Review: Stargate - The Ark of Truth
Mar. 14th, 2008 11:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
guppiecatWith all the stress and whatnot going on, I'm behind a bit on my reviews (and with Spring here, there are seemingly a great many extra whatnots going on). I'm not going to get caught up, and I accept that, but there are two worth mentioning. This is one of them.
Stargate: The Ark of Truth
This miniseries of six episodes was intended to wrap up the storyline of the Ori. Unlike the series, they actually got the mythology right and did justice to the Arthurian legends. They took their time and let the story unfold. All of the protagonists grew as individuals and it strengthened team unity. The character of Tomin fights against a lifetime of indoctrination and questions his faith, eventually coming to a different faith based on the teachings of Origin but not wrapped up in the hierarchical power of the Ori (which is a nice counterpoint to the general atheism of the rest of the show). Daniel and Vala experience extreme stress and, after confiding in one another start to grow together as was foretold in the final episode of Season 10. Teal'c, being much older and wiser after the events in that episode has matured to a point where he is comfortable leaving the team and leading the free Jaffa. Also, finally, after so many years, Carter leaves the Air Force and rejoins the team as a civilian contractor. This allows her to finally make her relationship with O'Neill known, culminating in a wedding at the end of the miniseries. Mitchell is given command of the new alpha site and starts building a new crack team to explore the galaxy of the ex-Ori.
At least, that's what it should have been.
Instead, it's only 102 minutes long (I've had fevers which were higher) and doesn't provide enough screen time to really care about any character. It's not bad enough to lampoon, and there are some good bits. However, it felt just as rushed as season 10 and was roundly disappointing. They had the opportunity to make an excellent film that would serve to cap the series in a similar way that the first movie launched it. Instead, you get a lot of action and very little story.
For some unknown reason, they see fit to re-introduce (and re-destroy) the replicators. However, due to the pacing of the movie, there's not even enough time to get scared. In fact, they introduce an interesting new human-form replicator that was clearly supposed to terrify in the same way that the Terminator did. Instead, it's surprisingly reminiscent of the "Emperor Alien" at the end of Alien Resurrection (whose appearance is excellently described here).
Also, instead of tightening the camaraderie between Vala and Carter, they ignore it and do something strange where they try to turn Carter into the stereotypical "female in danger who refuses to take control and serves her man". I am quite upset about that as it is in direct contrast to both ten years of established history of both the character and the show itself.
Oh yeah, they also have the least convincing torture scenes that I've ever witnessed. Seriously, it would have been more intense had the priors served SG1 rice krispy treats and hot cocoa. Luckily, I have a blister on my toe, so I did feel some pain during the viewing.
Regrettably, they continued the unbelievable screwing up of the timeline, mentioning that the "Ark" (which is the best example of deus ex machina I have EVER seen) is millions of years old but somehow hasn't run out of power in the same way that the other ancient devices have a convenient way of doing. Really, this was probably the most disappointing bit. The logic basically goes:
1) We has problem!
2) Oh Noes! Whut be problem?
3) We has peepul believings in gods, but we killed gods!
4) Its OK. We has priors. Peepuls can believes in priors.
5) Hmm. How do we killz priors?
6) Can't killz priors. They be human.
7) Hmm, cans we teach priors to not believes?
8) Priors no listens. Said so in seasons 9 and 10.
9) We needs magic box!
10) Magic box?
11) Yes! Magic box teaches priors!
12) No. Too powerful.
13) Oh.
14) I know! Magic box only workses in one galaxy!
15) One galaxy? How?
16) Subspace thing.
17) Excellent! We make movie now!
All I can say is " 'plot', you're doing it wrong. "
In the end, there's all sorts of shiny and flashy, which is good if you like that sort of thing. Personally, I prefer the writing to sparkle, not the pixels, and that did not happen here. There are, however, two big positives.
First of all, there is an amazingly well written dialogue between Teal'c and Tomin, where Teal'c actually discusses why he keeps on fighting. That one minute on the screen really brings his character to life, which is excellent as he had recently only been used as convenient muscle and comic relief.
