I just watched Star Trek V

[Cky]

I watched it many many years ago but I had a friend around tonight for a bit of a Trek marathon and I've got to ask:

What the fuck?

I found the whole thing slightly confusing and really annoying. I mean honestly, God? Pointless deaths and floating head following Kirk, only to be blown up by a Bird of Prey.

I... ugh... I feel cheated and demand the duration of my life wasted back from Shat.

 

[Joker]

This is my reply to another thread, copied and pasted:

Interestingly enough, I was about to add a topic with the exact same subject as this one.

In the past few days, I've... uh, acquired all the Trek movies in 720p HD, and have been watching them one at a time.

When I came to Star Trek 5, I was stunned by how much better it is than how I remember it from a few years ago. Moreover, I have a crushing disappointment that Shatner & Co. weren't permitted to make the movie without interference from upstairs.

Strip away the nonsense comedy, the atrocious ending, the subpar effects work, and you have the seeds of what I'd consider to be a very good entry in the franchise, better in my eyes than the lazy and uninspired Genesis trilogy.

The opening with Sybok laughing, the idea of a planet of peace and paradise being a forgotten wasteland with no passion or feeling about it, a well-intentioned but misguided man on a quest to find God and Heaven, the idea that God exists in each of us... it's some great stuff.

The musical score is grand, the direction and cinematography are solid throughout. Far more interesting to look at than the muddy brown TWOK, the sound-stage TSFS, and sitcom TVH. Performances were great, Luckinbill's Sybok was great.

The pain scene? Absolutely superb. McCoy's euthanising his father, Spock facing a prior pain of being rejected by his father, yet in the years since, finding his place with his human friends.

I only wish the idea of a man seeking Heaven, but finding Hell instead, only realising it after he gets there, was kept intact, and properly realised with some real and artistic special effects.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed the good parts, and lament would could have been.

 

[Cky]

I'll admit some of it was good. The opening credits were fantastically conceived, the ending credits were even better.

But on a more serious note, it did have a few good scenes, the pain scene was probably the best, but I have to say, this is suppost to be a sci-fi film, and to have God in it? Just no.

 

[sbk1234]

This is my reply to another thread, copied and pasted:

Interestingly enough, I was about to add a topic with the exact same subject as this one.

In the past few days, I've... uh, acquired all the Trek movies in 720p HD, and have been watching them one at a time.

When I came to Star Trek 5, I was stunned by how much better it is than how I remember it from a few years ago. Moreover, I have a crushing disappointment that Shatner & Co. weren't permitted to make the movie without interference from upstairs.

Strip away the nonsense comedy, the atrocious ending, the subpar effects work, and you have the seeds of what I'd consider to be a very good entry in the franchise, better in my eyes than the lazy and uninspired Genesis trilogy.

The opening with Sybok laughing, the idea of a planet of peace and paradise being a forgotten wasteland with no passion or feeling about it, a well-intentioned but misguided man on a quest to find God and Heaven, the idea that God exists in each of us... it's some great stuff.

The musical score is grand, the direction and cinematography are solid throughout. Far more interesting to look at than the muddy brown TWOK, the sound-stage TSFS, and sitcom TVH. Performances were great, Luckinbill's Sybok was great.

The pain scene? Absolutely superb. McCoy's euthanising his father, Spock facing a prior pain of being rejected by his father, yet in the years since, finding his place with his human friends.

I only wish the idea of a man seeking Heaven, but finding Hell instead, only realising it after he gets there, was kept intact, and properly realised with some real and artistic special effects.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed the good parts, and lament would could have been.

Yes. You summed up perfectly what I'm not capable of writing. Thanks.

 

[DRMidnite]

I found it rather well done as well...except for having the Almighty show up...

 

[22 Stars]

I found it done rather poorly, and amateurish and sophomoric. Felt like and looks like a high school production of Star Trek.

 

[cooleddie74]

Still, for all its bad Bran Ferren special effects and clumsy Shatner-helmed editing and blocking, its much better and a smarter movie than NEMESIS.

 

[jeff lebowski]

I'll admit some of it was good. The opening credits were fantastically conceived, the ending credits were even better.

But on a more serious note, it did have a few good scenes, the pain scene was probably the best, but I have to say, this is suppost to be a sci-fi film, and to have God in it? Just no.

It wasn't really God.

I think that was part of the point.

 

[ancient]

Is it this time of the week already?

I'll admit some of it was good. The opening credits were fantastically conceived, the ending credits were even better.

