Rating: 
Summary: Siiiggghhh.....The Original Was Just SO Much Better.....
Review: Now I must say that I had rented this with pretty high expectations; after all, Hallmark's recent TV miniseries of Greek mythology "The Odyssey" was a first-rate adventure that I really want to get (as well as "Gulliver's Travels", "Merlin", and "Alice in Wonderland", all excellent Hallmark miniseries).But I came away VERRRRY disappointed. Of course, I knew before I watched it that there was no way that it could match the fun and excitement of the original. But I didn't think THIS MUCH! The acting isn't very good. Jason London does pretty good at times, but also ranges from emotionless wood, to spoiled brat, to antiviolent coward. Dennis Hopper, who usually makes a great bad guy, sucks in this case. And everyone else just stands around, saying their lines, looking bored (but not as bored as the audience). The special effects are very obvious. The harpies look like a bunch of chicken-lizard monkeys, and are more laughable than menacing. (There's just something about the old Ray Harryhausen stop-motion technique that is simply pure magic, and can never be surpassed by any computer.) Another thing: while the mood of the first two thirds is just action-adventure, the last third relies on dull, stupid romance (the very ending where everyone just starts kissing in ways that they would never think of in ancient Greece, makes you scream in annoyance!). Let's just say that you can really tell that this is Hallmark. On the other hand, it does sprout some verrrry nice-looking chicks here and there, as well as beautiful scenery. The score is pretty good, I guess, but rather than have lots of minor themes, it just replays the main theme over and over and over again! One thing that's really nice is how it shows what Jason actually did AFTER he found the Golden Fleece (the only true disappointment with the original). Buy the original. It's better. Far better.
Rating:
Summary: Will Hollywood Ever Learn?
Review: OK, there is only one "Psycho." There is just one "Gone with the Wind." It would be foolish to improve on "Casablanca." Thus, there is only one "Jason," and it was made in 1963 under the skilled craftmanship of the master animator Ray Harryhausen. Invest in that one and leave this one alone.
Rating: 
Summary: Great actors, but the story seems a bit hurried,no "Hydra"?
Review: Perhaps it is only because it is written in a way that a myth might have been, and not like a regular Hollywood movie, it is a bit difficult to invest in the characters, except a few favorites like Hercules that we already know. It jumps around from challenge to challenge almost as quickly as Baron von Munchausen...
It also seems to be intentionally doing some things differently from the tale that I remember. Instead of a Hydra with multiple heads, we are given something more like a giant Iguana. On the other hand, the bull was a very neat touch.
Jolene Blalock is as beautiful as ever, and Dennis Hopper is a great villian, even if he probably should have worn brown contact lenses to fit the "Greek" look better.
Overall it was a good movie, and left me wanting more even after the long showing, which is a good sign.
Great movie for young teen boys who've never thought anything conceived before 1990 was worth it, and might get them interested in reading Greek mythology, as the classic movie did with me years ago.
Rating: 
Summary: They slaughtered this movie
Review: The old one was twice as good. the story is so jumbled is even worse than my room. the one scene that i wanted to see the most the skeleton scene was so messed up i could not even tell they were skeletons he did a strange cicus act that made the skeletons hit each other with their weapons which was clearly a moronic attempt to look cool and save money. this movie reeks, and is not worth the money!
Rating:
Summary: Jason & The Argonauts - The miniseries
Review: This is the newly revised NBC miniseries now being released onto DVD. With improved visual effects and more details into the actual storyline. The story tells of Jason and his band of heroes on their quest to find the Golden Fleece. The monsters and deities were reconstucted using CG imagery and even though posidon wasn't your expected trident weilding god, the story still holds. If you've liked previous grand fantasy miniseries (which always seem to creep up on sweeps), this one's for you.
Rating: 
Summary: A Voyage Worth Taking...
