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Stargate Atlantis: Pilot Episode [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC)


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Review date: 2007-12-14 Rating: 8 out of 10

One of the big arcs of the "Stargate SG-1" series was finding the Lost City of the Ancients, also known as Atlantis.

It also turned into fertile fodder for a spinoff series (come on, you KNEW they had to make one eventually). While the first two-parter is a bit awkward in places, it's a solid enough action-thriller that introduces some likable new heroes, a legendary city, and a new race of alien parasites.

At the Antarctic base, Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) has finally figured out the location of Atlantis -- in the Pegasus galaxy.

General Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) gives the go-ahead for an exploratory unit to go to Atlantis -- even though they don't have the power to return back to the Milky Way, and will be stranded there. So Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson) leads an international group of scientists and military to another galaxy, and arrive in the sunken Ancient city of Atlantis.

Unfortunately, after ten millennia Atlantis is running out of power, and soon the whole place will flood. So the military unit, including Major John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), goes scouting in unknown territory through the Stargate. Meanwhile, the irritable scientist Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) tries to somehow salvage the city -- with surprising results.

While the people on the planet of Athos (where's Portos and Aramis?) turn out to be peaceful, they soon face an ancient enemy -- the parasitic, vampiric Wraith, who destroyed the Ancients long ago. When several Athosians and U.S. officers are kidnapped, Sheppard must lead a small team deep into one of the Wraith ships -- with devastating consequences.

"Stargate: Atlantis" has an easier introduction than most series, even spinoffs. The whole idea of it was introduced over a few seasons of "Stargate SG-1," and two of the lead characters -- Weir and McKay -- were also recurring characters. As the final touch, there are even two regulars who show up for a few scenes.

"Ths Rising" (in itself a spoiler) admittedly has some flaws -- the first half is as slow as the second is fast, and too much time is spent on Teyla, a native love interest for Sheppard. But it really kicks into place in the second half, where Sheppard unwittingly sets up the Big Bad Threat for the rest of the series, and the characters settle into Atlantis.

And while the script is a bit bland for several scenes after Jack O'Neill leaves the scene, it regains its snap from McKay, Sheppard and Carson Beckett ("You really need to get out more." "We're in another galaxy. How much more out can you get?"). Not to mention the constant jokes to keep the scripting from ever getting too pretentious ("Gateship One? A little Puddle Jumper like this?").

It's also graced with some wickedly good special effects -- the opening scene and the "rising" are particularly lovely -- with a newer brand of Stargate and a new "wormhole" transition. And thank God, there is no endless whining about how they may never see Earth again, as many series would do.

The cast is a little uneven here -- Higginson doesn't have much to do in this episode except wander around, dewily marveling at Atlantis. Rainbow Sun Francks is kind of annoying as an eager-puppy soldier, and Rachel Luttrell exists mainly in this episode to tell us what the Wraith are.

But there are some actors that slip easily into their grooves: Flanigan has a nice O'Neillian sarcastic snap, although he seems a bit too flirty. Hewlett is hilarious as the mildly antisocial, ever-exasperated scientist, and Paul McGillion is simply adorable as a cuddly Scottish doctor.

"Stargate Atlantis: Rising" has its shaky moments, and the actors were still getting a grip on their roles. But it's a solid opening for a solid sci-fi series, taking the Stargates out into a new galaxy.

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Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Rainbow Francks
Rachel Luttrell
Torri Higginson
David Hewlett
Joe Flanigan

Creators:
Joe Flanigan (Primary Contributor)
Torri Higginson (Primary Contributor)
Martin Wood (Producer)
Brad Wright (Producer)
Brad Wright (Writer)
Jennifer Johnson (Producer)
Joseph Mallozzi (Producer)
Michael Greenburg (Producer)
Robert C. Cooper (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: MGM
Manufacturer: MGM
EAN: 9780792867180
Binding: DVD
ISBN: 0792867181
Number of items: 1
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Colour, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC,
Release date: 2005-06-07
Universal product code (UPC): 027616924865
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 120 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2004-07-16
Language: English (Original Language)

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