^ That's exactly what I've been saying - there's a missing act, which the writers somehow forgot they needed. It would: explore Sybok's motivation and the nature of his "visions", give Kirk a solid reason for finally going along with Sybok's mission, make getting through the barrier a difficult and risky business, and give the Klingons a serious reason for following them all the way to the god planet. That's hard to fix with digital effects.
The first step is to dig into the archives to see if there's cut footage. Shatner was sideswiped on this production, so I can imagine scenes that were in the script or actually shot that remained on the cutting room floor.
Regarding Kirk's motivation for following Sybok--he did not have much of a choice, and of significance, it is in everything developed about the Kirk character from the TV series: he's the "risk is our business" / "boldly go where no man has gone before" explorer. Further, as one once fascianted by the parallel Christ movement in the epilogue of
"Bread and Circuses", I think it is consistent for Kirk to be curious about that which Sybok (and others) believed was the ground zero of creation, etc. I think it is very clear why Shatner's--knowing his character--moved Kirk to follow Sybok to the end of the line.
