Jason and the Argonauts (2000) User Reviews

Another version of a myth

[taz2-uk · 6/10 · 9 October 2003]

This is yet another version of classical Greek myth... this one is a bit closer to the 'original' that the 1963 Harryhausen one.

I know the above will be a bit inflammatory to some but it is true. The baseline for them myth is the Apollonius poem and Harryhausen himself said they had added to the story to make it more Hollywood.

Apollonius states that Jason was more of a charismatic diplomat/trader than a warrior... both qualities I felt the actor was unable to play to the level required.

Medea was the daughter of Aertes and a High Priestess. She saved Jason and the Argonauts by cutting the brother into pieces and scattering them behind the Argo so that the pursuing fleet would have to stop and pick them up for burial. Jolene Blalock has the exotic looks for the part but the wooden acting style of Keanu Reeves...

The journey was well portrayed - the stop at Lemmnos especially so. It was also nice to see Jason facing the fire breathing bull - though it was not originally mechanical and there were two of them. The fact that he had to plough the fields and sow the Teeth was also a good point. Medea had given Jason an ointment to protect him from the fire of the Bulls (included in the scene) - she also gave him a magical stone with which to defeat the warriors (note, they were never skeletons in the original), a sort of magic grenade which made short work of them.

Retrieving the Fleece was well done - it replaced the Harryhausen Hydra (which was not in the original - he 'stole' it from the Lernaen Hydra Hercules fought) - with a lizard that Orpheus sang to sleep. The Apollonian story had a huge, horned snake calmed and put to sleep by the sound of Medea's voice - so it was a slight bending.

The fall of Hercules was interesting... and I felt Brian Thompson was underused badly here...

The return to Iolchos to face Dennis Hopper (who played a good part in the paranoiac Pelias) ended in a bit of a farce with the Fleece being stolen (as if Jason/Medea would let it out of their sight!) then paraded through the streets... Medea's approach to Pelias was difficult to understand - did she go to stay with the Fleece or was it to kill Pelias? But after short fight scene (indoors to keep down the number of extras required) the survivors all live happily ever after in true Hollywood style...

Of course, if you go back to the original tragic myth (pre-Apollonius), Pelias refused to give up his throne, Jason could not kill him (against Greek law), so Medea killed him by magic and ended up being exiled with Jason (who she later killed along with their children when Jason wanted to leave her for another woman)...

All in all, a reasonable version - the effects were iffy at times and the standard of acting let it down - but still a watchable version that is totally different from the Harryhausen Hollywood spectacular.

Watch the original instead.

[GenK1981 · 6/10 · 17 April 2001]

This TV mini series was on over the Easter Holidays and i was caught by the impressive cast that they had lined up for this movie.... i also had to watch it also because i really enjoy greek mythology. What i got was over 3 hours of false mythology that doesn't even deserve to share the same title as the 1960's original.

Jason London was not convincing as the main character Jason, neither was Dennis Hopper unfortunately who fell victim to a silly scene at the end where hes wearing the fleece on his head, it cracked me up, he looked an idiot. Natasha Henstridge and Derek Jakobi were not in it enough to make any sort of impression and the gods were too merciful i thought.

The SFX was okay, but i still prefer the ground breaking effects of Ray Harryhausen who's designs for the titans in the original scared me when i was younger.

This film was false when it comes to sticking by the facts of greek mythology i.e. there were no female argonauts - Atlantas is a false. Also the fact that Orpheus was greek and not African, these are just a few points from many mistakes that effected this series.

My two biggest groans though must be.... a) Why did they replace Talos the bronze giant with that stupid bull, Talos was my favourite Titan in the original and i was looking forward to see him redesigned for this series.......but not into a stupid bull that breathes fire....OH DEAR! Also the Hydra was replaced by a dragon......why?......i don't know?

and b) The sound effects were not as ground breaking as the original. The sound for the original film captured half the scene, an example being the appearance of Talos - it created tension. It was sorely missed.

