Journey to the Far Side of the Sun Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		2.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun Blu-ray Movie Review

Opposites attract.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 9, 2015

Some of the more creative conspiracy theorists, tinfoil hat-wearing amateur astronomers, and other assorted individuals who reside on the Internet and who have been in contact with the Zeta Reticulan aliens have long theorized that there's another planet (known as "Nibiru" or "Planet X"), right here in Earth's own solar system, hiding behind the sun, waiting to peek out, eventually, and either crash right into Earth or zip on by close enough to mess with things like the Earth's poles or the tides and, essentially, usher in the end of mankind in one glorious moment of end-times doom. Oddly, many of the same people also worry about other, very real destructive astronomical bits like the threat posed by CMEs (Coronal Mass Ejections) that could decimate the world's electronic infrastructure. But it's the former that's of interest in a review of Journey to the Far Side of the Sun, a movie that's about, yes, a planet hiding behind the sun. But rather than wild-haired conspiracy driving the plot, the picture aims for a more believable, approachable, smart narrative that challenges audiences but doesn't alienate them, that offers a fascinating possibility that's far-fetched but believable, that efforts to offer a reflection of man, his actions, and his place in the universe, near and far alike.

To the other side of the star.

European scientists have discovered that another planet lies on the opposite side of the sun, heretofore undetected because it orbits in perfect parallel with the Earth. Human exploration is required to better analyze the new finding. Though a costly endeavor that has most countries balking at the expense, the United States comes through. NASA astronaut Glenn Ross (Roy Thinnes) and British astrophysicist John Kane (Ian Hendry) prepare for the mission by undergoing a series of rigorous physical tests, but not even the limits of their abilities can prepare them for what awaits on the far side of the sun.

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun doesn't concern itself with flash, snazzy visuals, seamless effects, or any other modern genre hallmarks. It's not a massively budgeted movie, either, so it smartly gets what mileage it can from its production -- which is a fair bit, all things considered, particularly as it relates to detailed models and starship design -- and focuses its attention on storytelling, dazzling the audience through narrative rather than spectacle. The movie plays at a deliberate pace, taking its time to construct the plot basics, explore ideas, examine the science, prepare the crew, and set the stage for the mission. While the mission is a focus, it's not the sole plot driver. The film is more concerned with the details, the buildup and the fallout, using the actual journey as the movie's focal "action" segment that is, in many ways, its weakest moment. The movie is at its best as it explores the consequences of the journey, reveals truths, and opens the door to new mysteries and possibilities that are a result.

Invariably, however, the movie falls under the shadows of its behemoth contemporaries, particularly 2001, a movie that easily bests this in every area: core story, characterization, visuals, themes, and lasting appeal. Journey to the Far Side of the Sun strives to find at least a semblance of similarity in terms of creating a legitimate, very human, very existential narrative. It works to a point, but it never does dig all that deeply, offering a nice little Star Trek-style twist that's strong enough to carry the movie and capture the imagination but nowhere near capable of offering the sort of dramatic heft that will leave even future generations pondering its meanings or learning from its exploration of man through the prism of the universe's furthest reaches and most dazzling surprises. Rather than complex, deeply thought provoking Science Fiction, Journey to the Center of the Earth never quite realizes the full potential of its story, resulting in a smart film to be sure, even an engaging one, but not quite a classic of its time.

The movie is so concerned with "how" and "why" and "when" and "where" that it often seems like it's forgetting "who." Certainly, the movie toys with some character development and various angles, from international espionage to marital struggles brought about by sterility, but the movie's characters are otherwise little more than vessels to carry out the story and to transmit information. Performances are by and large reflective of the limitations. They're not poor or uncaring but they are stiff and mechanical, in many ways fitting in with the retro-future stylings that are clunky and colorful but are only for window dressing, utility, at best, not complicated exploration. The flat characters don't necessarily hurt the movie, at least not in its conveyance of story details, but there is a richness absent, a missing sense of full, very much alive humanity even in a film centered on humanity.

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Aside from a fairly steady barrage of speckles and stray lines, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun looks quite good on Blu-ray. Universal's 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer offers a well defined image that retains a fairly thick layer of grain and provides a quality film-like image for the duration. Details are strongly defined and precise. Skin pores and lines, clunky retro-future instrument panels, heavy clothing textures, and model details -- including the strings holding them up -- are sharp and natural. Colors are nicely defined. The movie features a lot of broad-stroke shades on space suits, attire, buttons, lights, and furniture, all of which enjoy a commendable balance and authenticity. Neither black levels nor flesh tones raise any alarms. The image is free of any perceptible bouts of banding, blocking, or other anomalies. Though it could use some clean-up, the image looks quite good all things considered.

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun blasts onto Blu-ray with a mostly paltry DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack. Range is limited and feels cramped in the middle, whether dialogue, music, or sound effects. Clarity is muddy and everything lightly muffled, but never to the point that it becomes indistinct or fully garbled. Still, there's an evident absence of precision clarity to music and sound effects alike; it's all equally flat. Explosions, crashes, firing rockets, raging fires, and other aggressive effects try hard but can never quite find more than a baseline sense of definition and exactness. Dialogue is, at least, straightforward and clear.

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Journey to the Far Side of the Sun contains no supplemental content. There is no "top menu;" chapter selections and subtitle options must be accessed in-film from the "pop-up" menu.

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun isn't so much a "fun" movie as it is a "thinking man's" movie, but even in that regard it's dwarfed by other movies of its kind, both from its era and elsewhere along the timeline of cinema Science Fiction. It's a quality distraction, spinning a good, healthy yarn but one that's built more on interesting superficialities rather than complex emotion or intimate details of the human condition. Production design is strong for a movie of this size and scope, but the performances are flat, thanks largely to mechanical characters meant to convey information rather than realistically populate the film's world. Universal's Blu-ray release of Journey to the Far Side of the Sun features solid video, passable audio, and no supplements. Recommended as a purchase if and when it goes on a good sale.