Mars
(2016 Mini-Series/National Geographic/Fox Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: B Episodes: B
From
Executive Producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard comes the cinematic
docudrama Mars (2016) - a National Geographic series that
centers around a fictional mission to mars, while interweaving actual
facts about the red planet. While the story of a trip to mars has
been done several times before, the documentary aspect of this series
that is brought to life with interviews by powerful minds such as
Neil deGrasse Tyson, Elon Musk, and Stephen Petranek to name a few,
that help keep the series fresh.
When
a mission to mars becomes crucial to the future survival of the human
race in the year 2033, a group of astronauts end up on the foreign
planet after a long journey far from home. Mars is an interesting
look at what could be in the not too distant future, giving its
audience a realistic (and often dramatic) view of how a historic
event like this would take place.
Presented
in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and
a nice sounding DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless track, the
transfer here is very nice and fuses HD footage with archival footage
of past and real NASA missions in opening sections. Lots of detail
is on characters as well - this disc could be a good candidate for
UHD. The tones on Mars itself is expectantly bleak, many of the
other scenes are very cinematic and obviously high in production
value with theatrical-style special effects. The breathtaking
photography of the series definitely makes it a worthwhile watch for
those interested in the subject matter. Surprisingly, no digital UV
copy is included.
Special
Features:
Making
MARS
BEFORE
MARS - A Prequel
BEFORE
MARS Behind the Scenes
Getting
to MARS Featurettes
Living
on MARS Featurettes
More
MARS Featurettes
Behind-the-scenes
featurettes
Cast
& Crew Interviews
More
than just another Mars documentary o melodrama, this high budgeted
series is geared for scientific minds and could be enjoyed in a
classroom as well as at home.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
