This movie is certainly watchable, especially for fans. However, putting the emphasis on Data and Picard weakened what was always TNG's strength, its ensemble cast that worked well together and was more than the sum of its parts (certainly, apart from Stewart, no one is cruising for an Oscar). SPOILER: For example, the B-4 subplot is entirely unnecessary except to prepare viewers for Data's demise, but since it was fairly clear the series was ending with this film, why bother? This is not the only example: lots of things have to be explained to viewers, such as the Reman-Romulan link, the clone plot that was abandoned, the years in the salt mines. And it's all for naught, since none of it really makes sense. Shinzon hates the Romulans who made his life a living hell, yet manages to weave together a complex plot and engage the loyalties of numerous Romulans to conquer Earth, or is it Romulus, or just a desire to rape Troi or get some sort of psychological revenge on Picard who inadvertently contributed his DNA? SHinzon is apparently envious of Picard, and we get that he is in a love-hate relationship, but the strength of TNG was always that psychological dimensions were fairly well explored and certainly believable. Shinzon's relationship to Picard is simply not believable. The end result is heavy scripting in an effort to make everything clear, and therefore glacial pacing. The problem here is not franchise exhaustion but no one at the wheel.
Review of Star Trek: Nemesis
