Editing Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (section)

==Reception==
''The Final Frontier'' received generally negative reviews from critics. Rob Lowing of ''[[The Sun Herald]]'' called the film "likeable but average".<ref name="sun herald-lowing review">{{cite news|author=Lowing, Rob|date=November 12, 1989|title=The Starship Going Nowhere|work=[[The Sun Herald]]|page=110}}<!-- 106 --></ref> The ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''{{'}} [[Roger Ebert]] and ''[[The Washington Post]]''{{'}}s Rita Kempley panned the film, calling it "a mess" and "a shambles", respectively.<ref name="ebert-review"/><ref name="washingtonpost-kempley review">{{cite news|author=Kempley, Rita|date=June 9, 1989|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/startrekvthefinalfrontierpgkempley_a0c9cc.htm|title=Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (PG)|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=December 30, 2010|archive-date=November 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110154415/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/startrekvthefinalfrontierpgkempley_a0c9cc.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]''{{'}} Caryn James considered the film to be disappointing to fans and non-fans alike,<ref name="nyt-james review">{{cite news|author=James, Caryn|date=June 9, 1989|title=The Fifth 'Star Trek', With Old, New and Evil|work=[[The New York Times]]|at=sec. C; p. 10, col. 5|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/09/movies/review-film-the-fifth-star-trek-with-old-new-and-evil.html|access-date=February 13, 2017|archive-date=December 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171219191101/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/09/movies/review-film-the-fifth-star-trek-with-old-new-and-evil.html|url-status=live}}<!-- 31 --></ref> while Chris Hicks of the ''[[Deseret News]]'' disagreed, feeling that the film approached issues in the same vein as the television series and that fans would enjoy it.<ref name="deseret news-hicks review">{{cite news|author=Hicks, Chris|date=July 1, 1989|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700001729/Star-Trek-V-The-Final-Frontier.html|title=Star Trek V: The Final Frontier|work=[[Deseret News]]|access-date=January 5, 2011|archive-date=January 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113164452/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700001729/Star-Trek-V-The-Final-Frontier.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Ansen and Lowing considered Shatner's direction during action sequences weak with Lowing adding that the second half of the film felt directionless.<ref name="sun herald-lowing review"/><ref name="newsweek-ansen review"/> Hicks wrote that the film's broad humor gave the film an inconsistent tone.<ref name="deseret news-hicks review"/> In contrast, Chris Dafoe of the Toronto ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' called it "the most intentionally funny" entry in the series.<ref name="globe and mail-dafoe review">{{cite news|author=Dafoe, Chris|date=June 9, 1989|title=Film Review Star Trek V&nbsp;– The Final Frontier|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]}}<!-- 19 --></ref> ''[[The Christian Science Monitor]]''{{'}}s David Sterritt stated that at its best, ''The Final Frontier'' showed "flashes" of the humor that propelled ''The Voyage Home'',<ref name="csm-sterritt review">{{cite news|author=Sterritt, David|date=June 19, 1989|title='Star Trek V': Fun but unmemorable|work=[[Christian Science Monitor]]|page=15}}<!-- 56 --></ref> and Lowing deemed Shatner's direction at its best during comedic moments.<ref name="sun herald-lowing review"/>

Critics such as ''[[Newsweek]]''{{'}}s David Ansen judged the principal characters' performances satisfactory; "these veterans know each other's moves so well they've found a neat comic shorthand that gets more laughs out of the lines than they deserve", Ansen wrote.<ref name="newsweek-ansen review">{{cite news|author=Ansen, David|date=June 19, 1989|title=The Enterprise Flies Once More|work=[[Newsweek]]|page=63}}<!-- 47 --></ref> Stan James of ''[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Advertiser]]'' wrote that Warner was wasted in his role and most characters lacked any "drive and motivation".<ref name="advertiser-james review">{{cite news|author=James, Stan|date=November 18, 1989|title=This one's strictly for die-hard Trekkies|work=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Advertiser]]}}</ref> In comparison, Luckinbill's Sybok received praise from critics such as ''[[USA Today]]''{{'}}s Mike Clark who wrote that "he has the voice and stature of the golden screen's most scintillating intellectual villains", although he felt that he never seemed threatening or suspenseful.<ref name="usatoday-clark review">{{cite news|author=Clark, Mike|date=June 9, 1989|title='Trek V': A low warp factor|work=[[USA Today]]|page=4D}}</ref> James considered Sybok the most "distinctive, compelling villain" of the series since [[Khan Noonien Singh]] in ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan''.<ref name="nyt-james review"/>

The special effects were generally considered poor. Murphy wrote that the film fell apart after the arrival at Sha Ka Ree, where the "great special effects that graced parts I through IV are nowhere to be seen".<ref name="miami herald-murphy review">{{cite news|last=Murphy |first=Ryan|date=June 9, 1989|title=Trek V Gets Lost In Space; Crew Finds God Film Loses Its Way|work=[[The Miami Herald]]|page=5}}<!-- 120 --></ref> Ebert's review agreed saying that the visuals managed to inspire awe ever so briefly before dissolving into "an anticlimactic special effects show with a touch of ''The Wizard of Oz'' thrown in for good measure".<ref name="ebert-review">{{cite news |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=June 9, 1989 |title=Star Trek V: The Final Frontier |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/star-trek-v-the-final-frontier-1989 |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |access-date=December 13, 2010 |author-link=Roger Ebert |archive-date=June 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622225413/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/star-trek-v-the-final-frontier-1989 |url-status=live }}</ref> Kempley wrote the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s objective was "to pass through an impenetrable (Ha!) swirl of what appears to be cosmic Windex, beyond which is the planet Shockara [sic], home of God, or perhaps California shot through a purple filter".<ref name="washingtonpost-kempley review"/>

