6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.1 |
When two men emerge from a deep sleep in the middle of space, they discover that they have no memories of who they are and where they're going. But their memory loss pales in comparison to the problem of the murderous warriors on board their ship who don't want to leave anyone alive.
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet, Antje Traue, Cung LeThriller | 100% |
Action | 59% |
Horror | 56% |
Sci-Fi | 56% |
Mystery | 20% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy (on disc)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
There is no rescue and there is no turning around.
Pandorum is a movie of decent ideas and sound execution, but at the same time a film that
cannot escape something of a "been there, done that" sort of feel that always keeps it from
achieving loftier heights and competing with some of the greats of the Science Fiction/Horror hybrid
sub-genre. Indeed, Pandorum feels more like a compilation film, an effort to take the best
ideas of the giants of years past and assemble the ultimate in deep space Horror filmmaking, but
the result is an entertaining but never enlightening experience, a picture that's of relentless tone
and pacing but short on originality and purpose. Director Christian Alvart infuses his picture with a
darkened, dreary tone that itself is of common design, but it's almost something of a necessary
addition to any picture of this sort where mind, body, and spirit are at odds with not only the
environment and the unknown but with one another, where the deepest bowls of the human
condition are forced to endure a hellacious trial in the midst of chaotic tumult at a level that
combines the primal with the technologically advanced.
Here's lookin' at you, Bower.
Pandorum arrives on Blu-ray with a true-to-the-source 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. As noted above, Pandorum is a predominantly dark film with only a few splashes of bright color coming mostly in white-drenched backdrops that sharply offset the generally murky and disquieting mood established through the bulk of the picture. This Blu-ray disc handles the darkened material well; blacks are suitably dark and deep but not abundantly absorbing of surrounding details. Faint light sources -- flashlights or glow sticks -- produce nary a hint of banding. Fine detail is strong where applicable; while the blacks don't tend to swallow detail, the film's drab appearance does mask the finest nuances and textures, but appropriately lit and up-close shots of faces, bulkheads, metallic floor plates, and other assorted objects reveal lifelike subtleties that prove the worth of the 1080p transfer. As expected, the color palette is muted in most cases; only the blue luminescence of electronic readouts or the dim light emitted from green and yellow glow sticks permeate the darkness and lend a hint of color to the proceedings. Insofar as they are visible underneath the blackness and influenced by monotone color sources, flesh tones appear naturally rendered throughout. Additionally, Pandorum retains a fine layer of grain that lends to the image a handsome cinematic texture. For a movie primed to be troublesome, Pandorum instead looks great on Blu-ray.
Pandorum is a film that's highly dependent on its sound design, and this Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack gets the job done in every frame. This track is incredibly aggressive, with nary a reprieve from the constant bombardment of shaking, rattling, and rolling that permeates every action scene. The track makes full use of the entire 5.1 spectrum; surrounds are continuously utilized in the creation of a practically seamless Horror environment with heavy industrial overtones, and the subwoofer kicks in with some prodigious but not overpowering bass that adds to the dynamics of the story and atmosphere. Indeed, whether the slow rumbling of the Elysium through space, the echoing of voices through the cavernous and metallic walls of the ship's pedestrian interior, or the clanking of metal-on-metal during some of the more pronounced action sequences, Pandorum's lossless soundtrack proves engaging and fun, with crystal-clear highs and a strong midrange supporting the many powerful lows. Most every action scene is nothing short of a symphony of sonic terror where pounding metal, screams, and music converge to greatly enhance the film's visual and thematic tones. With strong dialogue reproduction that only suffers on a few occasions as it competes with ambient effects and music, Pandorum makes for a near-reference quality listen on Blu-ray.
This Blu-ray release of Pandorum offers several extras. First is a commentary track with Director Christian Alvart and Producer Jeremy Bolt. The commentary is neither engaging nor bland, a middle-of-the-road effort that offers plenty of fascinating information that's both technical and historical in nature. The conversation begins by dissecting the different ideas that went into Pandorum and the marriage of many themes that made it into the film. They discuss the effort to lend realism to the picture, character arcs and the performances of the actors, the film's pacing, set design, and much more. Genre fans and admirers of the film will want to give this one a listen. Next are three featurettes. The World of 'Elysium:' Behind-the-Scenes Featurette (1080p, 13:59) is a basic but well-produced glimpse into the making of the film, featuring the obligatory cast and crew interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and clips from the movie. The piece focuses on the gritty realism of the picture; the ideas behind the film; allegorical undertones; character traits; special effects; makeup, costume, and prop design; and more. What Happened to Nadia's Team (1080p, 4:30) is a post-production piece that attempts to expand on the universe as depicted in the film. Flight Team Training Video (1080i, 2:45) provides a brief overview of the make-believe future history that plays crucial to the film. Also included is a collection of 16 deleted and extended scenes (1080p, 27:57), four 1080p still galleries (Models & Monsters, Designs & Drawings, On Set, and Turbine Pit Sequence Storyboard), the Pandorum theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:19), and additional 1080p trailers for Law Abiding Citizen, The Men Who Stare at Goats, Capitalism: A Love Story, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, and Party Down. Disc two of this set features a Windows-only Digital copy of Pandorum.
By picture's end and despite a series of interesting revelations that culminate in a conclusion that arrives expectedly but not within a wholly generic and predictable context, Pandorum comes across as a good all-around movie but not one that's destined to live on as anything more than a slightly better-than-average genre fright-fest. From its look to its themes and everything in between, there's nary a shred of originality in Pandorum, but it's still strongly realized and well-acted, making it worth a watch as mindless and transparent fun that, if nothing else, will engender a desire to go back and re-watch the better films from which it borrows so heavily. This Starz Blu-ray release does right by the film, delivering a 1080p picture quality that's reflective of the deliberately drab tone, a pulse-pounding Dolby TrueHD lossless soundtrack, and a few extras of note. Pandorum, and its Blu-ray release, are worth checking out, but the disc comes strongly recommended only as a rental until it sees a drop in price to where it would make a nice addition to the collection of any Science Fiction/Horror fan.
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