BLU-RAY REVIEW

Star Trek: Generations 4K Ultra HD

Featured In Issue 266, March/April 2023

Picture5
Sound5
WSR Score3
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Paramount Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
3000094716
(MPAA Rating):
PG
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$90.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-100)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
117
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
ABC
(Theatrical Year):
1996
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
4/4/2023
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
David Carson
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
Dolby TrueHD 7.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

Based upon "Star Trek", created by Gene Roddenberry, "Star Trek: Generations" is the seventh in the series. Retired Starfleet officer James T. Kirk (William Shatner) is found by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) seven decades later, after his supposed death. A mysterious energy ribbon, the Nexus, brings them together to rescue the Enterprise-D. (Tricia Spears)

Special features include commentary by Director David Carson and Manny Coto; commentary by Brandon Braga and Ronald D. Moore; and a "Library Computer" interactive experience that allows you to access information about people, technology, locations, and more at the moment each appears in the film. The following featurettes can be found under Production: Uniting Two Legends (SD 25:40), Stellar Cartography: Creating The Illusion (SD 09:23), Strange New Worlds: The Valley Of Fire (SD 22:42), and Scoring Trek (HD 08:57). Visual Effects features Inside ILM: Models & Miniatures (SD 09:39) and Crashing The Enterprise (SD 10:44); three Scene Deconstruction featurettes: Main Title (SD 03:32), The Nexus Ribbon (SD 07:08), and Saucer Crash Sequence (SD 04:50); and The Star Trek Universe, which includes: A Tribute To Matt Jefferies (SD 19:38), The Enterprise Lineage (SD 12:49), Captain Picard's Family Album (SD 07:05), Creating 24th Century Weapons (SD 13:48), Next Generation Designer Flashback Andrew Probert (HD 05:04), Stellar Cartography On Earth (HD 07:39), Brent Spiner Data And Beyond Part 1 (HD 10:21), Trek Roundtable Generations (HD 12:23), and Starfleet Academy Scisec Brief 007 Trilithium (HD 03:06). Also included are four deleted scenes, three storyboards, a production gallery, a teaser trailer, the theatrical trailer, BD-Live interactivity, and upfront ads.

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD Dolby Vision/HDR10 picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, was photographed digitally using the Arri Alexa camera system and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate format. As with the previous Star Trek VI, shows richly saturated reds, vibrant blues, and deep blacks; giving it a bold picture quality. Flesh tones are also nicely balanced, with good definition and healthy hues. The picture is sharp and detailed, with satisfying textures and clarity. The source element is consistently revealing, and there are fewer artifacts noticed than with the previous editions. Resolution is generally impressive, and edge enhancement is not a factor. HDR contrast is defined nicely with deep, solid blacks, and near-black shadows are delineated well. The combination provides a dimensional-looking image that is enjoyable. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel encoding exhibits an excellently layered soundtrack that delivers an engaging three-dimensional holosonic® soundfield. There are many instances of the very exemplary sound design that envelops the soundfield with aggressive surround and dynamic energy. Fidelity is superb, as this mix is one of the best remasterings regarding the film franchise of Star Trek. Deep bass is tight, powerful, and impactful; hits you in the gut many times with powerful low frequencies in the sub-25 Hz range. The newer version gives the listener a more immersive four-channel surround envelopes with a much cleaner and wide open soundtrack, with nicely crafted pans and good dialogue spatial integration. (Gary Reber)