Jason et les Argonautes

It's a good indication of just how bad television is becoming when one spends four hours watching such reprehensible ineptitude as this. As a guy who has grown up with Greek myth since I could understand language it's difficult to express how insulted I was by this ludicrous film. Taking liberties with a storyline is one thing. Reinventing it to fit a Hollywood formula is something different: the inclusion of blacks and women among the Argonauts is inexcusable no matter what the producer's motives--not because Atalanta wouldn't have made a good Argonaut, but because she wasn't, and Orpheus was Greek, not Ethiopian. The involvement of Hercules for the entire voyage instead of for only part of the first stage like in the real legend is almost forgiveable after that. For all of that however, the biggest beef with "Jason and the Argonauts" is not that it leaves out huge slabs of the journey, makes up new parts and juggles characters to suit itself. In fact, it gets some parts right: sending the dove between the clashing rocks for example, and Jason's relationship to Pilias among little else. Overall, this film is just lame, a poor, typically made-for-television sham of a cracking good story, exploiting all the best bits for all their worth and completing omitting or changing others. For those who only know the legend from this film: Orpheus wasn't black, Atalanta wasn't an Argonaut, Medea was a cold-blooded conniving bitch who cut up her own brother and fed him to the sharks and Hercules quit the voyage early on to go searching for his gay lover who got spirited away by river nymphs. Let's hope that, one day, some film producer has the guts to tell this story the way is was supposed to be told--and maybe use Hercules' real Greek name (Heracles) to boot.

Being an unconditional admirer of Ray Harryhausen's and Don Chaffey's version of "Jason and the Argonauts" could be a disadvantage to fully enjoy this Hallmark mini-series. But surprisingly, it has its own values to make it an enjoyable experience.

First I'd like to claim that I see no reason to diminish its merits because of its faithfulness or liberties regarding Greek mythology. This is cinema not literature, and it must be evaluated as a work of moving images. If judging a cinematic work according to literary precepts were the rule, then not even the 1963 film would endure this kind of judgment: as I remember, Medea, for instance, was described as a high priestess not related to the royal family of Colchis. According to the faithful-to-literary-source approach, that would be enough to condemn the motion picture. On the other hand, I believe that "Jason 2000" was also inspired by cinematic tradition, not only by the 1963 production but by other sources as well, as Marcel Camus' "Orfeu negro", and today's horror films. It was also inspired by our times: the reason to include a female Argonaut validates the role of women warriors, instead of being a feminist or 'politically correct' concession.

One of the most interesting things about this version is its casting, resulting in the fact that the story is told from the point of view of young people, with all their impetus and naïveté. When most contemporary motion pictures portray aimless young persons, this series shows a purposeful group of young people with a mission who fulfill their destiny with passion. Such is the case of Jason, Medea, Acastus, Atalanta, Aspyrtes, Orpheus, Zetes, and most of the Argonauts. These are the real protagonists of the story. In their search for justice and love, they are helped or betrayed by their elders, be it gods (Zeus, Poseidon, and Hera who appears three times as an old peasant woman) or humans (Pelias, Aertes, Phineas).

It is inevitable to compare the film to its predecessor: concerning the gods, this time they seem more lustful and primitive than the Olympus portrayed in the 1963 film, with Nial McGinnis and Honor Blackman fighting over Jason's destiny. This time Hera and Zeus feel unequivocal sexual attraction towards Jason and Medea, respectively. Hera makes reference to Zeus' frolicking with humans, and that may please the Greek mythology purists. But their representations seem out of a detergent TV spot -clouds included- and the acting by Olivia Williams and, specially, by Angus MacFadyen do not help much. At least, in the original the ingenuousness of the gods seemed more apt to the story being told, than these two creatures who open the narration in awe, but close it with embarrassingly sexy foreplay.

