Babylon 5: The Lost Tales

I was looking forward to this for a long time, and fortunately, was not disappointed. It's very different from the series, as there isn't a complicated plot arc, nor is there an epic tale of good versus evil. There are 2 short, fast stories.

The first story, with Lochley, reminded me of old sci-fi short stories that I used to read when I was little. It was an interesting take on religion in the future and differed somewhat from the way I saw it in the series. While not what I expected, it was still fun and thought provoking.

The second story with Sheridan and Galen was more traditional B5, but felt a little rushed in how it developed. Still, it was entertaining and had the humor and edge that I loved from the series. It's still a heroic tale about the effect one man can have, but its not epic.

Throughout the movie, the visual effects were mindblowingly better than the original. The station was glorious, the battle scene gorgeous, and the new designs were true to the original flavor while still being different.

There are some flaws, but nothing really made me cringe (except for one piece of techno babble).

My expectations were not high and I was not disappointed. It was a nice return to a place I've missed these past few years. While it wasn't a total B5 experience and I realize that will never be possible with the passing of Richard Biggs and Andreas Katsulas, I found these "short stories" to be enjoyable.

I especially enjoyed the second story with John Sheridan and the Prince.

The new effects were awesome. This was well worth the less than $20 I paid and I'll gladly pay for others should JMS decided to continue with more of these direct-to-DVD presentations.

I've missed that place all alone in the night. It was good to be back in that place, if only for a short stay. The name of the place is Babylon 5.

Thanks JMS.

As a fan of "Babylon 5" I could go at this from several angles; as some others have done, I could express disappointment at not seeing more of the characters and situations that made B-5 so intriguing expounded upon in this new entry...

I could focus upon the pleasure at re-visiting this Universe in any form, no matter what limitations...

Then again, I could go another direction....

Well, certainly I would like to see more characters revisited, more stories told, and more of...EVERYTHING. But, all of that takes TIME. Hopefully, this new entry will succeed financially, and create that time for more stories to be told in the future (and about this future) in this format.

Bottom Line: I believe that the best standpoint is to NOT focus upon what is NOT there and appreciate what IS.... while hoping for what MAY BE.

The Lost Tales could never have really lived up to fan expectation. Two major actors have since passed on and no network or studio would be intelligent enough to fund such a scifi fan favorite.

Understandably, the effects and budget were minimal. However, the writing was also minimalist. Not a good thing. It felt as if the whole idea could have been better produced, directed and written by the fans. It's a shame that JMS and company couldn't have showcased their obvious talent better.

I was a huge fan of B5 and now am NOT of Lost Tales. There was just so much that could have been done better. I can't recommend this one to any fan of the franchise.

While the exceptional original series has stopped for almost ten years, here the Babylon 5 universe comes finally back in direct-to-DVD.

Alas! Don't expect a sensational return, it's more a "test" to show that Babylon 5 is still viable on screen. Here, of all the original cast remains only Lochley and Sheridan. These two rather aged well, on the other hand the new CGI gave a heck of youthfulness to the ships and to our good old station which are both wonders to behold.

Because of his openly religious theme - I've always believed Straczynski was an atheist -, the first story hasn't quite convinced me. However, it's rather dramatically well-rounded, thanks in particular to the great dialogs written by Straczynski's fine and sensitive nib.

The transition between the two stories is magnificent, stamped with the melancholy of passing time and the infinity of space, both illustrated by beautiful pictures. We thus understand that the goal of The Lost Tales isn't to cause a stir, but rather to revive little by little the memories buried by time and bring them up to date. We can also notice the subtle tributes to Richard Biggs and Andreas Katsulas, deceased not long ago, who are "Out there somewhere, beyond the Rim".

Thus begins Sheridan's story, lightweight, during an interview marked with humor. But like usual, on him will fall a prophecy he must face alone, with difficult choices to make. The story takes its time, detached from Hollywood standards. In view of the amount of dialogs, we can feel that Straczynski kept control 'till the end. Questionings, qualms, and dreams filled with beautiful SFX follow one another in a dramatically efficient story, although far from the epic scale of the show. The conclusion too fall a little flat.

It doesn't matter, it wasn't Straczynski's goal to do something spectacular. His goal was to bring the franchise back to life and let the door open to future wonders, and as far as that is concerned, The Lost Tales is a success.