (4:50)
- The Star Trek Universe
- A Tribute To Matt Jefferies: A 20-minute celebration of longtime prop and ship designer.
- The Enterprise Lineage: A 13-minute special which takes a look at some of the famous vessels which have shared the name Enterprise from a historical perspective.
- Captain Picard’s Family Album: A seven-minute piece in which Art Coordinator Penny Juday discusses one of the prized props from the series.
- Creating 24th Century Weapons: A 14-minute featurette which takes a look at the creation of some of the bladed weapons from the series.
- Next Generation Designer Flashback – Andrew Probert: A five-minute appreciation piece which takes a look at the work of the famed illustrator.
- Stellar Cartography On Earth: A nearly eight-minute reflection on the advanced astronomical technology and how it compares to real-life capabilities.
- Brent Spiner – Data and Beyond Part 1: A nearly 11-minute piece in which Spiner reflects on his life and time with the series.
- Trek Roundtable – Generations: A nearly 13-minute discussion featuring a panel consisting of writer Larry Nemecek, Trekmovie.com’s Anthony Pascale, The Planetary Society’s Charlene Anderson, and Jeff Bond, editor of Geek Monthly, discussing this installment.
- Starfleet Academy Scisec Brief 007 – Trilithium: A three-minute piece in which a Next Generation officer recounts the events of the film.
- Deleted Scenes: Four unused scenes totaling 33 minutes are provided here with interviews from the cast and creative team.
- Archives
- Storyboards: A collection of early visualizations are included here.
- Photo Gallery: A look at behind-the-scenes moments and still from the film.
- Trailers: This disc provides the Teaser Trailer (1:30) and the Theatrical Trailer (2:22).
Star Trek: First Contact
- Audio Commentary #1: Actor/Director Jonathan Frakes provides one of the weaker commentary tracks of the set by mostly just commenting and making jokes about things that are happening on screen. There are some decent production details, but it is not as substantial as some.
- Audio Commentary #2: Writers Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore offer another great commentary track in which they discuss attempting to make the film accessible to a wider audience, ideas that were not able to be explored, delving into the background of the Borg and much more that is entertaining.
- Audio Commentary #3: Damon Lindelof and Anthony Pascale provide a lively commentary track from a fan perspective in which they relay their personal connections to the franchise, the legacy of the film, their questions about the film, the special effects, the dark tone and much more.
- Text Commentary: Michael and Denise Okuda provide a text commentary track which offers consistent background detail about the film and what is happening on screen at any given moment. Fans of pop-up videos will appreciate the depth of information provided here, although it is more consistent.
- Library Computer: An interactive experience that allows you to access more information about people, technology, locations and more within the film.
- Production
- Making First Contact: A 20-minute featurette which takes a look at the direction of Jonathan Frakes alongside his performance, the performances from the ensemble, the atmosphere on set and much more.
- The Art of First Contact: A 17-minute look at various pieces of artwork created for the production as presented by Illustrator John Eaves.
- The Story: A nearly 16-minute piece which explores this film’s place as the first completely Next Generation movie, the themes explored in this entry and more.
- The Missle Silo: A 14-minute examination of one of the key locations featured in the film.
- The Deflector Dish: A nearly 11-minute look at one of the more intense and effects-heavy action sequences.
- From “A” To “E”: A seven-minute featurette on the set design of the feature.
- Scene Deconstruction: Three scenes are given a critical analysis and background on how they were brought to life.
- Borg Queen Assembly (11:10)
- Escape Pod Launch (4:58)
- Borg Queen’s Demise (3:12)
- The Star Trek Universe
- Jerry Goldsmith – A Tribute: A 20-minute celebration of longtime composer.
- The Legacy of Zefram Cochrane: A 12-minute look at the character’s iterations throughout Star Trek history.
- First Contact – The Possibilities: A 20-minute piece which looks at the likelihood of meeting intelligent lifeforms out in the universe.
- Industrial Light & Magic – The Next Generation: A 12-minute featurette which puts a spotlight on the shift to digital effects in this phase of the series and the possibilities it opened up.
- Greetings From The International Space Station: A nine-minute look at real-life space living and how it compares to what we see in the film.
- SpaceShipOne’s Historic Flight: A five-minute look at a man’s journey into space.
- Brent Spiner – Data and Beyond Part 2: An eight-minute continuation of Spiner’s reflections on his time with the series.
- Trek Roundtable – First Contact: An 13-minute discussion featuring the panel from the previous films discussing this installment.
