8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
In 2013, something terrible is awakening in London's National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England; and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion.
Starring: Matt Smith, David Tennant, John Hurt, Jenna Coleman, Billie PiperAdventure | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 78% |
Mystery | 2% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Few television specials have had more riding on their every twist and turn as Doctor Who's highly anticipated 50th Anniversary special. Part exhilarating celebration, part calculated recalibration, part clever revisionist history, and a full continuation of the series proper, The Day of the Doctor is an event unlike anything current series showrunner Steven Moffat or his predecessors have attempted. And against all odds, the resulting convergence of three dramatically different Doctors, three points in time and three divergent philosophies is a resounding success on almost every level. The script is among the finest the 2005-13 Who relaunch has delivered. Seeing familiar faces and new players come together as they do here is more satisfying. John Hurt is terrific. David Tennant is back and better than ever. Matt Smith is at his best. (The interplay between the three? Smartly conceived, unbelievably fun and unexpectedly heartwrenching.) Jenna-Louise Coleman brings her all. Billie Piper's return is a delight. One special guest will bring tears to lifelong Whovians' eyes. The heart, the humor, the wit, the pathos, the time travel... all intact, all decidedly Who. Moreover, Moffat and company address criticism of Smith's Doctor head on, and with one brilliant adjustment to the timestream, make it clear exactly why Tennant's fan-favorite Doctor became Smith's younger, more playful Time Lord. A perfect special? Not quite. Smart? Funny? Thrilling? Tragic? Everything it needed to be and more? Absolutely.
Day of the Doctor follows the Doctor Who: Series 1-7 remastered collection with a first rate 1080p/MVC-encoded video presentation that can be viewed in 3D or 2D, both of which impress. Briefly released in theaters and sporting more cinematic flair and a bigger budget than a typical Doctor Who episode, the 50th Anniversary special doesn't drift too far off the series path. Colors are a bit washed out and contrast a touch stark, but fans won't flinch. Primaries nevertheless pop, skintones are lifelike and nicely saturated, black levels are deep and sinister, and delineation is suitably revealing. Detail is crisp and refined too, with exacting edges (free of any ringing) and exceedingly well-resolved textures. Closeups are particularly striking, without falling prey to anything that might hinder the integrity of the image. Significant artifacting, banding and aliasing are nowhere to be found, any noise is inherent to the photography, and Zygon transformations and other visual effects shots are the only source of anomalies of any sort. The same high praise extends to the 3D experience. Filmed in native 3D, the special boasts notable depth and dimensionality, with a number of sequences and elements that are quite convincing. (The three-dimensional Gallifreyan art and the various interiors of the TARDIS spring to mind.) For those whose displays are prone to crosstalk, ghosting is minimized, and there aren't any real distractions to speak of. Short version? 3D, 2D... Day of the Doctor offers one of the best high definition Who presentations on the market.
Day of the Doctor's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track doesn't disappoint either. Dialogue is carefully centered, neatly grounded in the mix and precisely prioritized, and every TARDIS groan, sonic screwdriver chirp, Zygon snarl, time vortex wheen and Dalek "Exterminate!" is as clean, clear or chilling as a fan could hope for. LFE output is robust and rewarding, lending weight and presence to the Doctors' journey, while rear speaker activity is assertive and engaging, creating an immersive soundfield that delivers from start to finish. The special's whiz-bang directionality delivers too, as do its slick pans, excellent dynamics, and rousing score. Series fans will be most pleased.
Day of the Doctor is Who at its best, with Smith, Tennant, Piper, Coleman and Hurt in the finest of forms. As a 50th Anniversary celebration, it honors the long-running show's past while hurtling ahead toward a most intriguing future. Where the series goes from here is anyone's guess (save Moffat's), but Doctor Who has always embraced reinvention. Those complaining the loudest seem to have forgotten that the series' regenerations are as dramatic and divisive as the Doctor's. As for the Blu-ray release of Day of the Doctor, BBC Home Entertainment serves up another high-scoring disc. I would have liked to dig through more special features -- an audio commentary or lengthy behind-the-scenes documentary especially -- but with an excellent video presentation, 3D experience and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, there's little to complain about. Between the Doctor Who: Series 1-7 box set, Day of the Doctor and the upcoming Christmas special, Matt Smith regeneration and looming eighth season, it's a great time to be a Doctor Who fan.
The Star Beast / Wild Blue Yonder / The Giggle
2023
Doctor Who Docudrama / Includes 'An Unearthly Child' Bonus DVD
2013
1977-1978
2009
The Director's Edition | Remastered
1979
IMAX
2013
10th Anniversary Collector's Edition | Limited
2014
1991
2004
Includes "Silent Space" version
2013
2020-2023
2016
Budget Re-release
1987-1994
Budget Re-release
2001-2005
1982
1995-2001
1986
2009
1996
Extended Edition
2015