Stargate: The Ark of Truth (2008 Video) User Reviews (67)

A Solid Ending for Season 10

[b5erik · 8/10 · 17 March 2008]

The Ark of Truth was the kind of satisfying finale to season 10 that I was hoping for. Great stuff - a lot of fun.

The Ark of Truth was well written and directed, and felt like a direct continuation of season 10. The actors continued to do what they do with these characters (which is a good thing), and the action was very good (although they've done better before). As for the special effects, I thought they were excellent (not $100 million budget excellent, but for a straight to DVD movie based on a cancelled TV series they were fantastic).

The only gripe I had about it was that they threw in everything but the kitchen sink (all of the prerequisite SG1 subplots were there). Paring it down and eliminating one of those subplots might have made the movie a little better (Sam and Teal'c don't get quite enough to do in the movie as a result), but as it is I still think it's a damned entertaining movie - as long as you've watched the last 10 years of SG1. If not, you're going to be lost.

Clearly, though, this was not made to win over new fans. This was made for the fans who have been following the show for the last decade. This was made for the fans who weren't happy about the Sci-Fi channel cancelling the show in a cost cutting move, and as one of those fans I am very glad they made this movie. I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Finally, the resolution of the story is what they've been setting up for the last two years of the series. No major surprises, but it was carried off very well.

For those familiar with the SG1 series (particularly seasons 9 & 10) The Ark of Truth is highly recommended. For anyone who has NOT seen seasons 9 & 10 of Stargate: SG1 I would advise holding off until you have seen those seasons to put everything in proper context.

Very Good, definitely worth buying.

[mrxavia · 8/10 · 1 March 2008]

The wrapped up nicely from the questions left at the end of the TV series, but still left plenty of openings for the next Stargate movie.

While the production was top notch as I would expect, it did feel very much like an extended episode rather than a blockbuster movie, which is essentially what this was, a way to wrap up questions and not leave fans hanging for answers...

The problem I had was it felt very much like it was the basic storyline for a season arc, but squashed to fit in a 90 minute slot.

I recommend any Stargate fan to buy this, but unless you are a fan, this will have little appeal, since it ties into what happened in the last SG1 season.

A great tie-off to the series

[salsa89 · 8/10 · 6 March 2008]

I just watched Ark of Truth last night and I found it a great film (a term I use lightly - it really is more of an extended episode). The script was enjoyable, the actors were as always at their peak and it concluded all the story arcs that needed concluding.

Admittedly, the only factor in the film that annoyed me was the 'ark of truth' itself. It felt to me a little contrived that all of a sudden there was this 'ark of truth' that would solve all their problems. When they were fighting the goauld and they had to work out everything themselves, however with the ori all they're trying to do is find things that the ancients left behind.

Still, a great film and I'd recommended it to any fan! It really isn't for non-fans tho. This film wasn't made to get new people into the stargate 'verse, but to finish off the story for those people who are already fans. There is too much assumes knowledge for non-fans to enjoy it.

8/10

Great Ending

[AngelHonesty · 7/10 · 19 January 2020]

I was really happy they made this film, to finish off the series! As a stand alone film it's not very good, but if you've seen the series then it's a must watch to have closure for the final events.

The Fitting And Epic End Of The Ori Storyline

[timdalton007 · 8/10 · 12 March 2008]

Leaving the Ori storyline unresolved at the end of Sg-1's final season, the makers of the show give us this film. The Ark Of Truth lives up the hype of fans hoping for an epic end to the storyline that drove the show's final two seasons. Indeed, The Ark Of Truth proves to be both an epic and fitting end to the Ori storyline.

In fact one might go so far as to assume that the show never ended. From the performances of SG-1's members, it's just like picking up where Unending left off. In particular Michael Shanks and Ben Browder both get to shine in their roles of Daniel Jackson and Cameron Mitchell. That's not to say the rest of cast doesn't, but Shanks and Browder really do stand out in this. The supporting cast does too from Beau Bridges to Sarah Strange, from Sarah Strange to the villainous Julian Sands and the absolutely evil Morena Baccarin. The real stand out of the supporting cast however is Currie Graham as Merrick, the double crossing IOA supervisor.

