Trekkies 2 (2004) Poster

(2004)

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6/10
More Infinite Diversity and Combinations
Bogmeister5 November 2005
This sequel (rare for documentaries, but this IS the Trek universe) diverts from the first by expanding its outlook to other parts of the world, such as the continent (Germany, England, France, Italy), then Australia and Brazil, as well as returning to parts of the USA. Host Denise Crosby (aka Tasha Yar) returns as producer in what begins as a sort of travelogue, visiting Trek conventions all over the globe. The fans throughout the world turn out to have the same exuberance as American fans. The most touching portion of the travels is in Serbia, where it seems only recently have fans there discovered each other. A new theme touched on briefly is the intent of fandom and Trek culture to bring aid to those less fortunate, of actually helping people as a life mission. There are also similar scenes to the first "Trekkies" - showing converted apartments or staged plays. These are always interesting to watch. There are brief appearances by some of the later Trek actors, from the "Enterprise" TV show. All in all, it's not a bad follow-up to the '97 original, expanding on the universal themes, and a completest should have or view both. The DVD also contains a couple of fan films, which have a 'in the backyard with a video camera' feel to them, but you can't deny the energy the fans brought to their work.
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7/10
An Ongoing Enterprise
rsyung9 February 2005
Trekkies 2 is the logical continuation of Trekkies, as it follows the Star Trek phenomenon outside the borders of the United States, to the far reaches of the civilized world. Which makes me wonder why they focused as much as they did on the United States as well…I think I would have preferred the international angle exclusively. That said, it is still an enjoyable, and at times touching, look at a fan experience that is both benign and in many cases, beneficent. What this documentary has to offer is the striking realization that Star Trek (in its various incarnations) has become a mythology and even a religion for the disaffected of much of the world, and that its influence seems to be expanding, despite the concerns of fans as to the future of Trek. Substitute a belief in an afterlife with a belief in a better future, and you have a group of acolytes who have faith that they'll get there, if they embrace the precepts of Trek. There are no agnostics when it comes to Star Trek. Either you're a believer or not. As of this writing, the fate of the latest Trek show has been sealed, and the future of the franchise is in doubt. But those of us who have loved Trek since its inception in 1966 know better. After some time off to re-group and re-think, we know that Star Trek cannot die, just as faith in the future cannot die. Just wait and see.
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6/10
unnecessary sequel
cherold31 May 2005
I watched this just after watching the original Trekkies, and to be fair, if I hadn't just seen the other movie I might not be as critical as this one, but it is very weak in comparison.

Trekkies 2 feels like it was made out of left over material from the first movie. Not literally, since they did go out and film new stuff, but thematically, since they covered the topic quite thoroughly in the first movie and simply had little left to work with. The movie feels less focused and more random than the original; a bunch of disparate elements poorly tied together by an international theme. It also has rather cheesy narrative dialog introducing each section that sounds like the sort of artificial patter you get when people introduce an award at the Emmys.

It does have some interesting things in it, and if you haven't seen the first one you might think this was decent, but for fans of the original movie the most interesting part of this one will probably be the end in which Trekkies discuss their reaction to the original movie.
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An endearing portrayal of the modern fanbase.
Firehawk11 December 2004
Trekkies 2, like the first movie, is an endearing portrayal of the Star Trek fanbase. This time the producers go on the road and travel around the world to meet Star Trek fans from Australia, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany and even Serbia, documenting their experiences with Star Trek and going into the lives of several fans.

In between each segment of the travelogue are pieces that can be described simply as an open forum for fans to discuss issues relating to fandom, such as what makes a "Normal Fan", should you wear your uniform in public, etc. This helps give the fans more a of voice, which many found lacking in the first film.

One thing to note about the DVD is that it in fact features 2 documentaries, as the deleted scenes are cut together in a coherent way to complement the main film, raising issues that may not have fit well with the main film.

Of course, the film also features 'characters' from the first movie, like Gabe Koerner, Brian Dellis, Barbara Adams and Daryl Frazetti, making the movie feel like one of several other documentaries that have followed its subjects over the years, like 7-up.

Moments that stood out for me were the interview with Robert Burnett and the Sacramento segment that feature five Star Trek tribute bands. The Serbia segment was also quite effective because it felt more 'important', going a bit into the recent war and how some fans looked to Star Trek as a way of coping with the war. In fact, the film documents the first ever convention held in Serbia.