In the end Hollywood have spoilt mythology and replaced it with a child's bed time story........5/10

Mythological romp about Jason, son of king of Thessaly sails on the Argos ship to the land of Colchis where the Golden Fleece is guarded

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 24 August 2019]

Nice and elaborate juvenile adventure based on The Argonauts 250 BC, written by Apolonio of Rodas, telling of the famous myth of Jason and his crew of derring-doers and their search for the Golden Fleece. As Jason, heir of the Iolco kingdom : Jason London, is aided or hindered by assorted whimsical Gods on Olympus, Zeus : August McFayden , and Hera : Olivia Williams, as he quests for the Golden Fleece. Along the way his father is killed by his evil uncle Pelias , Dennis Hopper in braids , who has taken the throne and usurped his inheritance. In order to reclaim it, Jason must retrieve the magical animal from distant Colchis and bring it to Pelias. Jason has to meet the blinded prophet Phineas : Derek Jacobi who knows the Fleece location, but he is continuously harassed by some winged demons or Arpias. As Jason assembles the ordinary motley crew : Hercules : Brian Thompson, Castor : Djalili , Polux : John Sharian , Orpheus : Adrian Lester, Argos himself : David Calder, all of them would-be heroes and set sail on the Argos for uncharted waters and numerous adventures to arrive in Colchis where governs a sinister king : Frank Langella who has two sons, the astute Aspyrtes : James Callis and the clairvoyant Medea : Jolene Blalock who falls for Jason . At the same time, Jason confronts rutless Amazons women : Natasha Henstridge, a corpulent bull, sword-wielding living plants and a giant dragon, among others.

Epic and mythological fare, fun for the whole family with several adventures, thrills, emotion, noisy action and the film itself is given an enormous boost thanks to computer generator special effects. As the impressive adventures are well recreated by superb FX with multitude of mythological creatures. As during his quest for the Golden Fleece Jason has to combat the giant Poseidon, a huge iron bull, winged she-devils and a dragon guarding the Fleece, this battle is the highlight of the movie. The gigantic mechanical bronze bull that Jason fights is an arthritic disappointment but most of the other inventions are pleasingly imaginative. Great fun, as these things go, with a colorful cinematography by Sergei Kozlov and a good musical score by Simon Boswell, to boot . The motion picture was professionally directed by Nick Willing.

This one is a TV rendition, there are other cinematic adaptations as The Giants of Thessaly 1960 by Riccardo Fedra with Ronald Carey, Ziva Rodann, Alberto Farnese, Tamberlani, Massimo Giroti. And the best : Jason and the Argonauts 1965 by Don Chaffey, including captivating FX, the actual stars of the movie, by master Ray Harryhausen with Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Jack Gwillin, Honor Blackman, Douglas Wilmer, Gary Raymond.

JASON 2000

[EdgarST · 1 March 2001]

Being an unconditional admirer of Ray Harryhausen's and Don Chaffey's version of `Jason and the Argonauts' could be a disadvantage to fully enjoy this Hallmark mini-series. But surprisingly it has its own values to make it an enjoyable experience.

First I'd like to claim that I see no reason to diminish its merits because of its faithfulness or liberties regarding Greek mythology. This is cinema not literature, and it must be evaluated as a work of moving images. If judging a cinematic work according to literary precepts were the rule, then not even the 1963 film would endure this kind of judgment: as I remember it, Medea, for instance, was described as a high priestess not related to the royal family of Colchis. According to the faithful-to-literary-source approach, that would be enough to condemn the motion picture. On the other hand, I believe that `Jason 2000' was also inspired by cinematic tradition, not only by the 1963 production but other sources as well, as Marcel Camus' `Orfeu negro', and today's horror films. It was also inspired by our times: the reason to include a female Argonaut validates the role of women warriors, instead of being a feminist or `politically correct' concession.

One of the most interesting things about this version is its casting, resulting in the fact that the story is told from the point of view of very young people, with all their impetus and fragility. When most contemporary motion pictures portray aimless young persons, this series shows a purposeful youth, young people with a mission and who fulfill their destiny with passion. Such is the case of Jason, Medea, Acastus, Atalanta, Aspyrtes, Orpheus, Zetes, and most of the Argonauts. These are the real protagonists of the story. In their search for justice and love, they are helped or betrayed by their elders, be it gods (Zeus, Poseidon, and Hera who appears three times as an old peasant woman) or humans (Pelias, Aertes, Phineas).

