This movie was a lot more significant than most people realize. It was the first of a new breed of “special effects-driven” sci-fi movies. Computers have brought down the cost of special effects to a point where the plot no longer needs to be “incredible”, it can just be “adequate”. Actually, this movie was above “adequate”, but it left the door open for a bunch of adequate movies to follow.
Also, the whole Stargate empire that followed – the sequels and the TV show… I could do without.