7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.6 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
LEGENDS OF FLIGHT is a film that will not only delight and entertain the aviation enthusiast but also educate and inspired renewed interest in aviation by the traveling public...
Director: Stephen LowDocumentary | 100% |
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
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Blu-ray 3D
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Great planes seem to enjoy flying.
Legends of Flight doesn't exactly come as advertised. One would reasonably assume a film of this title would look back at the history of
aviation and showcase some of the great models that defined air travel and air combat over the years. Caveat emptor, that's not what this is
really about. Instead, Legends of Flight primarily looks at the brief history of the Boeing 787 "Dreamliner," from conception to first flight.
While the film engages viewers with both a smattering of educational insights as they pertain to the advancement of aeronautical technologies in
conjunction with the study of the flight of natural creatures and a glimpse at a handful additional aircraft that have in some way influenced the design
of the 787, there's actually very little here that would suggest a picture that lives up to its title. It's still an informative -- though not exactly
entertaining -- little 3D IMAX razzle-dazzle sort of experience, but audiences hoping for a more generalized overview of the history of flight on the
ultra-big-screen need look elsewhere.
I am legend.
Legends of Flight's Blu-ray 3D presentation isn't one that immediately screams "spectacular," but it's at least consistently "steady." There's very little in terms of "pop out" 3D visuals -- though there are a few moments where the nose of a plane threatens to poke out of the television screen -- with the image instead content to allow shape and depth to dictate the relative success of the presentation. Indeed, viewers will be awed at the ease with which this transfer captures the sprawling factory floor inside the Boeing facility, the sheer scope and size from top to bottom and front to back of the aircraft-under-condstruction inside, or throngs of people eagerly awaiting the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner. A few computer graphics also take on a discernible shape. The 3D presentation, then, is rather basic but highly effective, and it's complimented by a wonderfully sharp, crystal-clear, and highly-detailed general image. Viewers will enjoy the rocklike stability the transfer offers, where even objects at great distances remain sharp as a tack and very well detailed. Up-close shots of the planes's interiors and exteriors alike reveal the finest intricacies in scratches on bulkheads, wear and tear around nuts and bolts, or the finest details on circuitry and instrument panels. Colors are steady and natural throughout. On the downside, the image washes out once or twice, a few soft shots disrupt the otherwise razor-sharp proceedings, and at least one background artificially shakes. Nevertheless, this is a quality presentation that's more memorable for its overall stability than any one single 3D effect.
Legends of Flight zooms onto Blu-ray with a satisfying DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track is jam-packed with surround information, whether natural ambience in outdoor shots, the wonderfully realistic echoing sensations in support of the rumbly heavy machinery inside the factory, or the zips and zooms of aircraft powering through the listening area from front to back. The track is naturally immersive, with most every element in some way engulfing the listener and making him or her feel a part of the action and/or the environment. Music delivery is smooth and satisfying, nicely spread out and cemented in the front but enjoying a supportive surround element. Dialogue is efficient, but the narration itself can be a bit choppy, though such seems more a fault of the narrator than a shortcoming of the soundtrack. This is a pleasant, well-engineered mix; one can only image how entertaining it might have been had there been more SR-71s and the like zooming about and less chatter in the Boeing meeting room.
Legends of Flight's supplemental package barely gets off the ground, the brief package headlined by a "making of" piece that's actually a bit
more interesting than the film itself.
Legends of Flight is a disappointment if only because it seems dishonestly titled. Most viewers aren't going to get what they want or what the title seems to promise, which is an overview of the greatest aircraft of past 100 or so years. What the film is is a look at the process of bringing the latest aeronautical "legend" into production, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It's a fairly interesting process that makes for a fairly interesting movie, but audiences need know ahead of time that there's definitely a disconnect between the title and what's actually offered. Image Entertainment's Blu-ray 3D release of Legends of Flight delivers a satisfactory technical presentation and a few extras. Worth a rental.
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