Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens 3D Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

Disney has re-released 'Star Wars The Force Awakens' to Blu-ray with a new Blu-ray 3D presentation, new supplements in addition to carryover material from the last release, and attractive and collectible packaging. The release does not include a new Atmos or DTS:X soundtrack; it merely ports over the old release's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. Read on for more information and photographs of the packaging.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

With so much build and hype around the release, and because it's Star Wars, the chances of Disney making a mess, or not living up to the potential, of The Force Awakens' 3D release was slim-to-none, and indeed, the studio has delivered. Frankly, it's a great experience that borders on the amazing. Seeing the famed yellow title offset against space, pushing backwards against a seemingly very distant star field makes it seem like seeing it for the first time. The scrolling text is even more interesting; being angled rather than parallel, the 3D effect against the starry black backdrop is even more pronounced and eye-catching. Ships seem to have a tangible place in space. Whether lumbering Star Destroyers (which appears to protrude from the screen when seen at a nearly dead-on angle at the 36:45 mark) or zipping TIE Fighters, the craft appear to have a both a three dimensional shape and an identifiable place within all three dimensions, not simply plopped on top of a blackened canvas. Movement is very fluid and the ships on the three dimensional plane always hold true to relative locations, even at fast speed.

Beyond the scrolling text and the position of ships, the movie's opening sequence on Jakku does very well to set the tone for the rest of the 3D presentation. Even as it takes place at night with relatively low light, depth and shape are obvious. BB-8's rotund body and dome-like head are tangibly voluminous here (and elsewhere) and the droid feels fully formed and functional. A straight-on shot featuring Poe Dameron receiving critical intel at the beginning of the movie is one of the more relatively flat shots to be found, given the angle and the lack of real spacing in the fairly cramped dwelling in which he and the other character sit, but even then background objects take on a more obvious shape and the distance between the characters and the doorway is made very obvious, even at a small distance. Contrast that with the famous shot of the stormtroopers packed in dual rows on the transport ship, with the lights flickering as they land on the planet. There's a fantastic sense of depth that stretches backwards. The troopers themselves appear very shapely, too, and the viewer gets a strong sense of just how big -- and cramped -- the transport ship really is. Poe's X-Wing reveals the long lines of the nose section with ease as he and BB-8 attempt to board and take off. Little floating bits of ember appear deep inside, and in front of, the screen in the aftermath of the First Order's assault.

Rey's trek through the remains of the Star Destroyer in the next scene shows some of the longest and most complex examples of depth in the film and, indeed, the 3D format. They're rather short-lived, but some of the Jakku terrain shots, even as monochromatic and otherwise visually uninteresting as they may be, seem to stretch on and on, whether flatlands or the steep slope down which she slides after leaving the decrepit ship. The movie is simply a treasure trove of 3D goodness, including a brand new way to experience the Falcon's cockpit, both its shape and all of the little buttons and instruments in it; gashes and dents on Kylo Ren's mask; or the expanse below Kyo Ren and Han solo during a key scene late in the movie. There are too many to list in what would simply amount a bullet-point highlight reel, so suffice it to say that this is a masterful 3D image. It gets every scene just right, with, on this review equipment, no signs of crosstalk and an always-accurate and fluid sense of depth and movement and protrusion on those occasions when the latter makes sense. The only downside is that the image appears a shade darker than its 2D counterpart and aliasing/shimmering is a minor concern along a few mostly straight lines here and there. Otherwise, detail remains excellent and the movie is simply a pleasure to watch in 3D. It's nearly like seeing it for the first time all over again.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This Blu-ray 3D release of The Force Awakens does not offer a new audio track; Disney has carried over the previous release's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. For a full review, please click here.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Force Awakens' Blu-ray 3D packaging makes a big impression the first time seeing and holding it. It's a fair bit larger than a standard Blu-ray release: taller, thicker, and wider. It's a handful, and feels big, but only big enough to stand apart. More precisely, the package measures a shade over 7" high, a hair under 6" wide, and nearly 1.25" deep. The outer box is very sturdy and presents with something of a rubbery texture, with a permanently attached lenticular image of Rey holding a lightsaber offset inside, giving it a matted or shadowbox look. It's black with only gold lettering that says "Collector's Edition" at the top. Its very classy and attractive; fans and collectors will want to carve out some space to display it dead-on rather than than simply from the spine, which is neatly simplistic and features gold Star Wars The Force Awakens 3D lettering with no studio logos, micro pictures, or other adds that only get in the way of the presentation. This outer box slides into a cardboard sheet that covers the back and only a small portion of the bottom-front and sides of the box. The back page offers the basics: an image of whats inside, bonus features listing, and the cluster of technical and legalese odds and ends at the bottom. It looks and feels like a premium release that should cost a little more than it does.

