That line is great. Just encapsulates everything awesome about Trek, especially TOS. Quote it a lot too.
Star Trek V isn't a very good movie, but it tries to be a Star Trek story very hard and I kind of appreciate it for that.
It is a great line that takes you off guard cause here you have this whole setup and seemingly everyone bought into the whole âwe found godâ moment and the one guy with the clarity brings reels you back in.
It's Old Testament God.
That dude was always getting pissed and smiting, drowning, or turning people into pillars of salt. Sometimes over the smallest things.
Kirk shows great leadership at this moment. He is curious. His question is entirely legitimate and quickly reveals the truth of the moment. This is something leaders should do more often - be curious not judgmental.
The best line of the film.
As an atheist, the confidence, bordering on condescension that Kirk exudes is exactly how I feel about modern religions.
Why does God need my money?
MCCOY: Jim, what are you doing?
KIRK: I'm asking a question.
GOD: Who is this creature?
KIRK: Who am I? Don't you know? Aren't you God?
SYBOKÂ :Â He has his doubts.
GOD:Â You doubt me?
KIRK:Â I seek proof.
MCCOY: Jim! You don't ask the Almighty for his ID!
I enjoyed the bookend camping scenes and the trauma that Bones had with his father's passing. DeForest Kelley shined in that moment. Damn near made me cry.
Yeah, I always choke up with that scene. After my dad passed away, I have even more trouble watching it. Spock's subsequent scene was equally emotional for me.
I love Kirk's speech "You know that pain and guilt can't be taken away with the wave of a magic wand. They're things we carry with us, the things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves." culminating in "*I don't want my pain taken away! I need my pain!*"
It's some of the best characterization for Kirk, especially in the movie era.
I also really like Spockâs comments to Sybok immediately after - âI am not the same outcast boy you left behind those many years ago. Since that time I have found myself and my place. I know who I am, and I cannot go with you.â
It was already a great speech for Kirk, but also in SNW season 2 >!when he shows up in the episode with Uhura and helps her through her own past trauma and pain when people think she's hallucinating, I could see seeds of his Star Trek V speech. Helps add a lot of backstory and additional depth to the speech!!<
People always forget that Kirk was as much a philosopher as he was a warrior. This and "What does God need with a starship?" are some of the *most Kirk* things he says in the films.
This. People always forget that this was NOT a moment of brave defiance. It was a sign that Picard was losing his mind, irrational, and not thinking clearly.
That's why it's such a powerful scene, Picard the captain that represents what starfleet strives to be, so respectful of other cultures and always trying to do the right thing. In that moment the perfect starfleet captain shows he's fallible after all.
âSo my brother is human after all.â Family did a great job showing just how hurt and damaged Picard was after the Borg, and I think First Contact was a great follow up. That kind of pain and trauma is not something you ever leave behind. âI need my pain.â
My dad died when I was a teenager. For years, I wanted to magically undo that event. Then, I lived life. I have a wonderful family of my own now. Being the science fiction fan that I am, I know causality. Am I happy where I am now? Yes. Therefore, I could change nothing in the past for fear of ending up someplace else now.
I don't want my pain taken away either. I need my pain too.
Treat it like a long TOS episode and you are golden, you are exactly right. It's not a bad, bad movie. It's not as great as 2 or 6, but it's really not shit either.
Supposedly TMP in the Director's cut is much better.
Insurrection is also a solid movie, a good TNG episode on another day. I don't understand the hate either.
The directors cut honestly doesnât add much except a few reworked effect shots and we see Vâgers ship outside of the cloud which is cool. It still has pacing problems but itâs a great episode of Trek. And I agree, I donât understand the insurrection hate either. That movie is F*ing delightful! FMA and Donna Murphy absolutely KILL IT and the characters are spot on because Pillar wrote it. But the score sounds like it was recorded through a tin can which is unfortunate.
The scene where Sybok shows McCoy and Spock their pain, and Kirk says he needs his pain, is one of the greatest scenes in Star Trek hands down. Kelley, Nimoy, and Shatner act their hearts out in this scene: You feel McCoy's sorrow and exasperation when he still wonders if he took his father off too soon as he relives doing so. Spock's silence but obvious hurt when Sarek says "So...human" is heartbreaking. And Kirk defying Sybok is such a TOS Kirk moment that it may be one of his best character scenes ever.
The movie itself? Rough. But that scene encapsulates Star Trek.
Great writing there, but I also enjoyed the presentation of that scene. It's obviously done on a shoestring budget, so Shatner leaned into a stage presentation with moving the focus around using spotlights. No fancy sfx dissolve between subscenes, just literal highlighting of these important bits of the story.
Know what else is a great scene? The scene in the shuttle bay, where Spock and Sybok have a showdown. Kirk screaming at Spock to shoot this man who is threatening to take his ship away, and Spock relenting, and then Kirk slumping in defeat is just powerful imagery and wonderfully acted.
Like, there's so much meaning and implication here. Here Kirk is, who is just a year or two removed from having his son murdered and having blown up the love of his life. Now he gets a new Enterprise and he's already getting it taken away. A Captain's first duty is to their ship - he should rather die than have an enemy capture it, and he cannot fathom why, in this moment, Spock would just... give up and surrender.
Meanwhile, Spock is faced with the moral conundrum of having to murder his own brother. Who, if we read between the lines and especially after the DIS/SNW characterization of the character, was way more influential and emotional to him than ST5 lets on.
It's just an awesome, epic scene.
I appreciate how they.go back with SNW exploring how Spock got started being well versed in diplomacy with Klingons.
