Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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90 of 96 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nice, but not Xena..., April 15, 2002
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.
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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The DVD could have been better, December 18, 1999
By A Customer
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).
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wow, What a Start!, June 8, 1999
By A Customer
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.
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