While Star Trek: The Original Series had several successful movies after the series was cancelled in 1969, most fans would agree that the fifth movie, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier had its problems. Unfortunately, that was the movie directed by one of the movie's stars, William Shatner. The reception for the movie was lukewarm at best, and while some fans do enjoy the movie, there were issues that even Shatner acknowledges.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter [via CBR], Shatner, who will celebrate his 93rd birthday on March 20, addressed the concerns he had with the movie, one of which was the courage to do what he felt he needed to do to make sure the movie was a success. He went on to acknowledge that he had issues dealing with the budget as well as the management.
""I wish that I’d had the backing and the courage to do the things I felt I needed to do. My concept was, 'Star Trek goes in search of God,' and management said, 'Well, who’s God? We’ll alienate the nonbeliever, so, no, we can’t do God.' And then somebody said, 'What about an alien who thinks they’re God?' Then it was a series of my inabilities to deal with the management and the budget."William Shatner
"I failed. In my mind, I failed horribly. When I’m asked, 'What do you regret the most?,' I regret not being equipped emotionally to deal with a large motion picture. So in the absence of my power, the power vacuum filled with people that didn’t make the decisions I would’ve made.""
When the actor is asked what he regrets about the movie, he says it was not being equipped emotionally to deal with a major motion picture. He went on to explain that his power was lacking so "the power vacuum filled with people that didn't make the decisions I would have made."
Even though Star Trek V wasn't one of the most successful movies in the Star Trek franchise, it has garnered a following of its own despite its flaws. And many fans still say it's a far better movie than Star Trek: Nemesis. But there were hits and misses in both. Shatner just owns that he feels responsible for the lack of success of Star Trek V.