Rating: 
Summary: Dammit Jim! Why!
Review: Star Trek V is just a reaffirmation that the odd numbered Star Trek films are just bad, or off kilter. This time William Shatner is in the directors chair as well as the Captain's chair. Basically a bruised ego since Leonard Nimoy took the director's chair on 2 successful rounds of Trek with Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, and the extremely successful Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. I imagine that Shatner wanted to capture that same magic for Trek V, but alas it is not to be so. Star Trek V starts off with a hostage situation on Nimbus 3, the planet of galactic peace. Nimbus 3 is a shared world where the Federation, Klingon, and Romulans supposedly work out their difference. The hostage taker is a mysterious Vulcan with many followers. On Earth, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are called from R&R in Yosemite National Park back to the Enterprise. StarFleet informs Kirk of the situation and that the Enterprise is the only ship available. (Yeah, right.) In viewing the hostage message that is left, Spock recognizes the Vulcan. Aside from the Enterprise, and Klingon Bird Of Prey is en-route to Nimbus III to rectify the situation in a way only a Klingon knows how to do. Captian Klaa antisipating the arrival of the Enterprise, see much honor for himself if he can best Kirk in battle. He quickly cloaks his vessel and goes for the kill. On the Enterprise, Spock notes the approaching cloaked vessel and its intentions of attacking. Making a trecherous hostage situation even more dangerous, they now have to work unter a time limit before the Klingon ship comes into striking range. After taking a shuttle down to the planet, Kirk and company attempt to free the hostages. Instead of rescuing the hostages, Kirk and crew are captured by the madd Vulcan and ask Kirk to take him to the Enterprise. The Vulcan Sybok, is in search of a legendary planet Shakar Ree, where supposedly God lives (I'm not making this up people). Sybok had staged the hostage situation in order to get a vessel to come so he could hijack it to this mysterious planet. Kirk plans a double cross on Sybok as the shuttle approaches his ship. He contacts Scotty, alerting him in code that he and the shuttle are in trouble. After a shuttle crash on the hanger deck of the Enterprise, Spock gets the upperhand on Sybok with a gun. As Sybok approaches Spock to take the gun, Kirk orders Spock to shoot. He refuses and Sybok takes the gun. As Kirk questions Spock why, his response is..."Cause he is my brother..." Want to learn more? You'll have to see the movie. The failure point for this film is the plot itself along with the acting and special effects. The special effects are very strained, basically because ILM (Industrial Light Magic)was busy with Ghostbusters 3 and Indianna Jones And The Last Crusade. A 3rd party effects company took over and did a shoddy job. The plot of the film is horrible. Search for God in the center of the galaxy beyond a great barrier? Oy! The televisiion show had better plots that this? What was Shatner thinking? And a long in the tooth Lt. Cmdr Uhura doing an erotic dance to distract some hostage takers? Puleeeze! Only interesting character was Sybok, and he wasn't completely developed enough to appreciate. One thing learned from this experience, is that Shatner should stick to acting...or overacting. I'd only recommend this film for anyone looking to round out their Trek video library.
Rating: 
Summary: Underrated
Review: This is one of my favorite Trek films, second only to The Motion Picture. Everyone thought it has really cheap effects, but this film was released in the summer of '89, in which more films were squeezed into theatres than ever before, which meant ILM had tons of films to give special effects to, and they couldn't be first rate for Star Trek V. So, they had to recycle effects shots from the other 4 films as much as possible. Shatner still did a superb job directing it. It has a great plot, and he made the film very reminiscent to the series, such as Spock, Bones, and Kirk going down to investigate the planet they are orbiting, in this case, Sha Ka Ree.
Rating: 
Summary: A touching exploration of the soul
Review: No Star Trek movie can really beat Star Trek IV but Star Trek V really moved me. I found the exploration in man's pain and search for what every man wants to find a fascinating exploration. I recommend this to anyone who has ever wondered whats at the center of the universe.
