Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
General Info
| Genres | Science Fiction, Adventure |
|---|---|
| Music By | Jerry Goldsmith |
| Tagline | The Final Frontier Begins Where Man Ends. |
| Edited By | Peter E. Berger |
| Film Name | Star Trek V: The Final Frontier |
| Starring | William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley |
| Languages | English |
| Directed By | William Shatner |
| Produced By | Harve Bennett |
| Budget in USD | 33 million |
| Release Date | 1989-06-09 |
| Running Time | 107 minutes |
| Screenplay By | David Loughery |
| Content Rating | PG |
| Distributed By | Paramount Pictures |
| Original Title | Star Trek V: The Final Frontier |
| Box Office in USD | 63 million |
| Cinematography | Andrew Laszlo |
| Country of Origin | United States |
| World Premiere Date | 1989-06-09 |
| Production Company Name | Paramount Pictures |
| Production Company Website URL | https://www.paramount.com/ |
Overview
Trailer
Screenshots
Plot
Sybok manages to hijack the Enterprise, breaking the will of most of its crew and forcing them to seek the Great Barrier at the edge of the galaxy. The rest of the main characters, Kirk, Spock and McCoy, are unconvincing. They worry that Sybok's seemingly manipulative behavior may be a sign of a dark ulterior motive. Their concerns are realized when the ship enters the Great Barrier, revealing a powerful being masquerading as the coveted god Sibok.
The entity's attempt to escape its captivity is thwarted by the trio, who manage to uncover its true form and intentions. The Enterprise crew, freed from Sybok's influence, join forces to prevent the entity from escaping its confines. Sybok ultimately sacrifices herself to protect the crew from the entity's wrath, giving them a deeper understanding of the existential truths she's been searching for, if not quite the way she'd hoped. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a story about exploration, finding new answers, and challenging long-held beliefs. Explore the deep theological and philosophical issues of the Star Trek universe that challenge morality, faith, and the nature of the divine. Despite its heavy subject matter, it maintains the humor and camaraderie that characterizes the franchise, making it a truly unique addition to the Star Trek franchise.
Production
The film's production company, Paramount Pictures, hesitated due to its philosophical nature, but eventually the script was greenlit. The production process took place mainly in the California desert and Yosemite National Park. The interplay of beautiful natural settings and sophisticated visual effects, later developed by Industrial Light & Magic, was intended to offer viewers a truly otherworldly cinematic experience.
Although the production was not without its problems—budget overruns, tight deadlines, and backstage disagreements—the cast and crew persevered. The biggest challenge was to create the alien landscapes and spaceship visual effects within the budget. The film's score was composed by Jerry Goldsmith, a Star Trek veteran who worked on the earlier films and later became a composer. His music added depth and grandeur to the story, providing an emotional resonance that perfectly complemented the action on screen.
Despite the rigors of the production, the team's efforts resulted in a unique addition to the Star Trek film franchise.
Release
The film hit the small screen on VHS in 1989. on December 20, where he earned nearly $5.5 million. USD in additional sales. After the success of previous Star Trek installments on home media, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was later released on DVD. This version, with enhanced visuals and remastered audio, was well received by fans. It gave fans of the franchise a chance to view behind-the-scenes footage and deleted scenes, bringing them closer to the world of Star Trek.
Celebrating the long-lasting legacy of the franchise, the 2009 Paramount Pictures has re-released the Star Trek: The Original Series feature films as a Blu-Ray remastered box set. This set included Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, which attracted a new generation. fans and allowed longtime followers to relive the adventure in high definition.
The film was re-released in 2016 with the entire original cast on a 50th Anniversary Blu-Ray set. This set included all six films that are still popular among Star Trek fans.
Reception
In particular, Leonard Maltin, a respected film critic, said that the film looked uneven, alternating between moments of brilliance and mediocrity. While praising the intellectual elements and returning to the complexity of the characters, he criticized the film for its lack of depth. It has an approval rating of 22 out of 45 reviews on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Star Trek V was also nominated for three Razzie Awards, including Worst Picture, Director and Actor, and unfortunately won two.
But the die-hard marchers were divided. While some defended the film for its bold storytelling and philosophical undertones that stayed true to Gene Roddenberry's original vision, others complained that the film offered nothing new and that the characters were not faithfully represented in the main cast. Special effects were also explored. Ultimately, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was a film of mixed blessings. For all its disappointment, it also provided invaluable glimpses into the Star Trek universe and was another catalyst for facilitating discussions about its future. The film's influence remains strong and heralds an era of Star Trek where continuity will become paramount and the franchise will look to the past.
Cultural impact
Paramount's marketing strategy for its promotional tie-up with Kraft Foods was an early example of how marketers could use big-budget movies to boost retail sales. This partnership shaped future film marketing collaborations. The Final Frontier further popularized Star Trek fan culture as Star Trek merchandise and conventions increased production. Above all, perhaps the film's most significant cultural impact was the franchise itself. The performance and reception led the filmmakers to rethink their approach, leading to a change in tone and directorial leadership in subsequent films. Subsequent Star Trek films were much more action-packed and character-driven, balancing the franchise's intellectual tone with commercial viability.
Despite its reputation as a less successful Star Trek film, The Final Frontier's cultural footprint and decisive influence on the Star Trek franchise and film marketing tactics remain essential to understanding the history and evolution of Star Trek as a science fiction genre. .