The Captains
The Captains
| 22 July 2011 (USA)
The Captains Trailers

The Captains is a feature-length documentary film written and directed by William Shatner. The film follows Shatner as he interviews the other actors who have portrayed starship captains in the Star Trek franchise.

Reviews
StunnaKrypto

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

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Actuakers

One of my all time favorites.

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Beystiman

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

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Cissy Évelyne

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

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foghorn_clj

The title of this movie is a complete misnomer. Basically it's bits and pieces of interview's from all the captain's surrounded by nauseating scenes of Shatner pontificating about himself. For those of us familiar with William Shatner and his reputation this is no surprise. Probably the worst part was the misogynistic argumentative tone Shatner took with Kate Mulgrew when discussing how working on star trek impacted their families in a negative way. Run in the other direction.

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Henry (hen3d45)

I have fallen in love with the documentaries on Netflix.I found this movie, and was very pleased with it's insights and depth. People love to have an easy target, and William Shatner has been that for a lot of critics, but I think this movie will show his deeper side. William Shatner seems to have such an easy time talking and getting people to interact with him. Seeing the scene where he walks through the convention floor shows his talent for identifying with people. It was a wonderful glimpse into the lives of these great actors. Thanks William for making this film.You should watch this film, and I hope when you do you enjoy it as much as i did.

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MartinHafer

This is a very odd and meandering little documentary. If you hate Star Trek or have little interest in it, then you should probably avoid it. But, if you like or love the shows, then by all means give it a look--but the film is probably NOT what you are expecting.William Shatner made this documentary. It consists of him traveling about the globe interviewing the various people who have played the Captain on the various Trek incarnations--"Star Trek: The Next Generation", "Deep Space 9", "Voyager", "Enterprise" and even the latest movie "Star Trek"--where the Kirk character was given a re-boot. But, I was surprised because the flow of the show and the interviews seems rather free-form. And, unlike my expectations, it did NOT consist of the actors reminiscing very much about the show or telling amusing anecdotes (though there are a few). Instead, it's rather philosophical and discusses such unusual topics as death and the afterlife, the effect the shows had on their family lives (it was mostly VERY negative) and the legacy of having been a 'Captain'. The biggest surprise for me was how incredibly grueling the shows were--as 12-14 hour days were the norm. So, being at work 60-75 hours a week was typical--and wrecked a few marriages. How very sad. Yet, despite this, they all seemed very much at peace with the show and their legacy.Overall, a delightful and slight little film. Worth seeing and thought-provoking.why APple AnnIE? effect on family relationships--sad; grueling schedule

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Erikwk04

Being born in '88, the original Star Trek series starring William Shatner had long stopped running and the new series Next Generation starring Sir Patrick Stewart was in full swing. It wasn't until TNG hit the daily reruns on the BBC that I got my first taste of Star Trek, mind you I could not have been more than 8 years old at the time. As a young adult now I look back at the shows with a great sense of nostalgia and joy and have come to admire the original two Captains of the Enterprise for their influence on previous and current generations. I'm not a trekkie, as I have never been to a convention or felt the need to sport Spock ears, but I am for sure a fan.So let's be honest about this, would I have watched Shatner's The Captains if it weren't for so many fond childhood memories? No. Would I have enjoyed it if it weren't for said memories? No. Is it a quality documentary by its own right? No. Is William Shatner a talented or even competent interviewer? No, although the other reviewers would disagree with me on that one. From my point of view Shatner makes some basic and rookie mistakes in his technique as an interviewer, best shown during his interview with Avery. So is it all just a wash and 90 mins of my life wasted on a pursuit of childhood nostalgia? No, and here's why. What Shatner does in The Captains, is to give us a look into his own Star Trek experience. What it was like as the first captain, what it did to him at the time and in the years after. How it affected his personal life (failed marriage with three kids) and how he has struggled to give Kirk a place in his life. Shatner's journey of discovery is deeply personal as he, with the help of his fellow captains and Stewart in particular, comes to terms with the legacy he will eventually leave behind when Scotty beams him up one final time. This theme of mortality works brilliantly as a stark contrast to the immortality of the Star Trek franchise as it lives on to this day still. The Captains gives us fans a never before seen glimpse into Shatner's mind and heart. It is dirty and messy at times, but always honest and genuine.Watch this if you are a fan and interested in the man that made the captain that inspired millions to boldly go where no one has gone before…P.S. To Shatner and all the captains, much love and appreciation for your work.

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