TPA Two of a Kind in Las Vegas

Assimilate This

Written by Aly, Photos by Trish

Las Vegas, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Las Vegas Hilton. It’s continuing mission: to entice strange international gamblers, to seek out new shows and new slot machines, to boldly go where no casino has gone before!

There are laser lights flashing, fog filling the air and a crowd of reporters and rabid fans awaiting their first view of a live Borg. I must say, I’m pretty excited. I’ve always been a big Star Trek fan and I’m trying really hard to be a good reporter and not let my inner geek show too much.

Then, out they come. Starfleet officers, an Andorian woman, a Ferengi, several Klingons and… Jason Alexander. Yes, Seinfeld’s Jason Alexander. I thought he was an odd choice for the role of "Celebrity Presenter," but he turned out to be very funny and did a great job. Jason introduced the attraction, gave a bit of background, showed the audience videos of himself auditioning for the original Star Trek series and introduced Robert Picardo, who plays the Holographic Doctor featured on Deep Space Nine and in the Invasion. Both bantered back and forth… until the Borg appeared! They surrounded an uneasy Alexander and carted him off deep inside the Experience. As the Borg were retreating, one stepped forward, informing all present that we were facing the inevitable. Assimilation! With that, we were released to experience the attraction for the first time.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get many pictures of the opening ceremonies, as the management decided it would be a good idea to stand in front of our clump of press, pretty much knocking out any photo opps. Seems like we weren’t as important as the Six O’clock News, or the local paper...

Anyway, for anyone not familiar with Star Trek, the Borg are a group of cyborg-like individuals who operate as one mind and gain knowledge by absorbing other species. They never use “I” or “me,” instead, referring to themselves as a collective “we."

The show begins with a tour of a futuristic research facility, run by the Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager (Picardo). An unknown vessel approaches and is quickly identified as a dreaded Borg “Cube.” The visitors are rushed through as the space station is invaded, ending up at the escape ship, where we were quickly seated and given “safety glasses” to wear throughout the flight.

Just as it looked like we were going to get away, the ship was attacked, and we were sucked into the Borg cube for a showdown with the Borg Queen herself (Alice Krige reprising her role from Star Trek: First Contact). Without giving too much away, this is where most of the show’s effects come into play, as the audience begins to experience assimilation into the Borg Collective.

The “4D” effects are very similar to what is used in the Bug’s Life show at Disney’s California Adventure, but the Invasion’s sound system and digital 3D are far superior. The press releases all touted it as one of the most advanced 3D films ever produced, and the first to use multi-angle 3D, with effects coming from the front, rear and sides. It totally lives up to the hype.

The first time we rode/saw/experienced the attraction, the large overhead screen never did anything but project an image of two closed doors. We gave the attraction 3.5 stars out of 5. The second time around, the overhead screen and all seat effects were working in full force. I cannot express how much this adds to the show! It makes you truly feel immersed in the created environment. I kept pointing at things and saying, “That is so cool!” throughout the ride, much to the irritation of the people next to me! The 3D is also the clearest I’ve ever seen; no fuzziness - it’s totally and eerily real.

The pre-show actors were very enthusiastic and did a great job of creating a frantic, urgent atmosphere. There were several cool set details that I wanted to take pictures of, but I decided not to spoil the surprise. You’ll just have to see for yourselves!

We were both wondering to what extent the costuming and make-up would be taken for this attraction. The audition advertisements in the local paper asked for actors willing to wear “heavy makeup and costuming.” The first few Borg who appeared were certainly very detailed, wearing full prosthetic appliances and snug, detailed costuming. Then I noticed the few in the rear, and wondered aloud why they all had such large noses. Apparently, the Borg used in the attraction are wearing the equivalent of a detailed mask, cast in foam latex, with cutouts for the eyes and mouth. 10 or so other Borg, done in much more detail, were on hand for the press opening and photo opportunities. Another thing I noticed were the lack of any female Borg. I actually put in an application for this position. I’ve got a great deal of make-up and improv experience, and was surprised when I didn’t even get an audition; now I know why!

Another bonus was the chance to see the Klingon Encounter, the original 3D ride at the Experience. When we were loaded into this one, I thought it would be just another Star Tours, but it’s got some GREAT surprises. I just about squeaked with delight when I got to stand on the bridge of the Enterprise (I am such a big nerd)!

As far as the general ambiance, the Star Trek Experience is top-notch. Everything is well-themed and plenty of aliens were out in full force interacting with the press. I was picking at my salad when a large Klingon informed me, “You don’t need to stab it, it’s already dead!” The same guy later mocked me for taking pictures of the drinks and was generally picking on everyone! I’ve seen him at the Experience before, but he was in rare form this day. What a great job!

What it all comes down to is the question of money. Is it worth $30 bucks to see both the Borg Invasion and Klingon Encounter? After seeing the show for the first time, we decided that while it would appeal to fans of the series, people with little to no interest in Star Trek wouldn’t be able to appreciate it. It seemed like just another motion ride, with really great video. After the second ride, with the overhead screen and seat effects operating properly, that completely changed. This is a must-see attraction. It has amazing video, amazing sound, great effects, really cool pre-show involving live actors portraying Starfleet Officers and Borg. All in all, it’s damned good fun!

Borg Invasion 4D and the Klingon Encounter run daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. in the Star Trek Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton. Admission gets you into both attractions. Parents be warned, the Borg Invasion is fairly intense and not for young children.

Until next time, we'll see you somewhere on The Strip!

- Aly & Trish