Star Trek XI In Two To Three Years.

Tycoon Guy writes "It seems rumors of the franchise's demise were greatly exaggerated. TrekToday reports that according to Trek head honcho Rick Berman, a new film might come sooner than you think: 'If it gets done in two years or three years I think that timeframe for a new, fresh feature with a whole different outlook would be fine.' He's previously said that the film will feature a whole new cast and ship; it's being written by Band of Brothers screenwriter Erik Jendresen."

Comments

Show us more

[Y-Crate]

One thing I noticed about the Trek movies is that the ones that really made you feel as if there was this huge universe out there around the characters brought in the most money at the box office. The size of the canvas seemed to be proportional to the size of the returns.

The problem with movies like Insurrection and Nemesis - to name a few - was that in the end it was one ship vs one ship and the whole feeling of this bustling galaxy filled with all sorts of different characters was gone. Sure, the Enterprise alone verses the Scimitar was pretty cool, but the whole movie never developed that sense of grand adventure that The Wrath Of Kahn (which mixed the isolation of the Enterprise in latter parts with a much wider view of things early on), First Contact or The Undiscovered Country had. The scope of the universe seemed to be scaled-down to TNG-episode proportions. Insurrection was arguably the worst at this - the whole thing felt like a 2 part TNG from one of the latter seasons.

Re:Show us more

[Bongo]

Whatever happened to TNG's metaphasic shielding, which swould let you safely fly right into the sun? What happened to the finding that warp drive destroyed the fabric of space and would make subsequent space travel hazardous? What happened to that soliton wave technology that was supposed to replace warp drive but would have made a dandy weapon? On two or three occasions we've seen technology that could destabilize stars! I've lost count of the number of near omnipotent races the Federation has run into--- lessee, the Metroids, the Organians, Trellane's parents, Charlie X's guardians, the spinning ball of that loved anguish, V'ger, Q's people, the Doud, the Traveler, the Cythereans... what about them?

Who could write sensible stories with all these technologies and gods and societies interacting? It's a mess and it all just needs to be put to rest.

Amen.

I prefer and admire a sci-fi show where the universe is fantastic but consistent. For me that's what puts the "science" into the "fiction". Otherwise it becomes arbitrary and fairy-magic like; stuff just happens because it's in the script.

My main gripe about Space 1999 was the way the moon travelled, nay, drifted dozens of lightyears between episodes. But one of the things I loved most about it was the design of the Eagles; everything looked like it was there for a reason. It was so well done as a ship that you can actually spot the one mistake, which is that the command module's floor is higher when viewing the model from the outside, but appears level in interior shots. But again, the fact that you can build the model and spot the discrepancy is just great.

My favorite to date in terms of creating a consistent multi-layered universe is Babylon 5. Ok, ok, it has it's dire aspects--long meaningful speeches in lifts about generals who wanted to be painters--but the universe had rules and if you blew up a jump gate then that had specific tactical implications.

The same bits of alien tech kept coming back in different stories for different purposes. Just like in the real world, someone could discover an ancient artifact, start to exploit it causing curious ethical issues, and factions would later find out about it and try to weaponise it, which could happen in secret until it was discovered via another plot line by different characters. All that could happen over the period of months.

B5 even managed to include telepathic powers as a specific ability while keeping specific boundaries on what telepaths were able to do without it getting too magical and arbitrary. Rather, they added a social and political dimension to it so it actually became an important part of the B5 universe.

In contrast, one of the most annoying aspects of Trek is the abuse of so called "time travel stories". Putting aside that philosophically I don't see how time travel is possible--there's no timeline anyhow, it's just an ever-changing present--and putting aside the questions about, well, if you can travel in time, how come you appear to be so limited and dumb in what you accomplish Mr. 28th Century man?--putting aside those two issues--the stories just end up feeling really hollow and sickly.

