Star Trek Into Darkness

All of us Marquee’ologists are celebrating today the Blu-ray and DVD release of STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch and Directed by J.J. Abrams. Written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof, the film follows the crew of the Enterprise as a shocking act of terror on Earth sends them on a manhunt to capture an unstoppable force of destruction and bring those responsible to justice. We were lucky enough to have Paramunt send us the Blu-ray/DVD and you can read ahead for our review and be sure to pick up a copy and throw yourself a Star Trek movie-marathon this weekend!

The Review:

VIDEO: Despite this reviewers issue with the storyline of the film and certain poor choices for character casting, that aside, the Blu-ray for Star Trek Into Darkness is pretty impressive. When you think of Star Trek, no matter what generation or series, you automatically think of epic space battles, grandiose starships, colorful planets,fantastically detailed aliens and a good share of lasers and explosions! Star Trek Into Darkness not only has all of those, but at a stellar 1080p frame rate. Crisp, clean and clear imagery as streamlined and slick as the uniforms and architecture of Starfleeft Academy. When it comes to outer space adventures or dark planetary landscapes, the film shifts with ease to compensate to match the mood. Details you’d not expect to notice are present in the textures of costumes, the make-up of aliens and the futuristic technology. There are moments where you feel you’re watching the action thru the window of another room at Starfleet Academy, or from a view-screen upon the Enterprise looking out over the planet Nibiru. For a Star Trek film, expect nothing but spectacular visuals in this Blu-ray edition. When it comes to the bonus features, you’ll need to carve out a little time for these, but they are worth it just to build a better appreciation for the production behind a film of this size. From visual effects, to the art dept, to fight choreography, there is enough in the features to give you the scope of so many vast elements of the movie that you’ll want to re-watch it again right after to better appreciate it in all it’s glory.

AUDIO: As impressive as the visuals are, the sound is equally matched in this. The Dolby HD 7.1 soundtrack is simply beautiful. Every channel, every speaker, every decibel is perfectly mixed. From laser blasts, to Explosions, to blips on a control panel to the score from composer Michael Giacchino, it is like sound candy to the ears (at least for those of us with an attentive ear to these things). Clean and clear tracks that circle you in 360 degrees of out of this world sound, help expand the range of  detail that sound effects and musical score purists will truly appreciate.

More About the Film…

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS features an ensemble cast including John Cho, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Peter Weller and Anton Yelchin.

“I’m excited for viewers at home to check out Star Trek Into Darkness on Blu-ray and DVD,” said J.J. Abrams.  “They did a great job and I’m thrilled with how everything looks and sounds.  We also have some really fun behind-the-scenes special features that we shot on the Red and created entirely in-house at Bad Robot.  They really look amazing and unlike anything I’ve seen on DVD or Blu-ray before.”  Abrams added “I hope fans enjoy seeing the process that went into making the movie and the truly amazing work of our most spectacular cast and crew.”

Oh yeah, here’s what’s included on the STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack

The STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS Blu-ray/DVD and Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo packs with UltraViolet™ are bursting with behind-the-scenes material detailing how the filmmakers delivered a rousing epic filled with both spectacle and soul.  For the first time, the special features included in the combo packs were produced entirely by Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions and captured in spectacular high quality on Red Epic cameras for a uniquely intimate perspective of the filmmakers’ process. The Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 7.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.  The combo pack includes access to a digital copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-ray

·         Feature film in high definition 

·         Creating the Red Planet – Experience the creation of a never-before-seen alien world, as featured in the action-packed opening sequence of the film.

·         Attack on Starfleet – Go behind the scenes with the cast and filmmakers and witness the creation of the shocking attack on Starfleet Headquarters.

·         The Klingon Home World – Discover the stunning world of Kronos, and see how the filmmakers reinvented the Klingons for a new generation.

·         The Enemy of My Enemy – Find out how, and why, the identity of the film’s true villain was kept a mystery to the very end.

·         Ship to Ship – An in-depth and thrilling look at the filming of the iconic space jump sequence, which both defied the laws of physics and pushed the limits of visual effects.

·         Brawl by the Bay – Sit in with Zachary Quinto and Benedict Cumberbatch as they revisit their intense preparation for the film’s breathtaking climax.

·         Continuing the Mission – An inspiring look at the partnership between the film’s crew and the organization that assists returning veterans to find meaningful ways to contribute on the home front.

DVD

·         Feature film in standard definition

We hear the Blu-ray 3D is even more spectacular on Home Video than it was in theaters, if you’ve seen this version, drop us a line below and tell us what you think!

Star Trek Into Darkness