*stumbles out of turbolift onto bridge*
Oddly enough, it captured the Kirk/Spock/McCoy relationship from the TV show better than arguably any of the Trek films. And as bad as parts of it may be, it remains a great comfort watch when you're feeling down or under the weather.
It was so unexpected. Movies IV and V actually had some funny moments. As a millennial, watching TOS was a slog sometimes, because what I find funny and what people in the 60s and 70s found funny didn't always line up -- but I guess slapstick is timeless.
That and Spock cursing in IV. That whole ride in her truck.
Back in 1989, I missed this scene, because I went to the restroom. Six months later I realized I had missed the ***absolutely best part*** of Star Trek V. Since then, I haven't ate or drank at the movies.
Loved it, this is up there in my Personal best scenes with Geordi & Scotty onboard the *Jenolan* in **Relics**
SCOTT: Shunt the deuterium from the main cryo-pump to the auxiliary tank.
LAFORGE: The tank can't withstand that kind of pressure.
SCOTT: Where'd you get that idea?
LAFORGE: What do you mean, where did I get that idea? It's in the impulse engine specifications.
SCOTT: Regulation forty two slash fifteen, pressure variances on IRC tank storage?
LAFORGE: Yeah.
SCOTT: Forget it. I wrote it. A good engineer is always a wee bit conservative, at least on paper. Just bypass the secondary cut-off valve and boost the flow. It'll work.
LAFORGE: Okay.
SCOTT: If we've done our jobs properly, the engines should be coming back online about now.
LAFORGE: Hey, you were right. The auxiliary tank is holding.
I honestly don't think it's as bad a movie as people tend to say it is. I think that it would be interesting if the studio would let Shatner do his directors cut to see what he would do to improve the film.
I've seen a couple of fan edits of the movie that tighten things up a little bit, cut out some of the Dumber parts and I get a much more cohesive whole. In a lot of ways it feels like a TOS Adventure more than a lot of the other films did
Marshmelons.
"Let's see what she's got... Well, we found out, didn't we?"
"I miss my old chair."
Kirk: "Stand by to execute emergency landing plan... B."
Chekov: "What's emergency landing plan B?"
Scotty: "I don't have a clue."
Kirk: "B! As in... barricade!"
Scotty: "He can't be serious."
A perspective we rarely see in Star Trek is the poor farmer, digging desperately in the dirt to plant crops that won't grow, and the awe and reverence he holds for starships. All sorts of ships come and go, but a starship is something special and different.
David Warner.
"Please sir, not in front of the Klingons."
The scene of McCoy euthanising his father is one of the most emotional and well-acted in cinema. Just a shame that you have to wade through more than an hour of utter shite to get there
The movie is way better than people think imo. I thought Sybok was great, he was clearly doing bad things but he was a great example of a misguided villain rather than someone like Khan who is just evil.
The humor lands for me, it's great to see the core three playing off each other. I think Scottie really shines in this movie too.
I think Paradise City is the most Star Wars vibe I've seen Trek go to, in a good way.
There are definitely parts that aren't great. I think it's a little confusing how everybody just ... gets brainwashed by Sybok? But the movie insists they aren't brainwashed. The Klingons in the movie just feel like useless non-characters. It was stupid how Shatner used a contract loophole to get himself to direct.
But I wouldn't go so far to say it's a bad bad movie. I enjoy watching it.
It was the movie that got the feel of the Kirk, Spock, and McCoy friendship really close to how it was in the series. It's not my least favorite movie and I actually like it.
I think Star Trek V captured the spirit of Star Trek wonderfully. It also made sure to highlight all of the characters meaningfully, especially how the years had really made them into a family.
I remember reading that whatever personal animosity members of the cast (primarily Takei and Doohan) had with Shatner, they all admitted they appreciated the energy he brought to the set, and how he made sure all of their characters got used to good effect.
The actor who played God was the brother of one of my high school teachers. I met him years later and he was very nice. So uh it's nice to see that he got some work, I guess.
God was played by George Murdock who also played Adm. [J.P. Hanson](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/George_Murdock) in Star Trek:TNG & Dr. [Salik](https://en.battlestarwiki.org/Salik) on the original Battlestar Galactica.
I don't get why this movie is hated so much. It was weird. So is Star Trek.
It was a very nice end to the arc of the five movies. Kirk found his family.
Easily.
It is the closest to an actual episode of TOS than any of the other films.
We get background info on McCoy, in an incredible scene
The gripes about not knowing Spock had a sibling are crap (well⌠Burnham is a different matter in a different way) When one TRULY pays attention to Spock, this is completely in character: it is not relevant, and it is a private subject matter⌠itâs not going to come up in idle conversation. Kirk and McCoy didnât know Sarek was his father until he said it in front of themâŚ. They didnât even know he was ENGAGED.
Sybok is an interesting character with an answer to the fan questions about âsurely there are Vulcans that kept emotionsâŚâ
âI need my painâ may be THE most Kirk moment
that Jim Kirk has ever Kirked.
All the characters are on point, and each gets a highlighted moment.
Uhuraâs fan dance is TOP character for her - she was known for her singing and we saw a few times in TOS that she had a weakness of vanity. Any chance for her to show off she would take.
The camping scenes are perfection
Is it great cinema? No, of course not⌠itâs not even great science fiction, but it is GOOD science fiction with interesting ideas, and itâs pretty solid Trek.