Re:Show us more

[Maestro4k]

Whatever happened to TNG's metaphasic shielding, which swould let you safely fly right into the sun? I can't remember which episode but I disctinctly remember the Enterprise having this and hiding in the corona of the sun. I remember someone in command (actually I think it was Beverly, what episodes did she get command in, can't be many?) asking about the status of "the metaphasic shielding". So it did make a reappearance at least once. What happened to the finding that warp drive destroyed the fabric of space and would make subsequent space travel hazardous? Be fair here, for the remainder of that season we kept hearing about the warp speed restrictions. Important missions would include the proviso that they were authorized to exceed warp speed limits for the duration of the mission. For instance the episode where they were sent to retrieve the phased-cloak. Of course there's another thing we didn't hear about again, although since that was mid-7th season of TNG _AND_ it was against a treaty the Federation had made with the Romulans to research such things it probably didn't get developed any further. Oh yeah, one last bit on the warp drive damaging space/time, the Voyager had "green" warp engines developed to specifically address the problem and not cause any damage to the space/time continuum. Who could write sensible stories with all these technologies and gods and societies interacting? It's a mess and it all just needs to be put to rest. I think it needs better leadership but could still be good. Sure it'll cause questions like yours for past stuff but they could just start out and say "OK, no using any of the omnipotent races, any technologies introduced have to be integrated into the show as it goes along and no particle of the week stories" and stick to it. Then we'd see better writing and a decent show. The Star Trek universe is full of really fascinating stuff after all, it just has been shoveled on screen without much thought a lot though.

Re:Show us more

[RubberDogBone]

That's because they got in a rut of inventing the "gadget of the week" for every episode and that, in my opinion, is one of the weakest parts of TNG.

When faced with some horrible challenge or new enemy, they would suddenly whip out -no, not a penis- but some new gadget that they suddenly invented just that second, which happened to be EXACTLY the gadget they needed! Wouldn't you know it had been sitting here all along!?

Once, OK. Twice, eh. But over and over and over? Suuure.

The A-Team did similar things but sort of got by because at least they attempted to show the team MAKING the device. TNG just opened a damn box as if they ordered it via UPS.

Worse, having come up with supergadget of the week, they use it and throw it away never to be seen again. It's a sign of weak writers stuck for a fancy, flashy gimmick, and weak producers who allow or promote this sort of thing.

As for the super-enemies who could wipe out the Federation just as soon as sneeze, well, yeah, there are too many of them too and funny how they don't seem to fight with each other much less even know about each other. With as many super-powerful races running around (considering how many they find), you'd think these superraces would eventually go to war against each other.

Might make for an interesting story -perhaps they have done this, I'm not as big on ST lore as some- and reduce the superrace overpopulation a bit.

Not that I want to give Berman ANY ideas. Firing his butt should be step one, IMO.

Re:3 years sounds good.

[ciroknight]

Worked for Star Wars.

Tell a great story, but leave it wholy unfinished, sit back on it for a good 20 years, and then decide the technology is there to finish it. Make billions.

For Star Trek, I believe it will help to give it some time, but it's more risky. The public expects so much already, and a pause in the franchise may bring people into thinking it was a sellout.

Besides, they have great grounds for more movies. Star Trek has much more unexplored space than Star Wars in my opinion (Star Wars tends to be a linear story, whereas Star Trek is a story following small subsets of the universe at a time; you could have a Star Trek completely without humans if you'd like), and I think they should be exploiting that advantage.

Re:Didn't DeForrest Kelly die about 10 years ago?

[ciroknight]

I think you're one of the few traditionalists left, but I think the time for the traditionalists in Star Trek has left. With Enterprise, we went back to the very beginning of warp travel of us humans, making a story line fully incomplete from that point, to the point of the first Enterprise's mission into deep space.

Personally, I want to know more about where it all began; they have so much technology in the future that, while we have basis for it, it's so far beyond tracing back to something we have now, that we just have to accept it as fact, and move on. Things like the transport system, the Enterprise's energy systems, etc. etc. All we need is a movie in that time period to answer some of those questions, in my opinion.

Re:Band of Brothers

[Malfourmed]

Speculation has it that the movie will take place during the Earth-Romulan war (which takes place a couple of years after the last season of Enterprise) and will feature a new cast.

That said, much will depend on what happens to Rick Berman after his contract expires in 2006.

Re:Divided expectations

[roseblood]

In the final episode ALL GOOD THINGS, there's friction w/ Worf and Riker over Troi. Apparently at Trois funeral a few words were supposed to be said by the person closest to the deceased. I can't recall if it was Worf of Riker who got to speak up, but the one who didn't speak up ended up harboring a festering resentment for the other.

I think it was Riker who spoke, and Worf was the one w/ the gripe over it.

My true geek is showing, don't tell my husband.

Re:Bring back Kirk!!!

[John Seminal]

Yeah, because Kirk has so great experience with the Borg.

