10 Worst CGI Moments In Star Trek

5. Star Trek Insurrection - Admiral Dougherty's Death

Admiral Dougherty's Death Star Trek: Insurrection
Paramount Pictures

This entry appears here not just for the obvious visual issue on display but also for the fact that this film should have delivered more.

Following on the heels of the fantastic Star Trek First Contact, Insurrection was a hotly anticipated sequel. The tone opted for a more upbeat and hopeful message, which was a bit jarring after the pitch blackness of the Borg plot. That aside, it is the first film in the franchise to rely entirely on CGI and it largely succeeds in delivering. The shots of the Enterprise E are beautiful and the Son'a fleet is terrifically rendered. The first CGI flaws start to show in the shuttle battle between Data, Worf and Picard but these are forgivable.

The Son'a skin stretching technology is less forgivable. When demonstrated on F. Murray Abraham's Ru'afo, the make-up in place takes some of the edge off of the CGI. The mask he wears is already stretched and pulled apart, so the CGI 'help' doesn't make much of an impact. However, when the full intact face of Anthony Zerbe's Admiral Dougherty is thrown down on the machine, the issues explode on the screen.

It is roughly five seconds long and it robs the scene of any dramatic impact. This old man had just received a beating, which was very uncomfortable to watch. The horror of his impending murder is looming and then, deflating everything, his face is stretched like putty. An unfortunate end to what should have been a tense and upsetting scene.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"