From Newsgroup: rec.arts.startrek.misc

AI/ LLM reviews of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

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"Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" represents a
significant departure for the film series, with
Captain Kirk himself taking the director's chair.
It attempts to explore profound themes of faith,
pain, and the search for God, but its execution
often falls short, leading to a divisive entry
in the franchise.

Plot Overview:

The film introduces Sybok, a renegade Vulcan
and Spock's half-brother, who is on a fervent
quest for "ultimate knowledge" and believes he
can find God. His journey begins by taking
hostages on Nimbus III, the "Planet of Galactic
Peace," a diplomatic outpost that has devolved
into a wasteland. Among his captives are
a Klingon, a Romulan, and a Federation
representative, whose abduction triggers
a Priority One situation for Starfleet.

Captain Kirk, enjoying a much-needed shore leave
climbing El Capitan in Yosemite with Spock
and McCoy, finds his relaxation abruptly
interrupted. The trio is ordered back to the
recently refitted (and still buggy)
USS Enterprise-A. They are dispatched to
Nimbus III to rescue the hostages. Upon
confronting Sybok, the crew learns of his unique
ability to "take away pain" by forcing
individuals to confront their deepest emotional
wounds. He attempts this on Kirk, Spock,
and McCoy, with varying degrees of success.

Sybok's true intention is to use the Enterprise
to travel beyond the Great Barrier, a mythical
region at the center of the galaxy, where he
believes God resides. The journey is fraught
with peril, including a pursuing Klingon
Bird-of-Prey commanded by Captain Klaa,
who seeks to capture Kirk for a personal
vendetta. The Enterprise eventually breaches
the Great Barrier and encounters a powerful,
seemingly divine entity. However, the "God"
they find is not what Sybok envisioned,
revealing itself to be a malevolent, imprisoned
entity seeking escape. A final confrontation
ensues, leading to sacrifices and a desperate
escape. The film concludes with Kirk, Spock,
and McCoy sharing a moment of camaraderie,
their bonds reaffirmed despite the chaotic
and existential journey.

Strengths:

Character Focus: The film attempts to delve
into the core trio's (Kirk, Spock, McCoy)
relationships and personal pain, particularly
through Sybok's mind-melding ability. Moments
of camaraderie and philosophical discussion
between them are often highlights.

Themes of Faith and Pain: The central premise
of seeking God and confronting personal pain
is ambitious and thought-provoking, aligning
with Star Trek's philosophical roots.

Yosemite Scenes: The opening scenes in Yosemite
National Park are visually appealing and provide
a rare, intimate look at the main characters
outside of their Starfleet duties.

Jerry Goldsmith's Score: Once again, Jerry
Goldsmith delivers a memorable and powerful
score that elevates many of the film's scenes.

Weaknesses:

Sybok as a Villain/Antagonist: Sybok's character
and motivations, while central, often feel
underdeveloped or inconsistent. His ability
to remove pain is a powerful concept but
is not always convincingly portrayed.

Inconsistent Tone: The film struggles
to balance its serious philosophical
themes with moments of awkward humour
and silliness (e.g., Uhura's fan dance,
Scotty hitting his head). This tonal
inconsistency undermines the overall gravitas.

Special Effects: The special effects, even for
its time, are widely considered to be
a significant weakness. The depiction of
the Great Barrier, the "God" entity,
and many other visual elements look
unconvincing and cheap, detracting
from the epic scope.

Plot Holes and Pacing: The plot often feels
disjointed, with illogical character actions
and a meandering pace. The Klingon subplot
feels tacked on and ultimately irrelevant
to the main narrative.

"God" Reveal: The ultimate reveal of the "God"
entity is often criticised as being underwhelming
and poorly executed, failing to deliver on the
film's ambitious premise.

Budgetary Constraints: The film clearly suffered
from a limited budget, which impacted
the quality of the special effects
and the overall scale.

Overall Impression:

"Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" is
a well-intentioned but ultimately flawed entry
in the Star Trek film series. While it attempts
to explore profound philosophical questions
and deepen the relationships between its core
characters, it is severely hampered by a muddled
script, inconsistent tone, and notably poor
special effects. It remains a polarising film
among fans, often cited as the weakest
of the original cast's cinematic adventures.

Rating: 4/10

ChatGPT

Alright rCo letrCOs
tackle **rCLStar Trek V: The Final FrontierrCY**
using the script from [chakoteya.net] (http://www.chakoteya.net/movies/movie5.html).

