Ark of Truth reaction post--SPOILERS

[holdouttrout]

Okay, yes. These are my thoughts on my *second* time through. Just to clarify that I was a bouncing ball of glee on the first time.

I would love to look more deeply into the Al'Terrans' belief system and do a comparison to the Quakers, who believe so fiercely in non-violence that some of them will not even defend themselves.

I MISSED SG-1. The TEAM. The BOYS. VALA!

I really like how Vala always lets her mouth run ahead of her--here it's especially good because Teal'c and Daniel keep trying to explain things, and she's obviously tired and frustrated and not censoring herself even a little bit.

I'm getting used to Vala being "Vaalah" instead of "Vahlah." My tendency to pronounce every strange word as if it were Spanish leads me to prefer "Vahlah," but I can deal with it. Okay. Moving on from boring linguistic stuff.

Daniel tricking the prior into opening the box? Hilarious. And obvious. But, you know, I'm pretty sure he didn't want them to shoot the lid off.

I love how none of them look particularly worried when the prior says to kill them. And I love that Vala is the one to break the news to Tomin. I actually really, really loved Vala and Tomin in this movie--it's clear that they are pretty sure there's no way back to their previous relationship, but that they are both looking for closure.

I have a much, much better sense of Cam as a character now that I've gotten to know him over two seasons and a er... 2 hour Special Episode (because no, this doesn't really feel like a movie). There was a line of fic somewhere about Sam being "true blue," but Cam? He IS. It's not that he doesn't see the dark things they have to do, or that they don't weigh on him, but he just keeps pressing forward into what is right. Always. Also, he is such a geek. He tries to be cool, with his "Take her in," but we know the truth. *grins*

There are all these little looks between Daniel and Vala in AoT that really sell it for me--it's as if Vala is mellowing and Daniel is finding her amusing rather than annoying. I mean, still annoying, because she's VALA. But...amusing, too. (Although the cleavage-inducing dress? Needs to go.)

Sam, too, is awesome. She's getting to be all scientist-y and soldiery, and her HAIR. OMG. *dies of bliss* I mean, I thought we could not get hotter than blackshirt!Sam of SGA season 4, but I was WRONG. Sam is pretty much universally hot throughout the movie.

Teal'c! Words cannot express his awesomeness. He looks so old and grave. And it suits him. And that scene with Tomin? Wow. just...ouch. And one of the things I love about it is the idea that Teal'c has come to this knowledge through years and years of agonizing about it.

Landry, also, strikes me as much more likely to be liked by me. I wonder if Unending had something to do with that? I'm not sure, but he acted a lot more likable here.

I do question the fact that only Daniel seems to be nervous about *using* the Ark of Truth.

Sam and Cam versus Mr. Merrick. I love how Sam's just standing there, smiling. She's too cool to interfere with Cam's ultimatum. Very nice. Sam and Cam together throughout the movie just make me happy. They are obviously so comfortable around each other and willing to work with each other.

Okay? As opposed to everyone and their sister, I LOVED that they brought back the Replicators. The REAL Replicators. I dunno...maybe it's just one of my sci-fi quirks from watching Star Trek: TNG for so many years, but the whole machine civilization? Totally one of my favorite tropes. Although...not so much on the bare Replicator skeleton. Meh. Did make a nice dissolve, though.

Hah! Vala and Daniel passed the broccoli test. Awesome.

And the Sam/Cam scene? Really is that awesome. Macaroons! And the little awkward cheek-kiss! I'm happy to ship you, now. As a minor ship. You're still behind Sam/Jack, Sam/Teal'c, and Daniel/Vala (sorta, but that's a long story), but you're on the map!

Overall, I REALLY liked it. I give it at least 1.8 thumbs up. Out of two, you know, so that's good. ;-P

Comments

[shutthef-up.livejournal.com]

Vala and Daniel passed the broccoli test. Awesome

You're the second person I think to mention this 'broccoli test'. I don't know what it is.

I know, I'm an idiot. I just look at toy guns and drool ;)

See, I liked seeing the replicators again, too. I even liked the new RepliMerrick twist. Because it was sort of like omg!zombies!

Yes, the film filled me with squee!

[mrspollifax.livejournal.com]

You're the second person I think to mention this 'broccoli test'. I don't know what it is.

I'm so glad you said that, because neither do I!

[stargazercmc.livejournal.com]

Broccoli test. The Cliff's Notes version is when two characters understand each other well enough that they can communicate with just a look or a small gesture and understand what the other one needs.