The rest of the production is also first rate for the film, in both writing and production values, is epic. There is a scope to the film that wasn't possible for the show on television. The story feels epic, taking us from Earth to the Ori galaxy and back again. The story has so much going on though that we don't get to see some of the things fans would like to have seen but we see enough to keep everyone happy. The effects and photography aren't just as good as they were on the show, they're better. They go from mountains in the opening credits, the ruins of Dakarra and the Altaran city, to the Ark itself: something that was hard (if not impossible) for the series to do with even a two-part two of the series. There's also one or two moments that evoke memories of the original movie from years ago and fans should get a smile out of it. There's one other thing to mention: the music. The music by Joel Goldsmith is just as epic as the film, evoking not just the original Stargate theme by David Arnold but the Germanic chants of the Ori themes and heroic themes for the team. But the real treat of the music is that while it may be familiar, you've never heard it played this. Fans of the series won't be disappointed. Everything that made us love the series is still here and thriving.

Not to say the film is perfect, which it isn't. Some parts of the film don't make a lot of sense such as the IOA's actions. They don't make much sense especially when they resurrect an old enemy from the series in the process. I won't spoil it because it makes for a great plot twist, but in retrospect it just feels like padding. There's also the odd flashbacks to the Altarans involving the Ark which, while they add some texture, really might not have been needed. But these are minor flaws, and its hard to find anything without any.

In short, The Ark Of Truth is a good film. It does exactly what it was supposed to do: be both an epic and fitting end to the Ori storyline. It succeeds for the most part, though it does have some flaws to it. While non-fans might want to watch the Prelude on the DVD to catch-up on all the plot lines going on in the film, fans should enjoy it. If this and Continuum, the yet to be released second film, are to be the final end of Stargate SG-1, they will be the fitting end of the series.

for fans of the TV show

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 7 December 2014]

SG1 is looking for the ultimate weapon against the Ori. Mitchell (Ben Browder), Jackson (Michael Shanks), Carter (Amanda Tapping), Teal'c (Christopher Judge) and Vala (Claudia Black) are on Dakara. They find a box but is then captured by the Ori led by Tomin (Tim Guinee). Mitchell kills the Prior and a shocked Tomin surrenders. James Marrick is an IOA representative who joins the team to search for the Ark of Truth in the Ori galaxy. He tries to unleash the Replicators on the Ori in a secret IOA mission.

It's a TV movie meant to finish off the Ori storyline after the TV show was canceled. This is obviously only for the fans of the TV show. It is interesting to continue after the show's cancellation. It suffers a bit from too many story elements. Fans of the show should easily follow but I sure wouldn't want to be non-fans watching this. As for the story, it lacks drama. It seems like they added the Replicators to spice things up.

Awesome movie, but definitely NOT the end of the series

[vaughndj · 9/10 · 13 March 2008]

I just watched the movie and I have to say that it was great. The actors were at their top, the settings/sets were far improved, and the story didn't leave much to be desired. Plus, something that I especially enjoyed was the incredible score that Joel Goldstein put together; he does an awesome job taking the original movie soundtrack (used in part throughout the series) and totally revamping it with the full orchestra. It is simply amazing.

On a different not, though, there are many comments about how this movie sucks because it is a bad end to the series. NEWS FLASH! IT'S NOT THE END!! I'm not entirely sure how all these people don't know, but there is another SG-1 movie coming out early next year and *possibly* more in the future. Yes, it would be disappointing if this was it. But it is simply not.

About what I expected

[WKYanks · 6/10 · 19 August 2013]

I'm one that enjoyed the Ori portion of SG-1. The Goa'uld story-line had gotten tired. I've welcomed Ben and Claudia to the mix.

With the end of season 10 resulting in the "kill all ascended beings" (Sangraal) being sent through the super-gate, all we had left was to handle what was left of the ORI in our galaxy.

...and that's all we got...

...and super replicators that all of a sudden can impale the spinal chord and control someone...

I think this movie would have been better served had we got to "meet" and Ori and had to defeat them. But all but we get is Adrea (super hot now), who has absorbed all the powers of the Ori and still can't stomach getting rid of her anti-ori mother.

This movie has it's moments, but it could have been a TV series episode.

Glad they didn't end it all here. It's been too fun a ride to go out on a sour note. Maybe not sour, but not Stargate SG-1's best for sure.

I'll give it a 6 because I like the characters.

