Summary
William Shatner’sStar Trek V: The Final Frontieris great comfort food. Regularly referred to as one of, if not the worstStar Trekmovie, director William Shatner’sStar Trek Vwas a noble effort that suffered from numerous issues. Shatner set out to follow the back-to-back successes of Leonard Nimoy’sStar Trek III: The Search for Spockand the blockbusterStar Trek IV: The Voyage Homeby taking over the director’s chair to tell the cosmic tale of the USS Enterprise meeting God. But whatStar Trek Vactually delivered isa flawed but endearing character study of three eternal friendsand the Vulcan heretic who tested that friendship which I find eminently rewatchable and endlessly enjoyable.
Theproblems ofStar Trek V: The Final Frontierhave been well-documented over the last 35 years. William Shatner’s vision of Captain James T. Kirk and his loyal Starship Enterprise crew meeting God was never a premise that could satisfy, especially after the compromise to make “God” (George Murdock) an alien posing as the Almighty.Star Trek V’s low budget meant many of Shatner’s grand concepts couldn’t be realized, and the unavailability of Industrial Light and Magic resulted in substandard visual effects. William Shatner also admitted his inexperience as a feature film director hinderedStar Trek V.No,Star Trek Vis not the grand adventure it was conceived as, butwhat Shatner did pull off is a charming romp that pleasingly focuses on the three most beloved characters ofStar Trek: The Original Series.
Every Star Trek Movie In Chronological Order
With 13 entries in the Star Trek movie series from 1979-2006, there are a couple of ways to watch the films chronologically.
Kirk, Spock & McCoy’s Chemistry Carries Star Trek V
Star Trek V is the last Star Trek movie to center on the Big Three
At its core,Star Trek V: The Final Frontieris about the unbreakable friendship between Captain James T. Kirk, Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Deforest Kelley).Star Trek Vis the last time the big three were the focus of aStar Trekmovie. McCoy was the odd man out when Kirk and Spock spent most of the adventure in 1986 San Francisco together inStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home.InStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,Kirk and Bones were imprisoned by Klingons, with Spock aboard the USS Enterprise working to rescue his friends. But inStar Trek V,William Shatner knowingly examines the bond between the Enterprise trio, with the onus on what Spock and Bones mean to Kirk, as well as what they all mean to each other.
Star Trek V tells you all you need to know about Spock, McCoy, and Kirk’s friendship.
Kirk, Spock, and McCoy’s camping trip where they sing"Row Row Row Your Boat"is corny on the surface, but it’s really about how Kirk recognizes how empty his life is without Spock and Bones, and vice versa. WhenSybok (Laurence Luckinbill)hijacks the Starship Enterprise,Kirk is deeply threatened by the realization that Spock has an actual brother-by-blood(although Sybok is only his half-brother). The idea that Spock could have his loyalty diverge affects Kirk until his Vulcan best friend affirms to Sybok that he firmly stands with his Captain. When Sybok takes the Enterprise to Sha Ka Ree, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy meet “God” together, and they save each other when the self-styled Almighty alien attacks them.Star Trek Vtells you all you need to know about Spock, McCoy, and Kirk’s friendship. Their banter and camaraderie never fails to be reassuring and comforting.
Sybok Is Star Trek’s Most Underrated Movie Villain
Laurence Luckinbill gives one of the great Star Trek villain performances
Laurence Luckinbill’s Sybok is the most underratedStar Trekmovie villain, but the truth is thatSybok is not truly a villain. Sybok, a Vulcan criminal because he eschews logic for emotion, is, at heart, a true believer. Sybok’s fatal mistake was allowing “God” to prey upon his desperate need to be the ‘chosen one’, to be special. Sybok can use his Vulcan telepathy to heal others' pain, but he comes face-to-face with his own pain when he realizes the “God” he spent his whole life seeking is a malevolent pretender. Yes, Sybok steals the USS Enterprise and commits crimes, but his last act is noble: to protect Spock, Kirk, and McCoy from the wrath of “God”. When faced with the folly of his life’s crusade,Sybok did what he could to save Spockand his brother’s friends.
The young Sybok was briefly seen inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 1.
With Sybok, William Shatner’sStar Trek Vadmirably didn’t attempt to recreate Khan (Ricardo Montalban), which is a mistake many otherStar Trekmovies made. Sybok isn’t driven by vengeance, but misguided hubris, and beneath the self-styled holy man is a Vulcan who does care for others. Laurence Luckinbill projects a dangerous edge as Sybok, but he also has warmth and compassion in his exterior that mirrors what Spock feels inside but cannot show as a Vulcan.At this point, to continually point out the missteps and flaws ofStar Trek Vis to rob yourself of the joys of WIlliam Shatner’s movie.Star Trek Vis a heartfelt treatise about friendship, love, and yes, the all-important question,“What does God need with a starship?“Star Trek V: The Final Frontierreminds us that life, andStar Trekitself, is but a dream.
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Cast
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is the fifth installment in the Star Trek film series, directed by William Shatner. The plot follows Captain Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy as they confront a renegade Vulcan named Sybok who commandeers the USS Enterprise to search for the mythical planet Sha Ka Ree. The film explores themes of faith and the human quest for meaning. Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley reprise their roles as Spock and Dr. McCoy.
