Stargate (1994)

Average rating

(72%)

Starring:	Kurt Russell \| James Spader \| Jaye Davidson \| Viveca Lindfors \| John Diehl \| Alexis Cruz \| Leon Rippy \| French Stewart \| Mili Avital \| Djimon Hounsou
Director:	Roland Emmerich
Studio:	MOMENTUM PICTURES
Run time:	124 mins
Genres:	Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Languages:	English
Dubbed:	German, Italian, Spanish
Subtitles:	Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
Released:	October 15, 2001
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In this visually creative space adventure from the team that would go on to give the world INDEPENDENCE DAY and GODZILLA, a timid, glasses-wearing Egyptologist (Spader) uncovers an ancient portal to another planet and is dispatched there forthwith--along with blundering, clodfooted government troops (led by Russell). The downtrodden populace they encounter, ruled by godlike, androgynous King Ra (Davidson, in his first role after becoming a star in THE CRYING GAME), must be led to literacy and freedom; Ra must be defeated; the intellectual must find his machismo; our boys must return to Earth.

Rating of 4 stars out of 5

Aliens colonised ancient Egypt through a space-time portal, according to this derivative yet hugely enjoyable cosmic adventure. A shameless marriage between Indiana Jones and the ideas of Erich Von Daniken, its clunkier plot details are neatly disguised by director Roland Emmerich's flair for epic action (he did make Independence Day, after all). James Spader is terrific as the code-cracking archaeologist who accompanies soldier Kurt Russell across the universe to fight galactic tyrant Jaye Davidson, who's clearly wearing the frocks The Crying Game couldn't afford. Stargate is simple in execution, yet classic in the nostalgic way it evokes the feel of vintage 1940s serials, with Emmerich doing an outstanding job, combining plot strands from literature and other films of the genre — even the title is borrowed, from Stanley Kubrick's 2001: a Space Odyssey — with some imaginative special effects and impressive visuals. One of the film's best achievements in this area is its depiction of what it might actually feel and look like being hurtled across the universe at the speed of light. Emmerich's film may not be a lot of things, but as an action-packed, science-fiction rollercoaster ride, it's fabulous fun.

Highest rated reviews

3 out of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Too corny by half

Steve from Gloucestershire, 28th January, 2008

A truly corny plot that stretches the bounds of belief, this film will appeal to those who will accept anything to escape real life. I usually do, but this was going too far! Spader starts fine as an intellegent archaeologist, then turns into a bumbling idiot, so no character continuity there. I haven't seen the TV series, so perhaps that was what I was missing, for the film didn't develop several touched-on themes. But I left it with a feeling that there are many much better sci-fi films to spend part of your life watching.

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