Search - Babylon 5: The Movie Collection on DVD

OH BOY! Is this GREAT...

Scott H. | The Village | 07/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This set will be awesome

For those of you new to all things Babylon 5, here is my run down of this set:

1. THE GATHERING - As the series pilot it is a decent effort. It's best to see this one before watching Season One but it's fine if you catch it anytime. In fact this one is worth viewing again after watching seasons 1-3 to catch A LOT of foreshadowing. You can't realize the of traps JMS has set just in this pilot. I give this one 3.5/5.

2. IN THE BEGINNING - Holy crap! 5/5. By far the best effort of JMS and his crew, second only to Severed Dreams (episode in Season 3). Anyone can thoroughly enjoy this this one without ever seeing one episode of Babylon 5 (like my wife) there are some big spoilers. So do yourself a HUGE favor. Do not watch this movie until after you have completed Seasons 1 through 3. Also, this one features Chris Franke's best score. This one alone is nearly worth the purchase price.

3. THIRDSPACE - I like this one more than many others might. It introduces a H.P. Lovecraft type of element to the Babylon 5 universe. Personally I really like this new wrinkle and wish that it received further exploration. Catch this one after about the 7 episode in Season 4. This one features a crazy (perhaps even ridiculous) battle scene and a girl fight at the end that is well worth seeing. 4/5.

4. RIVER OF SOULS - A story about the Soul Hunters (introduced early in Season One). Martin Sheen is in it (a bit of a miscast for some people). Watch this before the last episode of Season 5 (Sleeping In Light). I like Franke's score alot. This one focuses more on some of the peripheral characters like Lochley and Zach which makes for a nice change IMHO. Tracy Scoggins in lingerie = yummy! Also, another series regular has a terrific performance at the climax that should not be missed. 3.5/5.

5. CALL TO ARMS - This is meant to serve as the transition to JMS's next Babylon 5 series: CRUSADE. IMHO, Chen's score is totaly out of place and is a distraction. The effects are not as good as the other films as well. On other hand, there are some new and interesting characters (many which become part of the Crusade series) introduced that still make this one worth watching. Peter Woodward and Tony Todd really shine in this one. 3/5"

Each movie is a necessity for any scifi or B5 fan.

Captain Hornblower | Orlando, Florida USA | 08/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Actually, I am going to disagree with other reviewers about one thing-new viewers need to watch "In the Beginning" BEFORE watching the series. The title says it all-the movie tells the beginning of the story, and yes it does drop in some things that might remove a little bit of the mystery later, but not very much. But the movie itself is so great, and sets up the meaning of the Babylon 5 station and the places of characters and races in the B5 universe so well, that it makes a great hook to get new viewers to watch the series. When this film originally aired on TNT, followed by the re-airing of the first four seasons starting a week after, it convinced ten people that I know to start watching the show. In the Begining is the hook, and a great one at that.

Follow your viewing of In the Begining with "the Gathering." This is really a great film that sets up the station itself and many of its principle characters. Now, like any pilot, the actors and crew are still getting their sea legs, and it shows, but the pilot clearly shows how Babylon is a lot edgier than other scifi shows. Plus, there is some great character stuff in it, especially for Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar), and Michael O'Hare (Commander Sinclair).

"Thirdspace" should really be viewed sometime mid-Season 4 of Babylon 5, right in between the time of the Shadow War's ending and the time when the stuff with the unrest on Minbar and the Earth Civil war. It is a great story, reminiscent of Invasion of the Body Snatchers or Invaders from Mars, with great space sequences and chaotic and dark elements.

"River of Souls" should be viewed after "Objects at Rest", which is the episode of Season 5 right before the series finale. This is a decent film, but its the weakest of all the B5 movies. Martin Sheen is in it as a Soul Hunter, and there is some good comedy involving a holo-brothel on the station. Other than that, the plot is actually kind of slow in places, but its still worth viewing once in a while.

