This Star Trek film, the ninth, is a watchable entry which often resembles an extended episode of the Next Generation TV series.

The film opens with android Data (Brent Spiner) running amok on the planet of the Ba'ku - a race who haven't aged in centuries thanks to the special properties of their planet, properties which also made Data go haywire.

Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) steps in, but soon he and his crew must disobey orders to deactivate Data, and contravene the sacred Prime Directive (to not interfere with any planet's natural evolution) to protect the peaceful Ba'ku from the Son'a - nasty plastic surgery addicted aliens who want to appropriate the Ba'ku's planet's fountain of youth properties.

Star Trek: Insurrection is nothing particularly special, but is a fine watch.

F. Murray Abraham puts in a good performance as the Son'a leader and the film benefits from the Federation-based political intrigue.

As he did with the previous film, cast member Jonathan Frakes directs competently. More recently, he helmed the big screen adaptation of the classic marionette series Thunderbirds.