Rating: 
Summary: Not As Bad As Most Say
Review: I like this one, but it's far from my favorite. The music throughout is very nice, at the beginning when Kirk is climbing the mountain, the music in the background is fabulous as is near the end of the film when Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and Sybock are searching the planet for God. Special effects, as you probably heard are pretty bad, and they pretty much are. But there is much more to this film. The idea of searching for God is very good, but probably could have been done better. I mean we talkin about God here, coulda made it with a huge bang, but since it was only some punk posing as God, I guess that's why it was the way it was. Question, a torpedo didn't destroy the god, but a disruptor blast did? I don't get it. Anyway, probably one of my favorite parts of the film is when McCoy and Spock's inner pain was revealed. Even though I love phaser blasting (which there is very little of in the film) scenes like this are very nice as well. Also the campfire scene is done nicely, and the entire movie is quite humurous too. My favorite line Spock -"It appears we're too heavy" Kirk - "Must be all those marshmellows"
Rating:
Summary: Yeesh, enough of the knee-jerk Shatner bashing
Review: This film was doomed with critics and semi-trekkers the moment it was revealed that Shatner would direct. The knives hit the sharpening stones before the film was even released. I don't think anyone reasonably doubts that. Is it the best Trek film, no. That honor almost certainly goes to Wrath of Khan. Is it the worst? Oh please. The fact that the insipid and childish IV consistantly receives high marks actually frightens me. The Search for Spock wasn't bad but certainly mediocre. And the Undiscovered Country? Yeesh. I don't suppose I can rightfully comment on a film I walked out on. I can only handle so much sanctimonious hippie-blather in one sitting. Generations....Wow,see what I mean? Part V wasn't as bad as you thought was it? V was flawed, to be sure, but it was certainly the best attempt at filming one of the more cerebral scripts since the series. At least there was an effort to plot something more challenging than .."Save Spock!"..or "Save Whales!". The film also was by far the most "cinematic" of the bunch. On the wide screen there are some very beautiful epic shots, part V looked considerably more like an epic, widescreen film than any of the others. I think Shatner, or at least his cinematographer, did a beautiful job of creating an epic sweep to some of the scenes. Especially compared to the cheap and obvious planet-side sets of part III. I think people are going to re-think this film after awhile...especially after a few more of the god-awful "Next Gen" movies.
Rating:
Summary: What genius let Shatner direct, anyway?
Review: This movie is so pathetic that I've almost completely blocked it out of my mind. Kind of like when someone experiences something extremely traumatic in their life and they can't remember anything about the event afterwards. What, there was a Star Trek V?I won't be buying this one. But, it's Star Trek, so I can't give it only one star.
Rating:
Summary: What are Friends For?
Review: The Final Frontier is probably the most under-rated of the Trek Movies. Directed by William Shatner this is the most lighthearted of the Trek Movies, with the possible exception of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Kirk, McCoy and Spock go camping and roast "marsh melons" in the most personal of the Trek Movies. And after 20 odd-years together it is about time we got to see that these guys are indeed great friends ready to literally pick each either up when the other falls (which Shatner practically screams out when he has his character fall from a cliff in Yosemite only to be plucked from the ground not a moment too soon by a jet-booted Spock.) The story is a throw back to the series when wrestling with questions of truth and reality in a very big way was always on the agenda. The most important message being conveyed is that not only is man meant to explore the great unknown, it is best done in the company of your pals--it is they who make the journey worthwhile. That may not have been the Star Trek ethos back when it began in 1966, but Shatner hits it on the head when he tacitly acknowledges that that is what has sustained our interest all these years. For young Trek fans, this and the Voyage Home, are probably the most fun.
Rating:
Summary: The Inspiration for Star Trek VI
Review: Let's face it, this is among the weakest entries in the series, though for me it is a toss up between this one and #1 as the worst of them all. Still, V is not a complete disaster. The banter between Kirk, Spock and McCoy is amusing. Lawrence Luckinbill cuts a compelling and charismatic figure as Sybok, Spock's half brother. What ruins the movie is the poorly conceived story and lousy special effects. Sybok is motivated by his vision of Shakari, but it would have helped if we could get a glimpse of what that vision was to understand what drove him so passionately. Plus, it is rather ridiculous to think that someone will slavishly follow Sybok just because he helps him get in touch with his pain. All in all, V has the feeling of a made for tv movie about it. It is more than likely that Star Trek VI was made because they did not want to end the original cast series on such a bad note. Of course, die hard Trekkie fans will want to add this film to their collection anyway, and moderate Trekkies like myself will be compelled to at least watch it. But if you are not a big fan of the series, you can skip Star Trek V.
Rating:
Summary: Beyond the Frontier¿
Review: Mortality, Faith, Religion, God, Pain, Emotion, Logic - what doesn't this film have? The story is solid, and the acting is there. Yet there is something missing from this film which would make it a classic. The Visual Effects are pleasing, yet they do not push as far as their predecessor's or their successor's. The DVD quality is good, but not great. Yet the DVD is a good addition to a collection - the character moments are wonderful. The relationships explored (Kirk/Spock/McCoy of course, but the Uhura/Scotty relationship too!) allow the view to see what happen after a lifelong service - Friendship. Perhaps that is the real final frontier.
Rating:
Summary: Why?
Review: Only redeeming value is the great musical score which eventually became the theme for The Next Generation TV series!
|
