Trekkies

Name: Trekkies
Genre: Documentary
Released: March 12, 1999
Duration: 86 min
Rating: 64
Cast: Denise Crosby

1999

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Generally favorable reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 6 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Classics | Release Date: March 12, 1999 | PG

Starring: Denise Crosby

Summary: This documentary takes a serious look at the amazing cultural and decade-spanning phenomenon of Star Trek fandom.

Director: Roger Nygard

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: PG

Runtime: 86 min

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Critic Reviews

Owen Gleiberman

Trekkies is hilarious, fascinating, and, at times, almost scary. Read full review

Dallas Observer Bill Gallo

This valentine to Trekkiedom (produced by, who else, Paramount) doesn't go in very deep--probably doesn't intend to--but it's also not quite the promotional piece the studio may have envisioned. Read full review

Roger Ebert

Trekkies talk at length about how the world would be a saner and more peaceful place if the "Star Trek" philosophy ruled our lives. No doubt it would be a lot more entertaining, too, especially during root canals. Read full review

Chris Gore

Trekkies doesn't quite take us to the final frontier, however, it is the best documentary on the subject and a good laugh. Read full review

Leonard Klady

A largely affectionate look at the weird and the wonderful subculture that's ensued and endured since the sci-fi series first beamed up in 1966. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

Most of the extreme Trek fans it features are obsessed in a big way, and if they were your children you'd probably be thinking therapy. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

A geek festival that mainly invites us to hoot at a bunch of alleged crazies. Read full review

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User Reviews

slider1983

Sep 5, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Upon release a film like Trekkies was a long overdue look at a global phenomenon. The main issue with it is its need to look at the extreme sides of fandom for the sake of entertainment. I can understand why some fans may feel it exploits them. From a content point of view it would of course be less interesting but maybe more of an effort to look at the less extreme side of fandom would present a more rounded documentary. The lack of interviews with anybody outside of America is also disappointing, showing a bias on the filmmaker’s part. It’s something that would be rectified in the sequel. There’s a lot to enjoy here but it seems to have a lot to unload (making the doc running time feel a lot longer than it should do) without giving us much depth to the people we meet. As mentioned already Trekkies is an amazing time capsule into a period were Star Trek was at the height of what it could do both creatively and commercially before franchise fatigue and horrible reboot attempts soured what made the franchise strong during the 20th Century. The most revealing statement made is regarding diversity. For all this talk about needing inclusivity and diversity in Star Trek today one fan makes the important point that the series always showed diversity through its alien life forms or cultures. It was a lesson to be tolerant and accepting of others that don’t look like you. It just goes to show that it’s not who you cast in a series that provides diversity but making that message accessible through writing. It’s easy to laugh at the people featured in this documentary, saying “what have you done with your lives” but considering the diehard fandom for something like football or baseball exists those supposed ‘crazy’ people could easily turn around and ask us what have we done with our lives? Over the years more than anything actual Star Trek has managed to bring people together regardless of their backgrounds, uniting and offering a universe to engage with others like themselves. One kid late in the documentary sums up the franchise best when he says Star Trek allows every age group of person regardless if they’re a child or an adult a reason to goof off. I couldn’t have put it better myself.… Expand

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