After a good, successful run of four films, William Shatner himself steps in to direct the fifth Star Trek feature film. With the title of The Final Frontier, and with the premise of a God-seeking adventure, you'd think this would be the most epic and profound Trek movie of the lot. Sadly, as of the time of this writing, it's considered the worst Trek movie of the series, and for some viewers, it might even be ranked as one of the worst movies of all time.
Even I won't deny that the film has its issues. The special effects are strangely gaudy in this film, lacking in refinement or quality. The acting is at its cheesiest, with jokes and anecdotes thrown out profusely throughout the picture. Most viewers will also take issue with Sybok's character - you'll find out why about halfway through the picture - and the overall plot, which comes off as messy and directionless.
The film is not without charm, however. I personally always enjoyed the comedic antics of the three main characters, especially during the opening mountain climbing scenes and during their madcap pursuits in the Enterprise's interior. Action is frequent and will be pleasing for non-discerning Trek fans.
As ambitious as the story is, it runs through a rather formulaic plot, with little room for quality character development. Themes should be present, but generally aren't. It's as straightforward and simple as a Trek movie can be.
This film is captured with okay, never great, photography and editing. Acting and writing in this picture is never a serious affair; the script gets the job done, but after so many revisions, it has undoubtedly lost something along the way. The cast members do the best they can with their material. Similarly, the sets, props, costumes, and special effects do their best to make the picture work, but are not without weaknesses. Music might be the biggest standout here.
The fifth Star Trek film never struck me as being a terrible film, for I have found it enjoyable. However, it is a haphazardly-constructed film with issues that most viewers will find distasteful. Trek fans might want to check this out once, but for everybody else, not recommended.
3.5/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Average | Film: Average)
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