All 13 Star Trek movies ranked from worst to best

12. Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Star Trek: Insurrection arrived in movie theaters in December 1998, four years after The Next Generation series had concluded its run on television. Its the third cinematic outing to feature that cast, and to say it is a confusing entry in the Star Trek movie franchise might be an understatement.

Unlike its fellow installments that tend to go for epic narratives, Insurrection feels very much like an extended episode from The Next Generation series. The storyline centers around Patrick Stewart’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew defending a peaceful Ba’ku village from the sinister plans of the Federation. The story was a solid concept but lacked the reach and seriousness that are the hallmarks of the franchise’s most successful movies.

That’s not to say Insurrection is without its merits. The performances from the established cast are as solid as ever, and the movie covers themes like morality, aging, and cultural interference. But, ultimately, it falls into the trap of playing things too safe, delivering a narrative that feels more suited to a television format. With more daring storytelling or risk-taking, Insurrection might have reached the heights of its potential and truly shone as a Star Trek movie experience. Instead, it ended up feeling underwhelming and more like a missed opportunity.