Most people who had experiance with the Borg are all Borg. ;)

Kirk is quick thinking on his feet. That is far more valuable to the defense.

Plus, you know there will be an order from Kirk that is not standard, there will be a clash. Someone will challenge Kirks ideas or orders. And Kirk will show why he is a stud. :)

Second star to the right, and straight on til dawn.

Whoppie Goldberg

[John Seminal]

One character that is Star Trek, in any time line would be Whoppie. She was on earth at the time of Samuel Clemens, and in the future with Picard. Whatever timeline they pick, I bet they could get her involved. Her species lives for how many years? Over 500??

Re:Whoppie Goldberg

[Pyrion]

I'm not certain if they ever established an official lifespan for the El-Aurian species. I'd wager at least a thousand years, maybe somewhere on the order of five thousand at the most.

Re:The best Star Trek movies were even numbered.

[John Seminal]

Of course, the fact that they've been allies with the Federation for so long hasn't helped their image either. They've grown more and more tolerant with letting the Federation dictate their policy, when Klingon common sense would've advocated no less than mass invasion of anyone that dared to mess with them.

I can't help but think, if the producers made a series before TNG, but after TOS, it would be perfect. The Klingons would be the major power and threat to the federation. There could be some very good episodes. Back when a Bird of Prey was a monsterous power, and the Federation was scared to death of cloaking.

Re:Didn't DeForrest Kelly die about 10 years ago?

[ciroknight]

As a fan of Star Trek, I too love the story and the play of the characters, but as a curious mind, I'd like to know more about the History of Star Trek, and how they got that sophisicated technology.

While the purposes of some devices make sense, others seem to make none at all. Why can't someone program a transporter to transport something like a spacecraft, far far away? Why can't someone program a replicator to replicate an entire spacecraft, therefore having infinite war time production capabilities? These technologies don't have any practical limits as defined by the shows and movies as of now, but given a bit more history, we could easily see why.

Besides, there has already been ground laid to see the past. Enterprise (the show) took us back to pre-photon torpedos, and the seemingly magic replicator. All I ask is a story accellerated in this time era, like what they did with The Next Generation.

The beauty of Star Trek is that the explanation of these technologies is implicit; nobody has to sit down and say "this does that". The story guides us to understanding, when someone goes up to something and uses it. The problem is, some of these technologies require a definition that we've missed, it's too far back in the timeline for implicit definition and is quite frankly taken for granted by the characters.

Re:without Data its gonna suck

[roseblood]

Wasn't there an episode of Star Trek where Picards ship gets caught in a time rift, and they see an older version of their own ship. Tasha goes off to fight and die with that crew.

That'd be YESTERDAY'S ENTERPRISE. The NCC1701-C shows up through the tme rift. Because it wasn't getting blown up defending a Klingon instilation the Federation and Klingons end up at war in the altered present. Tasha Yar never died in this timeline, so she's still security officer, and Worf never joined starfleet. Guinan being the odd creature she is can feel things are screwy, and prompts Piccard to get things back to where they belong.

Long story short, Yar realizes she's not meant to live, jumps onto the ENT-C, and fights on the doomed ship to try and saved a doomed Klingon outpost.

The ENT-C is destroyed, of course, Tasha is taken as a POW. She gives birth to a half-human half-romulan, and gives the ENT-D crew one hell of a suprize when her daughter shows up commanding a Romulan fleet that's trying to start a Klingon civil war. Guinan again feels something fishy, and tells Picard about it. The episode ends with Data violating a direct order and saving the day.

You know...the NCC-1701C could make for a good movie or two.

Re:Didn't DeForrest Kelly die about 10 years ago?

[John Seminal]

Personally, I want to know more about where it all began; they have so much technology in the future that

I would be interested in shows where they throw in some physics and chemistry. Real physics and chemistry. What I loved about TNG was it got me very interested in the sciences.

The USA school system just about killed the "what if's" questions I was filled with. TNG filled my imagination. I would not be suprised if many technology advances were made by people who got interested in science because of TOS and TNG.

Maybe the next Star Trek can have a huge lab component, where engineers and scientists are working with improving the Enterprise. I loved how Voyager had so many episodes where the hot Klingon chick was in engineering. If only there was some way they could have had her hook up with scottie over a few bottles of wisky.