A Satisfying Fix for SG-1 Fans

[hockeista-avanti · 9/10 · 15 March 2008]

Watching Ark of Truth I was delighted with the visually obvious bigger budget Robert Cooper and the cast and crew had to work with, which made many of the shots big-screen worthy, but I was also relieved that the movie still held the old SG-1 TV-feel (if that makes the slightest amount of sense to anyone other than me, great!). Yes, it was reminiscent of a regular, however extended, episode of the series - but I don't see why that's a complaint made by so many doom sayers I've seen on various forums and websites. AoT is familiar, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

*****Here there be MAJOR spoilers *****

The movie's plot line runs smoothly, for the most part. Daniel, Vala, Teal'c and Tomin (Vala's husband, who in AoT abandons his duty as a commander in the Ori army and joins forces with SG-1 to overthrow the remaining Ori worshippers) are the focal point of the story as the team travels via the Odyssey to the Ori galaxy and Ortus Mallum ("The birthplace of all evil") - a ruined Alteran settlement where the ark of truth was created millennia ago by an Alteran man named Amelius. Their adventure leads them to Celestis, the city of the Ori, where Daniel, Vala and Tomin are tortured by the Doci and his Priors, and we are reintroduced to Adria. Vala's daughter, who ascended in season 10's Dominion, has taken the mantle of the Ori, who have been wiped out by SG-1 using Merlin's weapon (10x14, The Shroud). What follows is a desperate rush to activate the ark, which is a formidable piece of technology capable of "brainwashing" a person or group of people to believe whatever message the device is programmed to convey.

One big issue I had with AoT is that I felt the focus was at times unnecessarily skewed. Carter and Mitchell wouldn't have played a key role in the primary storyline, and don't - however, RCC, in an attempt to keep them involved, devised a subplot involving SG-1's old enemies, the Replicators. The Odyssey is overrun and forced to flee their position in orbit around the planet upon which the rest of their team are searching - obviously a device required to enhance the sense of danger for those of the team still planet-side. Aspects of the subplot were necessary, obviously, if for nothing else than to escalate the sense of danger, but the Replicator "solution" is contrived, and, though I usually dare not say such a thing since it is science fiction, unbelievable given what the antagonistic group behind the idea has learned about the enemies the Milky Way has faced in the past ten years or more and the danger that would surely have been reintroducing such a threat to any galaxy. Devoting such a huge amount of time to the Replicators and the efforts of those aboard the Odyssey jolted me a few times out of the action, the suspense, of what was happening on the planet in the plot that, forgive me for saying so, really mattered.

In typical SG-1 fashion, Ark of Truth is exciting, at times wonderfully amusing and human, and a credit to the Powers that Be who were, along with the fans, deprived of a much-deserved eleventh season. The performances were top-notch, as Stargate has consistently provided over the past decade - "regular" and "guest" characters all. It was a shame to see what could have been a fantastic 20 episodes reduced to two hours, but SG-1 delivers, and I wasn't expecting anything less.

Stargate: Ark of Truth is not a good jumping-off point for the new or casual viewer - intimate knowledge of seasons 9 and 10 are required, and though the lovely 10-minute recap viewers can choose to watch before the movie begins does a great job of setting up the foundation for new viewers, there's nothing like seeing the two preceding seasons in all their detail before diving in - and I highly recommend diving in.

9/10

Overall a quick but quite good 'ending' to SG1

[viperchrisz4 · 7/10 · 21 January 2008]

Yes I have seen the movie!

Overall i felt that the movie was a good ending to the series although it seemed as though they could have made the movie into just 2 episodes that would have closed out the series instead of calling it a movie and make people by the DVD. But anyway, the movie starts out with the team searching for Merlin's ark that contains the power to destroy the Ori forever. The team's hopes are also confirmed that the Ori ascended beings were destroyed in the previous attack into Ori space through the supergate. The Movie takes a few twists and turns but is much like any other good SG1 episode. Two big spoilers: 1: Richard Dean Anderson is not in the movie and 2: Our old robotic crawling friends from the older seasons are back...

A fantastic finish!

[anifanmc · 8/10 · 11 March 2008]

As the unofficial end of the Stargate SG-1 series, Ark of Truth provides a fairly conclusive wrap-up for a lot of fans and also manages to please the crowd who fell out with the show a long time ago. The movie's main purpose is to wrap up the Ori arc, started at the beginning of the ninth season and culminating in a spectacular finale here.

The plot of the movie is relatively straightforward. Daniel Jackson believes that Merlin's "visions" may be sending him information about an artifact known as the Ark of Truth, a device which can essentially "brainwash" anyone into "knowing the truth". However, due to the Alteran belief in free will, they refused to use it to restrict the Ori, despite knowing that their crusade will destroy planets and ravage galaxies. After Tomin, Vala's husband, defects from the Ori armies and takes sanctuary at Stargate command, the SG-1 team makes a decision to take a trip to the Ori Galaxy and find the Ark of Truth in order to brainwash the Priors into stopping their crusade.

