Reviewed by Ian Maher

Star Trek: Nemesis
Director: Stuart Baird (2002)
Distributor: United International Pictures (UK) Ltd.  Certificate: 12A

At a meeting between representatives of Remus, a planet that has long lived in the shadow of Romulus, the Senate of the Romulan Empire is assassinated. The plot, organised by Shinzon (Tom Hardy), the champion for the persecuted population of Remus, is part of a larger scheme that could result in the destruction of the Federation.

On the Enterprise, following the wedding of William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), a signal is received from a distant planet that causes Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) to alter course and investigate. There they find a disassembled android that is the prototype of Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner). Surviving an attack from a hostile species on the planet, the Enterprise is further diverted by an order to enter the Neutral Zone and meet with Shinzon ~ now the Praetor of the Romulan Empire and who is promising an end to the cold war between the Empire and the Federation.

The scene is thus set for the battle that is to come between Picard and his nemesis Shinzon ~ a battle not only between the ships but between the men as the Enterprise stands between Shinzon’s planet-killing vessel, The Scimitar, and the destruction of Earth.

Not surprisingly, Picard and company end up winning the day but not without considerable cost. One of the key members of the Enterprise’s crew makes the ultimate sacrifice, dying for the sake of the others (just in case you do not know who I am referring to, I’ll keep quiet as to the identity of the ‘deceased’).

Nemesis, the tenth Star Trek feature film supports the conventional wisdom that the even-numbered films are the best. The film manages to blend together the usual Next Generation tongue-in-cheek humour with a good level of adventure and excitement. Oscar material it certainly is not, but even if Star Trek is an alien universe to you, Nemesis makes for a good night out at the movies. 

THROUGH THE LENS OF CHRISTIAN FAITH 

Some key themes: What does it mean to be human?; Human cloning

The person of Shinzon, Picard’s clone, raises lots of questions about just what it means to be human. Genetically he is identical to Picard, but even at the physical level there are differences. For instance, the harsh experiences from the mines on Remus are evident in Shinzon’s scars; and his discomfort with light a consequence of his upbringing on a planet shrouded in darkness.

Humanity is not simply a matter of DNA engineering in either its fictional portrayal or in its potential reality. At this point, I am assuming that the recent claim by the Raelian cult (a case where ‘reality’ is stranger than science-fiction!) to have produced human clones is nothing more than a publicity stunt, though the time is surely coming when ~ sanctioned or not ~ a human clone will be produced.

The spectre of human clones is disturbing, not least because it goes to the very heart of what it means to be human. Even though a clone would share exact DNA with the person from which it is grown, there would not be two identical human beings produced any more than identical twins could be described as exact copies of each other.

As well as biology there is a whole range of other factors that contribute to human identity. Things such as upbringing and socialisation, experience of the world and those around us, educational opportunities and healthcare provision ~ all these things and more contribute towards us becoming the people that we are and the choices that we make. This was well demonstrated in Nemesis where Picard and Shinzon, though genetically identical were very different people who had been shaped by their different experiences of life.

When the time comes that a human clone is produced (and sadly, the existence of relevant technology probably makes this inevitable) among the shaping factors in that person’s development will be the discovery of his/her cloned origin. It seems to me that the impact of such knowledge has not been sufficiently factored into the cloning debate. The emphasis is so much on the science that the moral implications are being sidelined and the danger is that human dignity and worth will be undermined.

The uniqueness of every human being is evident throughout the Bible, particularly through the words and ministry of Jesus. He consistently challenged anything that diminished people or undermined their value as people created in God’s image. Any cloned human being would share that image and be no less a person. They would, however, be treated differently because of their engineered origins. A considerable challenge lies ahead to ensure that any cloned humans do not become a marginalized group in society, treated as freaks because of an origin that they did not choose.

In terms of the process of human cloning itself, I cannot help thinking that if Jesus walked the earth today as a man he would have some harsh words to say. What do you think?

HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE DISCUSSION FORUM . . .

·       Is human cloning one step too far ~ are human beings ‘playing God’?

·       What do you think the impact would be on a person who discovers that he/she was produced through cloning?

·       How would you react to a cloned human being?

·       What other issues does cloning raise for you?