Stargate: Continuum Blu-ray offers solid video and great audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
While SG-1 attends the execution of Ba'al, the last of the Goa'uld System Lords, Teal'c and Vala inexplicably disappear into thin air. Carter, Daniel and Mitchell race back to a world where history has been changed: the Stargate program has been erased from the timeline. As they try to convince the authorities what's happened, a fleet of Goa'uld motherships arrives in orbit, led by Ba'al, his queen, Qetesh, and his first prime, Teal'c. The remaining SG-1 members must find the Stargate and set things right before the world is enslaved by the Goa'uld.
If there is a Holy Trinity of modern Science Fiction, it is the three "Stars" -- Star Trek,
Star Wars, and Stargate, and the
greatest of these is Star Trek. Beginning with the 1966 television series "Star Trek,"
Captain Kirk, Mister Spock, and Bones McCoy blazed the galactic path for four additional, very-long
running television series (and a short-lived animated series) and, to date, ten motion pictures
(with one in the works), each taking us where no man or beagle had gone before, doing so in a
future several centuries ahead
of our
own. Star Wars created an entirely new galaxy, one far, far away, where good and evil
vied for galactic dominance in six motion pictures that spanned three or four generations of
characters. These two series offered a time and place different from those that encase us here on
Earth, and offered to audiences an escape from the "mundane" confines of their own planet.
Where Stargate differs from the other "Stars" is that its setting is in the here
and
now. One may argue that the best Science Fiction is that which alters the world in which we live
ever so slightly. Motion pictures such as Independence Day,
The War of the Worlds, The Day the Earth Stood Still, I Am Legend, and Cloverfield each show
"now" with a twist, and it is the twist that makes them all that more real and escapist. Seeing
the Death Star looming in space through the windows of the Millennium Falcon does not have
the same impact as seeing a flying saucer the size of a city floating a quarter of a mile above Los
Angeles, or a smaller flying saucer landing on a Little League field a few blocks from the White
House.
"One small step . . . courtesy of The Ancients."
Stargate began in Egypt during the 1920s, but almost immediately skipped seven
decades to the present, and then took us across galaxies with the ease of walking through a
doorway. The television series, "Stargate SG-1" picked up the same story with the same
characters. The characters in
"Stargate" drive the same kinds of cars we
drive, live in houses like ours, and perhaps enjoy a good Blu-ray like we do. These people who
walk to other
galaxies might be our neighbors, our co-workers, or fellow Blu-ray.com forum members. Could
anything make the program appear more authentic? "Stargate SG-1" ran ten seasons, and at
the beginning of its eighth season, in July 2004, "Stargate: Atlantis," a spin-off series was
debuted, and that show is currently in its fifth season. One thing that never dies in Hollywood is
an idea, good or bad, as long as someone thinks there is an audience willing to give time and
money for entertainment. As audiences have proven again and again, they consider the three
"Stars" of Science Fiction worth their time and money, a fair exchange of value. Thus, the
creative
talent that made "Stargate SG-1," is back with a direct-to-video movie, Stargate:
Continuum.
As the SG-1 team (including Jack O'Neill, portrayed Richard Dean
Anderson, TV's "MacGyver") witness an hours-long "boring" ceremony, they and the city around
them begin to vanish into thin air. Only three team members -- Jackson (Michael Shanks),
Mitchell (Ben Browder),
and
Carter (Amanda Tapping) are able to retreat through the Stargate only to find themselves in the
frozen hull of a derelict
ship rather than SG-1 command on the other side. When they meet O'Neill (a special forces
operative who has no
knowledge of the timeline where the team exists) and Major General Landry (Beau Bridges, 10.5: Apocalypse)
who
knows of the Stargate project but will not permit the remaining SG-1 team members to correct
the
timeline and destroy the lives of everyone in his own, Jackson, Mitchell, and Carter are separated
one from another and told never to meet again without government consent. A year later, the
team members in this skewed timeline begin to piece together what's happened -- and must take
action to prevent the immediate threat to come -- but it will take the help of the entire SG-1
team, including Teal'c
(Christopher Judge) and Vala/Qetesh (Claudia Black), to save Earth from a new history marred by
slavery
and death at the hands of
deadly aliens.
Stargate: Continuum is a fine direct-to-video feature that has the look and feel of a big
budget, two-parter episode from the acclaimed series. The approach works, and the smaller
budget never hinders the film from achieving its primary purpose -- to insert a new chapter into
the legendary canon of the Stargate universe while retaining many of the characters,
props
(such as the famous FNH P90), and sets. In this regard, the film can get away with questionable
special effects, none-too-fancy set pieces, and silly dialogue because all of
these quirks keep it firmly entrenched in the look and spirit of the fan-favorite show. The writing
is sufficiently smart and is replete with humor, and the characters are written in such a way as
to satisfy the show's biggest fans while easing new audiences into the Stargate
universe and not overwhelming them with too many inside jokes or references to past episodes
to bog them down and ruin the experience. The film is satisfying enough
for newcomers and should please hardcore fans who have stuck with Stargate since the
original film's theatrical debut in 1994.