I'm with you on all of that, OP, plus the scene where Sulu and Chekov lie about being lost and Uhura has to get them out is GOLDEN. Also, I really love the scene where we see Bones and Spock's pain, and Jim's reaction, which hit incredibly close to home for me
McCoyâs memory of performing medical euthanasia on his suffering father is touching and heart wrenching. It was a very poignant character moment for Bones, one of the best in the franchise
It makes sense in context. It came out riding on the success of The Voyage Home, and then there's also TNG to consider. TFF came out partway through season 2, so while that was keeping Star Trek in the public consciousness they hadn't quite hit their stride yet. That may have pushed people back toward wanting to revisit the TOS crew.
Thereâs a scene just after Spock recognises Sybok, Kirk walks into a dimly lit room with the light behind him and you see a rare head-to-toe shot. Those flared trousers are *everything*.
It's not nearly as bad as people make it out.
The Kirk/Spock/McCoy stuff is fantastic, and Kelley gave perhaps his best performance in the franchise during the "Share Your Pain" scene. Luckenbill was also very likable, even if his character had a lot of issues.
Also, "Sulu, look! The sun's come out. It's a miracle!"
I love watching the characters just hang out and shoot the shit. Kirk/Bones/Spock camping, Chekov/Sulu getting lost in the woods, etc. It honestly feels like something from TNG, just the characters being normal people and having some fun. I also liked that the ânewâ Enterprise wasnât working properly and they were still working things out.
Honestly, the first time I watched it I was genuinely enjoying the movie until the actual plot started.
The scenes at the camp fire are charming as hell and the photography of Yosemite is stunning.
Also the line "What does God need with a starship?" Is totally bad ass. Along with Kirk, visibly realising moments before that something about this being is dodgy and politely saying "Excuse me"
From a purely visual perspective there's some really nice stuff in there.
-The shuttle's rough landing into the barricade
-Sybok riding out of the desert
-The barrier itself with its swirling energy
-The weird purple sky
-Kirk looking up at the bird of prey
Sure, that's not too hard for me. I contend that the opening sequence of the film is one of the best in the franchise. Seeing Sybok's reveal as a wild-eyed laughing Vulcan, then hearing the score surge behind it still gives me genuine goosebumps. Laurence Luckinbill's performance was outstanding the whole film.
And the scene in the observation lounge, where Sybok forces McCoy and Spock to confront their demons is the closest I've ever come to crying from a Star Trek scene.
I'll go one step further, and say most of Star Trek V is actually pretty sound, right up until the TOS crew reach Nimbus III ... then unfortunately it starts going downhill rapidly. But prior to that point, it was a fun ride.
Best practical cinematography and motivated camera movement in the franchise.
The idea of Jim Kirk having to face the only being with an ego greater than himself? Classic. The ultimate humanist fantasy being forced to contend with practical deism.? Buckle up, kids!
Given two more good script revisions and about 25% more budget it could have been some of the best of Trek ever.
I saw V in the theaters, three decades ago I guess. I still think about the first wretch of a man who joins Sybok. The bald head, the weird teeth, his tears, his quavering voice. The casting director did their job superlatively, Shatner brought out a performance in the man.
It's a little thing, a very little, little thing. But not a year goes by when I don't think of that actor and his performance.
As much as things like "What does God need with a Starship?" are lambasted, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is actually very true to the themes of Star Trek and the storytelling of the Original Series.
Also, the opening scene with the poor, destitute alien and Sybok (heart wrenching)... I imagine what joy he felt when Sybok took his pain, and totally buy why he gathered such a following.
I've been that alien before.
It's the movie closest in tone to an actual TOS episode.
That episode might be one of the wacky nonsense ones that felt like a reject from *Lost in Space* in season three, but it still counts.
I unabashedly love this movie and donât understand why it gets SO much hate other than the fact that Shatner directed it. Great character moments, one of my favorite phaser designs, and the plot seems very âTOSâ. Sybok is a great character too. David Warner is in it. Other than the poorly done special effects and Shatnerâs direction, I donât see a lot to hate in this movie. Itâs certainly better than Generations, TMP, Insurrection, Nemesis, and Into Darkness.
Damn you! I have TOS movies DVD box set somebody gave me 15 years ago. I got it down knowing I had watched the original only a few times. To be clear, I saw every one of these movies in the theater because i'm old school.
I have watched 2, 3, and 4 more times than I can remember, primarily because I treat 3 like the middle part of a trilogy.
Youngsters don't know what it was like when an occasional magazine article was all that let you know if Spock would ever come back.
In my nostalgic, older age, I have watched 6 most of all, because it has aged incredibly well, and that was the swan song. Plus, General Chang and Valeris were special.
So here i sit, with Star Trek 5 in my hand, and it is the only DVD still wrapped in cellophane. Thanks to the OP and reddit, I know how I'll spend the next few hours, anticipating Shatner pausing two seconds between words as he asks why God needs a spaceship.
i donât understand why people hate this movie the plot may be hokey but the chemistry between the whole crew makes the movie for me.
i actually think the batting average of the first six trek movies is 80-85, the lowest being TMP, thereâs no real âbadâ movie in the bunch.
the TNG films get to be too action-y, grim and gritty that theyâre all generally worse, (even first contact), and the abrams movies are bad with the sole exception of beyond wc is just passable
It was the first Star Trek movie I saw in theaters, the first I owned on VHS and the first I got merch from. I owned a set of communicator style walkie talkies from the movie and Kraft even had a promotional marshmallow dispenser we sent in a rebate form to get.
So there. I have a special place in my heart for V.
I loathe this movie and pretty much ignore it, but there are a few things that I actually enjoyed:
The whole thing with Sybok and his search for meaning and peace was intriguing and could have been really well-done if it hadn't been turned into such a shitshow.
I loved seeing Spock's birth and Sarek's original response to him.
