How come so many people say it is awful?

I think, because it drags on, the music involving V-ger was stupid, and they were not very good at explaining the technology. My dad even pointed out once just how stupid it was to have this big, giant cloud, with a big, giant, unexplained machine inside, and even more components inside that, and it took FOREVER for the Enterprise to find out that all this was built around the VOYAGER SPACE PROBE to be sent back to Earth by some unknown alien race that we never get to see. The black hole scene was also very stupid.

I saw it in a huge theater when it was released in 1979. The audience cheered and applauded as each cast member's name appeared in the opening credits. We had waited so many years! Then, minute-by-minute over the next couple of hours, the disappointment set in. It was an enormous letdown. Fortunately, the next film, two years later, was a great improvement.

It's a great movie, I love it. The haters are STUPID.

TOo many long shots focusing on the special effects.