Star Trek V: The Final Frontier - The Great Experiment Workprint

I've always wanted to love this movie but never really could... Until now !

Nothing that has been cut is missed.

Every new idea and the addition of the cgi special effects + some really beautiful Yosemite shots to start the movie + that incredible opening in space make for such a fresh experience, and finally a great one.

I hadn't seen the movie in quite a while and though I knew wich parts were missing, I didn't feel it at all. I didn't even think about it as the story is so much tighter and flows quite well. The only thing I felt outside of the enjoyment of the watch, was the love, passion & dedication from the editor.

This is absolutely gonna be my definitive rewatch version from now-on and I'm not even sure the original one exists anymore in my realm !

Thank you very much BionicBob, you delivered the goods and you make trekkies very happy !

Excellent!!

Saw this theatrically and like most fans felt quite the let down. The over-indulgence in 'cast moments' (weird given Shatner's supposed reputation for not letting the supporting cast shine) and the shoddy sub-ILM effects were hard to see past. The heavy-handed attempt to build in more of the old series camaraderie mostly fell comically flat.

I've since read the book Shatner wrote in which he outlined some of the behind the scenes difficulties and can sympathise when issues beyond a director's control get in the way. But it was hard not to fault some of his own choices, too.

HOWEVER...all that is history now with this marvellous edit. I loved it and was finally able to get into and enjoy the story in which our fabled heroes voyage beyond the great barrier to meet GOD!

What's clear is that with a bit of polish and some judicious cuts Shatner's directorial chops were perfectly sound and there are many, many moments here that now work great because a lot of his excesses have been reined in. We all know Shatner is a good actor with a legendary weakness for over-acting and, directing himself, those over-telegraphed moments are way too many. That remains my chief, frustrating problem with the movie. Kelley, too, could have done with some notes from his director to tone things down just a tad here and there. That being said, the interplay between Trek's greatest triumvirate is now largely enjoyable and entertaining and the dramatic stuff much more effective.

The FX upgrades are a major enhancement to the overall production value and the whole effort now makes The Final Frontier into a worthy entry in the original movie franchise. With Bionic Bob's edit, Star Trek V now becomes IMO THE film that most closely reflects the tone and fun of an original series episode. Great stuff.

The restoration of the original rock monsters concept was genius. However, while the new effects are impressive, they stand out against the older footage and could benefit from tweaks for better integration. Adjustments like color correction, grain, and added fuzziness could go a long way in achieving a seamless blend.

The title design doesn't quite match the film's aesthetic. The typeface Horizon isn't used in the original series films, the Next Generation series, or the Next Generation films - we don't see it again till the 2009 reboot. Using Galaxy with Microgramma Pro Bold Extended would fit much better, along with a more minimalistic approach to the main title. But I digress; my designer snobbiness is showing.

Overall, this is a FANTASTIC edit that will become my go-to for Final Frontier rewatches.

Bionic Bob deserves the reverence from every Star Trek TOS fan for the accomplishment of making Star Trek V enjoyable and satisfying!

As a Star Trek fan you may make this version the one you keep on you shelf between IV and VI.

The only complaint you can have about this version has to do with the CGI from the shuttle scenes.

The self serving tone of the original is masterfully removed and we are left with a fun TOS movie that discovers God does not live on another planet. Without giving anything away I would love to see a tie in with the rock creature from the TOS episode!

As always, BionicBob delivers. Unfortunately, I think that this time, he cut too much. Maybe there was no way to salvage some scenes, but I'd like to see if there was some way to salvage some of the ones he cut. Otherwise, an excellent edit of one of the more underrated Star Trek movies.