As a casual Star Trek fan, it was interesting to see that there was still a fanbase that existed given the current nature of Trek. Given that Star Trek: Nemesis pretty much flopped and Enterprise is on the verge of cancellation, it's kind of nice to see that there are still fans out there who are enthusiastic about Star Trek. It was also nice to see fans that were self-deprecating and could joke about the fact that they're fans. There are also poignant, philosophical moments that get to the heart of the film, such as when one of the fans says, "When reality stops being so lame, we'll stop doing this."

The film not only works because of its content, but also because of its style - irregardless of it's content, the film is just a great documentary. Given this, and the fact that you actually get two films on the DVD, I think everyone should pick this up.

8/10
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6/10
Obsession....or devotion.
planktonrules19 November 2012
I saw the first "Trekkies" movie and wasn't particularly impressed. I assumed the film would talk about how strange some of the Star Trek fans were but was surprised with the film's theme that these are normal folks--which some clearly were NOT! I had no intention of seeing this sequel film, but after watching William Shatner's new documentary "Get a Life" on Netflix, the next film recommended to me was "Trekkies 2" and I thought I'd give it a try. And, interestingly, the theme of "Trekkies 2" IS, at times, what I thought the first film should be--as it not only shows a WIDE variety of fandom (especially fans throughout the world) but also actually asked 'how much is too much?'. I appreciated this discussion about what the difference is between healthy and unhealthy obsession (such as the lady who dressed up in a Star Trek uniform for jury duty). They ask 'what is a NORMAL fan'--and I appreciated that. The film also bounces around the world and visits with fans and conventions on several continents.

Now this is not to say I was in love with "Trekkies 2"--it had a few problems. The film was VERY episodic and bounced around too much. Had it stuck with one or two themes, the film would have been tighter and more meaningful. Often, the film looked like a lot of fans just talking and talking without unifying narration or an overall plan. It could have also used some editing. It also would have benefited from EITHER exploring the psyche of the fans OR discussing the fandom around the world and doing both (plus several other themes) was just taking on too much. As a result, the final product looks more like a fan film and less like a documentary to interest the average viewer. Because of these factors, I MUCH prefer "Get a Life"--it was more compact and focused and recommend you see this one.
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6/10
Bizarre and blind devotion. Funny or sad, or a mixture of both?
RatedVforVinny12 December 2019
The follow-up to the hilarious 'Trekkies', that focuses on die hard Star Trek fans, a.k.a 'Trekkies' ('Trekkers' and 'Trekkons'), this time the world over. Glad to see the star of the first 'Trekkies' the great Gabriel Koorner, re-appear and his quest to loose his virginity; which turns out to be his most fruitful mission (to date). A heady mix of the 'very sad' and the 'really funny'.
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6/10
I'm not a Trekkie, but this was enjoyable
cricketbat10 July 2018
Trekkies 2 doesn't have the same heart as the first one, but it's still a fascinating look into Star Trek fandom. The best parts are when they are catching up on the lives of the people in the original Trekkies documentary. I'm not a Trekkie, but this film makes me wish that more people were Trekkies.
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7/10
very enjoyable, but reediting could improve it
CaptainPiecesofEight1 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I didn't see the first Trekkies movie, but I enjoyed this one. I thought Denise Crosby was a good choice.

I appeared briefly in the documentary on the 1995 Glasgow Worldcon, so I can sympathise with some fans' sensitivities. (Some overlap re filk)

On the negative side, I thought two discussions went on too long: whether one should wear Star Trek uniform on jury service, and the definition of an anorak. What I would like to see more of is the artifacts of the fans who had turned their homes into replicas of the Enterprise. I liked the international character of this documentary. I was fascinated by the visit to Hinckley, a small town in England which is hosting this year's Eastercon. I would rate Trekkies 2 above some of the later Star Trek movies, but not the first five. I would watch it again.
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4/10
Some great moments, but overall - not nearly as good as the first
mstomaso26 June 2005
The original Trekkies was a raw, politically unconcerned look into the lives of followers of the greatest TV sci-fi franchise, and one of America's great marketing successes. It was fun, Trekkie/Trekker- friendly, and yet not entirely uncritical. Trekkies is much more of a fan movie, and despite the fact that some of the scenes are actually better than most of what appeared in the original, this isn't half the film the original was.