They find the resting place of the Ark, on the planet where the city of Celestis, the home of the Ori are located. However, an IOA agent accompanying them has a different motive - to construct an army of replicators to destroy the Ori in their conquest of the galaxy. They run out of control and begin to take over their ship. Meanwhile, Daniel, Vala, Teal'c and Tomin learn that the Ori were killed by the Sangraal, but Adria, Vala's "daughter", managed to ascend and travel to the Ori Galaxy. She is now the single Orici, the remaining leader of the entire Ori contingent and the recipient of all of the power gained through the worship of innocents. Acting on a tight time schedule, the SG-1 team has to work fast to stop the replicators and power up the Ark of Truth in order to stop the Ori once and for all.

The few weaknesses include the relatively over-stoic acting on the part of Christopher Judge, who seems to exaggerate his expressions nowadays, and Ben Browder's overly clownish nature. The scene where he leaps away from the explosion that kills Merrick made me giggle and he seemed to be trying to present a humorous stage presence rather than a professional one. Nevertheless, Morean Baccarin as Adria doesn't fail to disappoint.

A fun movie, and damn better than I expected for the end of the series. Definitely worth buying.

Not as good as I imagined!

[brandon_lee420 · 7/10 · 24 April 2010]

The last ever episode for Stargate SG-1 was one that you could remember forever because it defined the team SG-1 as heroic, stubborn, smart, funny, and, no matter what, they had a solution for everything (a bit like Mcgyver). The last episode was intense, emotional, and sad (Teal'c is older than everyone by 50 years or something), so it seemed like the perfect episode except that they didn't tell you what happened to the Ori. Your hopes are dashed when you find out that the Ori's fate is unknown. You do a bit of searching around when you see Stargate: The Ark of Truth. You immediately buy it, hoping that this will answer everything. The film is a great addition to the Stargate franchise because it does contain action, laughs, a weird-kind-of story, and it is way more longer so you get to watch the fun more than forty-three minutes. The team is still looking at the clues at what happened to the Ori but when they find out that they are not dead, they go in search of an artifact called The Ark Of Truth, a device which tell the truth about anything if seen by the eyes. Their goal is exactly that but there are others who are after it. The film re-introduces the Replicators back but are they helping the good side or the bad side. The performances are not very different from what you saw in the series but I have to give two thumbs up to Christopher Judge for his great performance as Teal'c, Ben Browder for his jokes and slight remarks during bad times (never did get to fill Richard Dean Anderson's shoes though), Morena Baccarin for her villainous role but she did slack at the end, Claudia Black and Michael Shanks along with Amanda Tapping for there integrity and, often, funny jokes. Beau Bridges was great as well! I was a bit disappointed at the ending because it is so un-Stargate like and it didn't even have a twist but it did leave space for some more Stargate films. I loved the atmosphere in the film as well, especially the part where Teal'c is walking with a wound on his back because that part was really beautiful and the camera angle was perfect. The film should have had an cameo by Richard Dean Anderson because he would have been a relief to see in this film. The film is recommended for anyone who enjoys the series and is compulsory to watch since it tells you what happens to the Ori.

The film starts off with the SG-1 on the ruined planet Dakara, searching around for The Ark of Truth when the Ori appear out of nowhere. A squad of Ori soldiers led by Tomin, husband of Vala Mal Doran, ask SG-1 to surrender and they do. An prior comes between them and when things get heated, Tomin kills the prior and gains the teams trust. Later.... SG-1 embark into the Ori Galaxy on the ship Odyssey with an International Oversight Committee agent between them monitoring the mission. The agent makes a mistake which puts everyone's life in danger aboard the ship and also risks the failure of the mission. Will SG-1 overcome the mistake done by the agent and destroy the Ori, or will they perish and let the universe be converted?

The dialog is slightly better and funnier than season nine and tens. It is in a way more grimmer than ever. The action is obvious and no different from what you see in the series, so to put it straight it sucks. The fight at the end was so messy and weird, you didn't even know which one was which. The plot is straight forward and contains no twists (damn) but enjoy the film for what it is. The music and soundtrack can never get old, even if you have heard it 212 times and I loved hearing the metallic-sort-of music at the beginning. Epic! If you like this, I also recommend: Firefly (stars Morena Baccarin), Serenity, V, Battlestar Galactica, and Stargate Atlantis. 7.5/10

An extremely disappointing ending for the Stargate: SG1 series left me feeling like this directed by M. Night Shyamalan

[david-vanbeveren · 2/10 · 11 December 2014]

Hi folks,

My wife and I have been watching Stargate: SG1 for the past few months, we finally finished Season 10 and were disappointed when we found out that the series had been canceled - however, after hearing about this movie (that "finishes" the Ori story) we were SUPER stoked and dedicated a full night for the movie, popcorn and everything.