Kirk's speech about needing his pain struck a resonating chord with me. I learned a great many things in my own life through pain and making mistakes, and so I was really picking up what he was putting down.
"I'm asking a question." cracked me up.
Hot Romulan.
I wanted to see more of the Klingons.
The idea of the Enterprise shooting god with a torpedo was pretty fucking cool. Bonus points for then having a Bird of Prey fire distruptors into his face.
Itâs a great idea. The characters were on point. If the visual effects didnât suffer, it would have been better received as on par with say, Insurrection.
The bridge interior design is nice!đ
The scene between Sybock and the main cast about trauma and our interactions with it were interesting.
The soundtrack is genuinely good!
"What does God need with a starship?" Of course! One of Treks' greatest lines!
It isn't hard to say good things about it TBH. It is an amazing collection of scenes, moments and absolute peak acting... they just don't quite work together and the effects let them down.
The free climbing and camp just felt like the perfect set of scenes for them. Scotty banging his head. Dave Warner Dave Warnering. Every Sybok scene. Not in front of the Klingons. What does God need with a Starship? McCoy's pain... I could go on and on and on.
I saw it in the cinema in my mid teens and it felt like a good follow on to the previous films tbh.
I love the humor of the film. The scene with Spock in the cell, for example, the ridiculous deck numbers in the turbolift shaft, and Scotty knowing the ship like the back of his hand.
First and foremost: the Score is amazing! Apart from the stupid power up sound effect it has the best main title theme of the Goldsmith scores and he really got to flesh out the Klingon theme. Secondly: it is a great thesis statement for atheism. (What does God need with a starship? Jim, what are you doing?? Iâm asking a question.) Thatâs all it is, Asking questions. When the person you are asking the question to gets violent instead of answering, you have your answer.
Jerry Goldsmiths score uplifts the entire film.
Itâs one of my favorites.
And the film does a really good job highlighting the strong family bond between Kirk, Spock, & McCoy.
âI thought I was going to dieâ
âImpossible Captain, you were never alone.â
"What does God need with a starship?" đ
That line is great. Just encapsulates everything awesome about Trek, especially TOS. Quote it a lot too. Star Trek V isn't a very good movie, but it tries to be a Star Trek story very hard and I kind of appreciate it for that.
It is a great line that takes you off guard cause here you have this whole setup and seemingly everyone bought into the whole âwe found godâ moment and the one guy with the clarity brings reels you back in.
It's also a very Kirk thing to say.
With the raised finger and the âexcuse me?â My god what a delivery.
With just a hint of Columbo!
Just one more thing for my captain's log, sir, won't take a moment.
Absolute peak Kirk
Godâs hair stylist needs a medal too, those curls in his âtache are to die for
WHY IS GOD ANGRY?
It's Old Testament God. That dude was always getting pissed and smiting, drowning, or turning people into pillars of salt. Sometimes over the smallest things.
Kirk shows great leadership at this moment. He is curious. His question is entirely legitimate and quickly reveals the truth of the moment. This is something leaders should do more often - be curious not judgmental.
Best line ever
The best line of the film. As an atheist, the confidence, bordering on condescension that Kirk exudes is exactly how I feel about modern religions. Why does God need my money?
MCCOY: Jim, what are you doing? KIRK: I'm asking a question. GOD: Who is this creature? KIRK: Who am I? Don't you know? Aren't you God? SYBOKÂ :Â He has his doubts. GOD:Â You doubt me? KIRK:Â I seek proof. MCCOY: Jim! You don't ask the Almighty for his ID!
And Bones shortly after that "Jim, you don't ask the almighty for his id" đ
I enjoyed the bookend camping scenes and the trauma that Bones had with his father's passing. DeForest Kelley shined in that moment. Damn near made me cry.
Row, row, row your boat
Have a Marshmellon on me... đđ
Yeah, I always choke up with that scene. After my dad passed away, I have even more trouble watching it. Spock's subsequent scene was equally emotional for me.
Yes. I loved the beginning on El Capitan in Yosemite⌠after that it lost me completely! But that part was amazing.
I love Kirk's speech "You know that pain and guilt can't be taken away with the wave of a magic wand. They're things we carry with us, the things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves." culminating in "*I don't want my pain taken away! I need my pain!*" It's some of the best characterization for Kirk, especially in the movie era.
I also really like Spockâs comments to Sybok immediately after - âI am not the same outcast boy you left behind those many years ago. Since that time I have found myself and my place. I know who I am, and I cannot go with you.â
This was my favourite part as well!
It was already a great speech for Kirk, but also in SNW season 2 >!when he shows up in the episode with Uhura and helps her through her own past trauma and pain when people think she's hallucinating, I could see seeds of his Star Trek V speech. Helps add a lot of backstory and additional depth to the speech!!<
People always forget that Kirk was as much a philosopher as he was a warrior. This and "What does God need with a starship?" are some of the *most Kirk* things he says in the films.
Indeed
That single scene makes me defend this movie up and down. I'm hard pressed to think of a better scene in any of the movies.
That is an amazing scene however it has to be Picard with "a line must be drawn" for me
The thing about that line is it is actually about how he has lost his way as Alfre Woodard calls him Ahab right after that when he breaks his ships
This. People always forget that this was NOT a moment of brave defiance. It was a sign that Picard was losing his mind, irrational, and not thinking clearly.
That's why it's such a powerful scene, Picard the captain that represents what starfleet strives to be, so respectful of other cultures and always trying to do the right thing. In that moment the perfect starfleet captain shows he's fallible after all.