There are many directions Trekkies 2 could have gone in. It could have been a rebuttal of the Star Trek mythos - perhaps engaging some of the writings of Robert Justman and Herb Solow. It could have dealt with the themes of the series directly and engaged their commercialization and their near abandonment after the cancellation of DS9, or perhaps the hiring of sex symbols as a way to boost ratings once the writing team began to fall apart. It could have focused on sociological issues within Trek fandom - such as the somewhat schizophrenic politics of the older and newer generations of Trek fans, or the amazing marketing of the franchise. Instead, Trekkies 2 is mostly more of the same stuff we saw in Trekkies, with a few nice new stories (the segment on Trek-based punk rock and metal bands was the highlight of the film for me), and a lot of plugs for the now defunct Enterprise series.

Don't get me wrong, as one of the original Trek fans (from TOS in its original run to the present), I love this film. I just can't in good faith, recommend it to any non-fan. If you're not a Trekkie, see the original Trekkies. It's a lot more fun.
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8/10
The good sequel
DanielJosLeary12 June 2004
I was very fortunate to catch an early viewing of this film at Fanzillacon in Worcester Massachusetts and was very happy to get the opportunity. Trekkies 2, though a documentary, uses has all the keys to any good sequel: The film stands well without seeing the previous, though rewarding if you have, old elements are revisited without overshadowing new ones and everything is made bigger and bolder. The movie itself is a sort of reply to the first, addressing the effect that Trekkies had on many of its interviewees and the fanbase as a whole. The documentary strives for a fair balance of 'normal' fans with the amusing 'over-the-top' fans that were plentiful in the first film. I think this balance is achieved, though not everyone will agree for whatever reasons they might. Aside from being the obvious way of expanding the first movie, seeing Trekkies from around the globe was just a fascinating addition.

The major difference between this movie and the first is this one is more is concentrated solely on the lives and activities of the fans and does not include much discussion and history on the Star Trek phenomena on its own. Which makes prefect sense since that subject was covered well enough in the first, making this more what the first would have been if that background information hadn't been necessary.

My only problem was no inclusion of major Star Trek cast members like the previous film had. But director Roger Nygard answered a Q&A after the screening and explained that getting them was simple for the first film when the filmmakers had no limelight on their production and didn't have to pay the cast members for their interviews.

Altogether the film is a strong followup to the first. I look forward to seeing it again, along with the supplementary material, when it is released in August.
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1/10
The FIRST Was 30 Minutes Too Long! This 'sequel' has only some limited curio value...
ThommyMac7 October 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Oh, where to begin? I started to work on this while still watching it but decided that was not a good idea. It is THAT bad, but it is very hard to write about it without swearing. The review took multiple viewings, so I should get the Star Fleet equivalent of a Purple Heart (NO offense to the mighty men and woman who are holders of the OPH.) I never swear in mixed company. I checked the 'spoiler-warning' just to stay on the admins good side, but how could you spoil this? I guess there is something about myself I should toss out here first. I was so into Star Trek, I got a paper route at age 11. Why, pray tell? Well, Start Trek syndicated re-runs in the 1975 Pittsburgh market ran on an independent station the same time as the news. My dad watched the news at that time and that was that. To any youngster's reading this, 1970s Pittsburgh had maybe 6 channels and we got 3 of them, since the steel mills were between us and the rest of town. Hopefully THAT establishes my credibility as a Trekkie or Trekker or whatever they call themselves.

The first one is an uncut gem, mostly lazy with unintentionally brilliant moments. Two things really cheesed me off, well 2 and a half. First, James Doohan lost his finger at Normandy. You know? That BUZZSAW of a battle that pitted mostly green troops against the Fortress Europa. Denise and the dentist yucking it up about a gardening accident ticked me off bad. Look it up, kids, and you will be equally ticked. Second is the dentist's gold-digger I mean receptionist turned dental assistant turned wife riding the staff. Watch closely when Denise **cough** interviews the help. Mrs Gumbo is there riding herd. The girls cannot say a word without the dragon lady watching closely. The half? Denise Crosby gets to make fun of Trekkies yet gets to travel and make money, no doubt basking in the loyalists glow while poking at them. Maybe I am just jealous at the combination of sheer brilliance and audacity.