It is inevitable to compare the film to its predecessor: concerning the gods, this time they seem more lustful and primitive than the Olympus portrayed in the 1963 film, with Nial McGinnis and Honor Blackman fighting over Jason's destiny. This time Hera and Zeus feel unequivocal sexual attraction towards Jason and Medea, respectively. Hera makes reference to Zeus' frolicking with humans, and that may please the Greek mythology purists. But their representations seem out of a detergent TV spot -clouds included- and the acting by Olivia Williams and, specially, by Angus MacFadyen do not help much. At least, in the original the naiveté of the gods seemed more apt to the story being told, than these two creatures who open the narration in awe, but close it with embarrassingly sexy foreplay.

Special effects are fine, but in some respects they do not surpass the Harryhausen creatures. A mechanic bull –sound effects included- substitutes Talos, but the titan is evoked by the imposing height of a Poseidon out of `The Neverending Story'. The sequences of the dragon, the skeleton army and the harpies do not improve on the original ones. Compared to the seven-headed hydra, this dragon is rather silly (it falls awkwardly into a precipice that it has previously climbed with ease). The skeletons –this time looking like mannequins grounded on earth- lack the grace of the mean originals. In spite of the work of the Jim Henson workshop, the whole harpies sequence lacks the dark and exciting atmosphere created by Harryhausen, Chaffey and Herrmann.

In this version, there are more exciting warring scenes and Jason finally claims his throne, but to make the story work for three hours the film is full of melodramatic gestures and dialogues, which alternate with the action. The writers added some `character development' with Freudian overtones taken from a Psychology 101 course, that give a little depth to the characters: it may work for Pelias, Polymele or Medea, but in the case of Jason, being an action hero, his uncertainty and doubts tend to diminish the empathy with the viewer. In other occasions, they are too tame or just do not make sense: did Aspyrtes have an incestuous relationship with Medea, or is he gay and jealous of Medea because of Jason? In this respect, direction of actors is very suggestive in many different scenes.

All this said, I think that the film has the same enthusiasm of the original; the search for the golden fleece is still fascinating no matter how much Greek mythology has been altered. In the final analysis, `Jason 2000' is an enjoyable mini-series, with a story of tyranny, greed and righteousness still relevant for our times.

Not bad for a TV movie.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 4 February 2008]

Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Jason and the Argonauts. Sounds like a 1950s rock band but this outfit has legs, the story being at least 2300 years old -- and an oral tradition before that.

It's a complicated narrative too. In order to save his mother's hide, Jason is forced by the king (Dennis Hopper) to undertake a dangerous sea voyage with two-dozen crew to a distant island and bring back the golden fleece, which is a sheepskin made of golden wool. The crew is full of familiar names. There are Castor and Pollux (who speak with Slavic accents), Hercules, Orpheus, Atalanta, and some others. Well, they're not household worlds exactly, but famous nonetheless.

Along the way they encounter dragons, clashing rocks, harpies who are half-bird and half-women and resemble my second-grade teacher, an army of women led by Natasha Henstridge, an angry Poseidon, clashing rocks, armed skeletons born of dragon's teeth, the witch Medea (Jolene Blalock), the jealous king who wants to keep the golden fleece for himself (Frank Langella), and various other dilatory things and events that happen to ordinary people who are in a hurry to get someplace.

This movie, splendidly photographed, comes to us from Hallmark, along with their superior production of The Odyssey. There have been a couple of other retellings of the Greek myths lately and I think I know why. It's a chance for a special effects extravaganza. Willis O'Brian of "King Kong" fame was replaced by the more sophisticated effects of Ray Harryhausen, and now it's time for computer-generated images. They're pretty good too. The argonauts land on a rocky island and plant a spear and a giant eyeball appears nearby -- it's not an island at all, but the barnacle bedecked Poseidon taking a snooze, and, man, is he cranky when he wakes up.

The weakest part of the film is in the performances. Jolene Blalock, who looks like Hilary Swank, is the image of a beautiful model -- and she acts like one. Adrian Lester, the African-American yuppie in "Primary Colors", still looks like a yuppie. Olivia Williams as Hera isn't bad at all, but most of the gods and goddesses are no more than competent. For a great Zeus, a Zeus who has a touchy relationship with Hera because she knows he's been getting it on with mortal women, posing as a shower of coins or a swan or something, watch Lawrence Olivier in "Clash of the Titans." The central figure of Jason is given to Jason London. Now, he may be a great guy in real life for all we know. He probably loves his dog. But he's gotten the pretty boy treatment in this movie. His hair looks done by a fashionable salon on Rodeo Drive. Every female in the film falls in love with him. They fawn over him, give him presents, happily rub oil or wine on his body (twice). It's disgusting. And as if that weren't enough, London's acting is as flat as a pancake, perfectly suitable for a high-school play. Dennis Hopper is a great maniac, but he has to be seen (and heard) as a murderous Greek king to be believed. The best performance, surprisingly, is by Brian Thompson as Hercules. You'll recognize him when you see him. He's been an alien on the X-Files and a lank-haired greaseball of a heavy in some features.

