Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

The film is a mellow spiritual odyssey as much as a space adventure, richer for embracing the crew's middle age and perspective on life. Shatner effectively uses the cast's maturity for resonance, humor, and wisdom alongside adventure and effects.

The critic argues that despite its failings the film has many virtues, including its score, location shooting, and fulfillment of the franchise's exploratory ethos. He singles out the emphasis on the core characters' camaraderie and bravery for praise while noting production compromises and tough competition at release.

The critic views the film as an underwhelming messy execution of good intentions that nearly killed the franchise but is not the disaster pop culture makes it out to be. He singles out the strong focus on the central trio's relationships and emotional introspection for praise, alongside some ambitious action sequences.

The baroque plot borrows from too many sources and tries too hard for grandeur, diluting the series' familiar charm. The actors remain tireless and sincere, providing some appealing moments amid the unwieldy story.

The critic admits to enjoying the film despite its many flaws, calling it a not very good movie with a clumsy story, corny jokes, and simplistic themes. He singles out its personal, energetically awful sincerity and handful of decent ideas for note, while criticizing the bad humor and inconsistent characters.

The critic deems the film the biggest disappointment in the series, faulting Shatner's direction and the story's quest for God as poorly executed with bad jokes and tonal issues. Some positives are noted in the scenery and Spock retaining dignity amid the buffoonery.

The film is a mess with no clear narrative line, little danger or suspense, and too many pointless scenes and loose ends. It is the worst entry in the Star Trek series, though one brief moment near the Great Barrier briefly promises awe.

Even diehard fans may be disappointed by Shatner's inauspicious directorial debut after the strong previous film. The story's focus on a non-crew character questing for meaning is a major flaw, though one dramatic sequence re-experiencing traumas stands out as moving.

The critic mocks the film's absurd plot about a quest for the Ultimate Answer and its silly execution, singling out the encounter with a self-proclaimed God and Kirk's unimpressed reaction as particularly ridiculous.

The critic finds it not as bad as its reputation suggests, praising character moments like the campfire scene and McCoy's scenes, but criticizes the dreadful special effects, muddled story, and forced humor.

The piece examines Shatner's directorial debut and its ambitious but poorly executed premise of the crew confronting a being claiming to be God. It highlights the rocky production, clashes with Roddenberry, and concludes the film remains one of the weakest in the series due to uneven tone and unfulfilled potential.

In a ranking of all Star Trek films, this entry places Star Trek V last, calling it the worst due to Shatner's direction, a muddled plot, and lackluster special effects that failed to advance the franchise. It deems the film immediately forgettable and emblematic of the 'odd-numbered films are bad' theory.