Search - Hercules: The Legendary Journeys: The Xena Trilogy - The Warrior Princess, The Gauntlet, and Unchained Heart (Hercules & Xena) on DVD

The DVD could have been better

Ricardo Julio Riera | 12/18/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD is a great bargain and convenience in terms of having all three episodes on one DVD. The three-story arc is fabulous, and the acting by Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless and Michael Hurst is excellent. However, the quality of the DVD left me disappointed. I felt it is not quite as sharp as other DVDs I own (though it is still far superior to the VHS version), there are no memorable special features, but most damning is the lack of chapter stops! This means you cannot view any particular scene directly. You can only start at the beginning of each episode, and then you are forced to fast-forward to a particular scene (much like VHS). That ignores one of DVD's best features: instant access. Still, I'm happy I own it, I just wish they had done a better job by including chapter stops (as, for instance, the excellent Avengers DVDs have)."

A must have for all Xena fans

Hannah Foster | Massachusetts | 06/13/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"How many of you have watched the first episode of Xena, and said to yourself, "this doesn't explain how she became good at all!"? Or how bout picking up on references later in the series about Xena's past relationship with Iolaus and wondering "when did that happen?" Then you should really see these episodes.
Though Lucy Lawless has appeared in 2 other roles on "Hercules: the Legendary Journeys", these are her first three in the role of Xena. The three eps come from the first season (or second if you count the 5 tv movies that preceded the show), the last of the three eps being the season finale.
If you're looking for campy Xena silliness, this is not for you. These are rather serious and dramatic, focused on the relationships between Xena, Iolaus and Hercules. Most importantly, it explains how Xena evolves from a ruthless warrior into an agent of good. I personally prefer the more serious Xena episodes anyway, so I loved these. Even if you've never watched Hercules, you won't feel left out. And Herc fans will enjoy the ever-fluxxing attitudes of the main characters that make this collection like a work of art. Ok, maybe not a "work of art", but still pretty awesome.
The only qualms I have with this dvd is that there are NO extra features (save language selections and short text bios on Sorbo and Lawless). Also, everytime you load the dvd it starts playing "The Warrior Princess" (the first episode on the disk) automatically, so if you want a different one you have to go to the menu. Otherwise, it's great!
So before you blow [money] on Xena season 1, get this disk first to wet your pallet with some old-fashion kick-butt action!"

Wow, What a Start!

Ricardo Julio Riera | 06/09/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone who is a fan of HERCULES and/or XENA will like this three episode set. It is the start of something special, that is to be sure. And as many a fan has said: "If there wasn't a Hercules, there wouldn't be a Xena". Never has a statement been truer. Especially when you see The Warrior Princess not so heroic beginnings through these episodes. She's a beautiful woman-warrior who must be caught and turned to good or the known world will pay a price. Hercules is the one to help her mend her evil ways. Interestingly, as we start, Xena uses her womanly wiles (especially on poor Iolaus) to great effect to get what she wants. Later, in her own series, that is just about the LAST thing (a not so feminine) Xena will resort to. The lead actors are all wonderful. Sorbo, Lawless and Michael Hurst as Herc's duped best friend go all out. The adventures and emotions supplied are well displayed and acted. There is extra added footage to these tapes, the most interesting segment being an extended and quite steamy (although still fit for a younger audience) love scene between Xena and Hercules. A scene where Xena is beaten through a gauntlet is intense. Salmoneous (Robert Trebor) also appears in the last two segments and is a riot. His "Xena theme song" shouldn't be missed. All and all, a good triolgy and a bonus for fans of either show. Let's hope more H:TLJ series episodes make it onto the market."