Babylon 5: In the Beginning (1998)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Whereas Babylon 5: A Call To Arms is the beginning of a new adventure in the Babylon 5 universe, Babylon 5: In the Beginning actually completes the epic story that is introduced to us in Babylon 5: The Gathering and then continued by the television series.Babylon 5: In the Beginning describes the events leading up to the Earth-Minbari war in context with everything we have seen in the TV show. For those of you that don't know, the Earth-Minbari war happened 10 years before the start of the time line of the show. The TV series then proceeds to tell the story of Babylon 5 year by year from then on.Babylon 5: In the Beginning has a fantastic story, and it introduces us to one or two wonderful new characters. It is brilliantly put together, but just like Serenity (The Firefly movie), Babylon 5: In the Beginning makes much more sense, and is much better, if you watch it after watching the TV show. I suspect that is why it has such a relatively low score here on IMDb; perhaps many viewers had not watched the TV series first.In the Beginning also contains spoilers for the TV series. Delenn, Sheridan and G'Kar's characters, for example, are very much in keeping with the characters as we know them towards the end of the TV series, not as they are in the first two seasons. You could argue this is a negative point but it falls within the scope of artistic license, and it is hard to imagine how it can have been done any other way. So I think you really need to have at least watched the first four seasons of Babylon 5 before watching In the Beginning, although personally I'd recommend watching everything from the TV show before watching this (don't forget to start with Babylon 5: The Gathering).

You can buy the first two movies (In the Beginning, The Gathering) separately, but in order to get all five B5 movies (the first two plus Thirdspace, The River of Souls, and A Call to Arms), you have to buy them in a box set. The first two movies are out of order—they should be In the Beginning and then The Gathering. These movies are GREAT for background information. They really should be watched before watching the series. Thirdspace is a detached from the rest of the movies and series. It comes after the end of the Shadow War (season 4, episode 6), but then there is no mention of it again. If you never saw this movie, you wouldn't miss any continuity. The only thing it clears up is why Lyta Alexander and Zack Allen never got together. The River of Souls occurs in apx. Year 2263 and is less detached because B5 has encountered Soul Hunters before. This just gives more insight to them. It is like an extra episode in Season 5.A Call to Arms (Year 2267) is a prequel to the Crusade series. If you aren't planning to watch the Crusade series, there is no reason to watch this movie. Season 5 should go like this: 1. Season 5 Episode 21 "Objects at Rest" (Year 2262) 2. The River of Souls movie (Year 2263) 3. A Call to Arms and the Crusade Series (Year 2267)—optional. I suggest these be watched separately from B5 series as they really don't enhance or expand on the B5 series. 4. The Lost Tales—Voices in the Dark movie (Year 2271) 5. Season 5 Episode 22 "Sleeping in Light." (Year 2280)6. The Legend of The Rangers: To Live and Die in Starlight (after the Year 2280)—optional. Does not add nor detract from the series.

A good movie. Suffers maybe a little from lacking any definitive lead. Sheridan is the closest, but in this film, the history is the main role rather than an actor. It's a nice if isolated vantage point, with Londo narrating, but somehow it does lack a little viewer empathy as a result.Nevetherless, the dialogue is good. Londo is captivating as always. Jurasik is a fine actor and I've never seen him foul up a line yet.The Battle Of The Line is beautifully done, with Franke's harrowing minor scale progression once again making an excellent backdrop.I like how most of the show dovetails in this film although not overkeen with the Sheridan/Franklin/G'Kar meeting. As far as the B5 arc goes, it feels contrived, but a movie must stand alone even if it's part of a bigger story and I think it was necessary for this movie to draw some of the key characters together.A nice start to the show, I think if any of my future kids are sad enough to watch Daddies TV shows, I think I'll show them B5 with "the Beginning" at the end. On a rewatch, while insightful, it does kill some of the initial mystery to the story of B5.Good stuff, could possibly have done with being dramatised as a mini series.

This is a must see movie for all those who call themselves a fan of Babylon 5. This is how it all starts. The reason of the Human-Minbari war, and why the Babylon stations were built. There are a lot of questions that is not answered in the B5 series, but you get a lot of answers by watching this spectacular movie. One of the best Sci-Fi movies for TV ever made.