But on a more serious note, it did have a few good scenes, the pain scene was probably the best, but I have to say, this is suppost to be a sci-fi film, and to have God in it? Just no.

It wasn't really God.

I think that was part of the point.

Exactly, God wasn't there, just a pretender.

I love the movie personally. A bit rough around the edges, but it has probably the best and warmest character moments of any of the movies. Sure, it's a bit cheesy, but I still think it's good cheesy. It also has some brilliant lines:

"What does God need with a starship?"

"I believe I overshot the mark by one level."
"Nobody's perfect."

"I liked him better before he died."

"You really piss me off Jim."

"Look at it this way; it'll be a good workout."
"Or a heart-attack."

"I think this new ship was put together by monkies."

"I need my pain!"

"Are we dreaming?"

"I cannot go with you."

 

[Nebusj]

But on a more serious note, it did have a few good scenes, the pain scene was probably the best, but I have to say, this is suppost to be a sci-fi film, and to have God in it? Just no.

You know, some of the best science fiction ever written is about how humans interact with (their conceptions of) God.

I don't advance that The Final Frontier is among the best science fiction, but that's not the inherent fault of having a searching-for-God storyline.

 

[shapeshifter]

Agreed Blitzen, ancient. The soundtrack is one of my favorites next to TUC. It always bugged me people didn't get that the point was it wasn't God.

My only real beef with 5 is when, in the turbo shaft, Spock looks up then goes back the way they came in. After a moment of McCoy and Kirk climbing the stairs, he's suddenly descending to them from above.

 

[TheLonelySquire]

I'll admit some of it was good. The opening credits were fantastically conceived, the ending credits were even better.

But on a more serious note, it did have a few good scenes, the pain scene was probably the best, but I have to say, this is suppost to be a sci-fi film, and to have God in it? Just no.

I love sci-fi and God. I don't see the problem, except for the fact that the movie stunk, of course.

 

[jamestyler]

I love the movie personally. A bit rough around the edges, but it has probably the best and warmest character moments of any of the movies. Sure, it's a bit cheesy, but I still think it's good cheesy. It also has some brilliant lines:

The lines you posted were great moments in the film, which is why it was the second Trek movie I bought on DVD. Though I have the rest (minus Insurrection which I pretend doesn't exist and Nemesis on DVD) on good old VHS.

The effects let it down for me and I get the impression from the commentary, other than it must have been bring your daughter to work day every day, that the film became a Studio v Shatner battle which might have spoiled it a little - unsure if that's for the better or worse though...

It's the black sheep of the collection, it's got it's flaws, but it's still a fun film.

 

[RAMA]

*strains mightily not to write anything negative about STV*

 

[JNG]

It had potential. It could have been so much more. David Warner or Sean Connery as Sybok, or Spock and McCoy actually turning their backs on Kirk, higher budget...it could have been one to remember.

Too bad.

 

[Siwilliams]

Star Trek 5 is ok, it is paramounts fault though, it could have been better

 

[Kirby]

I loved the ending... the part when it finally stopped.

 

[CaptainStoner]

A false God, a laughing Vulcan, Scotty walking into bulkheads, Uhura doing a middleaged striptease, Sulu & Chekov acting like imbeciles, Spock on repulsor-boots, and fart humor. What more could one ask?

The God-face goes down in history as one of the campiest film moments ever. But it wasn't production's fault. They ran out of funds and the whole last segment of the film suffered.

Shat was supposed to fight Lava-men in the last segment. Probably would have torn his uniform, done several Kirk-moves, and kicked Lavaman ass. History laments.

 

[GodThingFormerly]

Shat was supposed to fight Lava-men in the last segment. Probably would have torn his uniform, done several Kirk-moves, and kicked Lavaman ass. History laments.

It's a damned shame that Shatner never to my knowledge discussed the cosmotheological underpinnings and implications of his intended "rock men" climax on the surface of God's World (with apologies to Ian Watson).

TGT

 

[Cky]

Shat was supposed to fight Lava-men in the last segment. Probably would have torn his uniform, done several Kirk-moves, and kicked Lavaman ass. History laments.

It wasn't lava men, it was soppost to be a rock monster. Which if you've ever seen Galaxy Quest, that is prity much what it was ment to look like, only they ran out of money and it was ultimately cut from the final production.

And I know it wasn't God, I think it was a renegade giant head-thing from TNG.

And the soundtrack is probably the best bit about the film, I don't think it is as good as II and VI but it's one of the best.