- Starfleet Academy Scisec Brief 008 – Temporal Vortex: A three-minute piece in which a Next Generation officer recounts the events of the film.
- The Borg Collective
- Unimatrix One: A 14-minute look back at how the Borg have been integrated into the series and how they fit into this feature.
- The Queen: A nine-minute look at this pivotal character in the narrative.
- Design Matrix: An 18-minute exploration of how the Borg have evolved with the narrative and access to a bigger budget.
- Archives
- Storyboards: A collection of early visualizations are included here.
- Photo Gallery: A look at behind-the-scenes moments and still from the film.
- Alternate Titles: A minute-long look at titles that were considered before they landed on First Contact.
- Ethan Phillips Cameo/Interview: A four-minute look at the appearance of the Voyager actor and his thoughts about appearing in the film.
- Queen’s Demise: A four-minute look at some early storyboards of a key sequence in the film.
- Trailers: This disc includes the Teaser Trailer (1:26), Theatrical Trailer (2:26) and the Borg Invasion Trailer (0:32).
Star Trek: Insurrection
- Audio Commentary: Actor/Director Jonathan Frakes and Actress Marina Sirtis offer a solid enough commentary track, but once again Frakes is mostly focused on fleetingly commenting on the action occurring on screen with not much in the way of true insight. At least he fares better with someone to bounce off of this time around.
- Text Commentary: Michael and Denise Okuda provide a text commentary track which offers consistent background detail about the film and what is happening on screen at any given moment. Fans of pop-up videos will appreciate the depth of information provided here, although it is more consistent.
- Library Computer: An interactive experience that allows you to access more information about people, technology, locations and more within the film.
- Production
- It Takes A Village: A 17-minute piece which takes a closer look at the massive undertaking of creating this movie with a focus on the shooting locations and set design.
- Location, Location, Location: A 20-minute piece which takes a look at the various shooting locations utilized in the movie and how it brings a different energy to the movie.
- The Art Of Insurrection: A 15-minute look at various pieces of artwork created for the production as presented by Illustrator John Eaves.
- Anatomy Of A Stunt: A seven-minute featurette which takes a look at the planning for a scene that did not end up in the final film.
- The Story: A 17-minute look at the overall narrative of this feature, the themes that are explored and more.
- Making Star Trek: Insurrection: A 25-minute video in which the cast and creative team give their insights into this production, its place in the franchise and more.
- Director’s Notebook: A 19-minute exploration of Frakes’ role behind the camera and how it suited him with his second time helming a Star Trek feature.
- The Star Trek Universe:
- Westmore’s Aliens: An 18-minute deep dive into the various aliens Make-Up Designer Michael Westmore has created over the years.
- Westmore’s Legacy: A 13-minute featurette in which Westmore shares his family history in the makeup business.
- Star Trek’s Beautiful Alien Women: A 13-minute piece on which various cast members discuss some of their favorite alien women from the franchise.
- Marina Sirtis – The Counselor Is In: A nearly nine-minute interview with Sirtis in which she shares her memories of working in the Star Trek universe.
- Brent Spiner – Data and Beyond Part 3: An eight-minute continuation of Spiner’s reflections on his time with the series.
- Trek Roundtable – Insurrection: An 11-minute discussion featuring the panel from the previous films discussing this installment.
- Starfleet Academy Scisec Brief 009 – The Origins of the Ba’ku and Son’a Conflict: A three-minute piece in which a Next Generation officer recounts the events of the film.
- Creating The Illusion: Three featurettes which discuss the process of bringing some effects-heavy moments to life.
- Shuttle Chase (9:36)
- Drones (4:43)
- Duck Blind (4:38)
- Deleted Scenes: Eight unused scenes totaling 13 minutes are provided here.
- Archives
- Storyboard – Secondary Protocols
- Photo Gallery
- Worf & Troi: A humorous two-minute discussion between Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis.
- Tom Morello: A two-minute piece showcasing the role played by the Rage Against The Machine member.
- Marina/Craft Services: A two-minute visit to craft services with Marina Sirtis.
- Advertising: This disc includes the Teaser Trailer (1:46), Theatrical Trailer (2:25), Original Promotional Featurette (5:02) and the Borg Invasion Trailer (0:32).
Star Trek: Nemesis
- Audio Commentary #1: Director Stuart Baird offers a great commentary track in which he discusses the background of the film, the thematic elements woven into the narrative, the production design and costumes, the performances in this installment, and so much more.
