Okay, let’s get this out of the way right away. I liked Ark of Truth. It wasn’t great art. It wasn’t even great science fiction.
But it was good science fiction, a reasonable way to spend a couple hours and my son enjoyed it.
What was good about it?
Ben Browder and Claudia Black performing together, always a plus. Chemistry? Uhm, yeah. Even when mebbe there isn’t supposed to be…. I started watching Stargate SG-1 when Browder joined the cast and stayed with it for him and Black. Before that, I just couldn’t get into the show. Perhaps because it started at a time when I did not have cable, and so I just wasn’t in the habit. But mostly I think because I could not get invested in the characters. I didn’t dislike them per se, and the performances were fine, but O’Neill, Carter, Teal’c and Jackson as characters. Mostly left me cold.
Especially, and still, Jackson. Don’t shoot me – enter my action figure giveaway instead and tell me why I should care about this character. Because I don’t dislike the character and I appreciate Michael Shanks as an actor. I just find I cannot care about the character of Daniel Jackson. But many of you do. Tell me, tell me.
More goodness. The performances of Currie Graham as IOA bad guy Merrick and Tim Guinee as Ori warrior and former Vala spouse Tomin. There is a scene with Tomin and Teal’c that I think sums up both characters in the Stargate arc, and that says a lot, given that Teal’c was part of it from the beginning. Kudos to the writers and the actors.
More chemistry. Ben Browder has great chemistry with Amanda Tapping (Carter) here too. Something we did not see on Stargate Atlantis with Carter and any of the characters on that show, including Sheppard, played by Joe Flanigan, a character and actor I really like. Fault of the actors? No. I think it is a combination of the fact that Browder could have chemistry with a broomstick, and that Sheppard/Joe Flanigan had such great chemistry with the axed Weir character played by Torri Higginson that nothing else quite measures up. Are you listening, PTB?
Walter. Played by Gary Jones. What else can I say….
About half way through the film, the film splits into two main stories. Daniel, Vala, Tomin and Teal’c continue the search for the Ark of Truth, and Carter and Mitchell deal with a Replicator threat. I think this was a good choice. This allows all the characters their “moment in the sun.”
Some additional observations:
- The wormhole F/X when the Odyssey goes through the Super Gate, especially at the beginning, are awesome.
- I had never seen the Replicator storyline on SG-1, only the humaniform Asuran storyline on SGA, so I found the little mechanical Replicators quite unnerving
- The score when Teal’c is hiking through the mountains was very majestic.
- There’s one scene, late in the film, where Vala is brought into a room and daughter/Ori/Ascended Being Adria joins her. My dog Reva growled. Not sure whether it was the music or something in the scene that disturbed her, but she was pissed.
- Weirdness: The jumpsuits the people wear on Odyssey (and Daedalus for that matter) are just weird. Aren’t pants and shirts more convenient. You know…..
The DVD extras are okay. I don’t tend to buy DVDs for the extras, but I know many do. If you are looking for a lot on that score, you’ll probably be disappointed. The main extras are a commentary, the usual “filming of,” and a Stargate panel from last year’s Comic Con. Chris Judge (Teal’c) is particularly amusing on the Comic Con panel.
Bottom line: if you are a Stargate fan, you’ll enjoy it. If you aren’t, but you’d like to dip your toe into the franchise, it sounds like this summer’s Continuum might be the better bet.
Purchasing links:
DVD: Stargate – The Ark of Truth
Download: Stargate: The Ark of Truth
The giveaway:
Long story short, I have some extra SG-1 action figures. Mitchell, Vala and the Ori Prior. I’m going to give away one of each at the end of April and the remaining three when the second film, Continuum, is released this summer.
How to enter: As I admitted above, I had a hard time getting into the SG-1 characters until Ben Browder and Claudia Black joined the cast. Especially Daniel Jackson. I don’t dislike the character, and the actor Michael Shanks does a fine job. I just find that I don’t really care what happens to the character, and I need that to remember to tune in week after week.
