My Issues with First Contact

I have a problem with the movie Star Trek: First Contact.  Actually, I have several, and I wanted to lay it all out here.  First of all, let me just state that I have no problem with people liking the movie.  That has no effect on me at all.  I just can’t watch it because I can’t forget what has come before.  So here are my issues.

1.       Zephram Cochrane – In The Original Series episode “Metamorphosis”, Cochrane is shown as being an independent person.  He wanted to die in space and left, at the age of 87, to go out into the galaxy on his own.  He has been on the asteroid for around 150 years and has managed to survive, with the help of The Companion, but he can’t leave.  The Cochrane portrayed in the movie, however, is a drunk and a coward.  There is no way that someone like this would have gone into space, alone, as an old man.  He doesn’t even want to launch his own ship until the TNG crew goads him into it.  Yes, people can change, but not THAT much.

2.       The Borg Queen – Up to this point, the Borg have been shown as a collective, with one hive mind that works jointly between all of the members.  They are so powerful that they overwhelm Picard in “The Best of Both Worlds” and it is extremely difficult for the crew of the Enterprise to get him back.  In First Contact, though, this is all thrown out and they show that there is a single personality in control of everything.  It does not work, at all, with the previously established idea of what the Borg were.

3.  The Prime Directive – I understand the idea of the movie is making sure that the Borg do not prevent Cochrane’s flight and, therefore, the Vulcans discovering humanity is advanced enough to contact.  However, why can’t that be accomplished without beaming down and DIRECTLY influencing the events?  All this preaching from TNG about why they shouldn’t interfere, especially in time travel, was thrown out the window with this movie.

4.       The Vulcans – Since the events of the bulk of the movie take place before the Federation and, therefore, before the Prime Directive or First Contact Protocols have been established, why would the Vulcans bother to investigate?  And even if they do decide, why would they land?  Wouldn’t it be more logical to study the planet with sensors rather than hope that they won’t be attacked on sight?

5.       The Holodeck – Alright, with all of the holodeck problems that the Enterprise crew has endured, WHY would they have a way to turn the safeties off and make real, deadly bullets!?!?!?!  That makes no sense, in universe.  In fact, the safeties on the new ship’s holodeck should be hard wired in and unable to be turned off!

Alright, I think that’s enough for my blood pressure.  Do you want to refute any of these?  Agree with me?  Add to the list?  Either leave a comment or send me an e-mail at Gene@thehammerstrikes.com