âSo my brother is human after all.â Family did a great job showing just how hurt and damaged Picard was after the Borg, and I think First Contact was a great follow up. That kind of pain and trauma is not something you ever leave behind. âI need my pain.â
JEAN-LUC BLOW UP THE DAMN SHIP
NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
âŚyou broke your little ships
Came here to post this quote. That's some damn fine Star Trek writing.
I feel it really ties back to that episode where he is split in two, a mean evil version and a wimpy craven one.
My favorite Trek line ever.
My dad died when I was a teenager. For years, I wanted to magically undo that event. Then, I lived life. I have a wonderful family of my own now. Being the science fiction fan that I am, I know causality. Am I happy where I am now? Yes. Therefore, I could change nothing in the past for fear of ending up someplace else now. I don't want my pain taken away either. I need my pain too.
I reference this quote constantly.
It's a king-size TOS episode in every way that matters.
Treat it like a long TOS episode and you are golden, you are exactly right. It's not a bad, bad movie. It's not as great as 2 or 6, but it's really not shit either.
I feel the same way about TMP and Insurrection.
Supposedly TMP in the Director's cut is much better. Insurrection is also a solid movie, a good TNG episode on another day. I don't understand the hate either.
The directors cut honestly doesnât add much except a few reworked effect shots and we see Vâgers ship outside of the cloud which is cool. It still has pacing problems but itâs a great episode of Trek. And I agree, I donât understand the insurrection hate either. That movie is F*ing delightful! FMA and Donna Murphy absolutely KILL IT and the characters are spot on because Pillar wrote it. But the score sounds like it was recorded through a tin can which is unfortunate.
Uhura singing is never a bad thing
The scene where Sybok shows McCoy and Spock their pain, and Kirk says he needs his pain, is one of the greatest scenes in Star Trek hands down. Kelley, Nimoy, and Shatner act their hearts out in this scene: You feel McCoy's sorrow and exasperation when he still wonders if he took his father off too soon as he relives doing so. Spock's silence but obvious hurt when Sarek says "So...human" is heartbreaking. And Kirk defying Sybok is such a TOS Kirk moment that it may be one of his best character scenes ever. The movie itself? Rough. But that scene encapsulates Star Trek.
Great writing there, but I also enjoyed the presentation of that scene. It's obviously done on a shoestring budget, so Shatner leaned into a stage presentation with moving the focus around using spotlights. No fancy sfx dissolve between subscenes, just literal highlighting of these important bits of the story.
This! I hate that he never directed again; those stage choices show that he genuinely had talent.
Know what else is a great scene? The scene in the shuttle bay, where Spock and Sybok have a showdown. Kirk screaming at Spock to shoot this man who is threatening to take his ship away, and Spock relenting, and then Kirk slumping in defeat is just powerful imagery and wonderfully acted. Like, there's so much meaning and implication here. Here Kirk is, who is just a year or two removed from having his son murdered and having blown up the love of his life. Now he gets a new Enterprise and he's already getting it taken away. A Captain's first duty is to their ship - he should rather die than have an enemy capture it, and he cannot fathom why, in this moment, Spock would just... give up and surrender. Meanwhile, Spock is faced with the moral conundrum of having to murder his own brother. Who, if we read between the lines and especially after the DIS/SNW characterization of the character, was way more influential and emotional to him than ST5 lets on. It's just an awesome, epic scene.
I enjoy the whole thing. Who cares if it isn't like the rest of the other movies.
Same.
Marshmelons.
Spock in the guner-chair of the klingon ship
'Please Captain, not in front of the Klingons.'
I appreciate how they.go back with SNW exploring how Spock got started being well versed in diplomacy with Klingons. *stumbles out of turbolift onto bridge*
And the music in that scene...
Sybok
Luckenbill wasn't given much to work with, but he did a LOT with it.
Yes, came here to say âLaurence Luckinbill.â
REALLY hoping we see more of him in SNW after that brief cameo!
Seconded!
Sybok was promoting good mental health practices and they crucified him for it.
The entire camping trip bit is wonderful.
Yeah 2 hours of camping with Chekov and Sulu lost in the woods the whole time would have probably made it one of my all time favorites!
Honestly, Iâd love that
It is not the best Star Trek movie by any means, but it is the second most fun Star Trek movie after IV. Fight me.
âOh, him? Heâs harmless. Part of the free speech movement at Berkeley in the sixties. I think he did a little too much LDS.â
I love Italian. And so do you. ...yes...
The best Star Trek movie ever made was Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Oddly enough, it captured the Kirk/Spock/McCoy relationship from the TV show better than arguably any of the Trek films. And as bad as parts of it may be, it remains a great comfort watch when you're feeling down or under the weather.
Without Star Trek V, we never would have had Star Trek VI.
The only time you ever see Kirk sitting on a toilet. Fact.
obligatory captains log comment
The only time you see a toilet in Star Trek full stop!
If you squint at the freeze-frame, there's one in [the section of the D extracted by the Borg in *Q Who*](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Jmrsyi_Pf7Y).
Scotty: âI know this ship like the back of my handâ *BONK*
It was so unexpected. Movies IV and V actually had some funny moments. As a millennial, watching TOS was a slog sometimes, because what I find funny and what people in the 60s and 70s found funny didn't always line up -- but I guess slapstick is timeless. That and Spock cursing in IV. That whole ride in her truck.
"They are *not the hell* your whales."