Sadly, that was where the fun ended. I have so many gripes about the storyline, execution and directing that I don't even know where to start. I might be totally over reacting on a few of these, and I can also forgive a few of them, but there is so much wrong that I simply hated the movie, and it really sucked to end such a great series this way.

1. Replicator Skeleton. Really guys? Let's just throw a terminator in the movie. Because. Why not. The replicators have NEVER behaved like that or have shown anything like it before - it wasn't even relatable to the human replicators. Let's not even go into why it made sense for a replicator to lodge itself into a human body (how the hell does that help it?) but to make a human skeleton afterwards too? Seriously? Both "forms" we're totally out of character and frankly, retarded.

2. The Ark. Or should I say. The Staples Easy Button. I mean, not to mention that it's never been mentioned before, fine - it's a movie, and they needed something to defeat the Ori, so I understand they needed a weapon, but how god damned convenient this thing was. A bright light. Spreads everywhere through the staffs. Was shot and opened perfectly in the dudes head, by chance. Visions let Daniel find it within a few minutes. Totally random dialing code by a person who claimed she couldn't remember the combination, let alone they guessed the combination on one try correctly - as if the weapon was not convenient enough.

3. The Ori Prior. The prior at the base, despite being at the base for like half the movie, I guess the Anti-Ori powered weapon was just taking care of him for way longer than it usually does. (they are supposed to overcome it after a short amount of time, instead, the dudes just chilling, after being told to can it and that he would die ("go to hell") with them).

4. Two missing characters. O'neill and General Hammond, not even mentioned ONCE, let alone, no appearances! I'm sorry - but both characters were the heart of the show for at least 8-9 seasons, to end the entire series without them, not even as side characters, or even mentions, was, utterly, so disappointing. I can't even express how lame this is for me, and I would expect, their fans.

5. The Orisi. Oh my god. She had to have a dual voice going on when ascended, which is not at all ever the case with any ascended beings that we've seen before. She sounded weird. No reason to go make her sound like that. Every time she talked I cringed and asked why she had to sound that way, we get it, she's powerful, sigh. (so powerful that she conveniently left, did nothing, came back, did a lot more of nothing, and then "died" easily). For an ascended being that had the combined power of all worshipers, without needing to share that power, she sure was the weakest villain I've ever seen. No, I don't buy that the ark reached ALL of her followers, just the ones around the Priors.

6. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how god damn easy it is to lose the warp abilities after the first hit or explosion. The series did this ALL THE TIME, and they hit the nail right on the head with the movie. You think they would have backups by now. COME ON GUYS! ITS ALWAYS DOWN. (including the beam technology, seriously, this is supposed to be a Asgard enhanced ship).

7. The last scene, the ending scene, the scene that ended the entire SG1 series, they did not show the gate. Sigh. I know this should go under the smaller gripes above, but the series is called stargate, I expected to see the gate turn, a few closeups, and the 5 of them walk through it before the scene ended and the movie finish. Instead, the dude just goes "hit it!" and we're supposed to just use our imaginations and imagine them walking through as the movie fades. Daling the gate must have been not in the budget.

I haven't been this disappointed in a movie since I watched Dragonball Evolution or The Last Airbender. Before anyone comments, I KNOW, I'm being far too critical and cynical, but this series was one of my most favorite series, and I just feel totally empty after watching what was supposed to be the final bang, the final goodbye, to an awesome, beautiful, show.

Anywho, comments appreciated, and thanks in advance. Would love to know if anyone shares my disappointment, or if in fact they liked the movie (which is fine, to each his own, right?)

Cheers,

-d.

Good production value, but poor plot

[AGale10495 · 7/10 · 20 March 2008]

I've seen every episode of SG-1, and it was nice to finally get closure on the Ori storyline. The production value is very high, and i'm looking forward to the next movie.

Unfortunately, it seemed like one long episode - and I didn't care for the plot. First off, it seemed too easy to have some magical ark that instantly converts all the worshippers into non-believers. Second, I didn't like bringing back the replicators - the Replicator-ship-takeover was done a dozen times in the series, and was a bad move imo. Third, what's w/ the replicator zombie? That was really cheesy, and actually made me laugh at one point. Finally, I think a Jack O'Neill appearance would've made it much better.

