Trekkies 2

Trekkies 2, like the first movie, is an endearing portrayal of the Star Trek fanbase. This time the producers go on the road and travel around the world to meet Star Trek fans from Australia, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany and even Serbia, documenting their experiences with Star Trek and going into the lives of several fans.

In between each segment of the travelogue are pieces that can be described simply as an open forum for fans to discuss issues relating to fandom, such as what makes a "Normal Fan", should you wear your uniform in public, etc. This helps give the fans more a of voice, which many found lacking in the first film.

One thing to note about the DVD is that it in fact features 2 documentaries, as the deleted scenes are cut together in a coherent way to complement the main film, raising issues that may not have fit well with the main film.

Of course, the film also features 'characters' from the first movie, like Gabe Koerner, Brian Dellis, Barbara Adams and Daryl Frazetti, making the movie feel like one of several other documentaries that have followed its subjects over the years, like 7-up.

Moments that stood out for me were the interview with Robert Burnett and the Sacramento segment that feature five Star Trek tribute bands. The Serbia segment was also quite effective because it felt more 'important', going a bit into the recent war and how some fans looked to Star Trek as a way of coping with the war. In fact, the film documents the first ever convention held in Serbia.

As a casual Star Trek fan, it was interesting to see that there was still a fanbase that existed given the current nature of Trek. Given that Star Trek: Nemesis pretty much flopped and Enterprise is on the verge of cancellation, it's kind of nice to see that there are still fans out there who are enthusiastic about Star Trek. It was also nice to see fans that were self-deprecating and could joke about the fact that they're fans. There are also poignant, philosophical moments that get to the heart of the film, such as when one of the fans says, "When reality stops being so lame, we'll stop doing this."

The film not only works because of its content, but also because of its style - irregardless of it's content, the film is just a great documentary. Given this, and the fact that you actually get two films on the DVD, I think everyone should pick this up.

8/10

Trekkies 2 is the logical continuation of Trekkies, as it follows the Star Trek phenomenon outside the borders of the United States, to the far reaches of the civilized world. Which makes me wonder why they focused as much as they did on the United States as well…I think I would have preferred the international angle exclusively. That said, it is still an enjoyable, and at times touching, look at a fan experience that is both benign and in many cases, beneficent. What this documentary has to offer is the striking realization that Star Trek (in its various incarnations) has become a mythology and even a religion for the disaffected of much of the world, and that its influence seems to be expanding, despite the concerns of fans as to the future of Trek. Substitute a belief in an afterlife with a belief in a better future, and you have a group of acolytes who have faith that they'll get there, if they embrace the precepts of Trek. There are no agnostics when it comes to Star Trek. Either you're a believer or not. As of this writing, the fate of the latest Trek show has been sealed, and the future of the franchise is in doubt. But those of us who have loved Trek since its inception in 1966 know better. After some time off to re-group and re-think, we know that Star Trek cannot die, just as faith in the future cannot die. Just wait and see.

I am a big fan of the original star trek and the next generation, and I'm also a fan of the first film about trekkies but, this one was just beyond tedious, and slow. it wasn't as good as the first one. the first had funny, interesting, moments, and they always had great interviews with the trekkies. this one was more of a "hey, look at all the stuff i have", it was like watching antiques roadshow, except it was the fans themselves guessing how much everything was worth. it was interesting to see some of the people doing their own fan films and plays based on star trek but, aside from that the best part was the recaps on who we saw in the first film. it was interesting to see how they were now, and how they were effected by being featured in the film, widely regarded as one of the best documentaries ever made. this film is forgettable at best, and i wish they tried harder to make things a little more about the fans and not about how much money they have spent on star trek.

I watched this just after watching the original Trekkies, and to be fair, if I hadn't just seen the other movie I might not be as critical as this one, but it is very weak in comparison.

Trekkies 2 feels like it was made out of left over material from the first movie. Not literally, since they did go out and film new stuff, but thematically, since they covered the topic quite thoroughly in the first movie and simply had little left to work with. The movie feels less focused and more random than the original; a bunch of disparate elements poorly tied together by an international theme. It also has rather cheesy narrative dialog introducing each section that sounds like the sort of artificial patter you get when people introduce an award at the Emmys.

It does have some interesting things in it, and if you haven't seen the first one you might think this was decent, but for fans of the original movie the most interesting part of this one will probably be the end in which Trekkies discuss their reaction to the original movie.

This sequel (rare for documentaries, but this IS the Trek universe) diverts from the first by expanding its outlook to other parts of the world, such as the continent (Germany, England, France, Italy), then Australia and Brazil, as well as returning to parts of the USA. Host Denise Crosby (aka Tasha Yar) returns as producer in what begins as a sort of travelogue, visiting Trek conventions all over the globe. The fans throughout the world turn out to have the same exuberance as American fans. The most touching portion of the travels is in Serbia, where it seems only recently have fans there discovered each other. A new theme touched on briefly is the intent of fandom and Trek culture to bring aid to those less fortunate, of actually helping people as a life mission. There are also similar scenes to the first "Trekkies" - showing converted apartments or staged plays. These are always interesting to watch. There are brief appearances by some of the later Trek actors, from the "Enterprise" TV show. All in all, it's not a bad follow-up to the '97 original, expanding on the universal themes, and a completest should have or view both. The DVD also contains a couple of fan films, which have a 'in the backyard with a video camera' feel to them, but you can't deny the energy the fans brought to their work.