Review: This made-for-television film based on the Greek tale never quite seems to know where it's headed. It is visually exciting, however, and it seems almost certain that this is exactly what the filmmakers were looking for that they might be able to hide the film's flaws behind a morass of half-naked Amazon women, computer-generated dragons, harpies, and gorgon bulls. The story revolves around the vengeance-seeking young man named Jason (played in a very cardboard manner by Jason London) who finds himself setting sail on a ship called the Argo (with the hand-picked crew known as Argonauts, of course) to fetch the Golden Fleece. Along the way, of course, in the tradition of such tales, there are many adventures and encounters with gods, men, and unnatural beasties. There is a love story of sorts hidden in there somewhere as well, but it's quite unsympathetic. ... The acting in Jason and the Argonauts ranges from shoddy to pretty good. Even the respectable actors acquired for the film sometimes manage to turn in pretty unstable performances. Dennis Hopper plays the villain of the piece (not surprisingly), the arch-enemy of Jason, and he seems to have a thing for embracing people and then stabbing them in the back. Frankly, it is a silly role, and played just so. There are other characters even more absurd - one who has the keenest eyes in the land and shouts 'I see it!' every five seconds which is both annoying and laughable. But on the other side of the coin, there are characters that manage to keep Jason and the Argonauts interesting, such as Hercules (a very non-Kevin Sorbo performance that is pretty fun), the minstrel, and the bodyguard of Jason's father who seeks redemption. Anguss McFadyen (who played Robert the Bruce so beautifully in Braveheart) also stars briefly as King of the Gods, Zeus. It is nice to see Anguss again. Jason and the Argonauts fails in many ways, but usually compensates in others to round out the experience somewhat. After all, a movie based on a Greek myth such as this does not have to be believable all the time, nor does it require the best actors ever assembled. This is a good thing, since the acting and the writing is so hit-and-miss. Fortunately, the adventure elements of any Greek tale such as this are here, and with them in tact there is entertainment to be had. I for one enjoy watching and waiting just to see what the Argonauts will stumble upon next - will it be a god or a monster, or a feud with men over the Golden Fleece? The battles and creature effects may not be cutting-edge, but they have impressive moments. The dragon who guards the Fleece is the creature highlight, and at times looks strikingly real, and the battle against Hopper's troops at the end is climactic enough. All in all, Jason and the Argonauts is an enjoyable, if sometimes silly, fantasy with fairly high production values for a film of its type - complete with a wide range of adventures that any adaptation of a Greek myth should have. It's not as good as the earlier production of The Odyssey, but it's a voyage to consider.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the Best Movies Ever Made
Review: 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 invaluable(he has eyesight tens times greater than an eagle; a gift from the gods, of course), and the great huntress Atlanta also requests to be let onboard. Jason agrees to all of the requests. At last they set sail for Colchis Along the way, Zeus, King of the Gods(Angus MacFaydon), and his wife Hera(Olivia Williams, help and hinder Jason and his crew as they sail across the seas in their fantastic search for the Golden Fleece... Also starring Jolene Blalock, Frank Lagella, Natasha Henstridge, and Derek Jacobi. As an adaptation of the classic myth, this story is incredibly. The real myth was hokey and boring-definitely a myth-but this movie is fantastic. The special effects are great, the acting is great, the storytelling is great, and the movie in and of itself is great. It's one of the best movies I have ever seen, and an excellent version of a classic myth. Recommended age: 10 and up. PG-13. 2000.
Rating:
Summary: Spectacular, but falls short
Review: 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.)
Rating:
Summary: Despite weak lead, this "Jason.." still entertains.
Review: This recent NBC mini-series covers the classic Greek myth of young Jason, who sought the Golden Fleece in his quest to be king. Unlike the classic Ray Harryhausen film of the 60's, this version is a little more grim and dark than usual for this type of film, but it entertains nevertheless. Brian Thompson (the alien bounty hunter from THE X-FILES TV show) is a hearty and jovial Hercules, while the kings of Frank Langella and Dennis Hopper and Natasha Henstridge's queen provide ample opposition for our hero. As the musician Orpheus, Adrian Lester delivers a thoughtful and solid performance. Robert McFadden is good as a petulant, yet puckish, Zeus. Unfortunately, where this movie falters is in the performance of Jason London as our hero. While he has the "angry young man" aspect right, he lacks the heroic passion and fire (that Todd Armstrong displayed in the 60's version) needed to be a credible leader of his Argonaut crew. Fortunately, there is so much action and special effects in this film that it can be overlooked to some degree. While not the classic that Harryhausen created, this is still an intelligent and solid film version of a favorite myth.
Rating:
Summary: Jason and the Nonactornauts
Review: True to the story, good cinematography, and nifty transitions however the acting by Jason and Pelias was downright painful to watch. King Pelias couldn't even pronounce Queen Hera's name correctly. Other actors were good.
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