"A Call to Arms" is really the set up the for "Crusade" series. Its good to have with the others, but really belongs as the openere to the other show. Its a great film, though."

A valuable companion to the B5 season sets

Scott H. | 05/30/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The release of Babylon 5 The Movies on DVD marks the closing of the critically acclaimed Babylon 5 series, arguably one of the best Science Fiction series to date. Having said that, it's important to remember that this box set should not be viewed as a starting point for first-time Babylon 5 viewers. As indicated by the editor's review, the only DVD that can be viewed first is 'The Gathering', the reworked pilot which is good as an introduction to the universe and the characters. The other movies were made either during or after the conclusion of the B5 series and as such contain many elements that would completely destroy a first-time viewer's experience of the five year arc. The movies 'In The Beginning', 'Thirdspace', 'River of Souls' and 'A Call to Arms' are all welcome additions to the existing B5 universe, allowing us to see just how far the characters have developed through the series. Although the self-contained nature of 'Thirdspace' and 'River of Souls' in particular do not provide the level of mounting suspense that we're used to in the series, they're still worth watching and allow the B5 flame to burn just that little bit longer. To summarise: If you are a first-time Babylon 5 viewer, you would be better off to purchase the single DVD 'Gathering / In The Beginning', watch ONLY 'The Gathering' and then work your way through the season DVD box sets before moving onto the movies. If you are a fan or have a good understanding of the B5 universe, this is an excellent companion to the five B5 season sets."

Must-have for Babophiles

Brian Hulett | Oinklahoma | 07/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No self-respecting B5 fan wants to be without this collection, and no serious fan of SF can ignore this series that MIT dubbed The Most Important TV SF Series Since The Original Star Trek.

As B5 continues its path toward the 21st-century version of Star Trek, i.e. becoming more successful long after its first run, this grouping of the five B5-specific films (not including the orphaned The Legend Of the Rangers) is the perfect capper for the release of the five season sets. It's also a nice bridge to the soon-to-be-released Crusade DVD, the sequel series that died a horrible death due to the meddling of network executives.

A few helpful words to add to those already posted by other reviewers: In the Beginning should NOT be viewed by anyone who has not yet seen the first four seasons of the B5 series. For those who aren't aware, B5 is an ongoing story told in chronological order (with the occasional flashback and forward), and In the Beginning contains lots of information from all points of the story. Since the mysteries of the story, plot surprises, and development of the characters are such a huge part of enjoying this series, avoid ItB until after seeing the fourth season. It's kind of a recap, with many delicious twists that are best enjoyed by those who have followed the story to that point.

The Gathering, of course, is the pilot film. It gives the real beginnings of the five-year story arc, laying groundwork and introducing new fans to one of the charming aspects of being a Babophile: Watching J. Michael Straczynski and his crew learn how to make A Television Series. The early work is a bit raw (more than a bit in some places), and the consequent rough edges are being smoothed until late in the first season.

Although ItB type spoilers are not so numerous in the other three films, it's best to know that Thirdspace takes place midway thru Season Four, River Of Souls takes place six months after the end of Season Five, and A Call to Arms takes place toward the end of Season Five (prior to Sleeping in Light, the series finale).

Thirdspace is a story of a Big Bad Alien Race threatening to take over our universe, by way of a door from an alternate dimension. Sure, that sounds trite, but until you've seen it done the B5 way you haven't seen it.

River Of Souls deals with Soul Hunters, the ghouls of the B5 universe who collect souls of poets, artists, blessed lunatics, those whom they deem worthy of saving in their little globe-shaped prisons. They talk to their collections and learn from them. Nobody likes these guys.....and they're coming back to B5, having visited briefly in Season One. Very emotional, starring Martin Sheen as a Soul Hunter.

A Call to Arms takes place after all the several Big Bad Alien Races have been chased out of our universe.....but no, we forgot somebody, and they're aiming straight for Earth. A remarkable film that leads directly into Crusade."