The first half of the film, which includes the setup, Jackson's intense struggle to break the stargate's code, the expedition to Ra's world, and humankind's first contact with an alien culture, is handled reasonably well. Things only start to fall apart with Ra's appearance. Then it's all shoot-outs and fight scenes, with action taking precedence over intelligence. The cast members do their best with sketchy roles. Kurt Russell makes an effective no-nonsense military man who doesn't overplay his grief at a recent personal tragedy. Not for the first time, James Spader is believable as a dweeb forced into a heroic act or two. And Jaye Davidson, despite never speaking a word of English, has a commanding presence as the androgynous Ra. Stargate is peppered with numerous minor faults, some of which - although not all - are easily forgiven.

All in all Stargate is a great movie!