Still, this would make a good movie for the family. I suppose there are a few semi-nude scenes involving Natasha Henstridge -- not enough to suit me, but not enough to make any 10-year-old's eyes goggle either. The kids will probably treat it as nothing more than another action flick with plenty of CGI, but if they remember it at all, they'll be remembering a Greek myth. It might get them a bonus point on an IQ test sometime later in life.

Er, do you actually know what "myth" means?

[neil-476 · 7/10 · 20 March 2011]

I am greatly tickled by some of the remarks on the IMDb about this TV miniseries version of Jason And The Argonauts.

One - some people pick holes in the fact that it doesn't recount the "true facts". Guys, there are no facts in a myth - that's the nature of myths. So Atalanta wasn't an Argonaut? That may be so according to most accounts, but not all.

Two - some elements of the Harryhausen version - Talos, for instance - have been left out. Well, the much-loved (especially by me) Harryhausen version played even faster and looser with the most generally accepted versions of the myth than this does, and Talos (and the Hydra, and the skeletons) were all such variations.

Does this version succeed or fail? Well, the effects are a bit TV-budget-y in places (the Harpies, for instance, don't really convince). The colour is distinctly washed out, but that seems to be a style choice. And Jason London plays Jason Argonaut with a little less authority than he needs to.

But apart from that, this is a nice leisurely stroll through a jollied-up version of the myth, and it brings it to a close (which the earlier version didn't) even though the conclusion is a Hollywood happy ending, and not the grim bloodbath you'll find in the myth.

I'm surprised at all the negative comments

[ricky_says_hi · 7/10 · 25 October 2008]

of course this miniseries is nothing spectacular and wont be remembered but its still good to watch I'm not a Greek mythology expert but i am familiar with the story and this is quite faithful to the myth. to the question about Atalanta, she was not in the original film yes but she did appear in the myth. some historians say Jason wouldn't allow a woman on the ship but in other versions she is part of it. the whole crush on Jason thing isn't right though. Jason London of course is not stand out as the hero but he does play the role well enough Brian Thompson is an excellent choice for Hercules, too bad he didn't have more focus but the "fall of Hercules" was greatly done Jolene Black looks amazing as Medea and has the right look for the part. she can be a bit wooden at times but what can you do? Natasha Henstridge could have been given a bigger role and her segment in the story was a bit boring but it was in the myth as for Orpheus why are so many people outraged that he was black? its not like he was talking in urban slang and acting like a pimp. he was cool and the actor portrayed him well Dennis Hopper of course was annoying as his voice droned on but i guess that is good as he was playing a villain and so he made us hate him the other actors were all good apart from this one guy with a Geordie accent who had good sight. his lines didn't fit

the action sequences were very well done. Poseidon looked cool and real enough, the dark rocks scene was exciting and the fight with that dragon was well choreographed. i didn't like the harpies or the bull because the CGI looked a bit bad on them but the action was good. the flee from Colchis was brilliant and quite exciting. the last part of the movie is kinda pointless especially a scene where Zeus tries to seduce Medea. of course the ending is complete bull as Pelias was killed by Medea and sneakily. her and Jason did not become king and queen and the tale did not have a happy ending. overall it is good entertainment and a decent stab at adapting a famous myth

A New Entry in an Old and Classic Adventure

[gazineo-1 · 6/10 · 13 September 2004]

For some people 'Jason and the Argonauts', one of the most representative tale of the rich Greek Mithology, is one the most intense adventure yarn of all times. For this reason, maybe, this story - with more than three thousand years - is always returning to delight children and adults. This new TV version is an accurate and well done entry of the classical adventure. The movie - starring young Jason London as Jason - has a correct cast (with an impressive Dennis Hooper as the cruel King Pelias) and extremely good special effects. Maybe the movie is a bit too overlong which causes some uneven development of the plot, with some parts less interesting than others. For example, the movie goes down when the argonauts are made prisoners in the island of the Amazon women. But there's other great moments: the fight to take the 'Velocino' and the fight against the Minotauro. Although some old guys will remember and miss the old movies about Heroic Greece - especially the movies made with the assistance of the master of the special effects, Mr. Ray Harryhausen - this new version is capable and well done.

lacking sense of wonder

[yah_kob · 4/10 · 5 February 2002]

The criterion "sense of wonder" is commonly applied to sci-fi works, but is even more relevant to the fantasy genre. When the reader or viewer is touched by feelings of awe and mystery, they feel "moved" and have a deeper, more positive reaction to the artwork being witnessed.

