When director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin unleashed Stargate in 1994, they probably didn’t expect it to launch one of the most enduring sci-fi franchises in TV history. But what did the critics think at the time? According to Rotten Tomatoes, the original Stargate movie holds a based on reviews from top critics—landing it firmly in “rotten” territory by the site’s standards.

Here’s a short write-up suitable for a blog, social media, or video script about the Stargate movie’s Rotten Tomatoes reception: Stargate on Rotten Tomatoes: A Cult Classic That Defied the Critics

The consensus? Many reviewers praised the film’s ambitious premise (a mysterious portal to another planet, ancient Egyptian gods as aliens, and Kurt Russell as a hardened colonel), but criticized its pacing, flat character development, and a second half that leans heavily into generic action-adventure tropes. Yet, the from thousands of user ratings. Fans have long defended the film for its imaginative world-building, James Spader’s quirky charm as Dr. Daniel Jackson, and David Arnold’s sweeping score.