Bennett blamed part of ''The Final Frontier''{{'}}s failure on the change from a traditional Thanksgiving-season ''Star Trek'' opening to the sequel-stuffed summer release period and the diffusion of ''Star Trek'' fan viewership following the premiere of ''The Next Generation''.<ref name="shatnerkreski-267">Shatner & Kreski, 267–268.</ref> Winter felt they should have recognized the film's plot was too reminiscent of [[List of Star Trek characters (T–Z)|V'ger]] from ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture''<ref name="dillard"/> and that the search for God was a mistake; while he felt many parts of the film were good, they "smoked [their] own press releases" and nearly killed the franchise.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pascale|first=Anthony|date=June 30, 2010|url=http://trekmovie.com/2010/06/30/producer-ralph-winter-on-star-trek-v-we-almost-killed-the-franchise/|title=EXCLUSIVE: Producer Ralph Winter on Star Trek V: We Almost Killed The Franchise|publisher=TrekMovie|access-date=March 13, 2011|archive-date=December 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225102722/http://trekmovie.com/2010/06/30/producer-ralph-winter-on-star-trek-v-we-almost-killed-the-franchise/|url-status=live}}</ref> Initially, Shatner believed that the film would get a positive response. In the morning after the opening night, he woke Nimoy up to tell him that the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' had given ''The Final Frontier'' a positive review. Soon after a local television reporter also gave the film a good review and Shatner recalled that he incorrectly "began sensing a [positive] trend".<ref name="shatnerkreski-265"/> He later agreed that the film nearly ended the film series and looking back on the film called it a "failed but glorious attempt" at a thought-provoking film that did not come together.<ref name="hughes 33"/><ref name="shatnerkreski-267"/> ''Star Trek'' creator Roddenberry considered elements of this film to be "apocryphal at best", and particularly disliked the idea that Sarek had fathered a child ([[Sybok]]) with a Vulcan before Amanda. Nevertheless, the film is considered [[Canon (fiction)|canon]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Okuda|first=Michael|author2=Denise Okuda |year=1996|title=Star Trek Chronology: The History of the Future, revised edition|publisher=[[Pocket Books]]|isbn=0-671-53610-9|pages=vii|no-pp=true}}</ref> Even [[George Takei]] expected the film to be a disappointment because "the script seemed rather a muddle&nbsp;... as if three separately interesting stories force-sealed together into one" which "made for a confusing and ultimately tiresome two hours".<ref>{{cite book|last=Takei|first=George|year=1994|title=To the Stars: The Autobiography of George Takei, Star Trek's Mr. Sulu|publisher=[[Pocket Books]]|isbn=0-671-89008-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/tostarsautobiogr00take_0/page/388 388–389]|no-pp=true|url=https://archive.org/details/tostarsautobiogr00take_0/page/388}}</ref>

Considered a critical and commercial failure, the poor performance of ''The Final Frontier'' jeopardized the production of further ''Star Trek'' features.<ref name="miami herald-rescue 911">{{cite news | last=Dawidziak| first= Mark| date=July 20, 1990| title=Shatner Finds Success in New Enterprise&nbsp;– Rescue 911| work=[[The Miami Herald]]| page=G49}}<!-- 125 --></ref> Bennett was given the go-ahead to begin work on his own prequel concept that would have cast new actors to play the main cast at Starfleet Academy. Loughery worked with Bennett on a story inspired by ''[[Santa Fe Trail (film)|Santa Fe Trail]]''.<ref name="teitelbaum-15">Teitelbaum, 15.</ref>  When Paramount president [[Ned Tanen]] resigned, support for Bennett's prequel idea evaporated.<ref name="teitelbaum-16">Teitelbaum, 16.</ref>  Paramount instead wanted another film with the original cast and Bennett decided to leave the franchise.<ref>Altman, 24.</ref>  Winter remained with the production and ''The Wrath of Khan'' director [[Nicholas Meyer]] returned to direct ''Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country'', the last movie starring the entire original cast.

At the [[10th Golden Raspberry Awards]], ''The Final Frontier'' was nominated for six Razzie Awards (Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Actor for Shatner, Worst Supporting Actor for Kelley, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Picture of the Decade), winning three (Picture, Director, and Actor).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-08-23 |title=1989 Archive. Winners and nominees |url=http://www.razzies.com/asp/content/XcNewsPlus.asp?cmd=view&articleid=29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707044333/http://www.razzies.com/asp/content/XcNewsPlus.asp?cmd=view&articleid=29 |archive-date=2012-07-07 |access-date=2022-11-23 |website=Razzies}}</ref>

On [[review aggregator]] [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 23% based on 53 reviews, with an average rating of 3.90/10. The site's critics' consensus reads: "Filled with dull action sequences and an underdeveloped storyline, this fifth Trek movie is probably the worst of the series."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_v_the_final_frontier |title=Star Trek V – The Final Frontier (1989) |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]] |access-date=September 2, 2024 |archive-date=June 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613222146/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_v_the_final_frontier |url-status=live }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], it has a [[Weighted arithmetic mean|weighted average]] score of 43 out of 100 based on 16 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/star-trek-v-the-final-frontier |title=Star Trek V – The Final Frontier |work=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=December 19, 2019|archive-date=June 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607000042/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/star-trek-v-the-final-frontier |url-status=live }}</ref> Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film a grade "A−" on scale of A to F.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |title=CinemaScore |publisher=[[CinemaScore]] |access-date=April 16, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220413083139/https://www.cinemascore.com/ |archive-date=April 13, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>