Stargate : Continuum

O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and SG1 Tealc (Christopher Judge), Vala (Claudia Black), Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping), Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks), and Cameron Mitchell (Ben Browder) go to witness the last Ba'al clone extracted from his host. Vala disappears and then Teal'c among others. O'Neill is killed and the rest of SG1 escape back through the gate. In 1939, a ship carrying a Stargate gets invaded by Ba'al and his men. When Carter, Jackson and Mitchell re-emerge, they find themselves in that ship frozen in the modern Arctic. It turns out that it's the ship that was suppose to carry the first Stargate from Egypt to America. They are rescued by the alternate O'Neill. The government decides to scatter the three and find the Stargate in Anarctica without them. A year later, the Gouald under Ba'al attacks and the government recalls them for help.

It takes awhile to get going. It's the try and true sci-fi premise of time travel. It is done well. It's got good action. It's got the characters fans love. Overall, fans who follow the TV show will love this movie. Everybody else will have problem following it.

I'm writing this because I just today read that Cliff Simon died earlier this year in a kite-boarding accident. He always turned in a great performance as Ba'al, and I regret we will no longer see him in any role on screen. He was, indeed, excellent in this movie. Dead at age 58, he left us too soon.

The latest episode of Stargate involves SG-1 trying to prevent System Lord Ba'al from permanently changing history so he can conquer the Earth. Given a bigger budget for this made for DVD movie, this movie has quality production values and well done visual effects. Unlike many Stargate SG-1 episodes, there are no scenes set in the forests of British Columbia, as I recall.

Stargate: Continuum is almost all fast paced action. But the movie gives the audience what it wants, explosions, evil people and Earth in danger. Nothing wrong with that, unless you were expecting Shakespearean prose.

Following on the release of The Ark of Truth, Continuum is the second Stargate SG-1 movie to come to DVD. Unlike Ark of Truth, Continuum is not potentially weighed down by having to overtly tie up loose ends left by the series. While, in fact, it does tie up a few loose ends rather nicely it also does something else: it brings Stargate SG-1 full circle.

The plot is classic SG-1: the last of the system lords Ba'al (played by the ever villainous Cliff Simon) is about to be executed with SG-1 and Jack O'Neill in attendance. Suddenly people start disappearing and SG-1 members Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter, and Cameron Mitchell flee through the Stargate to a world where the Stargate never made it to America just before World War II thanks to Ba'al meddling with history. After facing alternate versions of people they know and being dismissed, Earth comes under attack from Ba'al, his queen Qetesh (aka Vala) and his first prime Teal'c. The team must find out how Ba'al changed history and put it right…or else. Writer Brad Wright brings together two of the series' best threads: time travel and the threat of Goa'uld invasion together to bring the series not only full circle but what could also be called SG-1's greatest hits.

One of Continuums biggest pluses is that it brings the original cast back together. Richard Dean Anderson appears once again as General Jack O'Neill and while he does not appear in the entire film, his presence his certainly welcome and makes for a great addition to the film. Also returning for this film is the SGC's original leader, General Hammond. The late Don S. Davis makes his final appearance as Hammond in the film's alternate time line and while it's a shame that he doesn't know the team in those scenes, his appearance (like O'Neill's) is a welcome addition to the film.

The big thrill of Continuum is watching familiar characters in the alternate time line. It is here more then anywhere else that the film brings the series full circle. We get to see the Goa'uld system lords back together again even SG-1's first nemesis Apophis in a surprise appearance. On top of the alternate versions of Teal'c, Vala, Hammond, and O'Neill we get to meet alternate versions of Hank Landry and President Henry Hayes. Landry is played masterfully by Beau Bridges who is able to make the lines between the "real" and alternate Landry's almost indistinguishable. Hayes, played by William Devane and last seen in SG-1's seventh season finale Lost City, is much the same as the "real" version we've met before; skeptical at first and then forced to face the incredible with a brave face. Their appearances are what separates Continuum from Ark of Truth and marks an improvement.

The film also makes a fine blend of the cerebral and action sequences. While ostensibly an action story, Continuum also takes moments to explore, on the personal level, the effects of seeing a world and people you know be almost completely different. Yet when the film needs action it has action from submarines rising in the Arctic, to dogfights and gun battles the film shows what SG-1 could be at its best: intelligent and yet action packed.

The stand-out aspects of Continuum are the amazing location photography, special effects, and music. The location filming in the Arctic (done in below zero temperatures) is amazing, beautiful, and breathtaking all at once. Considering this is a relatively low-budget film it's an incredible addition and it makes the film feel even bigger in scope and scale. Scope and scale are the purpose behind another one of the film's highlights: the special effects. From dozens (if not hundreds) of Goa'uld ships to dogfights and extensions and additions to sets, the special effects in Continuum continue SG-1's proud tradition of bring feature film quality effects to the small screen. Then there's Joel Goldsmiths' score which like Ark of Truth evokes the epic feel of the film. Each of these make Continuum stand head over heals above many of the direct-to-DVD sci-fi films released all the time.

Continuum is not only an excellent addition to SG-1 but brings the series full circle. From classic elements to the return of favorite characters and villains to outstanding photography, effects, and music Continuum takes what could have been a boring attempt to tie up the loose ends of the series and creates a action packed adventure. Continuum may well the end of SG-1 and if it is, Continuum is it going out on top.

The general attitude going into this movie is half-skeptical, half-excited: on the one hand, direct-to-DVD rarely bodes well and Ark of Truth, while not bad on the whole, could have been a lot better; on the other hand, it's a new SG movie, it's got Jack, Goa'uld instead of Ori, whohoo! The verdict? Two words, people.

It's Good!

Continuum redeems the whole "SG1 movies" idea. True, Ark of Truth wasn't such a hard act to follow, but this goes above and beyond the "better than the first film" label. It's a true SG1 story, like we used to get'em in the first seasons. Plenty of adventure (they can't seem to get a break throughout the whole film), interspersed with the small moments we loved throughout the series: the one-liners (yes, Jack's got some lines, but most come from Mitchell), the technobabble (Sam still doesn't get to finish a phrase w/o being interrupted), the hard choices. And a taste of the good old Goa'uld arrogance we all know and love, to boot.

The characters each get their spotlight moment. Mitchell shines throughout, indeed this seemed to be a movie made to show he well and truly belongs to SG1 outside the Ori arc, as well. Daniel gets his moments, as well as Sam, and we get to see both of them interact with Jack once again! On the Goa'uld front, we are treated to a whole parade of former system lords, pretty much anyone you can think of. Baal, of course, is his usual charming evil self. And we get a great new villain in the person of Quetesh, who personifies the perfect Goa'uld queen: subservient, double-faced, deadly. Almost wish she'd been there for the first seasons of the show!

The quality is very good, most scenes would have done very well on a big screen. Effects, great, but then that's nothing new. In short, this movie delivers what it promised: an epic SG1 adventure and a great character show. I'd originally given it 8 stars, but by comparison to Ark of Truth, it gets an extra one. Totally worth the money, can't wait to own the DVD.