Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Following a dubious big-screen debut three years prior, the fate of the entire Star Trek franchise was at risk when The Wrath of Khan opened to somewhat skeptical audiences. They needn’t have worried: Khan essentially saved Star Trek from potential doom and has gone on to become probably the most beloved of the Enterprise’s cinematic adventures. This time out, a ship full of trainees—under a familiar command crew—get more than they bargained for when they embark upon one of the most dangerous missions any of them will ever face. Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) returns to active duty only to face Khan (Ricardo Montalban), a figure from his past now consumed by unreasoning hatred. Having recently acquired a dreadful weapon, Khan is a menace not only to his old adversary but to the galaxy at large.

Limited by early-’80s production techniques and a tight budget, Khan still manages to tell one hell of a story. Seamless branching delivers both the theatrical and the Director’s Cut, the latter in HD here for the first time. The differences are mostly brief scene extensions that make for an interesting alternative to the well-worn edition.

Director Nicholas Meyer personally approved the gorgeous new 4K master of the film. The 2.35:1 image is clean while retaining a gentle layer of grain. Colors are deep, strong, and nuanced. In an early scene, we are struck by the reds: not just that of, say, Saavik’s Starfleet uniform but her cadet-status collar and indicia, and then the ominous alert glow across the bridge. Much of the movie is brightly lit yet filled with shadows, where the detail can roll off dramatically, but the blackness of space on my OLED is damned near perfect, each star seeming to float in three dimensions. Even footage on the ship’s main viewing screen shows a faint “video” geometric pattern. I cannot remember this movie ever looking better.

The Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track sounds suspiciously like the one from the 2009 Blu-ray, still doing wonders to sell these illusory sets as active 360-degree environments. The violent winds of Ceti Alpha V whip all around us, the expansive Mutara nebula swallows us whole, and the late James Horner’s thrilling score is magnificently mixed. The occasional bass flourishes are welcome, if not an LFE extravaganza, while much of the dialogue has obviously been looped.

All of the extras of note have been ported over, joined by a decent new making-of.

Blu-Ray
Studio: Paramount, 1982
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio Format: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Length:117 mins./113 mins. (Director’s Cut/Theatrical)
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban