8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 3.9 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.3 |
The true story of how NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 and its crew to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Ed HarrisAdventure | 100% |
History | 53% |
Drama | 5% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
Portuguese: DTS 5.1
German: DTS 5.1
Italian: DTS 5.1
Japanese: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Universal initially released Ron Howard's Apollo 13 on Blu-ray in April 2010, celebrating the film's 15th anniversary. Five years later, we have a new anniversary to celebrate, complete with the usual repackaged reissue, right? Not so fast. Universal has granted Apollo 13 a stunning, wonderfully faithful new video presentation, remastered in 4K from the original 35mm elements. But more on that in a moment. First, a portion of Jeffrey Kauffman's previously published review of the film itself, which can be found in its entirety here.
The 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray release of Apollo 13 boasts an unmistakably improved 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation, remastered in 4K from original 35mm elements. The upgrade is apparent throughout, whether comparing screenshots or watching the film in motion. Gone is the edge enhancement, unsightly digital manipulation, and slight smearing of the 2010 release. Gone is the artificial crispness, the loss of subtle fine detail, and other side effects of Universal's previous, long outdated 15th anniversary remaster. This is a whole new Apollo 13, from (apparently and thankfully) a whole new Universal, eager to show off its whole new approach to catalog remastering. (And at an entry price that makes this edition less of a bargain and more of a steal.)
Colors are beautifully saturated and altogether striking, with consistently satisfying contrast, deep black levels, dazzling primaries, and lifelike skintones. Vivid reds and blues, clean whites, and absorbing shadows come to life as Jim and his fellow astronauts train, say their farewells, and launch into space, while, in the desperate final days of their mission, the dim grays of powered-down lighting and the faint control-panel greens that light their faces create a convincing and suitably unnerving atmosphere. This isn't a digitally color-graded, orange-n-teal slathered product of 21st century Hollywood. This is the film as it was shot -- and shot admirably by cinematographer Dean Cundey -- with a disarmingly convincing palette that makes the events that transpire all the more real.
Detail is outstanding as well, and it's here that the new remaster really shines. Fine textures aren't always as "crisp" as before (emphasis on the quotation marks), but don't be fooled. Not for a second. You aren't seeing a loss of detail. The previous release only appears crisper due to problematic, halo-riddled edge enhancement. What we have here is a far more natural, far more filmic, far more faithful and far more rewarding image, minus all the unnecessary trickery that doesn't really make anything look better. Edges are clean and nicely defined. Fine textures are source-perfect, without any errant softness that isn't present in the original photography. (Not that Apollo 13 is a soft film by any means.) Moreover, grain has been meticulously and respectfully preserved, and the only eyesores on display trace back to the film's somewhat hit or miss CG. (Solid in 1995, but lacking by today's standards.)
There also isn't any macroblocking, banding, aliasing, ringing or noise to report -- to be clear, not a single, significant or notable issue at all -- making the presentation as impressive as it is impeccable. The only way Apollo 13's new remaster could drop jaws and please fans any more would be if it were released in 4K Ultra HD (3840 X 2160 resolution) or via a native 4K theatrical presentation (4096 x 2160). Bottom line: this is, for now, hands down, the definitive Blu-ray release of Apollo 13.
Apollo 13 offers a terrific DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Jeffrey Kauffman writes that the mix "toddles along rather uneventfully for the first act of the film and may lead some listeners to feel it's more than a bit underwhelming. Even in these dialogue heavy sequences, however, we're treated to sterling clarity and precise fidelity. Once blast off occurs, however, we're finally immersed in some wonderful surround activity, and the space sequences are similarly filled with some excellent foley effects which dart to and fro and give a good approximation of what being in an enclosed capsule must be like. Dialogue throughout the film is handled excellently, with some really finely nuanced differences between "open air" speech and that delivered from within the confines of a spacesuit. James Horner's wonderful score also fills the surround channels with some of his most expansive music. There are no anomalies of any kind to report on this soundtrack. This is a very intimate "epic" film, and so may not provide the nonstop, slam bang surround activity that contemporary audiences may have come to expect, but it is an excellent piece in and of itself."
The 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray release of Apollo 13 makes Ron Howard's stunning Oscar-nominated drama that much more stunning with, for all intents and purposes, a perfect 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation created from a 4K remaster using the film's original 35mm elements. Add to that an excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track and a solid supplemental package (with a newly produced filmmakers' retrospective) and you have a must-own release of Apollo 13. This isn't a double-dip. This is a re-release done right. One can only hope Universal will correct more of its old mistakes with equally faithful 4K remasters of other beloved catalog titles.
15th Anniversary Edition
1995
1995
Universal 100th Anniversary
1995
Academy Award Series
1995
Pop Art
1995
1995
1995
1995
Includes "Silent Space" version
2013
Extended Edition
2015
2014
1998
2015
1997
30th Anniversary Edition
1983
2016
2018
2015
2014
2006
2016
1968
2012
2014-2017
2012
1956
2019
1969