Star Trek should spend less time on the bridge, and more time in engineering.

new series concept

[Anonymous Coward]

Here's my thoughts for the future of star trek:

Needs a bigger budget than TV can provide, so move it to cable, specifically to HBO. Add some adult oriented content, since its now on cable. Sorry 13 year olds, Star Trek is now for adults only. This will allow a wider demographic to like the show (some women will watch it with their men, hopefully).

Make it a fleet of ships, possibly half of them Federation, the other half Klingon. We've had series with single ships, and a series with a space station, but never a series with a fleet of ships on a long multi-year journey thru an uncharted area of space.

Involve the Klingon religion. Kahless (spelling?) and others are given visions in the beginning episodes, but we are not told exactly what they are. The Federation and the Klingons get together and discuss the visions that so many of their people are reporting. They decide to follow the instructions, and gather a fleet and set off on the journey.

The overall plot needs to be kept secret until the last season.

One of the ships should be a civilian fast luxury cruiser, built with a Federation loan in return for Federation use of the ship during times of war. The series should begin at the end of the Dominion war. This ship has better holodecks, and lots of drama episodes can occur on this ship.

The Admiral that was arrested by Picard for developing the Phased cloak is a part of the crew, along with some of his scientists. They are all given visions.

A few drug addicts, and other convicts are also a part of the series since its now on cable and we can have some more adult content, including sex and nudity and graphic violence. In the 24th century poverty and hunger are wiped out, but the war on drugs continues.

Lots of teraforming equipment, anti-matter, and industrial replicators are to be included (per the visions). Along with orbital defences, and some other expenisive stuff. Before the fleet launches, lots of political arguments occur because of the cost. ("were spending all this money after a devastating war, because of visions!?!?")

When they finally arrive at the destination, only half the fleet should be left, since they fought so many battles, etc. We can stretch out the series for years before they arrive.

The destination should be a far corner of the galaxy, accessible by wormhole only. The destination should be a set of (possibly) artificial solar systems, closely tied together, with many habitable planets without intelligent life. Because of the arrangement of the stars (a 3D pentagon? perhaps) it's obvious these sets of solar systems did not form naturally. This is a mystery that is never fully explained. There is lots of ore and natural resources in these systems.

The Federation and Klingons colonize the planets and have lots of kids. They are given new visions, they are to pursue weapons and ship development, and train their children to be warriors. Kahless is to be placed into suspended animation, along with a few others.

In the future, (perhaps the next series) the Klingon empire is overran by a hostile enemy, but the Federation stays neutral, until plans of genocide are learned by the Federation. The enemy starts wiping out the Klingons, the Federation invades. The Federation gets their ass kicked, and is on the brink of loosing.

Then the descendents of the Klingons and Federation folks at the far end of the galaxy (from out first series) appear from a wormhole near Borath, with Kahless as an old man who returns per the predictions of the Klingon religion. The fleet of ships are advanced and include phased cloak technology. They destroy the enemy shipyards which are in Klingon space, and since the enemy fleets are mostly in Federation space kicking the Federation's ass, this fleet inflicts a lot of damage causing the enemy to pull back from the Federation. The Federation regroups, and is supplied with technology from the advanced fleet (new weapons, phased cloak?, whatever).

Enemy reinforcements ar

Re:Band of Brothers

[JabberWokky]

Peter David did a great job with the Starfleet Academy novels, both the adult and young adult ones.

But it's his other big novel series that I'd like to see made into a movie. Star Trek: New Frontier is the Next Gen era expansion of the Federation into the recently collapsed Thollian Empire. The crew is full of aliens and most are in posts where it makes sense (a Brikar security officer). Captain Calhoun is on a mission to stabilize the region and stop the warring worlds scrambling for power; he sometimes makes Cisco look like a kitten. He carries a big stick and sometimes uses it.

Hell, as long as I'm dreaming, get Joss Whedon to direct it. He has the Roddenberry-Trekish tendency to treat plots as "everything is a metaphor writ fantastic", but he does character development better.

--
Evan

Use of Weapons?

[cruachan]

Whatever happened to the proposals to film Ian M Bank's novel 'Use of Weapons'? The Culture universe is much better realized than either Star Trek or Star Wars, has vastly more interesting technology and politics, and isn't limited to the back-yard scope that Star Trek increasingly feels like.

Re:Use of Weapons?

[zpok]

Agreed once more on all points, and no, I haven't seen Banks in the flesh, I did have the honor of a few trivial e-mail exchanges. I think your mention one post back of anarchy hits the spot, though.