OK, on to the anemic and completely unnecessary sequel's good points. The 'Where are they now segments were pretty good. Gabriel turned out working in the movie field as some sort of computer animator or modeler. That is quite an accomplishment.He also landed a very pretty and seemingly intelligent wife. His dad shows a good bit more of the creepiness that was hinted at in the first one. My personal favourite from the original Trekkies, Barbara Adams, got a segment. She still works at the print shop. I would like to share one thing, Miss Adams. I heartily applaud you wearing your Federation Alliance to jury duty, truly. I am a former member of the 101st Airborne and really was an infantryman. You would do well to not compare wearing it (the Fed. Alliance uniform which I purposely did not call a costume)to a soldier wearing his or hers. Security guard, Eagle Scout, Prison guard are more reasonable comparisons. OK? I was very curious as to whether that cute couple who hosted 'Talking Trek' came out of the closet yet. Sadly, the sequel left that (possibly null or moot) question unanswered.

The European segments were interesting most of the time. Why did the guy in the UK who did up his flat wonder at Yanks wanting to buy and have shipped? There is a former London bridge in Arizona. Shipping a flat's worth of Star Trek stuff would be child's play compared to that. The German segment was fun because of the Germans. Watching that very expensive fan film being made was a little unsettling. It was like some alternate universe where they won, sort of like 'Fatherland'. The former Yugoslavia makes a very poignant segment, or could have been if done with a little more effort.

Spoiler alert: There is a wretched segment about bands that drags on like 'MacArthur Park'. That's when it surpassed boring and aggressively went after painfully cheesy. As in cheese-like product that comes out of a spray can bad. It is difficult to guess Denise Crosby's age between the two, which is pretty cool when you think about it. The reason that is brought up is if they ditched 30 to 40% of the FIRST Trekkies and added the European stuff from Trekkies 2, that would of been an OK flick. As it is, I fast-forward through this one a good deal. The sad thing is that is something we NEVER do in my house, so why bother?
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BORING
JennyGump15 October 2004
I am a big fan of the original star trek and the next generation, and I'm also a fan of the first film about trekkies but, this one was just beyond tedious, and slow. it wasn't as good as the first one. the first had funny, interesting, moments, and they always had great interviews with the trekkies. this one was more of a "hey, look at all the stuff i have", it was like watching antiques roadshow, except it was the fans themselves guessing how much everything was worth. it was interesting to see some of the people doing their own fan films and plays based on star trek but, aside from that the best part was the recaps on who we saw in the first film. it was interesting to see how they were now, and how they were effected by being featured in the film, widely regarded as one of the best documentaries ever made. this film is forgettable at best, and i wish they tried harder to make things a little more about the fans and not about how much money they have spent on star trek.
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2/10
Umn
ctomvelu16 July 2009
For those who could not get enough of TREKKIES, here comes TREKKIES 2. Denise Crosby travels the globe to speak to Trekkies, who insist on being called Trekkers, which makes them sound even more loony than they already are. One Trekkie makes it very plain that Trekkies are a disenfranchised lot as a whole. Actually, this sequel is pretty dull and has nothing on the first film, which makes me wonder why anyone bothered with a sequel. Trying to find something I could enjoy about this documentary, I focused on one older woman with a butch haircut and no makeup who wears a Star Trek jersey everywhere she goes, and vociferously defends her right to do so. Her, I could get into. She reminded me that many years ago, my wife and I ran into a Trekkie on a bus ride to Florida, and this was pretty much before people started labeling themselves Trekkies. She had horrible body odor and halitosis, and suckered me out of the cost of a meal at one stop. She said she was headed for one of the first Star Trek conventions somewhere. Hey! Maybe this little old lady in the movie is the same gal we ran into four decades ago. If so, she still owes me for that meal. Skip this puppy. As one guy states in TREKKIES 2, STAR WARS has a lot more going for it than STAR TREK ever did. Amen, brother. Even though I used to love STAR TREK (at least the Captain Kirk version).
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9/10
"I've met some of the people in this documentary"
simon-trek26 January 2005
I believe Trekkies 2 is defiantly worth watching if you enjoyed the first Trekkies film. Some of the Trekkies interviewed in the first Trekkies film appear in Trekkies 2 so it is interesting to see how they have grown and how they have continued using Star Trek as part of their lives. But what I think is most interesting is seeing Star Trek fans and conventions in other countries. The first Trekkies film only had American fans, but Trekkies 2 takes you to Star Trek fans and conventions in France, England, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Serbia and of course my country: Australia.