---

**Film:** *Star Trek V: The Final Frontier*
**Release Date:** June 9, 1989
**Director:** William Shatner
**Screenplay:** David Loughery,
story by William Shatner, Harve Bennett, and Loughery

---

## Efoi **Summary (from the script)**

The crew of the newly refitted Enterprise-A
is on shore leave when theyrCOre summoned to deal
with a hostage crisis on Nimbus III rCo the
so-called rCLPlanet of Galactic Peace.rCY There,
SpockrCOs long-lost half-brother Sybok has taken
ambassadors hostage. But SybokrCOs real goal is to
hijack the Enterprise and force it through
the Great Barrier at the center of the galaxy
to find Sha Ka Ree rCo the mythical home of God.

Sybok is a charismatic Vulcan who embraces
emotion instead of suppressing it. He wins over
the crew by rCLtaking away their pain,rCY but Kirk
resists. They reach Sha Ka Ree rCo only to discover
the rCLGodrCY there is actually a dangerous,
manipulative entity imprisoned behind
the Barrier. It attacks them when they refuse to
be its rCLstarship.rCY Sybok sacrifices himself to
hold it off while the crew escapes.

Meanwhile, the B-plot has the Klingon Captain
Klaa pursuing Kirk out of boredom and ego, but
the threat fizzles out in the final minutes.
The film ends with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy
camping under the stars,
reaffirming their friendship.

---

## rLa **Strengths**

**rRe The Big Three:** The Kirk-Spock-McCoy
dynamic is the best part of the film.
The Yosemite campfire scenes rCo with McCoy
grumbling, Spock deadpanning, and Kirk
musing about mortality rCo are pure,
classic Trek warmth.

**rRi Ambitious theme:** Shatner aimed
high rCo a spiritual quest, big existential
questions about God, faith, and inner pain.
ThererCOs a genuinely bold
idea buried under the mess.

**rRi Sybok is interesting:** The idea
of a Vulcan who rejects logic for emotion
is unique and Lawrence Luckinbill brings
real charisma. HerCOs not a cardboard
villain rCo herCOs tragic, misguided,
and oddly compelling.

**rRi Some good lines:** KirkrCOs
famous *rCLWhat does God need with
a starship?rCY* is a standout rCo pure
Kirk defiance and skepticism.

---

## rYi **Weaknesses**

**rRe Awkward tone:** The movie lurches from
serious philosophical ambition to forced
slapstick rCo like Spock in rocket boots
or Scotty knocking himself out on a bulkhead.
The humour often falls flat.

**rRi Weak production values:** Budget cuts
and an unfinished script mean the climax
looks cheap rCo the rCLGodrCY entity is just
a glowy head in a rock garden. The Great
Barrier is mostly stock effects and fog.

**rRi Klaa the Klingon is pointless:** HerCOs
there to provide an action B-plot but never
feels like a real threat. He disappears
at the end with no payoff.

**rRi Pacing issues:** It drags badly
in the middle rCo the Nimbus III hostage
plot is clunky, and the planet-side
sequences feel like filler.

**rRA Shaky execution of big ideas:** The film
wants to tackle religion and belief but mostly
ends up muddled. It never quite commits to an
answer, leaving the finale feeling anticlimactic.

---

## EfA! **Standout moments**

* Kirk refusing SybokrCOs offer to rCLshare his
painrCY: *rCLI need my pain!rCY* rCo a great summation
of KirkrCOs willpower.

* SpockrCOs hesitation to shoot
Sybok rCo a solid family twist.

* The campfire scenes
with *rCLRow, Row, Row Your Boat.rCY*
Corny but iconic in its way.

---

## Efu?N+A **Best line**

**Kirk:** *rCLWhat does God need with a starship?rCY*

One of the most memorable lines in the entire
franchise rCo direct, logical, and pure Kirk.

---

## r!E **Rating: 4/10**

**Verdict:** *Star Trek V: The Final Frontier*
is widely seen as the weakest of the original-cast
films for a reason: ambitious concept, clumsy delivery.
Shatner aimed for something spiritual
and philosophical but got bogged down
by budget issues, script rewrites, and misplaced humour.
The core relationship between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy
saves it from total failure rCo and SybokrCOs uniqueness
almost redeems the plot. But the execution is sloppy
and the payoff underwhelming.

ItrCOs worth a watch for die-hard Trek fans rCo if only
to see what happens when the franchiserCOs big ideas
miss the mark but the heart still shines through.
--
Member - Liberal International This is doctor@nk.ca Ici doctor@nk.ca
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All I want to hear from JEsus Christ is WEll done Good and Faithful servant
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