The Harryhausen film was much more successful at this: the Bernard Herrmann score was masterful, and certain scenes portraying the interaction of gods and human beings (such as in the temple of Hera, the transformation of Hermes, the awakening of Talos) conveyed the deep reverence and awe that Bronze Age Greeks must have felt towards their gods. This newer Hallmark version conveys an attitude towards the Greek gods closer to mockery and amusement, perhaps appropriate for the "sophisticated" Athens in the age of Euripides or Aristophanes, but certainly out of touch with the period over a thousand years earlier when Jason lived.

JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (TV) (Nick Willing, 2000) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 17 September 2010]

When I acquired this, I had actually ordered the original 1963 classic – at the time I had no use for it, so I gave the disc to my father; however, following the recent passing of Dennis Hopper, I decided to check it out regardless and, as it turned out, fairly enjoyed this epic of Greek Mythology. Being a good 75 minutes longer than the movie version (which was sparked by Ray Harryhausen's iconic stop-motion animation and a marvelous Bernard Herrmann score), this runs the risk of crumbling under its own weight – but, for the most part, the plot retains much of its inherent sense of adventure and fantasy.

While I do not usually condone remakes, I think one has to make concessions for essentially timeless material such as this; thankfully, when this came out, there were still enough thespians (in its case, the afore-mentioned Hopper, Frank Langella and Derek Jacobi) around who could be depended upon for this kind of larger-than-life fare – but with Hopper now gone (not to mention the likes of Oliver Reed, Richard Harris and Alan Bates), it cannot last for much longer! That is not to say that the younger members of the cast do not have sufficient talent to carry the film, but they do lack that extra ounce of personality and charisma demanded to portray demi-gods with conviction.

Anyway, comparisons between the two versions of the tale is inevitable and though, as I said, the narratives are reasonably similar, this does add its own stuff (necessary to pad out the running-time) while omitting or changing others. For instance, the demonic Harpies (designed by the Jim Henson company) and the fighting legion of the dead (actually grown from seed this time around!) are here, and so is Poseidon (though he is depicted as a monster rather than a savior in the 'moving rocks' sequence, which is subsequently rendered pointless), but not the statue that comes to life. The hero is then made to tackle a mechanical bull, while his entire crew falls prey to an island of murderous females (a scene which had already appeared in the peplum HERCULES UNCHAINED [1959]); the latter character also turns up here (as he did in the original), along with a black Orpheus (in keeping with the 1959 Oscar-winning film of the same name). Inevitably, the CGI-rendered special effects are not a patch on Ray Harryhausen's charmingly archaic Dynamation stuff and the recurring imagery of Zeus and Hera watching over mortal subjects from their Olympic abode in the skies grew too cheesy for words at times!

Ha ha ha

[Goreripper · 4/10 · 16 July 2000]

It's a good indication of just how bad television is becoming when one spends four hours watching such reprehensible ineptitude as this. As a guy who has grown up with Greek myth since I could understand language it's difficult to express how insulted I was by this ludicrous film. Taking liberties with a storyline is one thing. Reinventing it to fit a Hollywood formula is something different: the inclusion of blacks and women among the Argonauts is inexcusable no matter what the producer's motives--not because Atalanta wouldn't have made a good Argonaut, but because she wasn't, and Orpheus was Greek, not Ethiopian. The involvement of Hercules for the entire voyage instead of for only part of the first stage like in the real legend is almost forgiveable after that. For all of that however, the biggest beef with "Jason and the Argonauts" is not that it leaves out huge slabs of the journey, makes up new parts and juggles characters to suit itself. In fact, it gets some parts right: sending the dove between the clashing rocks for example, and Jason's relationship to Pilias among little else. Overall, this film is just lame, a poor, typically made-for-television sham of a cracking good story, exploiting all the best bits for all their worth and completing omitting or changing others. For those who only know the legend from this film: Orpheus wasn't black, Atalanta wasn't an Argonaut, Medea was a cold-blooded conniving bitch who cut up her own brother and fed him to the sharks and Hercules quit the voyage early on to go searching for his gay lover who got spirited away by river nymphs. Let's hope that, one day, some film producer has the guts to tell this story the way is was supposed to be told--and maybe use Hercules' real Greek name (Heracles) to boot.

