Search - Stargate - The Ark of Truth [Blu-ray] on Blu-ray

Very cinematic with high production value...if you like SG1,

Tara Johnson | Phoenix, AZ USA | 03/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First a small rant: don't review a movie you've not actually seen, it throws off the real ratings!

(a little background...I'm not a member of the production company. But I was lucky enough to see the actual DVD movie a week before it was released. I saw the final retail version that is being sold here on Amazon; not the unfinished pre-release that's been floating around online)

I just saw this movie and I must say, the characters, storyline, and visual effects are just awesome!

You have all the things that make SG1 great: excellent character interaction, epic sci-fi settings, humor, tension, eye candy, and more.

When I first heard about the movie, I had high expectations and a lot of anticipation. I am pleased to say that the movie does not at all disappoint, and in fact exceeded my expectations.

SG1 has been in some pretty tough spots in the past, but the hole they dug themselves in this time has to be the worst one yet, and I'm not exaggerating! I spent most of the movie wondering how the heck they were going to save the day this time. The odds were so stacked against them.

I'll try to give some character highlights without having any spoilers.

Cam Mitchell does a great job in an unexpected, epic fight sequence that really shows off the strength of his character.

Carter must work under extreme pressure once again to try to save the day.

Daniel practically gives up due to the enormous pressure he's facing. When you know the history of his character you have to realize just how much he's up against to be so stuck that even he feels helpless.

Teal'c manages to walk about 1000 miles while being seriously injured.

Vala has some really great interactions with Adria, Daniel, and Teal'c.

General Landrey shows his amazing strength and conviction face to face with a prior.

Plus there is more to worry about than just the Ori, and when you find out what you'll be thinking OMG x10.

The ships are just pretty, the super-gate is beautiful, the production values is significantly better than the episodes, and the episodes already rocked.

Finally the score was just amazing. They had a choir singing in Latin (a guess; not sure what language it really was) along with a great orchestra soundtrack underlying the entire movie. And the mountain scenes were just pretty and epic. The views and the music combined just made this a very worthwhile experience.

To wrap this up, I must say the movie is worth buying. I don't know why it is not released in HD yet, but if you're not holding out for a Blue-Ray release, then don't hesitate; grab it right now.

Also if you are sad that SG1 is leaving the airwaves, have hope: Stargate Atlantis is a very good series with top-notch casting and production design. They are using much of the same crew (and even some cast crossover) as SG1, and the original SG1 writers are now focusing their attention on making Atlantis great. If you start watching Atlantis, you'll find that the empty feeling you have with SG1 leaving the airwaves will be adequately filled and you'll feel like all is well in the universe.

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One Word: Amazing

Jarrod Garcia | 02/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had the privelege of watching a screener of "Ark of Truth" recently and I must say, quite simply, it's amazing. It exceeded my already high expectations. It excels in terms of character, story, and direction. Long live all things Stargate!"

The Truth

Jason | NC, USA | 03/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This review is spoiler free!!

I have to preface this review with the statement that I am an avid Stargate fan, and as such, my review may be biased (but I think not!)

After enduring season 4 of Atlantis this year, it is nice to get back to the show I truly love, Sg-1. Opposed to Atlantis, SG-1 takes place on earth, spends time on the explorations, and takes into account ancient mythologies, opposed to Atlantis, which is more action oriented, with dumbed down dialog, and shooting anything that moves.

I have been awaiting this release since it was announced, it finally came to my home yesterday, I watched the movie, then the extras (comic con conference which was really cool! and a behind the scenes which was great as well (this is almost 1 hour of material), I then watched the movie again, this time with commentary (again, I love SG-1).

This dvd has a "prelude" which basically goes over everything you need to freshen up on to fully enjoy and prepare for this viewing. As someone who has seen each episode of stargate countless times, I found this prelude a great review, as it has been a while since I watched it all.

The movie then follows, and it is a great movie. The scenery in this movie is astounding, it looks much better than we are used to seeing on the TV show. The pacing is slower, more akin to when the show aired on Showtime, which works well, as the aspect of stargate that i enjoy most, is the interactions between the characters, the explorations of new worlds and civilizations, and how everyone reacts to the culture.

This brings the conclusion to a satisfying end. I think several of the cliffhangers are drawn out a bit much (putting a tad too much tension near the end), but all in all, I enjoyed the movie.

This reminds me of why I love this show, I know they are coming out with another movie soon (this one will have Richard Dean Anderson in it), and word on the streets is, it should arrive this July.

I truly hope people are not just downloading bootleg copies of this dvd, and I really hope everyone will buy this dvd, and the next one. I really want this show to continue on, if the studios do not get the results they are looking for, this could be the end.

I really hope the dvds do sell well, maybe they can continue to do movies throughout the year, and maybe even a mini series or another season. There are many aspects of the Stargate world that have gone unexplored, and unfinished.

