Star Trek: First Contact (1996), PG-13, 1 hr, 51 min

Title: Star Trek: First Contact

Year: 1996

Franchise: Star Trek

Franchise #: 8

MPAA Rating / TV Parental Guidelines

MPAA Rating: PG-13

TV Parental Guidelines: TV-14

Total Runtime

111 minutes (1 hour, 51 minutes)

Tagline

“Resistance is futile.”

Main Cast

Patrick Stewart – Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Jonathan Frakes – Commander William Riker

Brent Spiner – Lieutenant Commander Data

LeVar Burton – Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

Michael Dorn – Worf

Gates McFadden – Dr. Beverly Crusher

Marina Sirtis – Counselor Deanna Troi

Alfre Woodard – Lily Sloane

James Cromwell – Zefram Cochrane

Alice Krige – The Borg Queen

Neal McDonough – Lieutenant Hawk

Reviews

Overview

First Contact is often considered the best Next Generation film—and for good reason. It’s got intense action, sharp writing, and a truly terrifying villain: the Borg. The story splits between Picard’s personal struggle with revenge and humanity’s first steps into warp travel, making it both epic and personal. Time travel, philosophical debates, and a creepy villain all come together in a fast-paced, high-stakes adventure that works for both casual fans and die-hards.

Family Friendliness

This one’s darker than previous Star Trek entries. The Borg are truly creepy—think cybernetic zombies with needles and assimilation scenes. There’s also some intense violence, phaser battles, and psychological trauma. It’s best suited for teens and adults. There's no sexual content, but a few intense confrontations and scary visuals could be disturbing for younger viewers.

Christian Perspective

First Contact touches on deep spiritual themes—vengeance, redemption, the nature of identity, and free will. Picard’s rage against the Borg parallels the biblical warning against letting anger take control (Ephesians 4:26–27). His transformation—letting go of revenge and choosing grace—mirrors Romans 12:19: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” Data’s temptation by the Borg Queen and his ultimate rejection of it echoes the struggle with sin and the triumph of truth (James 1:12). There’s a real battle here between good and evil, both externally and within the soul.

Critics Ratings

IMDb: 7.6/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Critic Score, 89% Audience Score

Metacritic: 71/100 Metascore, 8.4/10 User Score

Dove Foundation: Not rated; content may be too intense for younger viewers

My Rating: 9.0/10 – Gripping, smart, emotionally powerful, and one of the best sci-fi films of the ’90s.

Notable Scenes

Opening Dream with the Borg: A surreal and creepy look into Picard’s trauma.

Borg Invade the Enterprise: Intense close-quarters combat and horror-like tension.

Zefram Cochrane's Reluctance: The future hero just wants to get rich and dance to rock music.

Picard’s Meltdown in the Ready Room: He smashes a display in rage—raw, unforgettable acting.

Data and the Borg Queen: Data faces seduction and temptation in a chilling subplot.

Worf’s EVA Combat: In one of the coolest space scenes, Worf leads a team on the hull of the ship.

Lily Confronts Picard: She compares him to Ahab—one of the best moral confrontations in Trek.

The First Warp Flight: Humanity’s leap into the stars with a rock-n-roll twist.

Cochrane Meets the Vulcans: A historic moment—first contact between humans and aliens.

Picard Rescues Data: A powerful reversal where grace and loyalty win over temptation.