Stargate (1994):

Starring:

Kurt Russell - Col. Jonathan "Jack" O'Neil

James Spader - Dr. Daniel Jackson

Alexis Cruz - Skaara

Viveca Lindfors - Catherine Langford

Mili Avital - Sha'uri

John Diehl - Lieutenant Kawalsky

Leon Rippy - General W.O. West

Carlos Lauchu - Anubis

Djimon Hounsou -Horus

Erick Avari - Kasuf

French Stewart - Lieutenant Ferretti

Jaye Davidson - Ra

Director:

Roland Emmerich (Universal Soldier; Independence Day; Godzilla; The Patriot; The Day After Tomorrow)

Synopsis:

This lucrative, elephantine-budgeted sci-fi opus paved the way for director Roland Emmerich's mega-hit Independence Day (1996). The story commences in Giza, Egypt, circa 1928, where an archaeological expedition unearths an ancient ring with cryptic hieroglyphs. The film then moves to the present day, where Egyptologist Daniel Jackson (James Spader) is busily trying to convince a group of skeptics that the pyramids were not built by man, but by an extraterrestrial force. After the lecture, a military man approaches him and offers him a job translating the said ring; its inscriptions actually constitute a map to a massive stargate (or interstellar portal). The army sends over resident crackpot colonel Jack O'Neill (Kurt Russell) to travel through the stargate and see what's on the other side; Jackson accompanies him, and the two men turn up in a desert planet on the other side of the universe, with three moons in its sky. The world in question is ruled by Ra (Jaye Davidson), a hermaphroditic Egyptian sun god, who oppresses hordes of slave workers. Jackson and O'Neill then join forces to help the said workers revolt against their oppressor.

Review:

A movie that began a fanboy love affair for generations to come. Spawning a TV show & several TV movies that only super nerds have ever seen. The TV show was on for 10 Seasons...I do not know a single person who has ever actually watched 1 episode let alone 10 full blown seasons. Kurt Russell honestly can do no wrong. Even in a silly 90's science fiction film he is great. James Spader before he got all dumpy & thinning hair is completely awesome in this movie. He plays the role of scientist/nerd better than anyone else I have ever seen. I actually did really enjoy this film though. Loved the idea of taking ancient Egyptian mythology & combining it with science fiction. It held up decently, much better than other movies from it's time frame & the limitations on special effects etc. of the era.

Budget: $55,000,000

Box Office: $196,567,262

Profit: $141,567,262

Rotten Tomatoes: 46%

Flixster: 75%

71%

Lead Acting: 12/15

Supporting Cast: 8/15

Plot: 8/10

Compared To The Genre: 7/10

Cinematography: 13/20

Intrigue: 15/20

Extra: 8/10