J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek comes to DVD and Blu-ray
There’s no doubt that J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek was one of the biggest movies of the summer. The epic prequel hits stores Tuesday on DVD and Blu-ray, loaded with special features and extras that are sure to please diehard Trekkers and new fans alike.
The two-disc set includes the film and a commentary track with Abrams, executive producer Bryan Burk, producer Damon Lindelof and writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci as well as a digital copy of the film and a host of mini-features about the making of the film and the challenges of taking on a series with such a diehard fanbase.
The feature about the cast is particularly fun since all the actors expertly handled the daunting task of updating Star Trek’s beloved characters. Finding out how they arrived at Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as Kirk and Spock is interesting and hearing from other cast members, like Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin and Eric Bana about how they prepared to take on these roles provides another level for the film itself. Newcomers will enjoy seeing the cast of the film and hardcore fans will enjoy hearing comments from Leonard Nimoy and others associated with the original series.
Aside from the cast, one of the biggest factors that made the film so spectacular was special effects. When you see how many old-school tricks Abrams and Co. pulled, you’re amazed to learn that not every big budget blockbuster must depend entirely on a green screen. Many of the aliens were actors in makeup as opposed to completely digital creations and miniatures or camera shakes added layers to the film that gave everything a more authentic feel.
With such an epic film based on such a beloved series it would be easy for the DVD to become bloated with clips about every last detail of production, but thankfully, the DVD seems to contain just the right amount of special features. The first disc holds everything your average fan could want, while the second disc will appease more hardcore fans. So, weather you’re just a cadet or you’ve passed the Kobayashi Maru you’ll enjoy the Star Trek DVD and Blu-ray.