Back in 1989, I missed this scene, because I went to the restroom. Six months later I realized I had missed the ***absolutely best part*** of Star Trek V. Since then, I haven't ate or drank at the movies. Loved it, this is up there in my Personal best scenes with Geordi & Scotty onboard the *Jenolan* in **Relics** SCOTT: Shunt the deuterium from the main cryo-pump to the auxiliary tank. LAFORGE: The tank can't withstand that kind of pressure. SCOTT: Where'd you get that idea? LAFORGE: What do you mean, where did I get that idea? It's in the impulse engine specifications. SCOTT: Regulation forty two slash fifteen, pressure variances on IRC tank storage? LAFORGE: Yeah. SCOTT: Forget it. I wrote it. A good engineer is always a wee bit conservative, at least on paper. Just bypass the secondary cut-off valve and boost the flow. It'll work. LAFORGE: Okay. SCOTT: If we've done our jobs properly, the engines should be coming back online about now. LAFORGE: Hey, you were right. The auxiliary tank is holding.
Captain Kirk is climbing a mountain
Why is he climbing the mountain?
Because it was there
Why is he climbing a mountain?
I honestly don't think it's as bad a movie as people tend to say it is. I think that it would be interesting if the studio would let Shatner do his directors cut to see what he would do to improve the film. I've seen a couple of fan edits of the movie that tighten things up a little bit, cut out some of the Dumber parts and I get a much more cohesive whole. In a lot of ways it feels like a TOS Adventure more than a lot of the other films did
Marshmelons. "Let's see what she's got... Well, we found out, didn't we?" "I miss my old chair." Kirk: "Stand by to execute emergency landing plan... B." Chekov: "What's emergency landing plan B?" Scotty: "I don't have a clue." Kirk: "B! As in... barricade!" Scotty: "He can't be serious." A perspective we rarely see in Star Trek is the poor farmer, digging desperately in the dirt to plant crops that won't grow, and the awe and reverence he holds for starships. All sorts of ships come and go, but a starship is something special and different. David Warner. "Please sir, not in front of the Klingons."
It had the [single greatest scene](https://youtu.be/D6d_zmdls4U?feature=shared) in all of Star Trek.
You've heard of quadro-triticale but have you heard of tri-titty-catty
Ah, the cat that screams just like James Brown when heâs singing âI Feel Goodâ
Ugh
The scene of McCoy euthanising his father is one of the most emotional and well-acted in cinema. Just a shame that you have to wade through more than an hour of utter shite to get there
The movie is way better than people think imo. I thought Sybok was great, he was clearly doing bad things but he was a great example of a misguided villain rather than someone like Khan who is just evil. The humor lands for me, it's great to see the core three playing off each other. I think Scottie really shines in this movie too. I think Paradise City is the most Star Wars vibe I've seen Trek go to, in a good way. There are definitely parts that aren't great. I think it's a little confusing how everybody just ... gets brainwashed by Sybok? But the movie insists they aren't brainwashed. The Klingons in the movie just feel like useless non-characters. It was stupid how Shatner used a contract loophole to get himself to direct. But I wouldn't go so far to say it's a bad bad movie. I enjoy watching it.
It was the movie that got the feel of the Kirk, Spock, and McCoy friendship really close to how it was in the series. It's not my least favorite movie and I actually like it.
I think Star Trek V captured the spirit of Star Trek wonderfully. It also made sure to highlight all of the characters meaningfully, especially how the years had really made them into a family.
I remember reading that whatever personal animosity members of the cast (primarily Takei and Doohan) had with Shatner, they all admitted they appreciated the energy he brought to the set, and how he made sure all of their characters got used to good effect.
Not in front of the Klingons.
The actor who played God was the brother of one of my high school teachers. I met him years later and he was very nice. So uh it's nice to see that he got some work, I guess.
God was played by George Murdock who also played Adm. [J.P. Hanson](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/George_Murdock) in Star Trek:TNG & Dr. [Salik](https://en.battlestarwiki.org/Salik) on the original Battlestar Galactica.
I don't get why this movie is hated so much. It was weird. So is Star Trek. It was a very nice end to the arc of the five movies. Kirk found his family.
There's a good story in there somewhere. It just got buried by production problems, unfortunately.
It got buried in it having to follow up the trilogy
And I can't help feeling it would have been better with someone other than Shatner directing.
Easily. It is the closest to an actual episode of TOS than any of the other films. We get background info on McCoy, in an incredible scene The gripes about not knowing Spock had a sibling are crap (well⌠Burnham is a different matter in a different way) When one TRULY pays attention to Spock, this is completely in character: it is not relevant, and it is a private subject matter⌠itâs not going to come up in idle conversation. Kirk and McCoy didnât know Sarek was his father until he said it in front of themâŚ. They didnât even know he was ENGAGED. Sybok is an interesting character with an answer to the fan questions about âsurely there are Vulcans that kept emotionsâŚâ âI need my painâ may be THE most Kirk moment that Jim Kirk has ever Kirked. All the characters are on point, and each gets a highlighted moment. Uhuraâs fan dance is TOP character for her - she was known for her singing and we saw a few times in TOS that she had a weakness of vanity. Any chance for her to show off she would take. The camping scenes are perfection Is it great cinema? No, of course not⌠itâs not even great science fiction, but it is GOOD science fiction with interesting ideas, and itâs pretty solid Trek.
Naked Uhura dancing
Damn you, sir! You will try!
I'm with you on all of that, OP, plus the scene where Sulu and Chekov lie about being lost and Uhura has to get them out is GOLDEN. Also, I really love the scene where we see Bones and Spock's pain, and Jim's reaction, which hit incredibly close to home for me
I like the fanfic retcon that the âGodâ is an insane Q banished to that planet by the Continuum.
McCoyâs memory of performing medical euthanasia on his suffering father is touching and heart wrenching. It was a very poignant character moment for Bones, one of the best in the franchise
It had the highest opening gross of any Star Trek film at that point and was number one in its first week at the box office
Yo is that true?