So, in the comments on this post, tell me why I should like Daniel. Are there specific episodes to watch that you think would “bring me over?” Or if you happen to have the same problem I do, share. Why do you have a hard time connecting with the character of Daniel Jackson? Is he really that much of a cold fish?
To enter the April giveaway:
- Leave a comment on my SciFi Sunday: Ark of Truth review. Tell me why I should give Daniel a chance. Or not.
- I’d be thrilled if you shared this giveaway with friends or readers of your own blog if you wish, but it is NOT a requirement to enter.
- I will give away one figure for every 10 comments on the blog. In other words, I will give away ONLY the Mitchell figure if I get 10 or less comments. 20 or less comments, Mitchell and Vala. Anything over 21 comments, I’ll give away all three figures in the first giveaway in April. Same rules will apply for the later giveaway.
Entries will close on Wednesday April 30, 2008 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Winners will be selected using a random number generator and announced on Snapshot Chronicles on May 1. Using the relevant number limits as above, the first comment selected will get the Mitchell figure, the second, the Vala figure and the third, the Prior figure.
Giveaway open to adult residents, 18 years or older, of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. Void where prohibited.
Questions? Email sgetgood@getgood.com
COMMENTS ON THIS POST ARE NOW CLOSED
[tags] Stargate SG-1, Ark of Truth, science fiction, giveaway, action figures, Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge [/tags]
Morjana says
I think perhaps if you HAD watched Stargate SG-1 from the beginning…ten seasons is a long time, I know…but if you had, you would have watched the evolution of the Daniel Jackson character (well, really ALL the characters).
In the beginning of SG1, Michael Shanks portrayed Daniel Jackson with a sense of naivete, a firm belief in the good in all people. Over the years, that naivete gave way to the reality that SG1 faced — protecting Earth against a variety of nemeses, most of which were very Evil.
That Daniel Jackson (and the other characters) did retain their core qualities — loyal, heroic, loving, self-sacrificing, protective of the innocents — is a firm testament to the actors who portrayed those characters, and the writers and directors who wrote and directed them.
Best wishes, Morjana
Mrs. Who says
We bought “Ark of Truth” the day it came out and watched it soon after and, like you, we enjoyed it. We didn’t think it was great but we were so thrilled to be back in that world and back in the lives of the characters, we overlooked the flaws and just enjoyed.
Now, to your question about Daniel. For a long time, Jack was my favorite male character but, as time went on, Daniel came very close to edging him out as my favorite. I think what I liked most about Daniel was his evolution as a character. He started out as a rather geeky scientist and eventually became a rather macho guy who was just as comfortable with his P-90 as he was with his scientific equipment. He was brave and capable and strong and heroic, as well as smart. If you are really interested in finding out why people like Daniel, you should get all the DVD’s and watch the entire show from start to finish. You can’t really judge one charater or the interaction between the characters until you have seen them all.
Nightsister says
I also think you need to really watch how Daniel (and the rest of the team too) develops from “Children of the Gods” to the present — it’s not just the hair that changes, honest! — but I would recommend “Lifeboat” for an amazing Michael Shanks performance.
Susan says
Dr. Daniel Jackson has always been my favorite character right from the beginning, starting with the film. I look at the show from the perspective of it being Daniel’s journey, and how he became a team member, and how he grew and changed. Not to mention that early on the show relied heavily on Daniel’s skills as an archeologist and a linguist, which helped interest me in the show in the first place. My favorite seasons are 1-3 where the team is learning to work together, rely on each other, and they each have a place and a purpose, at the same time we learn about the characters. I can’t even imagine Stargate SG-1 without Daniel Jackson.
