Storytime with Rachel F Hundred

A final adventure for the SG1 team

Continuum was hailed as an old fashioned Stargate story; a trip back in time to the core concepts that characterised the early seasons. The movie delivers on that promise, focusing on the Goa’uld, time travel, past characters and SG1 saving time. Yet the quality cannot hide the occasional flaw and its main failure, the lack of the SG1 team itself.

The original SG1 had an undeniable chemistry that was central to its success but the team evolved and it is the five team-members formation of the last year that opens Continuum. It was difficult enough in the TV series to balance the original characters and the newer additions equally. With the addition of Jack back in the mix, Continuum, in the end, simply never makes the attempt.

This is somewhat of a disappointment. A large reason for tuning into movies is to watch them as a team. Just as with The Ark of Truth before it, Continuum doesn’t deliver the SG1 team onscreen together for very long. What it does deliver though is the concept of SG1 as a team being there in spirit if not in presence.

In many ways, Continuum is all about the team bonds; Daniel worries at Vala’s disappearance, Teal’c’s unnerves them all, and Jack’s death simply devastates. Much of the heartbreak for the remaining three is that they are separated from each other. The emotion the first half of the storyline evokes is incredible and the acting from all, displaying that shock, denial, pain and loneliness throughout was truly outstanding. And if the first half is all about breaking them apart, the second is all about them fixing everything so they are back together as SG1 at the end. It’s a beautifully crafted story.

Indeed, Continuum is well written by Brad Wright. While the core plot itself is a sci-fi standard, the movie provides a good spin by refusing to rush into the inevitable setting things right. By doing so, the philosophical debate of whether SG1 should ‘repair’ the timeline is not skimmed over. The scene with Landry in the hangar where he points out that they have no right and are arrogant to believe they do is one of the movie’s most powerful and compelling moments – and possibly the best the Landry character has enjoyed since his inception.

Mitchell also gets the best outing for the character since Avalon. He feels like a part of SG1, and if the character knows when to lead in this story (in encouraging Sam to continue walking, for example), it also enjoyably shows him knowing when to hang back (such as in the discussion with Alternate Jack). Here Mitchell’s eventual setting right of history alone in the past is because he is the only one remaining not because he has run off without his team. Ben Browder excels as this Mitchell.

He also pulls double duty as his grandfather. This contrivance – that Mitchell’s grandfather was the captain of the ship that delivered the Stargate to America – feels just that; a contrivance. The end shot of the past Mitchell stood beside his grandfather in his locker just nudging the movie into a sentimental sweetness that it didn’t need. The nod toward sentimentality was already provided by the use of familiar faces such as Walter, Siler, Major Davis, Hayes and poignantly, Don S Davis’s marvellous Hammond.

The older characters also get good outings; Sam has an emotional journey (Tapping delivering a stunning performance); Daniel faces returning to an existence where he is not respected (Shanks nicely showcasing both early and later versions of the character); even the lesser used Jack and Teal’c are given great moments. Alternate Jack is a tour de force performance by Richard Dean Anderson; the moment he rejects the team as ‘freaks’ shifting the character from likeable to dislikeable in a heartbeat. Christopher Judge equally does well; Teal’c, First Prime of Ba’al is different to our Teal’c but recognisable still; who didn’t smile at ‘I die free’?

Vala doesn’t fare well in comparison; she only appears briefly, and there seems to be some confusion on whether she is there for comic relief. The suggestion that she is feels wrong given the scenario of the extraction ceremony. Claudia Black gets a much better deal with Quetesh; the scene where she kills Ba’al is jaw-dropping. Quetesh is as truly frightening as Ba’al was back in Abyss.

Cliff Simon always delivers yet Ba’al here fails to completely delight – perhaps I’ve become immune because of the clones. His death(s) seems an anti-climax. This is the last of the disappointments and while there are further flaws around the time travel aspect, these can be swept under the carpet as who truly knows how time travel works anyway? The time travel mechanism used ensures that the Stargate is given a starring role which is emphasised by the opening shot and the great wormhole sequences.

The CGI is mostly very good – fabulous in the aerial dog fight – but the Tok’ra homeworld backdrop feels as unrealistic as the early Star Trek sets. But it’s a minor flaw in an otherwise quality production enhanced by the movie’s opportunity to use F15s, a real submarine and for them to shoot in the Arctic. Those landscape shots of Sam and Mitchell are stunning. Martin Wood does a great job as director; the movie overall is well paced, beautifully shot and the musical underscore enhances the action.

In conclusion

Overall, the movie delivers a great Stargate story that showcases the characters and the Stargate. The time travel enables the appearance of old enemies and allies, and provides a nostalgic return to the Stargate of old. While there are flaws, they are more than forgiveable. For me, this is the Stargate I fell in love with and it was great to revisit it. Yet despite the trip to the past, Continuum neatly leaves the Stargate universe ready for the future; I can’t wait to see what comes next.