Later this week, director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin are revisiting their biggest hit with Independence Day: Resurgence. And if they get their way, Emmerich and Devlin will soon dive back into Stargate, one of the duo’s first attempts to manufacture a blockbuster. That’s why CinemaSins is using it as the subject of this week’s episode!
Stargate actually does have a fanbase, largely because of Stargate SG-1, which had a 10 season run and spawned two spinoff series: Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate Universe. Emmerich and Devlin weren’t directly involved with those television shows, and two years ago, they announced plans to reboot the film series and make it a trilogy. But there are reasons why the first movie never became a feature film franchise. One hundred thirty-four reasons, according to CinemaSins, and the first one was “A Roland Emmerich Film!”
That’s definitely a harsh way to begin. But it’s worth noting that the original Stargate didn’t seem to be hiding the fact that Emmerich and Devlin were essentially trying to mash together the best elements of Indiana Jones and Star Wars. It’s not as easy to do as it sounds! Looking at the film from a modern vantage point, CinemaSins astutely points out several surprising “sins,” including the way that everyone seems to overlook Jack O’Neil’s obvious mental health issues and the fact that Daniel Jackson throws some serious shade on a real-life archaeologist who didn’t deserve it! There’s also the “space racism,” as coined by the CinemaSins. It’s a very funny video, but you may not look at Stargate the same way again.
Do you agree with CinemaSins’ assessment of Stargate? Let us know in the comment section below!
Image: MGM