I've attended three Star Trek Conventions in Sydney so far. Including the one in June of 2003. Denise Crosby was a guest at this convention, she was here in Sydney to film Trekkies 2, I even briefly chatted with one of Denise's cameramen. Some of the Trekkies attending this convention were interviewed for Trekkies 2 but I wasn't one of them. I've met several of the Australian people interviewed for this documentary. One of them is Peter the host for the Sydney Star Trek Conventions. He claims that he's been attending conventions for twelve years. I also know Tammy who you see briefly dressed as a Romulan. I've also seen the huge teddy bear which is dressed in a Starfleet uniform. I've also met this "Admiral". I've forgotten her name but she is wearing a red Admiral's uniform and has these two white tentacles on her head. She calls herself a Human/Andorian (She appears during the end credits).

So it was nice to see some of the people I've met in this documentary and I am surprised that I'm the first Star Trek Convention attendee who has commented about this film.
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5/10
Kind of bland, but the end redeems the film
Agent107 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
After watching the first Trekkies film, it seemed like it was capable of standing alone and being a true testament to the wild and fanatical side of the Trek fan spectrum. But no, they made this rather sub-par film that really lends very little to the idea of being a Trekker. Sure, they explore the phenomenon and it's world-wide spreading, but it was just more of the same old, same old from the first film.

What I did like was the update on the weird kid from the first Trekkies. To see that he hasn't been ridiculed to the point of killing himself is a good thing, and he's even married!! What was even worse though, was the fact they went half-assed on this project and used video tape instead of regular film. Quite a waste indeed, Mr. Spock.
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You have to laugh at Star Trek fans or you will see the dis-functional lives.
oscar-3524 February 2005
I have seen BOTH of these mock-documentaries, Trekkies and Trekkies 2. SHAME ON THEM. Jerry Springer meets Star Trek fans.

These films are full of a schizoid views of these Trek people. One part of the film would praise them and one part of this film holds them up for public mocking. This film illustrates why so many basic Star Trek fans might never get beyond the public ridicule of being a fan. They don't wish to be painted with the same mocking brush! What is really strange is how the Trek fans in this film were clearly held up for exploitation & mocking in the first Trekkies film, STILL came back to Trekkies 2 for MORE. Bakerfield fan boy, Gabriel Koerber, is at it again! Kinda strange or what an EGO??!! Some have even called themselves Trekkie's guest star actors on their own websites. "Guest stars actor", you have to be given a role to be that. Playing yourself...really doesn't count, fan folks. Otherwise everyone in a TV news story would be an actor, I don't think so...

Some Trek fans from the first Trekkies film were pretty vocal how they were misinformed and maltreated on how they were going to be portrayed. Anne Murphy (Spiner Fem) has published her own home website lambasting the Trekkies producers for their underhanded and manipulative editing of her story piece. The producers have posted on several BBS their questionable response to her comments. I would believe her anti-Trekkies over them, sorry. Ms. Murphy was smarter than those Trekkies 1 re-treads that came back for more snideness in Trekkies 2.

Trekkies 2 has many sad empty folks whose "15 minutes of fame" has run out or should have run out years ago!
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10/10
Was a fun project to be a part of!
Samuel_Siegel3 December 2013
Unfortunately the IMDb lists a different Samuel Siegel as being in this title, but to correct that I shall give my experiences on this. We met Roger's Son that morning at my crews betleH Tournament as we were setting up for it. Upon signing the "permission slips" We then took towards Roger's Direction for the way that things were filmed. Roger and company were quite accommodating in going with our programming.

I had decided to wear my experimental and quite unorthodox battle armor. Black with Grey shoulder laims and the top layer was covered in a Blood red marbled vinyl.

I died during a double kill during the combat bout that was shown on the film. That was completely done by accident (Only one of us was supposed to take a hit).

During the filming Roger had me Yell QAPLA'! So many times my voice when so horse that I was unable to talk for 3 days. But it was very much well worth it, and as my crew at that time will attest it was the quietest con with me they ever had! LOL
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