Galaxy Quest Blu-ray Review
Score: 72
from 5 reviewers
Review Date:
Galaxy Quest's Blu-ray delivers a superb technical presentation and a timeless, highly enjoyable parody that both 'Star Trek' and comedy fans will adore.
![Galaxy Quest Blu-ray Front Cover](https://images.mightychroma.me/reviews/xlarge_galaxy_quest_blu_ray_front_f1963d8181.jpeg)
Disc Release Date
Dolby TrueHD
Video: 72
The Blu-ray release of 'Galaxy Quest' features a solid 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 transfer in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, showcasing sharp details, natural skin tones, and rich colors despite some film grain and mild Digital Noise Reduction. The new presentation bypasses the film’s original aspect ratio changes, resulting in a consistent viewing experience.
Audio: 72
Galaxy Quest's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack offers a competent and dynamic mix, featuring clear dialogue, robust bass, and immersive use of the surround speakers for spaceship ambience and explosions. The soundtrack effectively enhances the viewing experience, though it remains somewhat front-heavy in certain scenes.
Extra: 69
Galaxy Quest's Blu-ray extras, such as ‘Historical Documents’ and ‘Never Give Up, Never Surrender,’ provide insightful interviews and behind-the-scenes looks at production and casting, while ‘By Grabthar’s Hammer, What Incredible Effects’ details the impressive special effects work. Fans will enjoy the interactive Galactopedia and the quirky Thermian audio track.
Movie: 78
"Galaxy Quest" soars on Blu-ray with a commendable 1080p transfer, Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound, and a bounty of insightful featurettes. This affectionate and clever Star Trek parody features standout performances from Tim Allen, Alan Rickman, and Sigourney Weaver, blending sharp satire with genuine homage.
![Loading](https://images.mightychroma.me/content/xlarge_Mighty_Chroma_Square_Logo_0973ab8c2d.png)
Video: 72
The Blu-ray release of "Galaxy Quest" offers a commendable 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 transfer in a widescreen 2.40:1 aspect ratio, living up to high expectations. The high-definition detail stands out, showcasing defined sharpness and dimensional depth. The colors are vibrantly rendered, reflecting delineation and tonal warmth across differing scenes. One noteworthy aspect is the satisfying contrast which enhances both bright and dark sequences, especially evident in scenes aboard the NSEA Protector and outer space shots. Skin tones are remarkably accurate, bringing out complexional nuances among the cast. Despite occasional mild grain in darker shots, the overall image remains filmic and appealing.
The transfer maintains consistency in presenting smooth metallic surfaces and textures within the spaceship, though the grey color scheme can dull visual impact at times. Nevertheless, alien character designs, particularly those of the green antagonists led by Sarris, display impressive detailing and texture work. Black levels are robust, ensuring solid image depth throughout. The decision to skip the intermediate 1.85:1 expansion stage used in the theater in favor of a direct transition to 2.40:1 on home video preserves visual cohesion without noticeably jarring audiences. Minimal use of Digital Noise Reduction ensures sharpness in most scenes, though some may notice slight smearing in motion.
In summary, "Galaxy Quest" on Blu-ray delivers a solid visual presentation. The clean transfer retains a minor film grain layer that enhances its cinematic feel. Colors are clean and faithful, although not exceptionally vibrant. Despite limited Dynamic Range enhancement, the Blu-ray meets high-definition standards essential for catalog releases, making it a satisfactory upgrade over the DVD version for fans and newcomers alike.
Audio: 72
The audio presentation of "Galaxy Quest" on Blu-ray arrives with a compelling Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround soundtrack. The mix uses surround speakers effectively to enhance the ambiance, capturing the essence of spaceship interiors and sci-fi convention settings. Dialogue remains crisp and clear, even amid action sequences, ensuring intelligibility throughout. The low-frequency effects add weight to the soundstage, particularly during explosions and while the spaceship, Protector, maneuvers across scenes. David Newman's musical score comes alive through the main stereo pair, offering impressive clarity and depth without overshadowing the film's audio elements.
The track skillfully employs dynamic range, rendering a well-balanced soundscape. Though some sequences are front-heavy, the overall mix integrates powerful sound effects, precise directionality, and robust bass. Ships swoop from front to back, weapons fire penetrates the listening area, and explosions pack a substantial punch. Subtle effects like the engine’s hum contribute to building an atmospheric listening experience. The audio mix excels at reproducing sounds accurately within the sound field, creating a sense of panic during intense scenes with detailed environmental cues that enrich the cinematic feel.
