Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Apollo 13 Blu-ray Movie Review

Houston, we definitely do NOT have a problem...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown June 3, 2015

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.

Kauffman writes, "There's probably no more unlikely Hollywood directorial icon of the past quarter century or so than Ron Howard, television's beloved Opie and Richie who has fashioned a rather remarkable oeuvre of fairly disparate film projects. In 1995, when Apollo 13 was originally released, he was still largely seen as a very talented, but perhaps less than really noteworthy, director of frothy comedies like Splash and Night Shift. If he had started to make his presence felt more keenly with the lovely fantasy Willow, or the more nuanced comedy-drama Parenthood, his "epics" (for wont of a better word) Backdraft and Far and Away had as many naysayers as proponents. And so people were largely unprepared for the totally masterful job Howard achieved with Apollo 13, a film that could have easily veered into melodrama and overacting. One of the major saving graces in fact of the film is the inerrantly understated performances, especially by Hanks as Lovell and the exquisite Katheen Quinlan (who received a well deserved Oscar nomination) as his wife, Marilyn.

If the emotional gist of the film is built largely around a couple who spend a really small amount of screen time together (something that in and of itself is noteworthy), Apollo 13 is filled to the brim with an assortment of stellar turns from everyone including Ed Harris (another Oscar nominee for this film) as overwhelmed Flight Director Gene Kranz to Gary Sinise as Ken Mattingly, the astronaut originally scheduled in Swigert's place whose exposure to the measles kept him earthbound, paving the way for his assistance in figuring out how to get his three buddies back safely. Apollo 13 is filled with so many wonderful moments from all of these actors, as well as the on-board trio of Hanks, Paxton and Bacon, that it becomes a textbook example of fine ensemble acting. There are no "star turns" here, and indeed almost throwaway moments like Quinlan losing her wedding ring down a drain become emotionally devastating simply because we have become so invested in the characters without being given "acting lessons" by the performers.

Howard manages to maintain several simultaneous story arcs effortlessly throughout the film, ping ponging between the astronaut trio's ordeal on board a crippled and freezing spacecraft, Mission Control's increasingly desperate attempts to figure out a way to get them back, and the home life of the astronauts' spouses, chiefly Marilyn Lovell. While there is no lack of technical specificity throughout William Broyles, Jr. and Al Reinert's screenplay (adapted from a book co-written by Lovell), the film is never weighed down by "tech speak," again because when it's delivered, it's being done by characters the audience has grown to know and be involved with as human beings, people who just happen to be shooting other people into space atop massive tubes of flame. Aiding and abetting the uniformly fine performances is a spot on production design, which perfectly recreates the feel of both the claustrophobic spacecraft and lunar module, but more importantly the sort of stifling atmosphere of early '70s Texas.

Apollo 13 does evidently veer from the historical record to make an occasional dramatic point. Astronauts are famously tamped down emotionally, and the screenwriters and Howard wisely amped up the conflict and ostensible tension as the crippled craft threatens to slowly kill Lovell, Haise and Swigert. But the brief, if volatile, temper tantrums seem somehow very "right" in the dramatic framework of this retelling, and certainly never devolve into mere histrionic rants made for Oscar consideration. This is one of Hanks' most appealingly low key performances, one grounded in that sort of calm assurance that one always hopes to hear from your in flight Captain aboard a transcontinental airplane ride. It makes for a fascinating, and absolutely riveting, dichotomy in that these three can maintain such an aura of cool when everything around them seems to be going horribly, horribly wrong.

There's a long list of 'thirteens' that those with an irrational fear of the number have assembled vis a vis this flight, cobbled together to "prove" the number is unlucky. Obviously, it was Apollo 13, but launch time on April 11, 1970 was (in military parlance) 13:13, and it was two days later, on the thirteenth of April that events started cascading leaving the spacecraft hobbled. All of this may come under the heading of "you see what you want to see," but the undeniable fact is this was one of the most dramatic episodes in Man's attempts to explore beyond his own planet, and against all odds, it was one which ended happily. Howard's film remains a fitting testament to the fortitude of individual men's (and women's) wills, as well as the collective spirit of Mankind itself. Apollo 13 set Howard up as a director truly to be reckoned with, and now fifteen years on, that assessment seems as sure as Lovell's own temperament."

Apollo 13 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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."

Apollo 13 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• NEW - Apollo 13: 20 Years Later (HD, 11 minutes): The only new extra produced for the 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray is an all too short retrospective with director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer. There's some great insight to be gleaned, but not enough of it. Missing too are Hanks and his co-stars, who would have rounded out a longer, fuller look-back and added even more value to the release. Even so, I'm not about to complain. It's certainly worth watching. I just would have appreciated more. Thankfully, all of the extras from the 15th Anniversary Edition have been ported over...
• Audio Commentaries: Two commentaries are available -- the first with Howard, the second with Jim and Marilyn Lovell -- both of which represent the best the supplemental package has to offer. Each is very personal. One speaks purely in the present, describing in complete detail the process of adapting the true story of Apollo 13 for the screen; the other speaks from the past and present, as the Lovells reflect on the harrowing seven-day trial by fire they endured, on the planet and above. Each commentary delves into material touched upon in the other, but from such wonderfully different perspectives that the pair enrich the film in the best possible ways and emerge as a must-listen for anyone who has any love of the film.
• Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13 (SD, 58 minutes): An excellent documentary which, as odd as it may seem, does indeed highlight the unexpected success (after disaster) of the flight. (Jeffrey Kauffman, 2010)
• Conquering Space: The Moon and Beyond (SD, 48 minutes): A generic look at the space race to the Moon. It's interesting, but it can't hold a candle to When We Left the Earth and other Blu's. It is better than A&E's Moonshot. (JK)
• U-Control: Universal's pop up feature, offers two interesting sidebars to the main feature, The Apollo Era, giving some socio-cultural context for what was going on back then in the world at large, and Tech-Splanations, which attempts to get us layman dummies to understand what the frell Harris and Sinise are screaming about. (JK)
• Luky 13: The Astronauts' Story (SD, 12 minutes): Interviews the real men portrayed in the film. (JK)
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 3 minutes)

Apollo 13 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

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.