Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 22, 2021

Paramount has released 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan' to Blu-ray with a remastered 1080p transfer. Beyond some cosmetic changes to menu layout and packaging, the disc appears to be identical to the 2016 Theatrical/Director's Cut remastered disc. No new primary audio track or supplemental contents are included. This disc is available individually, unlike the concurrently released UHD, which is only available as part of a four-film boxed set.

The director's cut largely expands on the character of Peter Preston, a wet-behind-the-ears but disciplined and committed trainee who was stationed in engineering alongside his uncle, Montgomery Scott. The key added scenes further build the character during an exchange with Admiral Kirk during ship's inspection and, later, an extended scene following Preston's death in sickbay.

The movie as a whole is powerful and resonates deeply, even more so over the years and with maturity gained both with the crude passage of time and by the accumulation of finer life experiences. Star Trek II is a classic, and arguably, outside of Star Trek fans, a grossly under appreciated one at that. The film is a carefully structured and lyrically penned masterpiece of deep thematic relevance that comments not simply on the characters and the Star Trek universe but also the greater non-malleable human condition, relevant in any century. The movie is shaped, shot, and presented with incredible clarity and relatable realism in its dramatic structure, all the while constructed around an extraordinarily entertaining movie experience, cemented by the late James Horner's remarkable universe-shaping and theme-defining score.

For more thoughts on the film, please click here.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

This appears to be the same video transfer used for the 2016 Blu-ray issue. For a full review please click here.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This Blu-ray utilizes the same Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack found on the original 2009 Blu-ray and the 2016 reissue. For a full review, please click here.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan contains the full suite of extras from the 2016 Blu-ray. Below is a list of what's included. Please click here for full coverage. A digital copy code is included with purchase, but a DVD copy is not. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• Audio Commentary: Director Nicholas Meyer.
• Audio Commentary: Director Nicholas Meyer and Manny Coto (Theatrical Version).
• Text Commentary: Michael and Denise Okuda (Director's Cut).
• Library Computer (Theatrical Version)
• The Genesis Effect: Engineering The Wrath of Khan
• Production
  
  
  • Captain's Log
  • Designing Khan
  • Original Interviews with William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, and Ricardo Montalban
  • Where No Man Has Gone Before: The Visual Effects of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
  • James Horner: Composing Genesis
• The Star Trek Universe
  
  
  • Collecting Star Trek's Movie Relics
  • A Novel Approach
  • Starfleet Academy SciSec Brief 002: Mystery Behind Ceti Alpha VI
• Farewell: A Tribute to Ricardo Montalban
• Storyboards
• Theatrical Trailer

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While there are no differences between this and the 2016 release beyond some menu redesigning and packaging alterations, it does include a fresh digital code and the packaging matches the companion new release (and remastered) Blu-rays. The UHD is superior but this a high class Blu-ray as it is. Highly recommended.