8 Things The Television Series Star Trek Voyager Did Right.

1. Ensign Kim

   Harry Kim is one of the most beloved characters of Star Trek: Voyager. Portrayed by Garret Wang, a relative newcomer to the screen, Ensign Kim quickly became an essential part of the show. Although a contingent of viewers wished for greater character development throughout the run of the series for ensign Kim – most die hard fans grew to love Harry's try-hard attitude and comedic naivety. His working relationship with Tom Paris was always good for a laugh and allowed episodes to take a lighthearted approach to storytelling, when needed.

2. Chakotay

   Star Trek Voyager will always have it's detractors who claim that Chakotay is nothing more then a one dimensional token character that is neither well written nor 'fleshed out'. As representation of a Native American (Indigenous) experience as 1st officer aboard an interstellar starship, the character is lacking in certain areas. This is acknowledged by the fan base, but what is lost on the casual viewer is that as the series progresses - Chakotay becomes a more nuanced character, one that succeeds in incorporating important cultural aspects into the show.

   Considering the geopolitical climate of the early 2000s, this is a win – in my book.

3. Premise

   The idea of a Star Trek series that centers around a federation ship stranded in the Delta Quadrant - 70, 000 light-years from home - is an exciting one. Yes, there are those that say it was simply an easy way to inject drama into a series - one that has the difficult task of innovating while being the fourth entry into a long running franchise.

   If this premise was wasted and turned out nothing more than another monster-of-the-week serial. then I would have to agree. What we got instead was a show that balanced episodic adventures with serialized storytelling. Allowing newcomers and longtime viewers to appreciate it equally.

   4. Janeway

   Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Starship Voyager wasthe first female captain to ever grace the screen - also the first commander of a starship that has to deal with every threat and new obstacle – without the help of the vast Federation. This allows her to showcase a capacity for problem solving that far exceeds her contemporaries. In addition, Janeway's knack for diplomacy is called upon regularly – she improves throughout the show’s run due to Voyager relying on trade with alien races that inhabit the uncharted region of space.

   In my opinion, Kate Mulgrew did an outstanding job when it came to tackling these aspects of her character. She shouldn't be overlooked when it comes to discussions of the greatest captains that the franchise has to offer. She also brought a certain amount of emotional resonance to the role – allowing for empathy with the character even when she makes questionable judgment calls.

   I don't believe anybody could have achieved the same level of gravitas as Kate Mulgrew did – her flair for the dramatic is magnetic, and difficult to rival.

   5. Advanced Ship

   If you've seen Star Trek Discovery than you will notice some similarities between it and Voyager. A super advanced ship that has experimental technology coming out the 'wazoo'… well Voyager did it first. And I would have to argue that Voyager did it better, allowing for a more gradual introduction to the new tech that the audience has to absorb. I was genuinely excited when the pseudoscience was discussed, whereas new 'Trek' inserts these elements in a hamfisted manner.

   6. Holo-emitter

   The holo-emitter was a really neat invention. It allowed Robert Picardo's 'Doctor' to leave the med-bay, which was quite an accomplishment, considering the character was an EMH (Emergency Medical Hologram) and normally limited to the areas of the ship that are equipped with stationary holo-emitters.

   TNG had numerous episodes that centered around humanoid holograms escaping the holodeck and running amok in the rest of the ship. Voyager took this to the next logical step making a holographic character a member of the crew. Normally the EMH is a temporary measure, only turned on in a catastrophic event – and for a limited amount of time. Star Trek Voyager created a character out of a beloved part of the franchise, the holodeck – and then ensured that character had greater autonomy than the canon would have previously allowed.

7. Seven Of Nine

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first.

Yes, Seven of Nine is sexy as hell.

And that's kind of the point.

Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine) was originally brought on to replace the actress Jennifer Lien, who had played the character Kes. Every Star Trek series has had at least one woman on the cast, on the surface the idea is to give the show some eye candy for nerds to drool over. Which is an easy way to ensure a ratings boost. This was true in the original series with Uhura (in-part at least, it was also about class equality, IE: casting a black woman in a position of authority in the 60s) and it continued in TNG with Dianna Troi, and through to Deep Space Nine with Jadzia Dax, coming full circle to Star Trek Voyager – with the addition of Seven of Nine in season 5.

Now having said all that – if you're a Star Trek fan you already realize that these characters are written in a way that they amount to more than just sex appeal. Dianna Troi teaches us about empathy and understanding. Dax was a remarkably well written analogue for trans and non-binary rights, as well as touching on belief in reincarnation something prevalent in many real-world religions and belief systems. Seven of Nine is no different - the character is a great source of discussion on cultural assimilation and xenophobia. Reflected in the way that she contends with Federation principals and values being forced on her and the other wayward Borg – that is a very substantial character, in my opinion.

8. The Year of Hell: 2 Part Episode

Okay, so this one should be obvious to anyone that's seen the entire run of Star Trek Voyager. Kurtwood Smith (Red Foreman from 'That 70s Show’) plays the villain of this no-action packed two episode arc, wherein he is obsessed with time travel and changing events in the past to realign a more favourable future for himself.

This quote describes it best:

“Voyager at times gets grief for not being as gritty as the premise promised, but even the most cynical of fans can't deny that "Year of Hell" delivered the goods, with the crew battling a genocidal villain (Kurtwood Smith) manipulating time itself. This season was about as good as the show got.” - Hollywood Reporter Review [1]

I would have to agree full-heartily with this statement. If I were to show an average person this episode(s), they would probably say it was as good or better than any other Star Trek from the early 2000s. However 'trekkies' are a very fickle people and when it comes to the fan base as a whole - Voyager will perpetually be known as the underdog of the franchise.

Under appreciated, yes.

Unloved? No.

Voyager has a long journey to make, but in the end - she'll find her way home.

[1] ‘Star Trek: Voyager’ — The 15 Greatest Episodes

We boldly go — and revisit the top episodes from 'Star: Trek Voyager.'

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/star-trek-voyager-episodes-best-930900/

Prey (Predator Franchise) Review & In-depth Discussion

Written by: Lee Fenton

Prey is a vibrant and invigorating re-entry into the franchise, determined to deliver the heart-pounding excitement that is required of a Predator film. Not only does it succeed in this but it also manages to be a fairly accurate and in-depth look at the Comanche way of life circa 1719.

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg ( nominated for a Directors Guild of America award for Outstanding Directing -First- Feature Film for 10 Cloverfield Lane), Prey was released in 2022 on streaming services (Hulu, Disney+) to positive reviews and an uproarious reaction by audiences worldwide, praised as the greatest entry since the first film and a remarkable accomplishment for casting a huge array of Indigenous actors.

Amber Midthunder plays the lead role in Prey opposite the titular Predator. For a relatively unknown actress, it's quite the undertaking, thankfully Midthunder steals the show - her performance is not just comparable to Schwarzenegger - it has the potential to go down as the greater of the two.

Midthunder gained recent notoriety with her supporting role in FX's television series Legion, with her amazing fight scenes and choreography. From wall kicks, to crescent kicks, to toting a large melee weapon every other episode, her character 'Kerry” is a ferocious force to be reckoned with whenever on screen. Her ability in acting is tested in Prey as well, and she provides emotional depth that draws the viewer into the hardships of a Comanche tribe that's faced with the reality of Colonial peoples encroaching on their villages, and forever changing their way of life.

For everything that is amazing about this film, it pains me to have to admit that there is one major flaw. The CGI is kind of bad.

Specifically the bear that's in it. Not the titular Predator, so don't worry. There I said it, the Predator looks pretty darn awesome, given that this film was not a mega-budget picture. The bear on the other hand... looks quite bad.

But equally as important; any laser blasts, explosions, gore, etc are VERY believable and quite visually stunning. So, in the end it's really only ONE 'asset' that the CGI artists mucked up. That being said it is 'pretty damn butt-ugly' people aren't lying, but thankfully the bear is a rather minor part of the movie. One that does not affect the overall plot. So you don't have to look at the dreadful thing for much of the film's run-time. Which is a blessing! Plus there's a scene with a CGI mountain lion that looks fine. Although the fight with the cougar was barely lit - cause the scene took place during the nighttime, so... Let's carry on, shall we?

The premise that's given in the original Predator (1987) film leads you to believe that you're about to watch Arnold Schwarzenegger mow down some unsuspecting bad guys in the jungle and then kick some extraterrestrial ass. The ET in question not being of the Spielberg variety (Spielberg's magnum opus was still fresh in the public consciousness having come out five years prior) but more akin to the xeno-morphs showcased in Alien by Ridley Scott released in 1979, a decade prior.

The film however goes a very different route and turns the trope of the invincible action-hero on its head when it places the leading muscle man in the role of a horror starlet for the second half of the film. It subverts your expectations and makes the inspired choice to fluidly travel from one genre to the next about midway through; the schlocky action movie turns into a nail-biting thriller, complete with a dread inducing score done by American composer Alan Silvestri.

Although it under-performed upon its release – after some time - and a lot of VHS sales, it became the cult classic we know today, and hailed as one of the greatest action movies of all time, right up there with the likes of Diehard, Terminator, and The Matrix.

