Ah yes, one of my favorite scenes in the movie. Kirk's obvious contempt, Spock's genuine desire to form at least the beginnings of a friendship, Chang's wolf like amusement and Gorkon's patient optimism, perfectly captured in that last line. The Klingon's befuddlement with human culture and the human's disgust of Klingon culture. A lot going on in that scene. Dare I say more going on than many of the action scenes. One of the oft missed moments I think is the exchange between McCoy and the Klingon officer who is convinced that peace means the end of his culture with McCoy's insistence that is not the case. You can kind of see two extreme points of view in that exchange; on one end, a genuine unwillingness to compromise and on the other end, a genuine belief in righteousness.
I think you're right. This is a timeless scene that can be used to highlight the inherent conflicts of a dominant culture and a subordinate culture. I always took it as about race relations in America, but given the American tendency to treat other non-American and non-Western cultures as subordinate, this could be a stand in for those conflicts as well. Today, more than ever, we stand at the beginning of the "Undiscovered Country" and, as Gorkon says later, "if there is to be a brave, bold new future, our generation will have the hardest time living in it."
That really is a great line, and its wistfulness is something we'd all be better for mimicking, rather than unholstering and weaponizing our frustrations, resentments, fears, and angers. Those who would call that "too P.C.," "naive," elitist," or whatever miss the point of the
striving. When its hardest to do is when its most important to make that effort in a kind of mindful, civil defiance.
It's those elements in your post that keep me returning to the movie despite the ill-fitting humor (Klingon dictionaries, firing phasers in the kitchen, the implausible Kirk hero moment at the end, the unintentionally funny "Scooby Doo" ending, etc.) I was 20 when it came out and I remember feeling a bit short-changed on the action (not so much the battles as general space scenery) but being gripped by the story and relieved that the instantly disappointing
Final Frontier was more a blip than a trend. It felt of
my time, what with the recent fall of the Berlin Wall and Chernobyl, of which this film is a non-radioactive byproduct. It makes one hopeful that even if the recent movies lack the thematic punch of
ST:VI (the ham-fisted and erratic "commentary" of
ST:ID aside), that
Discovery may tackle our times. Even though the modern
Battlestar Galactica (re-envisioned by
TNG &
DS9 alum, Ronald D Moore) was very much a dark reflection of
Trek, I feel that its first two-and-a-half seasons examine the political and societal strains of that show's production years consciously in a way that
TOS did. Hopefully,
Discovery takes the best of what's been done and sprinkles in just enough action/effects to sugarcoat the pill.
Trek was sometimes but never really as "deep" as its defenders would suggest (in my opinion) but it is unique and deserves a seat at the modern table of "serious thought" for those who prefer "the age of distraction."
Agreed. Of the three "ambassadors," his was probably the most believable, but it still didn't save ST V from being a hot, jarring, disjointed mess. When I saw Spock's rocket boots, I knew there would be trouble.
His performance is fine but there's not much to work with. While he's never attained the stature of Michael Caine and remain(s/ed?) a working character actor, his appearance in the film reminds me of this quote:
"I have never seen it but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built and it is terrific." -- Michael Caine on why he was in
Jaws 4.
I must be the only person in the world that liked ST V haha
I'd label it as two things: a groaner first, then a grower. So much is wrong with it. So very, very much. But it does offer some nice character moments (particularly McCoy and his father, though Kelley apparently disapproved to a degree -- that's for others to research, I'm afraid). I also accept that this movie may be the most "in the spirit" of the original show, as well. As a "blockbuster" you wait two or three years to see, it was a terrible disappointment (in my life probably only beaten by
Superman IV) but now, with so many episodes and films, it feels "of a piece." Sometimes you don't want "City on the Edge of Forever," you want "Way to Eden." I mean, dammit Jim, it's
Final Frontier, not
[insert your preferred film here] and that's okay.
Hmmmm. You must have a typo in your sentence somewhere, because you accidentally made it read as if you liked ST V, which is of course impossible.
If I may...
James T. Kirk: My friends, the great experiment...
Star Trek V, ready for theatrical run.
Hikaru Sulu: She's supposed to be the final frontier.
Montgomery Scott:
[unimpressed] Aye. And if my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a wagon.
James T. Kirk: Come, come, Mr. Scott. Young minds, fresh ideas. Be tolerant.