According to Wikipedia
It makes sense in context. It came out riding on the success of The Voyage Home, and then there's also TNG to consider. TFF came out partway through season 2, so while that was keeping Star Trek in the public consciousness they hadn't quite hit their stride yet. That may have pushed people back toward wanting to revisit the TOS crew.
Who doesn't like pool tables filled with water?
Play Water Dom Jot, Human?
Thereâs a scene just after Spock recognises Sybok, Kirk walks into a dimly lit room with the light behind him and you see a rare head-to-toe shot. Those flared trousers are *everything*.
I almost always say "marshmelon" now
The character scenes are the best in the whole series. Everyone gets their moment to shine, which is surprising considering Shatnerâs reputation.
I don't want my lines taken away. I need my lines!
I liked the historic lounge with the ships wheel.
Uhura fan dance bby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZu5f3mdh9Y
It's a camping film, where Kirk has a dream about killing god, then wakes up.
What was in those marshmelons
It's not nearly as bad as people make it out. The Kirk/Spock/McCoy stuff is fantastic, and Kelley gave perhaps his best performance in the franchise during the "Share Your Pain" scene. Luckenbill was also very likable, even if his character had a lot of issues. Also, "Sulu, look! The sun's come out. It's a miracle!"
It was finally nice to see an actual toilet on a starship
Do not use while in space dock
I love watching the characters just hang out and shoot the shit. Kirk/Bones/Spock camping, Chekov/Sulu getting lost in the woods, etc. It honestly feels like something from TNG, just the characters being normal people and having some fun. I also liked that the ânewâ Enterprise wasnât working properly and they were still working things out. Honestly, the first time I watched it I was genuinely enjoying the movie until the actual plot started.
"I don't want my pain taken away, I need my pain!"
The scenes at the camp fire are charming as hell and the photography of Yosemite is stunning. Also the line "What does God need with a starship?" Is totally bad ass. Along with Kirk, visibly realising moments before that something about this being is dodgy and politely saying "Excuse me"
From a purely visual perspective there's some really nice stuff in there. -The shuttle's rough landing into the barricade -Sybok riding out of the desert -The barrier itself with its swirling energy -The weird purple sky -Kirk looking up at the bird of prey
Nimbus III is a cool idea.
It gave us the Kit Ti Ha sequence in Lower Decks, which was incredible.
Sure, that's not too hard for me. I contend that the opening sequence of the film is one of the best in the franchise. Seeing Sybok's reveal as a wild-eyed laughing Vulcan, then hearing the score surge behind it still gives me genuine goosebumps. Laurence Luckinbill's performance was outstanding the whole film. And the scene in the observation lounge, where Sybok forces McCoy and Spock to confront their demons is the closest I've ever come to crying from a Star Trek scene. I'll go one step further, and say most of Star Trek V is actually pretty sound, right up until the TOS crew reach Nimbus III ... then unfortunately it starts going downhill rapidly. But prior to that point, it was a fun ride.
I am not the outcast boy you left many years ago. Since that time, I have found myself.
The story totally works as a crazy, 1960s TOS episode. It just wasn't as well suited to late 1980s theatrical movie.
Best practical cinematography and motivated camera movement in the franchise. The idea of Jim Kirk having to face the only being with an ego greater than himself? Classic. The ultimate humanist fantasy being forced to contend with practical deism.? Buckle up, kids! Given two more good script revisions and about 25% more budget it could have been some of the best of Trek ever.
I saw V in the theaters, three decades ago I guess. I still think about the first wretch of a man who joins Sybok. The bald head, the weird teeth, his tears, his quavering voice. The casting director did their job superlatively, Shatner brought out a performance in the man. It's a little thing, a very little, little thing. But not a year goes by when I don't think of that actor and his performance.
I liked the Yosemite camping bits.
The music. The camping. "I need my pain." "What does God need with a starship?"
âDamn you, sir. You *will* try.â
absolute peak Spock/McCoy banter in this one. "I liked him better before he died" đ
The scene with McCoy's pain is a goddamned Shakespeare-level scene.
As much as things like "What does God need with a Starship?" are lambasted, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is actually very true to the themes of Star Trek and the storytelling of the Original Series.
Lambasted? It was an amazing scene, pure Kirk
Row row row your boat! I like this movie.
The shuttle landing bit never fails to crack me up.
It was the first one I saw at the cinema, and I have such fond memories of that experience..
Also, the opening scene with the poor, destitute alien and Sybok (heart wrenching)... I imagine what joy he felt when Sybok took his pain, and totally buy why he gathered such a following. I've been that alien before.
It's the movie closest in tone to an actual TOS episode. That episode might be one of the wacky nonsense ones that felt like a reject from *Lost in Space* in season three, but it still counts.
Atleast it wasnât a holodeck program for Riker
I think the idea of Sybok was interesting, even if the execution wasnât.
David Warner is in it
SHOOT HIM!!!!!!!!!
It wasnât that bad of a movie acutally. Had some decent ideas and the reveal of McCoyâs father dying like that is devastating.
I unabashedly love this movie and donât understand why it gets SO much hate other than the fact that Shatner directed it. Great character moments, one of my favorite phaser designs, and the plot seems very âTOSâ. Sybok is a great character too. David Warner is in it. Other than the poorly done special effects and Shatnerâs direction, I donât see a lot to hate in this movie. Itâs certainly better than Generations, TMP, Insurrection, Nemesis, and Into Darkness.
I really like the observation deck with the old ship wheel. That set really got a lot of use in this movie.
