Review of Apollo 13

Introduction

Recent events have led the world to appreciate just how dangerous - yet so vital - space travel is. NASA, the world`s leading organisation in this field, lost seven brave souls and millions of dollars worth of investment when the space shuttle Columbia was lost during re-entry on 1 February 2003.

So it seems somewhat ironic that a mere few weeks later, a DVD popped through my letterbox that was the cinematic account of another tragedy that happened to NASA - although this tragedy had a happy ending. The event I am referring to was the crippled Apollo 13mission: back in the days before the shuttle program had begun.

In April 1970, it had been nearly a year since man first walked on the moon, but when things go seriously wrong, this `routine mission` becomes an intense battle for life over death. Stranded 205,000 miles from Earth in a crippled spacecraft astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) fight a desperate battle to survive. Meanwhile, at Mission Control, astronaut Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise), flight director Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) and a heroic ground crew race against time, and the odds, to bring them home.

Video

2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen. This being a recent film, one would expect a high quality print, and that is exactly what is on offer. The visuals are deep and well defined, with little to no edge enhancement, and there is no colour bleeding. The DVD replicates this detail with an artefact-free transfer - no compression signs or grain of any sorts are present luckily...save for one moment of slight pixellation during an exterior shot.

Ron Howard, who made his debut with Grand Theft Auto way back in 1977 (and no, it has absolutely nothing to do with the computer game series of the same name) and who would go on to win the Best Director Oscar for A Beautiful Mind (albeit undeservedly), helms this - and he is skilled to say the least. From the claustrophobic interior of the space craft to the more extensive locations, everything fits into place visually.

The way the weightlessness shots were completed is quite interesting: and before Apollo 13 it had never been done before. By simulating zero gravity by flying in jet planes at a certain degree angle, the crew were able to capture the effect in mere 25 second bursts - which must have been a logistical nightmare! But, to their credit, they pulled it off admirably, and the scenes where the astronauts float around really do look like the real deal.

Audio

Dolby Digital 5.1 (English) & Dolby Digital 2.0 (French, German, Italian & Spanish). Using the surround soundtrack as basis for this review, this reviewer can report another fine ambient mix for DVD. With some great use of the surrounds, plenty of definiton, and the subwoofer kicking in fairly frequently; the soundstage is vast and enveloping. The front channels are also used well for dialogue, so considering this is a fairly old release (DVD wise), it is all the more impressive.

The film is based on the book "Lost Moon" by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger - the former of course was one of the trio of astronauts on the ill-fated mission. Having never read the book, I approached Apollo 13 with an open mind: I knew what was going to happen, but I didn`t know how. The way the characters are fleshed out, as well as balancing action and tension, is very well done, and credit must also go to screenwriter William Broyles, Jr. for his work on the film.

Features

The main features on the DVD come in the form of two audio commentaries: the first with director Ron Howard, whose musings are interesting and insightful; and the second from astronaut Jim Lovell and his wife, Marilyn, as they openly discuss their feelings in hindsight - pretty powerful stuff really, considering the subject. Both tracks make essential listening.

Some static production notes are present, and considering my usual distaste for reading tiny text off a screen, I managed to fairly enjoy reading them - as they are interesting, albeit short.

There are some filmographies of the cast and crew to round off the extras, and these are the usual affair: good for trivia hunters, mind.

The menus are static, and in the old Universal style - slightly cluttered because icons depicting the style of each extra are littered everywhere. Due to this, they aren`t that easy to navigate, but once gotten to grips with, they serve their purpose.

Conclusion

In 1997 - two years later - Titanic faced the same problem: how can a film-maker construct a tense and successful film when the audience are well aware of the outcome?

But, in both cases, they have succeeded. In the case of Apollo 13, an involving script, powerful acting, and tense direction make up for the predictability of the plot.

From the opening as the astronauts rejoice as they are picked for this mission to the nail-biting climax (this is about the fourth time I have seen the film, yet still I was on the edge of my seat...), Apollo 13 serves up entertainment all round. All the elements slot into place during the 135 minute running time - which never drags - and this truly is a `thriller`: and it does stand up to repeat viewings well.

However, are there any flaws? Well, yeah, a couple. There are some factual errors (didn`t bother me at all, but some may not like the way the events have been `Hollywoodised`) and the odd moment where the pace lets up very slightly. Apart from that, nothing to hamper one`s enjoyment.

The disc itself is good...strong presentation and fairly good extras. I say only fairly good, as although the quality of what is on offer is very good, the quantity side is lacking. The two audio commentaries are the only worthwhile features, and whilst they are must-have additions, the absence of a making-of documentary and other informative extras is a shame. Hence why the score suffers.

Well worth adding to your collection, this is one DVD that can be fired up months after purchasing - whether it is to indulge in the very entertaining film or to listen to two pros in their respective fields chat about their feelings and reactions to what`s happening on-screen. Recommended for all DVD enthusiasts.