Inside the box is a fold-open DigiPak casing that's approximately the same size as the outer shell, smaller just enough to snuggly fit inside. On the front is an image of the snowy lightsaber duel between Rey and Ren. The flip side depicts Rey and Finn running form an explosion on Jakku. A photo of Han and Chewie's entrance into the film and the Falcon appears on the third panel, which is also visible upon opening the case. Opening the trifold case entirely reveals an empty panel on the left and clear plastic hubs in the middle and on the right that hold the four discs in the set (2D Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, special features, and DVD). All three panels depict a single image of the Falcon warping through space by way of a cockpit view behind Han and Rey. A code for digital access to special features and the movie's digital copy are also inside, loose.

The Blu-ray 3D release of The Force Awakens contains a collection of new and old supplements on the included 2D-only Blu-ray discs. No unique 3D bonus content is available. Below is a breakdown of what's included. Note that all supplements, save for the commentary track, are presented on the dedicated supplemental disc. New material is marked as such, and reviewed. Carryover content reviews can be found by clicking here. Two of the "new" supplements -- The Scavenger & the Stormtrooper: A Conversation with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega and Inside the Armory -- were previously available digitally via the Target exclusive Blu-ray release of the film. For reviews of those supplements, please click here. A DVD copy of the film and a Disney digital copy code are included with purchase.

• NEW! Audio Commentary: Director J.J. Abrams delivers a terrific commentary, opening with a passionate recount of seeing the original film for the first time and the franchise's influence on cinema. He transitions into a detailed examination of making the movie. He discusses staying in line with the series' roots and capturing the look and feel of the franchise in the new film. He shares plenty of insights on practical and digital effects, shooting locations, film and story structure, development, alterations in ideas and concepts throughout the filmmaking process, cast and performances, costume and set design, sound effects, various challenges of the filmmaking process, characterizations, music, and so much more. It's a fabulous track that doesn't just offer behind-the-scenes highlights but that truly delves into what Star Wars means and the process of making a movie of this scale but also with so much history, establishment, and expectations behind it. It's a fabulous track that's well worth the price of admission alone. After listening, it almost feels like the fantastic 3D visuals are the bonus.
• Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey
• The Story Awakens: The Table Read
• Crafting Creatures
• Building BB-8
• Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight
• ILM: The Visual Magic of the Force
• John Williams: The Seventh Symphony
• NEW! Deleted Scenes (1080p): In addition to the previously released deleted scenes (Finn and the Villager, Jakku Message, X-Wings Prepare for Lightspeed, Kylo Searches The Falcon, Snow Speeder Chase, and Finn Will Be Fine), the following have been included for this release: Leia & The Resistance (0:17), Unkar Plutt at Maz's Castle (0:50), and Tunnel Standoff (1:00).
• Force for Change
• NEW! Foley: A Sonic Tale (1080p, 4:02): Foley Artists Denise Thorpe, Jana Vance, Ronni Brown, Andrea Gard, and Kim Patrick discuss the unique process of making some of the key sound effects for the film.
• NEW! Sounds of the Resistance (1080p, 7:15): Matthew Wood, J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy, Ben Burtt, Gary Rydstrom, and Christopher Scarabosio discuss the iconic sounds of Star Wars, creating new sounds for the film, and blending them with visuals and music.
• NEW! Dressing the Galaxy (1080p, 6:27): A closer look at the film's costumes with Michael Kaplan and key cast and crew speaking on some of the most important costumes in the film and how they shape the movie around them.
• The Scavenger & The Stormtrooper: A Conversation with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega
• Inside the Armory

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's a shame Disney didn't release this right off the bat, but double dipping profits and all that. Regardless, without a UHD presentation on the market (which one would think is bound to come sooner or later), this is, by far, the definitive version The Force Awakens. The 3D video is fantastic; fans of the film, the Star Wars universe, or 3D in general owe it to themselves to experience it. The added supplements -- including the wonderful commentary track -- and attractive packaging make this one of the year's best releases, if not the best, and it earns my highest recommendation.