When I first saw the trailer for this movie, it really looked like something special: a cross between aliens and Ancient Egypt, two topics of which prove facinating to me. I immediately made a mental note to see the movie while it was playing at the movie house, but never quite gt around to it. I had to see Stargate on video, which I much regret as many of the scenes require a large screen in order to get the full effect. The special effects have obviously received full effort from their creative team, and the final scene where several thousand extras come charging out of nowhere is certainly a sight to see!
Another misfortune which arose was the fact that I was unable to purchase the soundtrack. The music to this film is commendable, and is something that would fit into any action movie. My only hope is to close my eyes while I watch the film!
The idea that forces not of Earth is not a new one, and it is still being debated as to whether or not the Egyptians did have help in making the Pyramids, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing. The film makers, Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich (who also did Independance Day and the TV series, The Visitor) obviously had this in mind while creating this film: a tyrannical alien comes to Earth and sees humans as the key to eternal life. But the humans rebel against their master and send him packing trough the Stargate; a ring which can open a portal to the other side of the Universe.
An in-depth scientific analysis of how the Stargate works is provided for in the novel, written by Devlin and Emmerich. A team of explorers are sent through to examine what's on the other side of the Stargate, and find themselves stranded in the middle of a desert planet. When the tyrannical alien realises the Earthlings have come to destroy him (one team member has a nuclear bomb in his possession), he decides to blow up Earth.
The film is certainly one to see several times. However, one main problem with the film is that it fails to grasp on several important points which are only explained in the novel. For example, when the group realise they're stranded on the planet, one member points out that they can escape if Earth simply dials the co-ordinates. This simple solution is one that appeared in countless reviews which doomed the film to flop, as the only answer the film can come up with is one doomsaying member muttering "If you don't turn it on from here, we're screwed!".
Yet, if one was to read the novel it would be discovered that there is a risk that the Stargate's portal is, in essence, a one-way street. If someone attempted to come from Abydos when the gate was opened from Earth, the effects could be incalculable.
But that's not to say the novel is better than the film. Like the 1996 production of Mission: Impossible, you have to see the movie and read the book in order to get the full gist of it. The novel can be long in parts which are full of detail which isn't necessary to understand the plot of the film. Why exactly the opening chapter was included I have no idea.