Cole J says
If you want to see the best of Daniel Jackson, then “Meridian” from the 5th season is a “must watch” episode because 1) Daniel sacrifices himself to save a planet of people who are too stupidly selfish to save themselves; 2) you will get to see how profoundly Daniel/Michael Shanks affected each of his teammates in the first five seasons. The cast’s reactions are genuine and mirror that of the characters. For a later episode that shows, again, how far Daniel will go to make life better/safer for the masses, watch season 10’s “The Shroud”, which ties in directly to the Ori storyline and “The Ark of Truth”. The geeky nerd from the original movie, though he becomes macho and militaristic in later years, manages to retain his deeply unselfish tact throughout the ten years of the show and continues to believe in and dedicate himself to a “greater good”. He never becomes cynical, which is refreshing in the often-dark environment of the Stargate reality.
Lisa says
I liked the movie and was impressed by serval of the key scenes although I felt it struggeled to jel together to create the epic I hoped for.
Regarding Daniel, alot of his appeal comes from knowing how the character started out and learning how he became the character he is today, it’s a touching evolution to watch. Unfortunatley I think the writers have neglected to continue to explore his personal evolution of late (seasons 9 & 10) relying on fans knowing the genuine true nature of the character. I don’t include his interections with Vala simply becuase I think that was more about Vala evolution than Daniel’s.
Karyn says
Daniel dies a lot, and in my book, that is the best bit about him. Plus, he’s a bibliophile. Any guy who likes books that much, and old books to boot is okay by me. And, if you like slash, and I won’t bother to explain that, Daniel is a lead in that alt universe. Not going there ever again.
Stacy says
I will be reiterating what others have said, but his character has evolved from being geeky to more militaristic, but never losing that faith that they can make the galaxy better. His interactions with Jack are always fun, too. I’ve watched all ten seasons, so I guess I’m a bit attached to all of the characters!
Kristie Belding says
The character.
I come from a history buff family and fell right in with his character. It got somewhat annoying with all his side plots, but the day to day Daniel was warm, caring, and for the most part fun. Especially with all the zings off Col. Mcgadget.
The actor.
I was a general fan of Michael Shanks and the characters he played, until I caught one of the sci-fi Channel’s first “follow the SG-1 crew” specials when they first acquired the show. While everyone was fun, gracious, and thankful for the interest. His candid shots came across as disinterested and uppity. Michael kept ignoring the camera crew and barely registered interest that these were the guys hyping the show that was keeping his face on the screen. I’m sure he had a heads-up of who they where, since he was stuck in an suv with the crew for the ride up to the set. He actually said “Oh, so that’s who bought us” when the interviewer mentioned how he felt about the Sci-fi channel buying the show. You bet your furry butt I’d be making sure who was now signing my paychecks! Some of the time he was trying to act all SERIOUS actor. It wasn’t until he was on set for a bit and others were acting up for the camera that he started to participate…but this really colored my feelings for him and somewhat his character(s).
Valerie says
I have to say that I kind of agree about Daniel. I didn’t always feel this way, though…
I remember back at the end of Season 5, when I heard that Daniel was leaving, I thought it was just horrible. Even though he wasn’t my favorite character, I did like him, and I couldn’t see how in the world the show could go on without him. But then Jonas came on, and suddenly I was like, “Daniel who?”. LOL. I liked Jonas so much better. Anyway, then Jonas left, Daniel came back, and suddenly, Daniel just wasn’t the same for me anymore. And now, he can tend to irritate me a bit. He’s ok as long as the episode isn’t centered around him, but I get tired of him if the episode is centered around him.
Just tonight I watched “The GameKeeper”, and I was thinking how much more interesting it would have been if they would’ve been reliving one of Sam’s memories, instead of Daniels. At one point, when Daniel made a comment, right out loud I said, “Oh, that’s just SO Daniel”.
It’s probably not as bad as I make it seem though…I still love the show, and I never hesitate to watch it. But I just liked Jonas better than Daniel, that’s all. Although I do enjoy poking fun at Daniel, talking about how many times he’s died, etc. LOL. 🙂