There is an important dichotomy to understand between the two films (Prey & Predator) and it is this – that I have been leading up to; franchise-wise we have come full circle now; a Predator movie that has a heroine in the lead role. The new film actually embodies the rather transgressive idea that was at the core of the original.

Let's shake things up a bit and have a hugely intimidating man run for his life, scared and terrified – trying and failing to escape this alien hunter. Maybe he will win in the end, but we'll up the stakes a bunch in the process – ignoring the idea that an action hero is invincible.

But where do you go, with the plot - three decades later, when the franchise is failing from tired reboot, after tired reboot, after tired reboot? You finally let the heroine, you know the one that would stereo-typically have a rather slim chance of survival in a slasher film - use all of her cunning, agility, and prowess - to disembowel that ugly alien's face, once and for all.

That's where you go.

PS: And Amber Midthunder took us there... don't forget that.

Swinging axes on a length of rope.

Like a champ.

_______________

Rating: 9/10

Authentic Well Done BBQ’d Predator, served with a side of organic veg and fry bread.

Extra charge to substitute Pred. meat for fresh venison, or smoked salmon.

After-word by Author: Also make sure to check out the version of the film that has been re-dubbed in Comanche, it's a shame they didn't choose to shoot two different versions – but that would be about double the work. Basically, shooting two films.

We here at welldonemovies.com understand why that was probably out of the question. Still, really great that we have the option to watch the film with Comanche audio (subtitled in English). The plot is nearly the same, but there are some interesting character changes when the native tongue is preserved. Seems more like the original version to me!

PPS: I know Halloween(1978) technically did it first, but come on! We've been waiting for somebody to go-all-Jamie Lee Curtis on the Predator for decades.

"The Matrix Resurrections" - A Glorious, Guffaw-Inducing Revival (A Totally Satirical Review)

Written by: Laraib Rajpoot click here to hire this writer

Revised and edited by: Lee Fenton

Additional Writing by: Lee Fenton

This article was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the hard work and dedication of the writers and actors, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist. In fact, no films or television would.

We stand in solidarity.

Hold onto your virtual seats, folks, because Keanu Reeves is back in black leather and ready to dodge bullets like he's swatting away pesky paparazzi. "The Matrix Resurrections" has arrived (alright, a few years ago now), and it's more confusingly fun than explaining memes to your grandma.

Neo, or should we say Mr. Middle-Aged Matrix Man, is living the suburban dream – complete with office meetings that drone on longer than a sloth on Ambien. Forget bending spoons, he's now trying to bend corporate rules, and his superpower is resisting the urge to doze off in Zoom meetings. The Matrix may have resurrected him, but Keanu's enthusiasm got lost in his inbox.

Enter Trinity (Carrie Anne-Moss), who's not only resurrected but also rocking an immaculate hairstyle that defies both gravity and the laws of physics. Her first meeting with Neo is as an awkward meet-cute, reminding us that even epic love stories have their "Oops, I did it again" moments. Their chemistry is so potent that it could power a small city – or at least the servers that keep Twitter debates alive.

Blink and you miss them characters have leveled up too, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Sati, the girl in the train station in Matrix Revolutions) donning designer gear that makes you wonder if she raided the closets of every fashionista in cinematic history. The Analyst's evil plan isn’t as convoluted as the Architect’s, no it’s more like a Windows software update – necessary and its got more bugs than a roach motel.

Prepare for action scenes that leave you gasping like a fish out of water. The choreography is so mindbogglingly impressive that you might just consider joining a dojo after the credits roll. Or, you know, at least attempt a cartwheel in your living room, much to your pet's amusement.

Easter eggs? Oh, they're scattered like confetti at a surprise birthday party. From red and blue pills that now come in emoji form to déjà vu moments that hit harder than realizing you left your phone in a public restroom, the film's creators clearly decided to play "Spot the Nostalgia" with us. The audience better buckle up, because this ride has more twists than a pretzel convention. Just when you think you've deciphered the matrix, the movie throws a curve-ball that leaves you more perplexed than a cat trying to comprehend why the red dot keeps vanishing.

In conclusion, "The Matrix Resurrections" is a buffet of wacky action, mind-bending concepts, and nostalgia-laden delights. While it might not reach the legendary status of its predecessors, it's a joyride that slaps a grin on your face faster than your latest facebook post enjoyed at the office. So grab your popcorn, your "I'm-so-confused" expression, and enjoy a resurrection that's quirkier than a cat wearing a tuxedo. (That's what resurrection's are supposed to be, right?)

This movie might just make you question reality, or at the very least, wonder if your neighbor's dog is a secret agent.

6.5/10

It’s artificial food, good but does nothing for your hunger.

Grilled NFT sandwich, anyone?