Stargate: The Ark of Truth – DVD Review

Stargate: The Ark of Truth provides the conclusion to the Ori arc that was notably lacking from the series finale. It seems that Daniel has discovered evidence of yet another ancient and powerful weapon that can be used to defeat the Ori and SG-1 sets out on a mission to find the weapon and defeat the armies of the Ori once and for all.

There’s a lot of debate among Stargate: SG-1 fans in regards to seasons nine and ten of the series. A lot of people think the show should have ended when Richard Dean Anderson left show. Those people tend to view the Ori as nothing but a second-rate re-hash of the Go’auld.

There are others out there who found merit in the last two seasons and argue that they were a worthwhile addition to franchise. I tend to agree with those people for the most part. Admittedly, my entry point into the franchise was somewhat unusual as I began watching seasons one and nine at the same time so my viewpoint may be somewhat skewed by the mixed order.

As is discussed on the commentary track, Ark of Truth is primarily intended for Stargate: SG-1 fans who stuck with the show for seasons nine and ten. There is actually a lengthy (optional) introductory video that you can watch before the movie that covers all the big events of seasons nine and ten, but a detailed recap is no substitute for having actually seen the last two seasons.

As I alluded to above, Ark of Truth has the team searching for the titular Ark of Truth. The Ark has some sort of magic “burning away false beliefs” power which will enable those who possess to re-brainwash the countless millions of Ori followers into giving up their Ori worship, thereby leading to the dissolution of their armies and depriving the Ori of much of their power.

The transition from TV series to movie is well-handled. Stargate: SG-1 has done a lot of big two-part episodes over the years, and it would have been quite easy for Ark of Truth to feel like just another two parter. Fortunately, in addition to doing a great job wrapping up the Ori story, the movie feels appropriately cinematic.

The only real problem with the movie is the return of the replicators. We’ve already seen a return of replicators (though admittedly a different variety) on Stargate Atlantis and having them come back here seems like going to the well one time too many. Not to mention the reasoning behind their return is poor, at best. Despite the mixed feelings generated by the return of the replicators, they are used really well though and play a crucial part in building tension towards the climax of the film.

The movie is not perfect, but it is very good. It does a great job of wrapping up the current Stargate: SG-1 story and leaves a relatively clean slate on which to build subsequent films.

The video is in 1.78:1 and it looks great. The audio is quite impressive as well and is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround.

Audio Commentary with Robert C. Cooper, Peter Woeste, Christopher Judge – An informative and, at times, humorous audio track.

The Ark of Truth: Stargate at Comic-Con – Gary Jones hosts a panel with Martin Wood, Robert C. Cooper, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge and Ben Browder. Despite one of the cameras having some issues, this is definitely the most entertaining extra.

Uncovering The Ark of Truth – Behind the scenes with the cast and crew of the movie. Fairly standard stuff, though at thirty minutes, it is a bit more in-depth than your average behind-the-scenes featurette.

Trailers

Ark of Truth DVD provides an excellent conclusion to the Ori arc and some nice extras. If you haven’t seen the last two seasons of the series (or any SG-1) there is a detailed video recap included, but the movie is really aimed at existing fans (as it should be).

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MGM presents Stargate: SG-1 – The Ark of Truth. Directed by: Robert C. Cooper. Starring: Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Michael Shanks, and Claudia Black. Written by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner. Running time: 102 minutes. Rating: NR. Released on DVD: March 11, 2008. Available at Amazon.com