Secondly, on my shelf, I have 10 seasons in boxes that are bookended by a normal DVD case on either end. I quite like the symmetry. It's not exactly a ringing endorsement, I know, but it's what I can give.
Stargate: The Ark of Truth
This miniseries of six episodes was intended to wrap up the storyline of the Ori. Unlike the series, they actually got the mythology right and did justice to the Arthurian legends. They took their time and let the story unfold. All of the protagonists grew as individuals and it strengthened team unity. The character of Tomin fights against a lifetime of indoctrination and questions his faith, eventually coming to a different faith based on the teachings of Origin but not wrapped up in the hierarchical power of the Ori (which is a nice counterpoint to the general atheism of the rest of the show). Daniel and Vala experience extreme stress and, after confiding in one another start to grow together as was foretold in the final episode of Season 10. Teal'c, being much older and wiser after the events in that episode has matured to a point where he is comfortable leaving the team and leading the free Jaffa. Also, finally, after so many years, Carter leaves the Air Force and rejoins the team as a civilian contractor. This allows her to finally make her relationship with O'Neill known, culminating in a wedding at the end of the miniseries. Mitchell is given command of the new alpha site and starts building a new crack team to explore the galaxy of the ex-Ori.
At least, that's what it should have been.
Instead, it's only 102 minutes long (I've had fevers which were higher) and doesn't provide enough screen time to really care about any character. It's not bad enough to lampoon, and there are some good bits. However, it felt just as rushed as season 10 and was roundly disappointing. They had the opportunity to make an excellent film that would serve to cap the series in a similar way that the first movie launched it. Instead, you get a lot of action and very little story.
For some unknown reason, they see fit to re-introduce (and re-destroy) the replicators. However, due to the pacing of the movie, there's not even enough time to get scared. In fact, they introduce an interesting new human-form replicator that was clearly supposed to terrify in the same way that the Terminator did. Instead, it's surprisingly reminiscent of the "Emperor Alien" at the end of Alien Resurrection (whose appearance is excellently described here).
Also, instead of tightening the camaraderie between Vala and Carter, they ignore it and do something strange where they try to turn Carter into the stereotypical "female in danger who refuses to take control and serves her man". I am quite upset about that as it is in direct contrast to both ten years of established history of both the character and the show itself.
Oh yeah, they also have the least convincing torture scenes that I've ever witnessed. Seriously, it would have been more intense had the priors served SG1 rice krispy treats and hot cocoa. Luckily, I have a blister on my toe, so I did feel some pain during the viewing.
Regrettably, they continued the unbelievable screwing up of the timeline, mentioning that the "Ark" (which is the best example of deus ex machina I have EVER seen) is millions of years old but somehow hasn't run out of power in the same way that the other ancient devices have a convenient way of doing. Really, this was probably the most disappointing bit. The logic basically goes:
1) We has problem!
2) Oh Noes! Whut be problem?
3) We has peepul believings in gods, but we killed gods!
4) Its OK. We has priors. Peepuls can believes in priors.
5) Hmm. How do we killz priors?
6) Can't killz priors. They be human.
7) Hmm, cans we teach priors to not believes?
8) Priors no listens. Said so in seasons 9 and 10.
9) We needs magic box!
10) Magic box?
11) Yes! Magic box teaches priors!
12) No. Too powerful.
13) Oh.
14) I know! Magic box only workses in one galaxy!
15) One galaxy? How?
16) Subspace thing.
17) Excellent! We make movie now!
All I can say is " 'plot', you're doing it wrong. "
In the end, there's all sorts of shiny and flashy, which is good if you like that sort of thing. Personally, I prefer the writing to sparkle, not the pixels, and that did not happen here. There are, however, two big positives.
First of all, there is an amazingly well written dialogue between Teal'c and Tomin, where Teal'c actually discusses why he keeps on fighting. That one minute on the screen really brings his character to life, which is excellent as he had recently only been used as convenient muscle and comic relief.
Secondly, on my shelf, I have 10 seasons in boxes that are bookended by a normal DVD case on either end. I quite like the symmetry. It's not exactly a ringing endorsement, I know, but it's what I can give.