There are many instances of individuals who're helped to maintain a lifestyle outside the norm even as the Culture understands it, which totally contradicts the communist mantra.

As I understand it, Banks biggest argument (in the Culture sagas) is that anarchy in space works better as a structure than any hierarchy we humans could ever provide.

I'm not sure that's correct or even feasible in the near term, but I would gladly sign into a communism or anarchy that provides personal indulgence far beyond the wildest dreams of the most egocentric capitalist alive ;-)

What attracts me the most is the notion that we're not made to comply all the time in all matters, or even most matters. And that as such we should look for a system that positively encourages living life to the fullest, whatever that would mean for the individual involved.

Again, in a setting with limited resources, I'm not sure that would work, but as an idea it's definitely worth pursuing.

Also, Banks is correct, I think when he suggests that most people would in such a setting still live pretty cosy, "normal" lives, however outlandish the concept "entertainment" would become. The fact that people would raft on lava streams with the knowledge that whatever happens, they'll live through it one way or another actually makes them less adventurous than contemporary bungee jumpers.

Finally, the "real" power structure (contact, in the sense that it defines Culture's interests more than anything else) at work behind the screens of everyday Culture life could be labeled anything, since it's just as unscrupulous as any other power structure in real life, be it left or right. It's that notion which make the whole thing believable. Imagine instead a bunch of machines debating truth and beauty while being invaded...

Cheers

Khan vs. Nemesis

[interstellar_donkey]

Star Trek is a beloved franchise. I love it, and I'm not alone.

I was digging around the IMDB, and comparing what I think to be the best Star Trek movie (Khan), and what I think is the worst Star Trek movie (Nemesis).

Something struck me about the two. Khan was written and directed by individuals with experience in the science fiction genre. Moreover, experience in making more cerebral type sci-fi, as opposed to big explosion aliens with lasers sci-fi.

Nemesis was put together by people who had no experience with sci-fi. Now, this Brand of Brothers guy has proven that he can write at a better then average level, but has zero experience with the science fiction genre. If they are going to continue this "let's not have experienced sci-fi writers and directors", the chances of them putting together a good film is low.

In addition, Star Trek has three television series with characters that have never seen the big screen. Why break with tradition? Why use some completely new cast, then add them to a writer and (probably) a director combination with no real experience in sci-fi?

It's as if they are constructing this movie from the ground up to be bad. There are plenty of decent sci-fi writers out there (heck, just look to some of the better episodes of TNG... I'm sure the writers of those episodes wouldn't mind seeing work). Find a decent director with sci-fi experience (off hand I think somebody like Andrew Niccol could probably do a good job).

Realistically, though, I think that under the direction of Rick Berman, Star Trek isn't going to put out anything that approaches what it had in the past. Berman just doesn't seem to "get it".

Re:Band of Brothers

[schizm]

Hrm, I'd be interested to see them do a young Picard...we saw that he was a bit of a hellion when he was young, ie getting his heart stabbed through in a bar fight, and didn't he have a move named after him for doing something brilliant in battle?

Explore his younger, more reckless days, when he was more of the Kirk type.

and my DS9 fandom...

[RyuuzakiTetsuya]

Cries out in pain.

DS9 has a great bunch of characters. Bring back Sisko dammit!

A couple of posts from a 1984 BBS

[Faust7]

Back when The Search for Spock was just coming out, if you can imagine that.

Numb: 6
Subj: SEARCH FOR SPOCK
From: St. Paul c64 & IBM
Date: 06-04-84 at 11:38 AM

trekkies, don't waste your money - the search for spock is boring, not really
believable, and by far the worst of the three. the only high point is seeing
christopher lloyd ('jim' from taxi) dressed up in monster makeup and costume,
still talking like a spaced druggie. score now: 1 for 3 on trek dreck -- only
the wrath of kahn was any good!

He doesn't mention Christopher Lloyd's "Back to the Future" role because that movie hadn't even been made yet. It boggles the mind!

Numb: 7
Subj: Pound a tribble in your ass.
From: APPLE AVENGER
Date: 06-04-84 at 06:34 PM

To the above ruggie:

I found that Star Trek /// was far the best* of all of them. Star Trek / was to
much special effects and no story. Star Trek // was great, but the ending was
stupied (play 'amazing grace' at spocks funeraul was stupied!). I found star
trek /// at times boring, but the actors got to play the roles as they wanted.
The other 2 movies the directors ran the characters. Star trek /// was more for
the characters and the people that play them.