In conclusion, this is a must-see for any SG-1 fan. But it may be disappointing to some.

Stargate Fans will enjoy it!

[yogi_jm · 9/10 · 4 April 2008]

Stargate: The Ark of Truth was a very good moving, surprisingly good in all honesty. I was not sure about the conversion from TV series (AMAZING AT THAT) to a movie. It seemed a bit ambitious although I was completely wrong, the end result does justice to the Stargate series.

The movie does not go at the same pace of a 40 minute episode of Stargate and at first it seems odd to see the different tempo. The Stargate "humor" is still present and despite Richard Dean Anderson's absence in the movie still presents a good laugh. The only reason I gave the movie a 9/10 is because of RDA's absence and still a 9/10 on IMDb is superb!

However the Ark of Truth is strictly based off of the show's Season 9 and 10 and thus I recommend that you watch those two seasons first.

Despite a questionable set on the opening scene of the movie and some minor continuity errors, any Stargate fan should not be disappointed and in all honesty the change from TV Series to Movie was surprising but the end result does not disappoint. I can't wait till Continuum!

Dreadful and embarrassing

[LauraAnnG · 29 March 2008]

belongs in the category 'better never done'.

dreadful writing, horrible directing and wooden acting. it feels like the actors were wheeled out on stage, given their lines, filmed, and then wheeled off.

i get the feeling most of the fantastic non-acting talent that made the series so wonderful had gone missing from the production. no wonder why.

doesn't come close to any of the great "classic" two-part episodes done in the salad days of the series.

what a disappointment.

well, i guess the only redeeming feature i can think of is that they bring the replicators back. shades of better days!

oh, and the use of arnold's original theme -- nicely scored, if nothing else.

Good ending for a *great* TV series, but just looking at it as a movie, it's only average

[nichtssagend · 6/10 · 5 May 2008]

First up, Stargate SG-1 in my opinion was one of the best TV series ever! The movie does a good job of tying up all the loose ends and the performances of the cast are as good as we have come to expect of a cast that has lived these characters' roles for up to 10 years.

Having said that, the movie does exactly what was intended - closure - and nothing more. Since this is a movie and not a TV series, I rate it as such and if I look at it as a movie, it is an average science fiction movies. The special effects are good, but every average science fiction movie has good special effects these days.

The story is actually not that innovative (*over and beyond* what we know from the TV series) and somehow there isn't a great deal of suspense developing anywhere through the movie. It never gets boring, but at the same time, it feels a bit like a re-union, kind of a "let's have a fun movie for old time's sake" movie.

The ending scene is also a bit cheesy.

Note: 6 is not a *bad* rating in my books (can check my other ratings) - it is slightly above average.

Better late than never

[tbobiwsky · 10/10 · 7 February 2019]

I can't believe I've never seen this before. Thoroughly enjoyable!

A few good elements, ultimately not going anywhere

[brdavid-429-96270 · 6/10 · 6 December 2014]

I didn't know too much going into this "movisode", a term I like to call TV events such as this. It's not a movie per se, but it's not an episode. It's an episode with a budget, much like the Season 7 finale had. The Ark of Truth was an OK episode that was marred by story ideas that had no reason to be there and furthermore did not have that epic Stargate SG1 genius behind it.

It starts with the SG1 team on the ruins of Dakara where Jackson has found what he thinks is the Ark of Truth. We learn about this in a flash back to where the Altarans (if I spelled that right) are discussing it. It is here where I am thinking, "we are finally going to get some insight into why these Altarans do NOT interfere, even in events that could destroy them outright?" The Ori catch up to the team and Tommin is with the Ori Army as commander. He captures the team but SG1 still manages the impossible in front of him, by killing the prior. Tommin is shocked and has a change of heart. Something we knew was coming. What happens next is shocking. The rest of the movie/episode is SG1 looking for the real Ark of Truth using the beefed up Oddessy with the "elephant in the room" Asgard core. During this quest the Oddessy gets plagued by Replicators because "someone" who isn't important nor was important to the show, took orders and designed one using the Asgard replicators and it gets loose on the ship. The rest of the movie/episode plods along with this B-story and the A-Story with the Ark of Truth. After a beginning with so much potential, in the end, we get an unoriginal, uninspired show.

We can start with Tommin. You've got the actor so why not expand on this character? They try, but they drop him in favor for the B-story, the replicators. Second, you've got Julian Sands, a well known actor reprising his Prior 1 role. Why not expand on that character? It's dropped in favor of again the replicators. You can see where I am going here.