While the surround play is somewhat more directional compared to modern mixes, the rear channels remain active and contribute to an excellent overall audio experience. The sound mix on Earth is relatively reserved, focusing primarily on dialogue, but in outer space scenes, the mix comes alive with moderate bass action and enhanced surround activity. Despite these enhancements, "Galaxy Quest" does not transform into an auditory spectacle; it offers a solid, quality listening experience bolstered by Newman's brassy musical themes and consistent dialogue reproduction.
Extra: 69
The Blu-ray extras for "Galaxy Quest" offer a comprehensive and enjoyable deep dive into the film’s production and legacy. Noteworthy is the Galactopedia, an interactive feature containing extensive trivia and film information, expertly crafted by Michael and Denise Okuda. Historical documents, cast and crew interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage add valuable insights. Specific highlights include the evolution of Thermian speech patterns and substantial special effects commentary by Stan Winston and ILM artists. The array of deleted scenes and quirky additions like Sigourney Weaver's rap add to the fun. The Thermian Audio Track provides a unique, though brief, humorous twist for dedicated fans.
Extras included in this disc:
- Historical Documents: Interviews about production.
- Never Give Up, Never Surrender: Casting insights.
- By Grabthar's Hammer, What Incredible Effects: Special effects breakdown.
- Alien School: Creating the Thermian Race: Thermian character creation.
- Actors in Space: Reflections on typecasting.
- Sigourney Weaver Raps: Fun rap performance.
- Deleted Scenes: Eight scenes with director/writer intros.
- Theatrical Trailer: Vintage marketing material.
- Galactopedia: Interactive feature with extensive trivia.
- Thermian Audio Track: Entire movie dubbed in Thermian.
Movie: 78
"Galaxy Quest," a brilliant parody of the science fiction genre, presents a unique blend of humor, tribute, and satire that delights both die-hard fans and casual viewers alike. The 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 encoded transfer on Blu-ray, framed at 2.40:1, preserves the film’s visual integrity with robust color, contrast, and sharpness. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack leverages surround speakers effectively, enriching ambient soundscapes and action sequences with substantial LFE influence. Dialogue remains clear and crisp throughout, enhancing the viewer’s immersive experience.
The narrative follows the washed-up cast of an '80s sci-fi show who learn their fictional adventures have been mistaken for reality by an alien race. These aliens recreate the show’s spaceship in meticulous detail, enlisting the actors to save their species from a malevolent warlord. "Galaxy Quest" excels with its clever screenplay that turns familiar 'Star Trek' tropes and fandom minutiae into comedy gold. Tim Allen's portrayal of the egoistic Captain Taggart parallels William Shatner’s iconic Captain Kirk, while Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver provide strong supporting roles that juxtapose their serious acting prowess with their characters' exasperating sci-fi personas.
With its deft subversion of science fiction clichés—ranging from predictably destructible red shirts to elaborately shaking bridge sets—"Galaxy Quest" manages to embrace and poke fun at its inspirations with equal affection. The skillful blend of intelligent references to sci-fi lore and genuine emotional beats ensures this film stands out as a comedic gem that resonates across audience demographics. The Featurettes and deleted scenes included in the Blu-ray package add intriguing production insights for enthusiasts, bolstering the overall viewing experience.
Total: 72
"Galaxy Quest" is a comedic masterpiece that brilliantly balances its own unique identity while cleverly parodying and paying homage to the vast Star Trek universe. The film adeptly engages both dedicated Star Trek fans and general audiences with its witty satire. Tim Allen delivers a standout performance, channeling the essence of William Shatner with remarkable accuracy. DreamWorks’ Blu-ray release excels in its visual and audio presentation, ensuring fans can enjoy the film in high definition. The technical quality of this Blu-ray is commendable, making for an immersive viewing experience.
The Blu-ray's bonus features enhance its appeal, with highlights including the entertaining Galactopedia trivia interface, which adds an additional layer of enjoyment for viewers. While the Blu-ray may not be flawless, it performs admirably, presenting a clear and dynamic audiovisual experience. The decade since its release has not diminished the film’s charm; if anything, its comedic value has endured and remains robust.
In conclusion, "Galaxy Quest" is a highly recommended addition to any sci-fi or comedy enthusiast’s collection. Its ability to blend humor with genuine affection for the genre makes it a standout film. The Blu-ray release, despite minor imperfections, offers a well-rounded package that is worth having. Whether you are new to "Galaxy Quest" or revisiting it, this Blu-ray edition will not disappoint.
avforums review by AVForumsRead review here
Video: 70
Grain isn't a problem, only really surfacing in the occasional dark shot but not on any of the outer space model shots....
