Prometheus

Archeologist couple Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Marshall-Green) discover a star map that they interpret as an invitation from humanity's forerunners, the "Engineers." Determined to find out more about them, the couple boards the scientific vessel Prometheus, created and funded by Peter Weyland (Pearce), CEO of Weyland Corporation. Lead by mission director Meredith Vickers (Theron) and monitored by Weyland's android David (Fassbender), the team of explorers find a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth and embark on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe, where they fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. (Tricia Spears)

Special features on the Blu-ray Disc featuring the film include commentary by Director/Producer Ridley Scott, commentary by Writer Jon Spaihts and Writer/Executive Producer Damon Lindelof, 14 deleted and alternate scenes with optional commentary by Editor Pietro Scalia and Visual Effects Supervisor Richard Stammers (HD 36:51), The Peter Weyland Files (HD 18:57), the Prometheus mobile app, and BD-Live. The Special Features disc includes The Furious Gods: Making Prometheus with the option of using the Enhancement mode, which allows you to go deeper into the world of Prometheus while watching the documentary (HD 03:40:56); and Weyland Corp Archive, which includes Pre-Production, Production, Release, and a Prometheus mobile app. Included is a 3D disc, a Blu-ray Disc, a Special Features disc, and a DVD and digital copy.

The 2.40:1 1080p AVC 3D picture is outstanding. The imagery was captured with the 3Ality Atom Technica/Red Epic Redcode Digital Stereoscopic Image System, almost entirely on the legendary Pinewood Studio's lot in England. The 70 mm IMAX 3D DMR blowup aspect ratio was 1.66:1. There was also an IMAX® Digital 3D version framed at 2.00:1. This 3D Blu-ray Disc version is framed at 2.39:1. Sets and lighting rigs were built specifically to provide Director Ridley Scott and Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski complete control over the photography. The exemplary low-light picture quality can be appreciated on both the 2D and 3D versions, which is attributive to the cinematic image quality. To optimize the image quality, "Prometheus" should be viewed in a blackened dark room through a display device with excellent native contrast performance. Noise is completely absent, and the picture exhibits an absolutely pristine appearance. The imagery is stunning, with a perfectly balanced color palette with distinctively rich and warm hues displayed throughout. Fleshtones are naturally hued throughout. Contrast is excellent with deep, solid and nuanced blacks and incredibly revealing shadow delineation. Resolution is extraordinary, with the finest textures and detail incredibly rendered. Such remarkable detail is seen in facial features, hair, clothing, and object textures. Every picture quality attribute is deservedly impressive on both the 2D and 3D versions. As a 3D experience, this is one of the finest live action presentations to date. The sense of depth and perspective is impressive, with the 3D effect almost entirely one of a positive parallax direction of looking into the frame, with minor out-of-screen effects. Throughout there is excellent natural-looking distinctions between foreground objects and their backgrounds, which heightens the natural depth that is so impressive. No crosstalk ghosting artifacts are evident when viewed on our JVC Professional projection system. This is one beautiful picture that exhibits incredible textural depth, dimension, and detail. The picture is reference quality throughout! (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 7.1-channel soundtrack is a testimony to the excellence of holosonic® mixing. The sound is dynamic, with effectively rendered and nuanced low-level ambient atmospherics and a variety of special effect sounds that dimensionalize the soundfield. The dramatic soundstaging and soundfield dimensionalization are never ending. Deep bass is extended in the .1 LFE channel at times to sub-25 Hz frequencies and at times is extremely powerful. The orchestral music score is projected widely and deeply across the soundstage, extending aggressively to the surrounds, for an immersive enveloping experience. Dialogue sounds natural and is effectively well integrated spatially. The dynamics and subtle ambient qualities, as well as the constant all-surrounding immersive thunderous low-frequency presence, is a symphony of sonic perfection. The channel allocations for the 7.1-channel soundtrack adhere to the Dolby® theatrical standard with the added two channels to the back. This is problematic for systems in which the surrounds in a 5.1-channel presentation are already positioned toward the back and not at 90 degrees relative to the primary listening position. Thus, with loudspeakers added to the 90-degree position requires some rewiring to allocate channels appropriately to adhere to the Dolby theatrical standard. This is one of those exemplary reference soundtracks that set the standard for sonic performance excellence. If your system is up to reproducing incredible sonics, you are in for a rewarding visceral experience that will not disappoint. (Gary Reber)