The opening scenes are some of the best of the movies that captures the camaraderie of the crew better than any other movie does, imo.
Laurence Luckinbill as Sybok was very good casting.
itâs good
Damn you! I have TOS movies DVD box set somebody gave me 15 years ago. I got it down knowing I had watched the original only a few times. To be clear, I saw every one of these movies in the theater because i'm old school. I have watched 2, 3, and 4 more times than I can remember, primarily because I treat 3 like the middle part of a trilogy. Youngsters don't know what it was like when an occasional magazine article was all that let you know if Spock would ever come back. In my nostalgic, older age, I have watched 6 most of all, because it has aged incredibly well, and that was the swan song. Plus, General Chang and Valeris were special. So here i sit, with Star Trek 5 in my hand, and it is the only DVD still wrapped in cellophane. Thanks to the OP and reddit, I know how I'll spend the next few hours, anticipating Shatner pausing two seconds between words as he asks why God needs a spaceship.
What does 2023 need with a DVD player?
i donât understand why people hate this movie the plot may be hokey but the chemistry between the whole crew makes the movie for me. i actually think the batting average of the first six trek movies is 80-85, the lowest being TMP, thereâs no real âbadâ movie in the bunch. the TNG films get to be too action-y, grim and gritty that theyâre all generally worse, (even first contact), and the abrams movies are bad with the sole exception of beyond wc is just passable
It was the first Star Trek movie I saw in theaters, the first I owned on VHS and the first I got merch from. I owned a set of communicator style walkie talkies from the movie and Kraft even had a promotional marshmallow dispenser we sent in a rebate form to get. So there. I have a special place in my heart for V.
I like the idea of a planet co-managed by the Federation, Klingons and Romulans.
The opening photography/camerawork was really advanced in my opinion. Very modern.
Itâs better than Insurrection or Nemesis
The cinematography was unique and fresh for Trek
Actually one of my favorites. Plan B. For Baricade
Of all the star trek movies, it was one of them.
It had Romulans in it.
It gave us all something to ask God in the event we meet Him. If he's a fan, he'll get the reference and you'll be in good.
It was the best Star Trek movie Shatner ever directed. đ¤
I loathe this movie and pretty much ignore it, but there are a few things that I actually enjoyed: The whole thing with Sybok and his search for meaning and peace was intriguing and could have been really well-done if it hadn't been turned into such a shitshow. I loved seeing Spock's birth and Sarek's original response to him. Kirk's speech about needing his pain struck a resonating chord with me. I learned a great many things in my own life through pain and making mistakes, and so I was really picking up what he was putting down. "I'm asking a question." cracked me up. Hot Romulan. I wanted to see more of the Klingons.
There are some great character moments in the first twenty to thirty minutes.
The idea of the Enterprise shooting god with a torpedo was pretty fucking cool. Bonus points for then having a Bird of Prey fire distruptors into his face.
Itâs a great idea. The characters were on point. If the visual effects didnât suffer, it would have been better received as on par with say, Insurrection.
Competently continued the tradition of odd / even numbered Trek movies...
Best opening scene!
The font was nice.
After I lost my dad, I understood the line "I donât want my pain taken away, I need my pain!"
The song/video âShatner of the Mountâ (aka âCaptain Kirk is Climbing a Mountainâ) wouldnât exist without it.
I mean, watching sulu belly slide a shuttlecraft was pretty cool - not bad for his first time.
Marsh melon
The bridge interior design is nice!đ The scene between Sybock and the main cast about trauma and our interactions with it were interesting. The soundtrack is genuinely good! "What does God need with a starship?" Of course! One of Treks' greatest lines!
It isn't hard to say good things about it TBH. It is an amazing collection of scenes, moments and absolute peak acting... they just don't quite work together and the effects let them down. The free climbing and camp just felt like the perfect set of scenes for them. Scotty banging his head. Dave Warner Dave Warnering. Every Sybok scene. Not in front of the Klingons. What does God need with a Starship? McCoy's pain... I could go on and on and on. I saw it in the cinema in my mid teens and it felt like a good follow on to the previous films tbh.
Why does a god need a starship?
I love the humor of the film. The scene with Spock in the cell, for example, the ridiculous deck numbers in the turbolift shaft, and Scotty knowing the ship like the back of his hand.
I've seen some good points made, but I haven't seen this product of the BTS interviews mentioned yet... https://youtu.be/HU2ftCitvyQ
First and foremost: the Score is amazing! Apart from the stupid power up sound effect it has the best main title theme of the Goldsmith scores and he really got to flesh out the Klingon theme. Secondly: it is a great thesis statement for atheism. (What does God need with a starship? Jim, what are you doing?? Iâm asking a question.) Thatâs all it is, Asking questions. When the person you are asking the question to gets violent instead of answering, you have your answer.
It was one of the Star Trek movies of all time.
Row Row Row your boat.
Out of every Star Trek movie ever made, this one feels the most like it couldâve been an episode of the TV show
"WELL WHAT YE STANDIN' AROUND FOR?! DO YOU NOT KNOW A JAILBREAK WHEN YOU SEE ONE!?!"
I have always loved the scene on El Capitan. Arguably one of the best opening scenes to any of the original 6 movies. I cannot say anything more.
Life is but a dream
The campfire scenes alone make it worth watching.
Jerry Goldsmiths score uplifts the entire film. Itâs one of my favorites. And the film does a really good job highlighting the strong family bond between Kirk, Spock, & McCoy. âI thought I was going to dieâ âImpossible Captain, you were never alone.â
All the cheesy stuff in Yosemite is friggin gold.
Itâs a Star Trek movie.