I like this film

[tsvetelina_m · 8/10 · 27 February 2001]

I really enjoyed this film.I am mad about classic stories,fairy tales,myths etc.I cant say that Jason and the argonauts(2000) was perfect but everyman has his own idea about how to be told a story.I think that the both main gods (Zeus and his wife)are bad pictured.I believe they must be much older and representative,and the film makers had to make them look like the other actors-long curled hairs and beards.There a lots of sculptures of ancient Greek gods in the museums.I know that Americans like to have both colored and white actors in the movies but it was a pretty big surprise for me to see a black actor playing the Orfeus.I mean that Orfeus is a Trakh.We Bulgarians learn at school that Orfeus and his tribe are our ancestors.I think that all the actors did their best,and the digital effects were great and the story is really excellent.

A Good TV Movie Version Of The Tale

[Rainey-Dawn · 7/10 · 16 January 2017]

The 1963 film is an Epic that is hard to top. NBC did a fantastic job with this film - and I'm not a fan of most remakes but this film is worth while watching.

Why do some reviewers all over the internet bash this film? Because of some slight changes from the 1963 film? Some say this 2000 version strays from the facts. What facts? Jason and the Argonauts is a MYTH!! -- A MYTH folks and not based on any "facts". So why nitpick this film? Nitpicking is based on what? The 1963 movie? Sure the 1963 version or take on the myth is good but this 2000 film is just as good.

If you chose to watch this film, I'd advise you to make up your own mind and not try to compare this film to 1963. Just watch the film, enjoy it for what it is (a MYTH) and rate this film in it's own merit.

CGI is NOT misused nor abused in anyway. Looks just as appealing as the claymation or stop motion of the 60s. Story is good, acting is good, and everything else about this 2000 movie is good. Why all the fuss? I personally like this version of the myth. It is an Epic in it's own right and I quite enjoyed watching it. This version is about 1 hour 15 minutes longer than that of the 1963 - it has more time to pack more into it.

7.5/10

Based on Homer's interpretation of a Greek legend.

[chathaf · 4/10 · 2 March 2002]

In watching the movie, it was very difficult to get past Jason London's poor acting. At no point during of the movie did it ever seem like he had any grasp of his part--he never seemed regal, charismatic (a leader), or powerful. London always seemed out of place with a reasonably strong cast around him. Too bad...the movie could have been pretty good.

Not as great as the original

[rtfischel · 13 January 2004]

I enjoyed the 'Jason and the Argonauts' remake. I almost bought it, until I reached the end of it and realised that Talos, the Bronze Giant, had not made an appearance in it. C'mon, this character made the first one so special, so great. Talos really comes alive in glorious special effects; I wish they'd kept him in, I really do. Then I would've bought the re-make, which in other respects is more faithful to the mythology. Admittedly, Talos was only peripherally important in the myth: he lived on the island of Crete and used to hurl large rocks at passing vessels. Only by Medea's charm can the monster be overcome. They did the same to 'The Odyessy': left out the Sirens, who lured unwary sailors to their doom on the rocks. C'mon! How can you have a film about 'The Odyessy' and not include them? Let us hope the next person to write a screenplay based on an ancient myth will include all the important bits seemingly left out of modern remakes. even though they do look good.

It's a pretty good adaptation series, made for TV.

[RatedVforVinny · 6/10 · 11 December 2019]

A well made and visually impressive remake of this epic tale. Decent special effects and some interesting scenes, that are actually more true to the original tale than the classic 1963 (film) version. Produced in the year 2000 and staring some great actors, such as Dennis Hopper and Derek jacobi.

Epic retelling

[smellthecult-com-1 · 7/10 · 1 January 2010]

Mini-series treatment of the perennial favourite, this is fairly faithful to the original material (the movie I mean, not the ancient Greeks scrolls!) and is admirably played straight throughout, and not overly hammy.

