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Malcolm McDowell Disappointed By Kirk’s Death In Star Trek: Generations

Date: Sep 13, 2012 | Author: David Wharton | Category: Sci-Fi

When Star Trek: Generations came out back in 1994, fans were excited by the prospect of finally seeing Kirk share the screen with the Next Generation folks. While the movie itself was just so-so, it was great to see Kirk back in action, and more than a little disappointing when the legendary captain got a less-than-dignified death, spending his final moments pinned beneath a fallen metal bridge. (Although I do still love his last words: “It was…fun. Oh my.”) It turns out that Trek fans aren’t the only ones who thought Kirk deserved a more epic send-off; the guy who killed him happens to agree.

Malcolm McDowell played Tolian Soran, the villain of Generations and the man whose actions led to Kirk’s semi-heroic death. In a new interview with The Canadian Press, McDowell reflects on the unforgettable moment and why he thinks it was a missed opportunity. “It was sad, really,” says McDowell. “Honestly, the producers should have given him a much better sendoff than they did.”

While the finished version of the film has Kirk falling to his death when a bridge he’s crossing gives way, the initial version was actually even worse, having Soren shoot Kirk in the back. McDowell says he remembers William Shatner grumbling about the idea. Thankfully test audiences agreed, and the scene was reshot to give Kirk a less embarrassing, but still disappointing, exit. McDowell was dissatisfied with both versions of the scene.

They should have given him a glorious death. If they’re going to kill one of the icons of American television, then get rid of him in a beautiful way. I was very disappointed that they didn’t come up with something a little better … It was feeble, I thought, because I thought he deserved better.

What do you think about Kirk’s final moments? Were they a fitting end for a legendary Starfleet captain or a death only fit for a generic redshirt?

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Comments

  • http://www.facebook.com/richard.bonaduce Richard Bonaduce

    I understand why the y did it that way; wanting him to be taken out during a heroic action and not by any one person, specifically. But I do think this last action should have been something even more heroic and more in line with the history of his character. Possibly something on a bridge, akin to his father’s death in the Star Trek movie of 2008.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jeremy.nichols.33 Jeremy Nichols

    I thought it was disappointing, and the film is one of very few I don’t make an effort to go back and watch as much as the others (along with ‘The Motion Picture’, ‘The Final Frontier’, and ‘Insurrection’). I agree, Kirk’s death was lame. Killing him off to begin with is a bold stroke, and a questionable one. If they were set on doing it, it should have been epic – and it wasn’t even close.

  • Andrew

    I agree that is was disappointing… Not to mention that I didn’t see the point in it. They should have come up with another way to either put him back in his time or something. At least in his time, he died saving Enterprise B. Then they robbed him of that glory.

  • Rj28

    It was just sad the way they killed Kirk. He should have had gone out in a blaze a glory, not a whimper :-/ As said he should have been on the bridge of a ship (Enterprise preferably) and go out truely heroically. Trapping him under a bridge… That was just bad.

  • http://www.facebook.com/zero32483 William Hoke Jr

    Every time I watch Generations, I remember the books that followed written by William Shatner detailing the return of James T Kirk. As the man behind the iconic tv legend, he found a way to not only resurrect Captain Kirk, but to give new depth to elements of the Trek ‘verse I have always suspected at. I recommend them as they are all great reads. It starts with “Star Trek: The Return”.