Movies
Stargate
Derivative (of 2001, Star Wars, Dune, et al.) but agreeable science fiction, at least at first: the discovery at an Egyptian archaeological dig of a giant metal ring, the decoding of its hieroglyphs, and the activation of it as a portal (vertical liquid pool à la Jean Cocteau) to the opposite side of the known universe. The story stops developing, though, and settles for a Flash Gordon-style evil despot (Ra himself, the Sun God, with a deeper-than-Darth-Vader voice: an even weirder role for Jaye Davidson, the gender-bender of The Crying Game), and settles at the same time for space-opera action and special effects. Kurt Russell as the suicidal military commander of the mission and James Spader as the civilian "dweeb" are excellent in their separate ways. Directed by Roland Emmerich. 1994.
Reader Rating:
MPAA Rating: PG-13