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Jason And The Argonauts | Year: 2000 Classification: Feature Film Family Directed: - Nick Willing Actors/Actresses: - Nancy Kovack - Todd Armstrong A worthy successor to the original Jason and the Argonauts is a traditional adventure story, enhanced by dazzling special effects, beautiful locations and great characters. The story is pretty much the same as the 1963 version. Jason, rightful King of Ioclis, sails out with a crew of many talents to find the golden fleece for the evil King Pelias so he can take the throne (although this time, he is saving his mother as well). This TV movie outdoes its predecessor in many ways, including more action, a younger and more adventurous Jason, a continuation from where the original ended and a rousing climax. Plus, Pelias is a villain that you'll actually hate. This comes strongly recommended. Spectacular, but falls short This new version of the ancient story of Jason's quest for the golden fleece appears to have everything going for it: spectacular production design, gorgeous set decoration and costumes, and a cast of first rate actors, including Frank Langella, Adrian Lester, Derek Jacobi, Dennis Hopper, and many others. Unfortunately, Jason London is cast in the title role, and appears to have absolutely no acting ability whatsoever. He delivers his lines in a lifeless monotone, and his closet approximation to real emotion could be charitably called "looking Concerned." True, he is hampered by a tepid script, but it's interesting to note how almost every other performer manages to inject some note of drama into his/her performance, whereas Our Hero wanders about like a zombie in a daze. You wonder why anyone would get on a boat with this guy, and when he does perform a heroic feat, it's hard to believe that he would be capable of such acts of valor. Ultimately, in spite of impressive visuals and some very enjoyable performances by the supporting players, London's listless, zombie-like trance drags the production down, and this rather long movie (close to 3 hours) is flat and uninvolving. (I got through the first two hours; long enough to see the Golden Fleece recovered. I decided to pass on the voyage home --- another 45 minutes.) One of the Best Movies Ever Made This movie is based on the classic Greek myth. As it begins, Iocles is being invaded by King Pelias(Dennis Hopper) and his soldiers. He defeats the defending army and marches into the palace, where he tricks his brother and murders him. He tries to kill the king's son, Jason, but a soldier of the king rushes in and saves him just in time. Some years later, Jason(Jason London) awoke from a dream. It was a dream that he had many times before. It was the memory of the day Pelias invaded. He asks the centaur Chiron, who had been raising him ever since the day his father was murdered, what the dreams meant. Chiron told him that they were a memory, that the man who was murdered was his father, and that the man who murdered him was his uncle, and that the woman present was his mother, the queen, whom Pelias had taken as his wife. So with this information in minds, he goes to the capital of Iocles to meet his mother. Along the way, he loses one of his sandals. The court seer sees Jason, and informs Pelias that a dangerous threat to his throne has arrived at Iocles, but that all he knew about him was that he only had one sandal. So, Pelias orders Jason to be brought to him. He speaks with Jason, and is about to have him killed, and asks Jason for one good reason not to, and Jason says that he will find the Golden Fleece, which Pelias wanted above all other things. Now, the Golden Fleece was said to be the Gods greatest gift to man, for it brought it's wearer his hearts desire. And Pelias's desire is to live forever, so that he may rule Iocles forever. Pelias has ordered a ship to be built for Jason by the famous shipbuilder Argos. The ship is named the Argo, in homage of it's builder, especially as seen as Pelias had ordered Argos to travel with Jason under pain of death. Jason goes off to look for a crew. First, Jason recruits a former soldier named Mopsus, whom Jason recognizes as the man in his dream who saved his life. Then, they hire two blacksmiths named Castor and Pollux. Then, Jason hires a shepherd named Laertes, who happens to know how to bulljump. Jason also goes to the mapmaker's house, where he gets a map that will take him to the Golden Fleece. The unusual thing about the map is that it is not an ordinary map, but a map of the stars. Jason also recruits the musician Orpheus. Jason finds the rest of his crew, but as he heads for the Argo, a thief steals the map. Jason chases him, but the thief is caught by the famous Greek hero Hercules,(Brian Thompson) who requests to be let a crewmember. Jason readily agrees. Just as the Argo is about to set sell, four unexpected things happen. Jason finds his half-brother Acostes stowing away. Acostes wants to travel with Jason, for their mother's very life is at stake. The thief who stole Jason's map requests to be let a crewmember, claiming he has reformed his ways(the thief's name was never mentioned), the mapmaker's son Zetes hopes aboard offering his assistance, which is inval Buy Jason And The Argonauts at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Jason And The Argonauts Search with the Priority Search Engine on Jason And The Argonauts This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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