Stargate: Continuum opens its portal on Blu-ray with an adequate 1080p,
1.78:1-framed
transfer that shows its lower-budget roots but manages to mostly impress nevertheless. Many
details look great, especially the military uniforms the team wears during Ba'al's extraction. From
the webbing of various pockets, the zippers, and the kevlar -- that has both body and weight to it
-- everything looks marvelously real. Other details do not look quite as good, though. The
image often
appears murky and devoid of exceptional detail, although a close-up of Ba'al in chapter 18 reveals
all of his facial hair, blemishes, and other features with great clarity. Grain is present throughout
the entire movie. It's not intrusive, but it's plainly obvious, something to keep in mind if you are
an anti-grain Blu-ray fan. Black levels are acceptable, but not great. When the
team comes aboard the icy ship through the Stargate and the scenes are lit only by flashlights,
grain is especially heavy and blacks hold a decent but not true black, rather
looking somewhat gray. I noted some minor cases of edge enhancement, such as in chapter
eight when Carter and Mitchell are walking through the harsh Arctic morning. Colors are natural
if
somewhat dull in appearance. There is no lack of color in the film, but none stand out, either.
The movie shows generally soft backgrounds. Foregrounds are never overly sharp and clear, but
they aren't abundantly soft, either. This is a fairly typical high definition image. It looks just fine,
but there is little to be overly excited about at this stage of the game, either. Fans, enjoy, as this
is the best you're likely to see your favorite "Stargate" characters look for a while.
The audio portion of the Stargate: Continuum experience fares somewhat better than
the decent video presentation. Coming to you via a lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 sound experience,
this active, lively track brings the "Stargate" world to life as never before. A solid surround
presence is obvious from the very beginning. The sound we hear as the team travels through
the Stargate is excellent as we whoosh through a wormhole and the sound is brought
to life in our media rooms. Bass rumbles and rattles with a nice presence in many scenes. The
feeling of being aboard the ship (I won't tell you which ship) is brought to pleasing life. The entire
experience is a fun and lively one
with plenty of booming bass, solid surround presence, and great directionality, whether we are
hearing ice crackle and collapse in chapter seven, the revving of a classic car's engine in chapter
13, jet fighters flying over us, machine gun fire in the night sky, or space ships dropping out of
hyperspace. Echoing and reverberations in the rear channels are excellent; when the team
comes
through the Stargate and find themselves in the frozen hull of the Achilles, for example,
we can hear every syllable rattling around the room as it bounces off the various icy surfaces.
Dialogue in general is clear and never presents any volume issues. This engaging soundtrack is a
joy to listen to, and a nice addition to a solid Blu-ray presentation of Stargate:
Continuum.
Stargate: Continuum arrives on Blu-ray with a standard-sized helping of supplements.
First
is a feature-length commentary track with executive producer/writer Brad Wright and director
Martin Wood. These participants are energetic and excited, never afraid to praise the film or
discuss
the things that they were not happy with. Fans will be interested in hearing about the difficulties
of
creating the "puddle effect" of the Stargate itself, re-dressing the sets, and more. This
informative
track will please fans a great deal. The Making of 'Stargate Continuum' (480p, 22:35) is
a
nice making-of piece. Director Martin Wood and others discuss how the film represents
everything good
from
the various seasons of the show, reminding them of the better aspects of each season. Some of
the information from the commentary is recounted here as well, but with a different twist, and
the
thoughts of the cast in addition to the crew makes for a fairly interesting piece. Next up is
Stargate Goes to the Arctic (480p, 21:53), a feature very similar in style to the
previous
one, but this time focusing on the shooting of various scenes in the arctic. The Layman's
Guide
to Time Travel (480p, 9:19) is an entertaining piece that focuses on the fascination with
time
travel, the paradoxes of time travel, the science and Science Fiction of time travel, and more.
Finally, 1080p trailers for Street Kings, The Happening, and
Behind Enemy Lines 3 (which, as far as I could tell, shows only scenes from the first two
films of the series) conclude the special features.
Stargate: Continuum is a fine direct-to-video film and a nice compliment to the
ever-popular television show. Not only is the film a worthy entry to the series for those not familiar
with the numerous seasons gone by, but grizzled "Stargate" veterans will enjoy the continuation of
the camaraderie between the characters and the way the film progresses the story lines and
characters of the
show. MGM brings Stargate: Continuum to Blu-ray in a nice package that is fairly average
and doesn't distinguish itself through either video, audio, or supplemental features quality. The
soundtrack is the strongest aspect of the disc, but the supplements and picture quality are
fine, too. Hopefully, the television series isn't far behind on Blu-ray, but until then, Stargate:
Continuum is a must-buy for fans of the show, and a great introduction to the series for
newcomers. Be warned, though, that there are some spoilers for the show during this film.
Recommended.
According to the website TVShowsonDVD, MGM Home Entertainment is planning to release the direct-to-video series follow-on 'Stargate - The Ark of Truth' to Blu-ray this January. The already released 'Stargate - Continuum' takes place after 'Ark', so many Stargate ...
MGM Home Entertainment has revealed that they will bring the direct-to-video movie 'Stargate: Continuum' to Blu-ray on July 29th, day-and-date with the DVD release. Based on the popular Stargate SG-1 TV series, film will be presented in 1.78:1 1080p video and accompanied ...
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