- Audio Commentary #2: Producer Rick Berman provides an interesting commentary track as he talks about the production with some indication that he was not happy with all of the decisions that were made with the final cut of the film.
- Audio Commentary #3: Star Trek historians Michael and Denise Okuda provide a terrific commentary track in which they include a ton of information not only about this movie, but also how it connects to episodes from the TV series and more that fans will eat up.
- Text Commentary: Michael and Denise Okuda provide a text commentary track which offers consistent background detail about the film and what is happening on screen at any given moment. Fans of pop-up videos will appreciate the depth of information provided here, although it is more consistent.
- Library Computer: An interactive experience that allows you to access more information about people, technology, locations and more within the film.
- Production
- Nemesis Revisited: A 26-minute archival featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss how this fourth Next Generation film came to be, experiences on the set, the themes of this entry and more.
- New Frontiers – Stuart Baird On Directing Nemesis: A nine-minute piece which explores the fresh blood that Baird brings as a director to the franchise, the dynamics at play within the narrative and more.
- Storyboarding The Action: A four-minute look at how some of the early storyboards compare to the final film.
- Red Alert! Shooting The Action Of Nemesis: A ten-minute discussion of the increased action in this installment and how they pulled off certain sequences.
- Build and Rebuild: An eight-minute look at some of the art direction and production design of this feature.
- Four-Wheeling In The Final Frontier: A 10-minute behind-the-scenes look at the vehicular action in the film.
- Screen Test – Shinzon: A nearly seven-minute screen test for Tom Hardy opposite Patrick Stewart.
- The Star Trek Universe
- A Star Trek Family’s Final Journey: A 16-minute look at the theme of family, the script from John Logan, the complexities of the villain and more.
- A Bold Vision of the Final Frontier: A 10-minute look at the set design, the experience of filming some key scenes and more.
- The Enterprise E: A nearly 12-minute featurette which explores the interior and exterior changes to the ship.
- Reunion with the Rikers: An 11-minute discussion between Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis in which they pitch their sitcom and discuss their time on the show.
- Today’s Tech, Tomorrow’s Data: A nearly five-minute look at modern robotics.
- Robot Hall of Fame: A nearly five-minute look at Data’s induction into the Robot Hall of Fame.
- Brent Spiner – Data and Beyond Part 4: A nine-minute continuation of Spiner’s reflections on his time with the series.
- Trek Roundtable – Nemesis: A nearly 11-minute discussion featuring the panel from the previous films discussing this installment.
- Starfleet Academy Scisec Brief 010 – Thalaron Radiation: A nearly three-minute piece in which a Next Generation officer recounts the events of the film
- The Romulan Empire
- Romulan Lore: A 12-minute exploration of the history of the Romulans in the franchise.
- Shinzon & The Viceroy: A 10-minute look at the need for a great villain and what Shinzon brings to this entry.
- Romulan Design: A nine-minute look at some of the Romulan designs throughout the feature.
- The Romulan Senate: A nine-minute deeper dive into the senate featured in the opening moments of the film.
- The Scimitar: A 13-minute look at the enemy vessel feature in this final Next Generation feature.
- Deleted Scenes: There are 14 unused scenes totaling 27 minutes are provided here.
- Archives
- Storyboards
- Photo Galleries
- Bryan Singer: A three-minute piece showcasing the role played by the X-Men director.
- Riker and The Beast: A nearly six-minute look at a sequence from the film.
- Terry Frazee: A nearly five-minute interview with the special effects coordinator.
- Trailers: This disc includes the Teaser Trailer (1:38), Theatrical Trailer (2:08) and the Borg Invasion Trailer (0:32).
Final Thoughts
Star Trek: The Next Generation 4-Movie Collection ushers in the next beloved era of characters in the Star Trek universe to the big screen. As fans have no doubt grown accustomed to, the cinematic output is a bit of a mixed bag, but when these movies are functioning at their best, they are tremendously entertaining. Even the entries that are more maligned are not quite as terrible as you may remember, but there is no getting around certain deficiencies in the storytelling. We love these movies, flaws and all. The new 4K UHD Blu-Ray set from Paramount Home Entertainment offers a 5-star A/V presentation and a stunning array of legacy special features. Fans can now rest easy that every Star Trek feature film has a 4K UHD presentation like they deserve. Highly Recommended
Star Trek: The Next Generation 4-Movie Collection is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.