It came from this post here and has become a fandom meta convention to gauge communication between fandom characters.

[mrspollifax.livejournal.com]

Hee. Thanks!

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Don't feel too bad--I kept forgetting what it was...I had to look it up in order to remind myself right before I posted this.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Stargazer has a very nice succinct definition right below you. I had to remind myself when someone else used it for AoT, so don't feel stupid. This is HoT trying out new vocab. This is HoT trying out new vocab on an unsuspecting populace.

*grins*

I did enjoy the RepliMerrick twist...just giggled a bit at the stripped skeleton.

[mrspollifax.livejournal.com]

There was a line of fic somewhere about Sam being "true blue," but Cam? He IS.

I love this little insight into Cam you have here. Love. I'm going to have to go think about it.

And I agree with you - I was happy to see real replicators back again. Those guys in Pegasus, without the bugs, it's just not the same. Though I admit to being *utterly* creeped out by ... that gory Merrick-thing. *shudders*

Your comment about Daniel and Vala and their softened attitudes - is that ship-related, or just a general observation? I've never been sure if my perceptions of D/V on screen is just because I can ship Claudia Black with just about anyone, so I'm always curious what other people think.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I think the Daniel/Vala was a general observation that lends itself very well toward shipping them. Because I see their acerbic relationship of teasing/annoyance as a hindrance to any true romantic relationship between them, and so I love to see them actually counting on each other and listening to each other.

But I can also ship Claudia Black with a paper bag, so...

:-)

[pellucid.livejournal.com]

There was a line of fic somewhere about Sam being "true blue," but Cam? He IS.

As much as I would love to think you mean that Cam is a die-hard University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball fan (and wow, excuse me while I go have a private moment!), I suspect this is not what you mean. Yet...what does it say about me and my upbringing that that's the only meaning of "true blue" that I know?!?!? Um, clarify for the crazy basketball girl, por favor? :)

And yes, Sam is very hot.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

To be "true blue" is marked by unswerving loyalty (as to a party), or genuine (http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=true+blue).

Sam=hot. *glees*

[pellucid.livejournal.com]

Huh. That's so...general. But it adds this whole double meaning to the way that I use it: UK basketball fans are marked by unswerving loyalty and genuine fannishness, and our team color is blue! We're real true blue, baby!

/dork

[stargazercmc.livejournal.com]

It's not that I didn't like the replicators - I'm just kinda replicatored out at the moment.

I did love that they're the old school ones. Because honestly, the human replicators? They just aren't as menacing to me. The old school ones are infinitely more horrific to contemplate. (And GAH! They look like spiders!)

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I think Fifth was as menacing as the human-form replicators got. I mean, Replicarter was creepy, but to me, there's something a lot more disturbing about Fifth's creepiness.

SPIDERS! Spiders are creepy, too.

[annerbhp.livejournal.com]

Yes! The cleavage dress! So. Bad. You can do better costume department!

Typical Daniel who only thinks about the consequences after he's found it and used it. He's got that insane curiosity that refuses to let him consider these things during the adrenaline of the hunt. Very interesting.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

If it were just low-cut, that would have been one thing. But it dipped in the MIDDLE. Weird. And made of really terrible-looking fabric.

Daniel did actually mention the ethics of it before they even found it. Granted, he was totally willing to go *find* it and use it, but he did think about it a little.

[phdelicious.livejournal.com]

I only watched it once through, but I really enjoyed it. There was humor, plot, deus ex machina, all the things we love about SG1. I was highly amused by the return of the old school Replicators, though I didn't quite get the skeleton.

The Teal'c scene with Tomin was awesome! It brought him full circle and showed his depth, which sometimes gets lost in the sage nodding. ;-)

Yay to Sam silently backing up Cam during the Merrick confrontation. I like seeing happy teasing Sam, but while it tells me they're comfortable with each other it doesn't make me ship.

It def felt more like an extended episode than a Big Movie, which they've been advertising it as. I was watching some of the special features and somebody said this had originally been their plan for a two part season cliffie if they'd gotten the go ahead for 11.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

The Teal'c scene with Tomin was awesome! It brought him full circle and showed his depth, which sometimes gets lost in the sage nodding. ;-)

This is true. Teal'c needs sage nodding, but I also like him to have actual dialog every once in a while.

I always expect advertising to be blown WAY out of proportion. So I wasn't surprised. I was actually surprised more people were surprised--but then, I also didn't watch many of the ads.