The replicator B story should have never been in this episode. All the elements of a great story are in place here. Tommin, a fanatic whose world is suddenly turned upside down. You have Ori troops and an Ori underground. You have SG1 going into the Ori Galaxy. You have SG1 on what is the Ori home world. You have the potential to answer the most important question the whole series presents, "when will the Altarans finally get involved?" Nothing like this happens. What we get are replicators. Nothing is new under the sun in this episode. Nothing original happens. It tries. It pokes. It wants to scream out and say something significant. But what we are left with a mediocre show that puts everything into a B-story that was wrapped up two seasons ago.

A very disappointing movie/episode.

Great conclusion to a great show

[sam_smithreview · 10/10 · 8 May 2016]

The wrapped up nicely from the questions left at the end of the TV series, but still left plenty of openings for the next Stargate movie.

While the production was top notch as I would expect, it did feel very much like an extended episode rather than a blockbuster movie, which is essentially what this was, a way to wrap up questions and not leave fans hanging for answers...

The problem I had was it felt very much like it was the basic story- line for a season arc, but squashed to fit in a 90 minute slot.

I recommend any Stargate fan to buy this, but unless you are a fan, this will have little appeal, since it ties into what happened in the last SG1 season.

Spectacular space opera in which our protagonists travel throughout the galaxy in search for an ancient artifact : the Ark of Truth to defeat the Ori

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 5 September 2018]

At the edge of the universe lies a gateway to adventure . This is an entertaining and moving finale to season 10 of the second longest running science fiction television series . A secret military team, SG-1, is formed to explore other planets through the recently discovered Stargates . The Stargate was located inside at the military installation into the Cheyenne Mountain Complex . This time SG-1 searches for an ancient weapon which could help them defeat the Ori, and discover it may be in the Ori's own home galaxy. As the Ori prepare to send ships through to the Milky Way to attack Earth , as SG-1 travels to the Ori galaxy aboard the Odyssey with Lt. Cols. Carter (Amanda Tapping) , Mitchell (Ben Browder) , Jackson (Michael Shanks) , Teal'c (Christopher Judge) , Vala (Claudia Black), among others . The International Oversight committee has their own schemes , being led by Marrick (Currie Graham), a representative of the IOA, the international body that oversees the Stargate program . Finally , SG-1 arrive themselves in a distant galaxy fighting two dangerous enemies and to find the old Ark of Truth to un-brainwash the followers of the Ori . Later on , they have to struggle with the Replicators for control of the Odyssey . Replicators are self-replicating machines that attempt to take over any ship or world they encounter .



Splendid episode displays spectacular scenarios , adventures , noisy action and being pretty entertaining ; dealing with The Odyssey aircraft undertaking an intragalactic travel seeking for the Ark of Truth to finally defeat the Ori ; however , the Ark is in the Ori's Galaxy . The plot is really fantastic as well as bizarre , as the weird Ori are evil god-like beings who gain strength from the worship of their devotees , while the motley crew being guided by the visions of Daniel Jackson , apparently remnants of his shared consciousness with Merlin, and SG-1 searches for the ark . This is a blending into universe legends , supernatural myths , and astounding science-fiction . This was the only television series endorsed and supported by the United States Armed Forces , particularly the Air Force . The movie packs stunning array of technical visuals and amazing sequences . Furthermore , a beautifully executed set design with phenomenal production values . Christopher Judge (Teal'c) and Amanda Tapping (Samantha Carter) are the only cast members to stay with the series throughout its entire run, and consequently, to appear in two hundred or more episodes. Several elements and characters from Stargate (1994) by Emmerich and Devlin , also appeared throughout the series, and although some retained their original characteristics, many have been changed or altered entirely . Although they wrote the original movie, on which the series was based, Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich refused an on-screen credit. They are credited, however, in the series of novels based on the series. The "SG" in the title stands for "Stargate," which means that the series's title in full is actually "Stargate Stargate One" . It contains an enjoyable cinematography by Peter Woeste and sensational soundtrack by Joel Goldsmith , Jerry Goldsmith'son . The picture has an interesting script -originally developed for television- by Jonathan Glassner , Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper himself , based on characters created by Dean Devlin . It was satisfyingly and well directed by Robert C Cooper . This longtime epìsde will appeal to TV saga enthusiasts as well as the neophyte who didn't have seen the episodes . It's indispensable and fundamental seeing for Sci-Fi buffs .

