How bad is Star Trek V?

[Luke Bannon]

I have heard some people criticise Star Trek V. Even my own father told me I was lucky I didn't see it. Can a film be that bad?

[Dano]

I didn't like ANY of the Star Trek movies, however I actually saw all of them in either the theater or video.  Star Trek V is the only one I just shut off in the middle of it.  I think it was at the scene where they had a 198 pound 63 year old woman in a feathery bikini stunning all the male characters with her "beauty."

[Cullen]

Yes.

There are some movies worse than Star Trek V , but of the entire Trek series, V has proven to be the worse.  The writing is poor, the characterization questionable, the humor unintended (or painfully bad), the concept unoriginal (Kirk talks a God to death.  Again), the direction misleading and a whole bag more.

Don't believe me?  Check out the Jabootu review and see for yourself.  Note that that's the only Star Trek film they've battered.

[J.R.]

I think The Final Frontier is needlessly maligned. It's not the best Trek movie, to be sure, but it's not painfully bad. It's just average. I can watch it. Neither is it the worst Trek movie, that honor goes to The Motion Pictore. So....slow....

[Chadzilla]

To quote Michael Caine in The Swarm

"It's about as bad as it can get."

I agree with Cullen for the most part.  But Star Trek V is my favorite simply because it's so bad.  Call it a guilty pleasure.

The Jerry Goldsmith score is good, though.

[Flangepart]

Let me count the ways.....
....Stupid use of characters(Uhura fan dancing, scotty bonking his noggin, Kirk, as Cullin said, talking "godz" ear off).....I loved Trex 2, liked 4, respected most of 6. yep...the even #'s hane it all.
....5 was MSTied in a home made SOL a fan did. Some of the gags looked good. I'll try to get it. Could be fun. You will find a LOT of revenge going into any MST you do of this thing. Hurt it! Hurt it bad!

[Squishy]

I quite enjoyed it when it came out, but I was in a situation in which I was desperate for entertainment. There's no denying that it captures the feel of the original series perfectly--if, by "original series," we're talking about "Spock's Brain." It has come catchy moments--the pre-credit opening, the crew camping out--but the script is confused and contradictory, the effects and acting are mostly inexcusably bad, the second-tier characters are treated as comedy relief--on a "Adam West Batman" level--and the continuity errors are Legendary With A Capital "L." Frankly, this is true of "VI" as well, to lesser extents. "Final Frontier" was the last "Trek" I enjoyed even a little...

Once again, Chadzilla scares the Hell out of me. There IS the joy of watching Kirk free-climbing mountains and flinging women across bars like a seventeen-year-old with super powers, and the Goldsmith score, as usual, is the best damn thing about the movie...

[Babydoll]

Of all the Star Trek movies I loved "Star Trek 4".  I think it showed how we have bad habbits.  It was funny and good writing!   The movies after Star Trek 4 got bad.  The writing was poor.  I hoping they turn thing around with this next movie.

[AndyC]

Agreed, the Motion Picture is extremely slow. I was surprised at the Directors Edition. In some ways it was an improvement, with new special effects, and distant shots of V'ger. However, Robert Wise still fails to trim enough of the fat, while leaving out a few scenes that advance the plot. Either that, or scenes are left in without the parts that make them relevant to the story, such as the scene in Ilia's quarters. The scene is pointless if they leave out the part where she actually provides some clues.

Star Trek V, on the other hand, could not be helped by any amount of editing. The whole idea is bad, and we're introduced to a lot of new things that probably should have been mentioned before - like a barrier around the centre of the galaxy. Who came up with that?

[Ash]

William Shatner directed this mess.  Can you believe that?  He should never be allowed behind the viewfinder of any of the latest Hollywood cameras after conducting THE WORST STAR TREK MOVIE EVER MADE!!  I suspect Leonard Nimoy was in the backgound dressed in his Spock costume while the filming was going on with his shaking head in his hands saying to himself, "you dumb f**k" whilst weeping a tear for Roddenberry who happened to be turning in his grave.  The only scene that ever comes to mind when thinking about this movie is when Scotty says, "I know this ship like the back of my hand." and WHAM!  He hits head on part of the bulkhead.  I get a kick out of that scene every time!

[Ash]

OOps!  A big mistake on my part!  I stated that Roddenberry was turning in his grave.  Part V was made in 1989.  Roddenberry didn't leave this world until 1991!  Man, I need to brush up on my history before I post something!  lol!

[Chadzilla]

Oh, how I cannot wait for this!  Restored pointless scenes, Shatner commentary (please do it Bill!), interviews, etc.  I tell you that this will be one disc that I will not think twice about ordering!

[Chadzilla]

The 'troubled' production behind Star Wreck 5 is legendary (to some, well, okay, to me at least).  Out of control ego, a poorly conceived and almost pathologically Kirk centered story, a concept that far exceeded the budget and grasp of the filmmakers.  Oy.

I will go out on a limb and say that, as far as directors go, Nimoy has been the best Trek director in the 'classic' series (I haven't seen one since Undiscovered Country).  Granted Meyer made Wrath of Khan and Undiscovered Country, which were outstanding yarns, but Nimoy went out of his way to make his movies more ensemble pieces, with each character getting a money shot (i.e. a memorably quotable moment in the movie) while Meyer and Shatner focused almost entirely on the "Holy Trinity" (Kirk, Spock, and McCoy) of the characters.

[AndyC]

I believe I've also read somewhere that Star Trek V required a last-minute change of effects companies and reworking of the film, because the special effects were completed late and were, for the most part, not good enough to use.

Still, special effects aside, Kirk-centred story aside, bad writing and directing aside, this movie is so deeply flawed in so many ways, it could not have been good.

The only thing I really enjoyed about it was the Klingons blowing up the derelict Pioneer (I think) probe. The one with the famous message plaque.

[Luke Bannon]

Was that sarcasm?