Special effects are fine, but in some respects they do not surpass the Harryhausen creatures. A mechanic bull (with sound effects included) substitutes Talos, but the titan is evoked by the imposing height of a Poseidon out of "The Neverending Story". The sequences of the dragon, the skeleton army, and the harpies do not improve on the original ones. Compared to the seven-headed hydra, this dragon is rather clumsy (it falls awkwardly into a precipice that it has previously climbed with ease). The skeletons (this time looking like mannequins grounded on soil) lack the grace of the mean originals. In spite of the work of the Jim Henson workshop, the whole harpies sequence lacks the dark and exciting atmosphere created by Harryhausen, Chaffey and Herrmann.

In this version, there are more exciting warring scenes and Jason finally claims his throne, but to make the story work for three hours the film is full of melodramatic gestures and dialogues, which alternate with the action. The writers added basic "character development" with Freudian overtones that give a little depth to the personages: it may work for Pelias, Polymele or Medea, but in the case of Jason, being an action hero, his uncertainty and doubts tend to diminish the empathy with the viewer. In other occasions, they are too tame or just do not make sense: did Aspyrtes have an incestuous relationship with Medea, or is he gay and jealous of Medea because of Jason? In this respect, the direction of actors is very suggestive in several scenes.

All this said, I think that the film has the same enthusiasm of the original; the search for the golden fleece is still fascinating no matter how much Greek mythology has been altered. In the final analysis, "Jason 2000" is an enjoyable mini-series, with a story of tyranny, greed, and righteousness still relevant for our times.

This TV mini series was on over the Easter Holidays and i was caught by the impressive cast that they had lined up for this movie.... i also had to watch it also because i really enjoy greek mythology. What i got was over 3 hours of false mythology that doesn't even deserve to share the same title as the 1960's original.

Jason London was not convincing as the main character Jason, neither was Dennis Hopper unfortunately who fell victim to a silly scene at the end where hes wearing the fleece on his head, it cracked me up, he looked an idiot. Natasha Henstridge and Derek Jakobi were not in it enough to make any sort of impression and the gods were too merciful i thought.

The SFX was okay, but i still prefer the ground breaking effects of Ray Harryhausen who's designs for the titans in the original scared me when i was younger.

This film was false when it comes to sticking by the facts of greek mythology i.e. there were no female argonauts - Atlantas is a false. Also the fact that Orpheus was greek and not African, these are just a few points from many mistakes that effected this series.

My two biggest groans though must be.... a) Why did they replace Talos the bronze giant with that stupid bull, Talos was my favourite Titan in the original and i was looking forward to see him redesigned for this series.......but not into a stupid bull that breathes fire....OH DEAR! Also the Hydra was replaced by a dragon......why?......i don't know?

and b) The sound effects were not as ground breaking as the original. The sound for the original film captured half the scene, an example being the appearance of Talos - it created tension. It was sorely missed.

In the end Hollywood have spoilt mythology and replaced it with a child's bed time story........5/10

The mini-series is not dead as some had proclaimed. This retelling of Jason's epic journey to gain the Golden Fleece has an excellent cast and impressive FX.

Jason London is impressive as the young hero, giving this actor a long-overdue chance to shine as a new star in the heavens over Olympus. His character is the center and the anchor of the sprawling story, and he gives a strong yet appealingly vulnerable quality to his character who happens to have the same name.

Though it was odd that Poseidon looked like a bunch of rocks with legs instead of the more-common image of him as a crowned merman with trident, most of the other magical or divine elements in the story were well-acted and believably realized through the computerized FX.

This TV mini-series is a worthy successor to the 1963 film.

Perhaps one of the upsides to viewing this miniseries is the opportunity to see pre-'Enterprise' Jolene Blalock as Medea, the female lead. The word "chameleon" comes to my mind when i compare her physical appearance in this to that in the Star Trek series.

I agree that the Harryhausen version set the standard but this was enjoyable viewing on its own merits inclusive of seeing Ms. Blalock before she assumed the role of T'Pol.