The plot is familiar to all I should imagine - to save his mother, Jason is sent on a quest to reclaim the Golden Fleece from an evil tyrant, and the power of said Fleece will allow his mother to be cured.

Of course, as with the movie version, this lives and dies by the set-pieces, and they are well handled: Neptune, The Harpies, the skeletons from the dragon's teeth, they're all here and, with the exception of the skeletons, are well done - the skeletons are a bit of a disappointment, it has to be said, but I guess beating the majesty of the originals was always going to be a big ask.

Perhaps a shade too long with a three hour running time, it starts to flag towards the end, but this is still an enjoyable romp.

Wonderful Recreation

[aesgaard41 · 6/10 · 12 May 2001]

A great movie with visually stunning effects, the only things I can find fault with this film are the obvious liberties with the original story and the dropping of pertinent events which occurred in the original tale. The original story of Jason and his band of heroes branded unjustly as pirates actually has numerous adventures and side trips on the long voyage to Colchis, but this tale is way to condensed and simplified. For the time it ran, it should have showed everything that occurred on the Argo and its passengers. The actors playing the characters and the gods are rather faithful to my own concieved depictions, Hera for example is a beautiful young woman rather than a middled-aged crone and Zeus himself is a handsome albeit heavy figure from his excessive vices of food and sex. The special effects are spectacular, especially when it comes to revealing the gods themselves, but the story is anti-climactic and just short of the wonder of the original.

a delightful surprise

[TheUnknown837-1 · 7/10 · 23 November 2007]

This was a truly fantastic surprise to discover one day when I was roaming the Sci-Fi Channel. I only ever roam the Sci-Fi Channel on a sunny day when I have nothing else to do. I just need something to criticize on days like that. But in this case, I didn't find something to criticize, but instead, something to be impressed at. "Jason and the Argonauts" is a made-for-TV movie and was obviously made on a low budget. It stretches about three hours in its running time, four when you include the commercials, and yet, I did not find myself bored or tired with it until near the very end. I have never seen the original film with Ray Harryhausen's stop motion effects, nor am I all that familiar with the original Greek myth upon which that film and this film was based. But I did very much enjoy this film.

One of the many things that impressed me about this film was the good quality presented in its computer graphics. Unlike most features presented on the Sci-Fi Channel, the effects in this film are very convincing. They weren't entirely flawless, but were realistic enough. My favorite out of all the creatures was a giant lizard-like dragon that appears about mid-way through the film. It looked reptilian and the lighting effects used on it to make it blend in with everything else was magnificent. I was not as impressed, however, with Poseidon, the sea-god. Here, he is represented as this giant stone humanoid figure that literally roars a dinosaur's roar. If Poseidon were to roar at all, I think it would be an electronically altered human-made sound. But nonetheless, a fine addition to the story.

Even though the film is three hours long, like I mentioned earlier, it does play itself well. There was merely one sequence that I felt was removable and that was the part where Jason and his crew encounter an island full of beautiful, but cannibalistic women. While it wasn't a badly done scene, if there was to be another scene removed due to pacing problems, it would have had to be this one.

With a well-written script, fine acting, surprisingly good special effects and sound design, and a very impressive-for-its-type entertaining value, this version of "Jason and the Argonauts" is a very delightful surprise to discover. It managed to keep me interested on a day where I would have rather been outside, and in a case like that, it takes a good movie to keep me to sit still for four hours. And it did. I recommend it and there are hopes from me for others like this.

Harryhausen has nothing to worry about

[Rovin · 2/10 · 14 May 2000]

I was looking forward to this tv version of the myth, but was very disappointed. First of all, Jason (the actor) plods through the story as if he were still "Dazed and Confused," he lacks the necessary charisma and it doesnt help that he closely resembles Kevin Sorbo. In the 63 film version, Todd Armstrong(who got the role because he was a relative of a studio exec) wasnt a great actor, but he did a much better job(and this despite his lines being dubbed by another actor!). Second, Dennis Hopper was terrible as Pelias. And he looked absolutely ridiculous when he dons the golden fleece near the end.

Third--It was a poor decision to have such young actors playing the "father and mother of the gods." Zeus and Hera should have been middle aged--not twenty-something! And the idea of having them materialize in the clouds...laughable.

I could mention how Derek Jacobi is unrecognizable and wasted in his part, and the odd choice of making Orpheus an African, but why bother?

The only good points are the location shooting, and some of the effects/monster sequences(the Minoan bull and the dragon especially).

