Lavishly produced and designed, this science fiction epic became one of the biggest commercial hits of 1994, despite a second-hand storyline and ponderous tone that were pounced upon by most critics.
Nerdy Egyptologist Daniel Jackson (James Spader) is called upon to assist in a classified Air Force project near the great pyramid of Giza. The Feds suspect that a huge circular structure discovered near the pyramid is a "StarGate"--a teleportation device that links the earth with another site
far off in the universe. Jackson deciphers the hieroglyphic code on the structure and, accompanied by a military team led by Colonel Jack O'Neil (Kurt Russell), embarks on a perilous journey to the unknown. They emerge into a bizarre desert civilization ruled by a Machiavellian tyrant (Jaye
Davidson) who claims to be the sun god Ra.
This was an expensive film to make, and every penny spent is visible onscreen. It incorporates excellent special effects, burnished cinematography that gives the distant planet a convincing other-worldly aura, highly effective action sequences populated by legions of meticulously costumed extras,
and towering sets of which Cecil B. DeMille would surely have been proud. Given these assets, STARGATE rides out the bumps in its fanciful story. The film handles its all-important human elements capably, and leavens its high-tech bravado with just the right amount of comic relief. Though
overblown and overlong, it rewards viewers with meticulously designed thrills and conveys a genuine sense of wonder--no small feat in these times of post-modern cinematic ennui. leave a comment
