Plot: What’s it about?
Based on the popular video game of the same name, Wing Commander is one of those movies that just didn’t work at the theater. It has good special effects and tremendous sound, but it just didn’t click with movie goers, especially fans of the game. Here’s a brief story run down. The Earth is in serious danger, and only a group of wild pilots can save it. This group is undisciplined and wacky, but they’re also very good at what they do. The threat? An alien race, the Kilrathi, are planning an attack on our home planet. The movie has some bad casting choices, with Freddie Prinze, Jr., Saffron Burrows, and Matthew Lillard playing the leads. These three never seem to find themselves within the roles, which all but dooms the movie from the green light. The movie does have some good computer generated effects, which surprised me somewhat. As much as I dislike the cast and writing, I do find myself enjoying this movie, maybe for it’s unintentional comedy of errors. With movies like this, there’s always an audience out there, so don’t dismiss it without seeing it. If you’re a hardcore sci/fi fanatic, give this a rental.
Video: How does it look?
Wing Commander is presented in 2.35:1 non anamorphic widescreen, which is solid, but could have been great with some small changes. The image looks sharp, which is due to the film’s quick transfer onto home video. The colors look great, with vibrant hues that clash well with the darkness of the space scenes. Speaking of blackness, the contrast levels are accurate, with great shadow layering and little to no detail loss. There is some minor shimmering, but no other compression errors.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is easily the best section of this disc. The Dolby 5.1 track will have every speaker working double time, and you’ll feel like you’re right in the middle of the space shootouts. Even the subwoofer will be alive and kicking throughout most of the movie. With all this sound pulsing through your system, the dialogue gets a little overwhelmed, but you can still hear what the speakers are saying.
Supplements: What are the extras?
– The disc includes talent files, the theatrical trailer, and some television spots.