But the 1963 film with fx by Ray Harryhausen was much more enjoyable.

Close, but not quite the original

[etale · 7/10 · 18 August 2000]

Sure the story was better (and thank God, Jason finally got revenge for his family's murder). But the effects wasn't Harryhausen and the music wasn't Herrmann (despite the fact that Boswell did do several homages in the score to Herrmann). I was really disappointed that the Hydra didn't return in this version as I am sure that a CGI version WOULD be an improvement (couldn't you Jason hacking off each head and two more growing back, as in the Greek myths). Otherwise, I still prefer the original, though it IS an improvement over Hercules.

Don't bother, watch the 1963 movie Jason and the Argonauts

[riverthor · 1/10 · 2 April 2005]

As I recall NBC had a string of rating successes from movies and mini-series based on legends and mythology, but when this one aired, NBC discontinued that trend. Critics panned this version of Jason and the Argonauts and audiences tuned out in mass after the first thirty minutes. This is one of the few movies that I have ever seen that every aspect - from producing, to directing, to the acting, to the special effects and photography, and especially the writing, is simply bad. Dennis Hopper, who plays the stepfather of Jason, lacks credibility and has trouble delivering the simples of lines. The action scenes fall far below the standard set in Xena and Hercules. Special effects were state of the art in 1933 Still most films can be saved in the editing room if filmed by a competent director, but that to is missing from this film. My advice is to rent the 1963 movie and classify the 2000 version as a Bomb.

Jason London stars in Hallmark Entertainment's 2000 film "Jason and the Argonauts"

[misterlyle-2 · 9/10 · 9 May 2021]

The film is quite good for a TV movie that requires numerous special effects. Several noteworthy actors, and an effective script make it well worth viewing. Jason London is cast as the lead in the film, although this platform seems intent on downplaying his participation.

Fun to watch, even with taken liberties.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 25 July 2023]

It's obvious that there was a bit of an agenda in this script that has the Goddess Hera fighting on Jason's side, not Zeus, the opposite of which occurred for Perseus in "Clash of the Titans", so here, Zeus is the villain God, not her. Jason wants vengeance on his uncle King Pelias (Dennis Hopper) who killed his father and married his mother, causing an instant rival in his younger cousin/half brother when Pelias agrees to give Jason his birthright if he brings back the Golden Fleece. Jason encounters the gigantic Poseidion at sea, as well as the harpies, a huge metal bull, sword using skeletons and a dragon he somehow tamed. He also marries the sorceress princess Medea, and fans of classic Greek theater all know that turned out.

Thanks to other critics, I was reminded of falsehoods I had forgotten about, but for the most part, I didn't mind them as far as entertainment purpose was concerned. This is still a sweeping epic fantasy even if the acting for the leads and some of the casting is questionable. Jason London as the lead may not be my choice as his namesake hero, but you can't win em' all, and Jolene Blalock isn't a strong Medea, well not compared to Judith Anderson, Diana Rigg, Zoe Caldwell, Fiona Shaw, etc. Cameos by Frank Langella and Derek Jacobi pretty much overshadow the cast of mainly unknowns, so it's the production values with cool looking mythological creatures and fabulous technical support (not to mention the gorgeous musical theme) that I appreciate even though it's an overlong shadow of the 1963 original.

This is such an insult!!!

[ngemedjiev · 1/10 · 3 May 2005]

I have been watching this movie on Hallmark Channel for about 5 years. It depicts an ancient story. Some of the characters are from the Ancient Greek Mythology. I am particularly interested in the character of Orpheus. If the viewer is too young and takes the movie as a source of his future culture and development, he'll be totally surprised when coming to Bulgaria and Greece and finding that the population there is mainly Caucasian and only few of it has blond hair and eyes. That is the insult that I am talking about. Orpheus could not be at all an African-American, or being representative of Africa. It is so ridiculous because everybody here in my country Bulgaria is generously laughing when seeing this movie. There is a name for a mountain which is situated 90 % in Bulgaria and only 10 % in Greece - the Rhodopi mountains or the Rhodopi, Rhodopa. It is called Orpheus' mountain. The cave of Trigrad in the heart of the mountain is the where he lost his love Euridice or Evridika. It is the same mountain where Rita Wilson's father was born. I think the producers would have to meet him and read, orientate a bit before placing an African-American actor to play Orpheus.