The movie gave us a new way to think about star trek. Is it totally over for
the entire crew? Will they get a new enterprise? Will spock fully return to us?
This we will never know or maybe we will soon know because paramount studios is
talking about star trek ////.

-Avenger

Loyal trekkie for life

Long before Berman and Braga got their grubby little hands all over it, Star Trek involved eager anticipation. Anyone remember that? *sigh*

Re:There is some hope for Sci-Fi

[Anonymous Coward]

The best science fiction series EVER is Doctor Who!!!

And I'll take you all on one by one or in a large group to defend it!

(Sorry, stolen from Harlan Ellison... and I don't remember the exact quote, it used to start every American Dr. Who novelization)

Give the rest of the Trek characters a chance.

[GreenSwirl]

It seems misguided to recast. There's no reason they couldn't put Odo, Rom, Tom Paris, Seven of Nine, Beta, Ro Laren and Reg Barclay all on the same ship, taking orders from Admiral Janeway and Rear Admiral Sulu back in Sector 0. TNG, DS9 and VOY all left off where the characters would naturally be reassigned. All you really need is a dynamic new captain. These b-listers wouldn't cost much more than unknowns and it would bring fans from all three series in.

Also, the most successful movie plot was the one that built on a TOS episode (Space Seed-->Wrath of Khan). The TNG characters should revisit a TOS planet (like the 20's gangland planet, now up to 1970's technology). There's a reason people like Star Wars III better than I or II: it has comforting ties to the characters and events we grew up on, not just new characters using familiar weapons.

Technology Ideas

[Vitriol Angst]

I am sure someone out there has a web site comparing Star Trek to Star Wars. I can't resist, however, arguing about who can kick the most ass.

Basically, I think on hand-to-hand the Star Wars gang is going to pound any Trek denizens to sand. Unless they are fighting Data, or one of the mighty morphing creatures.

On technology, Star Trek beats Star Wars, except strangely, in the technology of making people survive battles. Star Trek seems to have an unscientific aversion to cloning or implants --unless they go horribly wrong.

Star Wars ships seem to go faster, for no other reason than it seems that Lucas is uninterested in the "journey" of space travel. But SW shields seem to be less powerful. ST weapons are many orders of magnitude more powerful.

SW may have the force, but in ST, people accidentally get God-like powers as often as they might get killed. So watch out for an occasionally Hyper Evolved Kirk.

SW doesn't have transporters, but ST doesn't have sound effects in space (you only hear the blasts inside the ships). OK, I basically have no point here other than SW doesn't have transporters.

SW has a lot more cool and funky war machines. Most weapons systems seem kind of useless--in the grand scheme. Other than tie fighters dodging about, big ships seem to just stand broadside of each other and fire. For some reason, computers just can't seem to automatically home into a target (in ether Universe). I'm sure some gamers would argue these points, but they are, of course, playing games. Tactics, or troop strategies seem to be better in SW--because basically, in ST, all you do is go through an excessively large air vent, and nobody has thought to add a motion detector. At least in SW, somebody has to sneak around and disable something--and they never have a man wearing a corset, using a double-handed slam as though that were the coolest fighting technique and advanced civilization can come up with. And for some reason, in ST, only good guys can shoot straight. But ST seems to work better with large strategies, like inventing a new use for the deflector array, while in SW, somebody is just going to have to die--a nod towards realism, I suppose.

In SW, all races are more or less on the same level, with humans somehow being the best model to clone for troops. In ST, even having an extra heavy eyebrow can mean a race has telepathy --so different creatures matter. Even Wookies don't have Borg strength. Generally in SW, it's all about the Force and robots are wimps. In ST, machines are more of a real threat, though they are used much less (perhaps all those "Discarded Doomsday machines that keep killing" issue might have made its point). I only have one comment on this; why has nobody talked about the issue of EMP shielding? Of course, shielding life forms is even tougher. Everyone on a future battlefield will have to, at least where goggles. I mean, flooding the area with blinding laser light is just pretty obvious.

When you add it all up, you realize that both these Sci-Fi epics are pretty weak on anything important to say about technology, fighting or how people will be influenced by said technology. But I still think those walkers are cool looking. So who cares?