I hope the producers read this review, and understand that what make stargate work is not the snappy dialog, the wonderful interactions, the brilliantly designed enemies, sound design, artwork, and constant tension, but the exploration of new worlds, the ability to learn something (ancient history, see ancient figures, the Egyptian gods) and the exploration of these foreign cultures. Something Stargate Atlantis completely misses, which is why I do not enjoy it as much.

I truly hope everyone will buy this dvd, enjoy it, and more get made.

I also must comment on the beautiful video quality and sound design, the show has never looked or sounded this good (they did use 35mm film) and it shows.

Please keep up the great work, and I hope everyone enjoys this fantastic dvd.

(note, if you are a fan of the movie, and haven't watched too much of the series (last 2 seasons--9 and 10) this dvd is likely not for you, do yourself a favor, and buy the complete series collection, and catch up, then enjoy this fantastic dvd, as you will not be able to understand much of what is going on)

Also, the creators of the show, are working on a third show, that deals with the ninth chevron, tentatively called "Stargate Universe" which is set in present time. I really hope this will be the return of intellectual Stargate, and I eagerly await its arrival on TV."

Enjoyed it, but you have a right to be disappointed!

Terrence Abrams | Houston, Texas | 03/18/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a Stargate Fan since the first movie, and loyally throughout all 10 seasons over both cable networks it was carried on. Stargate: Ark of Truth is a fun ride, a step up from the weekly show, but a disappointment in complete lack of story originality.

In this story, (AN EXACT CLONE OF THE REPLICATOR DEFEAT EPISODE IN SEASON 9) SG-1 discovers yet another ancient artifact that will destroy the nearly un-beatable near-omnipotent foe. Exactly as they defeated the replicators with Bal's help in season nine, with a convenient 'link' between all Stargates and this Ancient weapon, the Replicators were wiped out in a single stroke, all over the galaxy with a coded entry on an old stone control pad.

Guess what happens at the end of this movie? Well, without revealing everything, a convenient 'link' to all the ((blanks)) from an old stone/metal tablet Ark, wipes out all ORI believer's faith in one stroke once the critical coded pattern is stuck on the device. ORI defeated, as quickly and as unbelievably neatly as the replicators were way back when.

Even more lackluster, the ORI "were killed" and not just wounded by the device sent to kill them in the latter part of Season 10 where Daniel Jackson was a Prior deceiving old evil Audra. So, no better complexity of the Ancients versus the ORI, and how humanity can step in and fight is ever really explored. We'll just leave Jackson a new ancient buried wonder-device to take care of it in the end. With all of these perfect weapons laying around the universe in piles of desert dust, how in the world did the Wraith ever cause the ancients a sweat? The ancients could not have found all of this stuff when they needed it? Puhleeze!

Audra does little more than dance around in fiery steps, brag on about having all of the power, and wastes what could have been a nice scary scene with Claudia Black. Julian Sands has a cup of coffee as the head prior, and then does nothing. I was hoping for a bit more battle with the heavyweights!

The movie is fun, tosses in the predictable IOA manic official with poor judgment and an even poorer dialogue, but a terminator replicator he becomes, and of course Ben Browder will survive about 15 steel pounding hits without dying or being rendered inert. The logic behind the IOA guy's story for intentionally risking everyone's lives is silly, not even political paranoids could or would get away with his access and security passes.

We get some more astounding Canadian scenery, which is okay, the special effects are good, and the humor and dramatic elements are nicely brief and poignant for a change, so the movie moves well if the story lacks for any originality. Oh my, IRONY, with ORI and ORIGIN, you get NO ORIGINALITY. That point sticks with me badly I'm afraid.

The cast is sharp, but sadly, there is no pickup of Jackson's and Vala's destined romance, only Beau Bridges gets to deliver what is expected, and Tealc' is in good form.

I was shocked that I really did enjoy the show, about 2 hours 10 minutes of no boredom, but later as I rummaged the tale through my head, remembering it was little fun, so much potential missed, and a story completely cloned in the conflicting elements exactly to the old formula of beating the replicators, a similar track was used in older SG-1 episodes too. Let's hope Stargate Atlantis does not suffer from such story redundancy and writer's laziness. This copy-cat story transfer was a true shame, hope this writer did NOT GET PAID! Adding in Replicators is a transparent attempt to boost cheap excitment levels and raise kids hands cheering, but leaves any mature Sci-Fi senses flat on the deck of the Odyssey swimming in that replicator shrapnel.

Most of us could have written a far better screenplay. This was not bad at all, it is fun SG-1 show, worth the time, but the end-all story to a huge build-up from the past 3 seasons, had no merit, honor or punch in the end. Its a feel-good send-off to all SG-1 fans, but only if you're VERY generous on forgetting that they've done this to you time and time again.

The actors and the show deserved a better ending to the ORI storyline!

docsetc@msm.com"