Audio: 70
The audio on 'Galaxy Quest' comes in a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround flavour which uses the surround speakers to convey the ambience of spaceship interiors as well as the hall effects of a Sci-Fi convention....
Extras: 70
This short does what it says on the tin by covering in reasonable depth the effects work on the razor-teethed babies, the rock monster, Sarris' costume work including interviews with Stan Winston, and...
Movie: 80
The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack features good use of the surround speakers in creating ambience with LFE in the action scenes....
Total: 70
Blu-ray.com review by Martin LiebmanRead review here
Video: 80
The bulk of the film, however, takes place inside the Protector where smooth metallic surfaces and a bland gray color scheme take away any opportunity for the film to visually impress....
Audio: 80
One of the film's signature scenes -- the "chompers" that famously represent lazy writing that serves not to further the technical realities of a fictional universe but instead create a situation for false...
Extras: 60
Historical Documents: The Story of 'Galaxy Quest' (480i, 18:13) features cast and crew speaking about the film's place in Science Fiction lore, the themes and tone of the film, the "Star Trek" and science...
Movie: 100
From the wonderfully-crafted characters that embody the best "Star Trek" has to offer to the implementation of rabid fans and conventions as a crucial element to the plot, Galaxy Quest boldly embodies...
Total: 80
Painting the cast, the characters they play, and their most ardent fans as heroes, Galaxy Quest betters the admittedly fun Trekkies by giving the fans their rightful due and painting them as perhaps slightly...
The Digital Bits review by Bill HuntRead review here
Video: 80
Audio: 80
The surround play is a little more directional that more recent mixes, but the rear channels are lively and the overall audio experience is excellent....
Extras: 85
Movie: 95
It’s also wonderfully universal, so you’re likely to enjoy it whether you’re Trek-savvy or not....
Total: 85
...
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 60
The movie also has two or three lines of subtitled alien dialogue, and the subtitles are placed within the 2.40:1 movie image....
Audio: 60
This was done during the original production in order to secure a PG rating, and is not the result of any later censorship....
Extras: 60
The old DVD released back in 2000 had a 10-minute making-of featurette, some cast & crew bios, production notes, and a secret "Omega 13" gag that tied in with the movie....
Movie: 80
In the years since, he and the cast of fellow washed-up actors (Alan Rickman as the bumpy-headed alien, Sigourney Weaver as the aging sexpot, Tony Shalhoub as the mildly-offensive racial stereotype, Daryl...
Total: 60
It also has some fairly interesting bonus features, especially the hilarious Galactopedia trivia interface....
AVSForumRead review here
Video: 88
Contrast is strong which enlivens colors and enriches sequences containing both light and dark elements....
Audio: 84
Detail is rendered with aplomb which attenuates slight environmental cues and augmented the subtle texture of voices and sound effects....
Extras: 70
Galactopedia - interactive feature containing film info about people, technology, locations and more Historical documents: The story of Galaxy quest - 18 minute featurette Never give up, never surrender:...
Movie: 80
Now, twenty years later, aliens under attack have mistaken the Galaxy Quest television transmissions for "historical documents" and beamed up the crew of has-been actors to save the universe....
Total: 81
THX Ultra 2 Preamp/Video Processor Sherbourn Technologies - 7/200 Seven Channel Amplifier Oppo BDP-83 Universal disc/Blu-ray Player (HDMI Audio/Video)...
Director: Dean Parisot
Actors: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman
PlotA group of has-been actors, who once starred in a popular sci-fi TV series, spend their day-to-day lives attending fan conventions and making public appearances. Their show, which depicted a space-faring crew, has long been off the air, but the cast continues to cash in on its cult status. The actors' lives take an unexpected turn when they are approached by a group of actual aliens who have mistaken the TV series for historical documentaries. Desperate and under attack, these extraterrestrials ask the actors to help save their species from the genocidal oppressor, Sarris.
Initially bewildered and reluctant, the cast soon realizes the gravity of the situation. Using the show's old catchphrases and the aliens' real yet familiar looking spaceship, the once-fictional crew must now navigate real-life space danger. The actors rise to the occasion, attempting to play their roles for real, using their limited acting skills to devise strategies and interact with alien technology. The journey forces them to confront the exaggerated personas they've inhabited for years and discover newfound resilience within themselves. Through a series of challenges, they realize that they may be more than the mere characters they once played, but not without several humorous and dramatic twists along the way.
Writers: David Howard, Robert Gordon
Release Date: 25 Dec 1999
Runtime: 102 min
Rating: PG
Country: United States
Language: English