The original Stargate (1994) was starred by Kurt Russell as Jack O'Neill and James Spader as Dr Daniel Jackson. It was followed Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007) an overlong series starred and produced by Richard Dean Anderson and with Amanda Tapping as Major Samantha Carter (213 episodes, 1997-2007) , Christopher Judge as Teal'c 213 episodes, 1997-2007) , Michael Shanks as Dr. Daniel Jackson (198 episodes, 1997-2007) , Richard Dean Anderson as Colonel Jack O'Neill /(177 episodes, 1997-2007) , Don S. Davis as Major General George Hammond (161 episodes, 1997-2007) and Gary Jones Gary . And a spin-off titled Stargate Atlantis in which an international team of scientists and military personnel discover a Stargate network in the Pegasus Galaxy and come face-to-face with a new, powerful enemy, The Wraith , being starred by Joe Flanigan as Lt. Colonel John Sheppard , Torri Higginson as Dr. Elizabeth Weir Rachel Luttrell as Teyla Emmagan, David Hewlett ,Jason Momoa , Paul McGillion

Enjoyable Space Fest

[staunton-gary · 8/10 · 9 January 2022]

If you enjoyed the series then you will enjoy this. I'm a fan so I won't waste your time waffling on about it. However, it is just like the series. I would recommend this.

just a long episode, OK for fans of the show

[kyrat · 6/10 · 26 March 2008]

Only watch if you're a fan. Think of it as 2 episodes.

I miss SG-1 so it gets a star for nostalgia & for at least getting everyone but Jack together. However, it was way too formulaic, relied on the same bad guys (they even resurrected one!); the evil shadowy gov't agency, some ancients 'helping' but who can't actually solve the problem, more Arthurian legends, etc. etc. Same last minute save by some chance but easy method. Nothing new. Same witty oneliners, same cheesy stuff.

Sadly, they missed the complete point of the whole story arc of the last few seasons! It's even stated by the old ancients at the beginning of the movie!

You can't force people to believe something! Trying to force someone to see that religious dogma is wrong/illogical/hateful doesn't work, they have to come to that conclusion themselves. Reason, logic and patience should be your tools. Not an instance on being right and a demand for blind faith/belief. Otherwise you're sinking to the level of those that try to impose their beliefs on others!

Two hours of my life wasted

[pvedder · 1/10 · 12 April 2008]

I'm seasoned Stargate fan and looked forward to this title being released. In fact one could say it was once my favorite series. Lo and behold I picked up the DVD a few days ago and set aside my night to watch it. The film starts with promise then descends into a banality that is awesome to behold. The first battle between the remains of SG1 and the Ori troops found me cringing with concern in the corner of my couch as perhaps one of the most poorly matched orchestrations ever showed itself. The triviality of the scene was breathtaking. The Ori, a force to be feared are reduced to squabbling school kids. Later the new IOC new recruit is paraded to us and conducts a meaningless interview. Shortly after this the one genuine moment in the film arrives - Tealc gets to show his empathetic side. What follows is a cluster that digs itself deeper and deeper as it goes, culminating in replicator man, a ridiculous and done to death idea, not even worthy of a B grade horror movie. Some where along the away Tealc cops a staff blast then walks a journey over some mountains that would have made Edmund Hillary tired before being healed by an ascended Ancient (what the????). Vala swans around in the Ori home base whilst her brain dead ascended daughter dares her to open the ark and goes on walk about (maybe baking some cookies for afterward). Vala then releases Daniel etc without resistance (where are the priors - at morning tea?). After the Oddesey get multiple Ori ship blasts (which it couldn't survive in either of the previous series) the 20 cent ending is with us. I never thought I would write comments such as this about the Stargate series, but here I am, bewildered and disenchanted at the PC. This movies rates with Dracula 3000 which also has a one star rating. Stargate should have finished at end of Series 7, but some how was allowed to linger and now we have this cash cow. If you must watch this item, I implore you to at least wait until 2 dollar Tuesday - failing that you can probably have mine for the same price.

hallowed are the orei...NOT!

[shanitagurl · 12 March 2008]

overall i found the movie to be very good, the cinematography was great! unfortunately there wasn't much character development, Carter barely even says two words! and whats going on with her and the general?? like that kinda just vanished away. it almost seems like they're trying to set her up with with the new colonel, very alarming! Teal'c is so hardcore in this movie which was great! it was captivating and kept me interested but it did feel like just a two-episode special thing, that left you hanging again. other than that, it wasn't a disappointment, the only bad thing is now we have to wait till July for the new movie! so if you haven't watched it yet i recommend getting right on that!