Customer Reviews

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (The Xena Trilogy: The Warrior Princess / The Gauntlet / Unchained Heart)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this DVD for one reason only: I am a HUGE Xena Fan, and the opportunity to watch the genesis of the show was too good for me to miss. However, it's not what many people may expect.

Even though I hold no grudge against the Hercules series (in fact, I must say I quite enjoyed it), is not a secret that, as a whole, it was the lighter side of the coin. This "lightness" is clearly seen in these three episodes. If you're looking for the dark, moody atmosphere that made Xena famous, then you may be disappointed. Hercules, more than a hero, is a "do-gooder", and the show is filled with a deep sense of morality, not moral. However, is interesting to see how Xena was turned to the way of good by Hercules and Iolaus. Lucy Lawless is great as Xena, although you can clearly see that she was not the experienced actress she has become since, and the character of the Warrior Princess lacks the depth that she reached in her own show. Is impressive also how incredibly young she looks. It must be because of her hair color (lighter brown instead of jet-black, and the fact that she looks so little next to Hercules). Also, as you all know, Gabrielle is missing, and that's a real shame.

The DVD itself is not a good deal. The image and sound quality are very good, but the absence of chapter stops is a terrible mistake. Also, the Special Features only include Bios and Filmography of Kevin Sorbo (Hercules) and Lucy Lawless (Xena). Where the hell is Michael Hurst (Iolaus)?. After being side by side with Hercules, he surely deserves some credit. No featurettes, no picture gallery, no nothing! That's quite a waste of the storage capability of the digital era and the producers deserve a slap on the wrist for that. On the good side, however, I applaud the use of Spanish Subtitles. Let's hope it makes an example.

Beside all this, The Xena Trilogy makes a pretty decent acquisition, but I'm afraid it will only be good enough for true die-hard Xena fans who MUST see how their favorite female hero came to life.

This DVD is a great bargain and convenience in terms of having all three episodes on one DVD. The three-story arc is fabulous, and the acting by Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless and Michael Hurst is excellent. However, the quality of the DVD left me disappointed. I felt it is not quite as sharp as other DVDs I own (though it is still far superior to the VHS version), there are no memorable special features, but most damning is the lack of chapter stops! This means you cannot view any particular scene directly. You can only start at the beginning of each episode, and then you are forced to fast-forward to a particular scene (much like VHS). That ignores one of DVD's best features: instant access. Still, I'm happy I own it, I just wish they had done a better job by including chapter stops (as, for instance, the excellent Avengers DVDs have).

Anyone who is a fan of HERCULES and/or XENA will like this three episode set. It is the start of something special, that is to be sure. And as many a fan has said: "If there wasn't a Hercules, there wouldn't be a Xena". Never has a statement been truer. Especially when you see The Warrior Princess not so heroic beginnings through these episodes. She's a beautiful woman-warrior who must be caught and turned to good or the known world will pay a price. Hercules is the one to help her mend her evil ways. Interestingly, as we start, Xena uses her womanly wiles (especially on poor Iolaus) to great effect to get what she wants. Later, in her own series, that is just about the LAST thing (a not so feminine) Xena will resort to. The lead actors are all wonderful. Sorbo, Lawless and Michael Hurst as Herc's duped best friend go all out. The adventures and emotions supplied are well displayed and acted. There is extra added footage to these tapes, the most interesting segment being an extended and quite steamy (although still fit for a younger audience) love scene between Xena and Hercules. A scene where Xena is beaten through a gauntlet is intense. Salmoneous (Robert Trebor) also appears in the last two segments and is a riot. His "Xena theme song" shouldn't be missed. All and all, a good triolgy and a bonus for fans of either show. Let's hope more H:TLJ series episodes make it onto the market.

How many of you have watched the first episode of Xena, and said to yourself, "this doesn't explain how she became good at all!"? Or how bout picking up on references later in the series about Xena's past relationship with Iolaus and wondering "when did that happen?" Then you should really see these episodes.
Though Lucy Lawless has appeared in 2 other roles on "Hercules: the Legendary Journeys", these are her first three in the role of Xena. The three eps come from the first season (or second if you count the 5 tv movies that preceded the show), the last of the three eps being the season finale.
If you're looking for campy Xena silliness, this is not for you. These are rather serious and dramatic, focused on the relationships between Xena, Iolaus and Hercules. Most importantly, it explains how Xena evolves from a ruthless warrior into an agent of good. I personally prefer the more serious Xena episodes anyway, so I loved these. Even if you've never watched Hercules, you won't feel left out. And Herc fans will enjoy the ever-fluxxing attitudes of the main characters that make this collection like a work of art. Ok, maybe not a "work of art", but still pretty awesome.
The only qualms I have with this dvd is that there are NO extra features (save language selections and short text bios on Sorbo and Lawless). Also, everytime you load the dvd it starts playing "The Warrior Princess" (the first episode on the disk) automatically, so if you want a different one you have to go to the menu. Otherwise, it's great!
So before you blow [money] on Xena season 1, get this disk first to wet your pallet with some old-fashion kick-butt action!

I love these three epsidoes which introduced Xena and they are essentail if you are a Hercules or Xena fan. If you want to buy them though I would suggest buying the complete first season of Hercules. You get five full tv movies, these three episodes, and ten more episodes for fifteen dollars. You save eight dollars and you get so much more.

The Xena Trilogy that introduced television viewers everywhere to the warrior princess was a very good three episode arc: it began with Xena, the Manipulative Shrew, in "The Warrior Princess" ... it then traveled to Xena, The Divided Conqueror, in "The Gauntlet," as goodness started to find a place in the heroine's heart ... and then introduced us to a true warrior interested in righting her wrongs in "Unchained Heart."

However, true greatness was to be found when Xena spun off into her own series.

Still, these humble beginnings -- part of HERCULES, THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS -- are well worth the high camp fun that typified both shows storytelling. Lucy Lawless only gets more beautiful with each subsequent viewing.

These 3 episodes of Hercules the Legendary journeys are available here for one price, but are also available as part of Hercules Season One for a lower price, (plus you get the rest of the season) and you can see the episodes in context. Also Herc season 1 contains 5 tv movies, 3 of which are really quite good. (the 1st is a bit weak and the 5th is a re-hash of the other four) Movie 1 has Lucy Lawless in a non-xena bit part, and Movie 2 has Renee O'Connor in a featured role. So if you get that set you'll get everything you get here, plus a lot more stuff, and it is A LOT CHEAPER.

Before you watch this DVD, keep in mind that they are episodes of Hercules, and are quite different. It isn't the best...at this point, the character of Xena had a lot of bugs to work out. Her outfit is black instead of brown, her hair is lighter, and although she has her shakram, her battle cry needed a LOT of work. Lucy Lawless' acting skills aren't quite as good as you can imagine, when compared to later episodes of Xena. The episodes are entertaining enough, and it's good to know how Xena came about, but I'm still wondering why they call her warrior princess. The DVD lacks bonus features, and there is no chaptering and it starts out with the first episode instead of the Menu. You have to go through the menu to switch episodes and the menu iself is pretty boring, with no intros or animations. Despite these facts, I still think they are worth watching and adding to and Xena fan collection.

My daughter and I LOVE the series and this 3 episode DVD is absolutely wonderful!!! It's great to see the Xena tie-in in its entirety. I have viewed it twice and will view it again and again!!

this is a great dvd, I advise this item for any die-hard xena fan! But only one problem, there are no special feature's! No commentary no nothing and that's a waist! Well I hope this review was helpful to anyone!