Stargate - The Ark of Truth
Blasting off where the Sci-Fi Channelâ??s longest running show, Stargate SG-1, left off, this thrilling feature thrusts the Stargate team â?" Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks), Vala (Claudia Black), Tealâ??c (Christopher Judge), Sam (Amanda Tapping) and Cam (Ben Browder) â?" into their biggest challenge yet. In search of an Ancient artifact they hope can defeat the oppressive Ori, the team not only learns that the Ori are set to launch a final assault on Earth, but a double-crossing I.O. operative is aboard the Odyssey! Also starring Beau Bridges, this pulse-pounder is loaded with enough suspense, humor and action to fill a galaxy!
Fans disappointed by the demise of the Stargate SG-1 television series after ten fruitful seasons will delight in The Ark of Truth, the first full-length movie to follow in the show?s wake. In fact, some will be more than pleased--they?ll be relieved. For not only does the 102-minute film offer an opportunity to enjoy the same likable characters, reliable effects work, superior writing, and other elements that made the series so appealing, but after season upon season in which viewers were left wondering how everything turned out, The Ark finally brings at least one cliffhanger to a conclusion: the storyline involving the villains known as the Ori, who dominated SG-1?s final two years. Our heroes (including Ben Browder as fearless leader Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell, Amanda Tapping as the intrepid Lt. Col. Samantha Carter, Christopher Judge as the implacable alien Teal?c, Michael Shanks as the ever-resourceful Dr. Daniel Jackson, and Claudia Black as the irreverent Vala) have long known that the Ori are perhaps the most irresistible force they?ve ever encountered, in part because they are "ascended" beings who don?t exist in recognizable physical form (their spaceships do, and they're huge). But now the team faces an even greater threat: the Ori have set their sights on good ol? Planet Earth. That?s where the Ark comes in; if the good guys can just get their hands on it, they hope this ancient artifact will effectively put the big, bad Ori, their minions, and their entire religion (known as "Origin") out of business. Of course, it ain?t easy. Both collectively and individually, the team will be severely tested, their task complicated not only by the Ori but by an arrogant, clueless government official whose meddling results in the return of the metallic, insect-like Replicators. There?s little doubt about how it will all turn out--after all, there?s at least one more movie already in the pipeline--but it?s all about the ride, and despite a few flaws (as was sometimes the case with the series, the script leans a bit too hard on exposition and techno babble), this one is lots of fun. Bonus features include commentary by writer-director Robert Cooper and others, a lengthy "making of," and a helpful "prelude" to bring the uninitiated up to speed. --Sam Graham
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Stargate - The Ark of Truth Accessories
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Stargate - The Ark of Truth Reviews
SG1 will never win major awards however it does deliver to its fan base which in the end is what it is all about. In this particular installment the Ori (the guys with snakes in their chests have been wiped out if you haven't been keeping up) are regrouping for a major offensive and it is up to SG1 to take a stand against them. Overall-Great for what it is a few good oneliners and our old friends the replicators even have a cameo.
They like it too. They liked the tv show so I got the movie for 'em.
It is in my humblest opinion that Continuum was a much more polished story, primarily because The Ark of Truth was a quick finish to the Ori storyline. The "Terminator" also made it more cheesy because the replicators could have just made multiple Terminators without the need for human tissue. I felt The Ark of Truth was a great finale to the Ori storyline, however the movie was too short and seemed like a long season finale rather than a motion picture caliber movie. Why stay in a crab-like form all the time. For the Trekkies, the actual Ark of Truth was really an "Adjust the Heisenburg" matrix style solution to a problem. I highly recommend watching The Ark of Truth just so you get closure for SG-1 prior to Sci-Fi's cancellation of the series. The acting was top of the line Stargate SG-1 fare but I wasn't impressed with the use of replicators as a catalyst in the story.
It was well worth the cost of admission for a dedicated SG1 fan. That said, I enjoyed the plot, the effects, the fact there weren't commercials and that Jack O'Neill was back with the group (you can't ever have enough pithy humor or cake). Granted there is more time designated for plot evolution and a bigger budget for effects but it lacked the 'wow' factor. This was a nice enough continuation of the series but seems to lack some of the polish one would equate with a film.
Highly recommended for Stargate SG1 fans. No spoilers from me, but you get pretty much what is expected including great special effects, a lot of action, close calls, and Teal'c being ever so. "Stargate - Ark of Truth" feels like an extended episode of Stargate SG1, wrapping up the plot line of what some folks have called "The Ori Quagmire". It is a good wrap-up to the outstanding series Stargate SG-1 - The Complete Series Collection, and I also recommend Stargate: Continuum for those that want a little more. well Teal'c like :-).
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