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Star Trek Into Darkness [4K UHD] (Bilingual)

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J.J. Abrams STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS is the best-reviewed blockbuster of the year. When a ruthless mastermind known as Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch) declares a one-man war on the Federation, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the daring crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise will embark on the greatest manhunt in history. It will take all of their skills and teamwork to defend Earth and eliminate Khan’s threat in this “sleek, thrilling epic.

Product details

• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Parcel Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18.03 x 13.76 x 1.48 cm; 81.65 g
• Director ‏ : ‎ J.J. Abrams
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ 4K, NTSC
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 11 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ June 14 2016
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish, Portuguese
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01DTQ67BW
• Country of origin ‏ : ‎ Canada
• #647 in Blu-ray

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Star Trek Into Darkness (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

Being a huge Star Wars fan all my life, who has more times than I care to admit called Star Trek boring, dull and lifeless with the exception of The Next Generation episodes Ashley Judd breathes life and beauty into, I was astonished by how much fun I had with J.J. Abrams fresh take on the franchise back in 2009.  In my opinion, he resuscitated the franchise, actually made it enjoyable even to loyal Star Wars fans and brought much needed life and energy back into it, not to mention some really humorous moments too.  And for that, I appreciated J.J. Abrams even more as a filmmaker and didn’t even bat an eye when this sequel was announced back in 2011.  I was so thrilled and taken aback by the first one, 2009’s Star Trek , that I had actually been genuinely pumped, geeked and uber excited for this next chapter in what I would presume to be a trilogy, Star Trek Into Darkness .   And quite honestly, I never thought I would ever utter those words that I am excited for anything Star Trek .  It feels like a betrayal to everything Star Wars (my life’s gospel) and that goes against all my rooted values, but sometimes you need to spice life up and stop being a hater, right?  Different is good!  Sometimes.  In this case…most definitely!

So this time out, J. J. Abrams returns to helm the USS Enterprise once again with a script written by Robert Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof.  The cast from the 2009 hit film returns with a few new faces.  John Cho, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Peter Weller and Anton Yelchin comprise the star-studded cast, sadly minus my girl, Rachel Nichols.  And in the grand scheme of things, this is actually the twelfth film in the Star Trek series, but make no mistake, this is a direct sequel to the 2009 flick.  Thanks be to God because the other franchises bore the bejesus out of me.

I have a sneaky suspicion that you’ll like this one regardless of what kind of presentation you see it in, that is if you like non-stop action and a bikini clad, for no reason at all, hot Alice Eve.  Do I have your attention now?  Good!  So with no colons in the film’s title, Star Trek Into Darkness is set after the events of the former film and we immediately find ourselves amidst the heat of the action as the USS Enterprise and its heroes, namely Kirk (Pine) and Spock (Quinto), attempt to save the inhabitants of Planet Nibiru from a volcanic eruption that threatens to wipe out civilization there.  Picture Raiders of the Lost Ark right here.   We open brilliantly in the middle of a high speed foot chase through what almost looks like an exotic pink forest with a hurried sense of urgency and nostalgia that magically transports me back to 1981, watching Indiana Jones flee from the natives in the jungle after taking the golden tiki statue.  Hopefully you’re picking up what I’m dropping here.  I can’t think of a better way to open up a film than to drop you right in the heart of the moment and let you catch up to it while your adrenaline pumps away.  Bravo J. J.!

However, no matter how heroic the actions of James T. Kirk were in the very beginning of this movie, as usual, he is scolded and eventually reprimanded for his inability to follow the rules no matter how successful he is, time after time.  He’s labeled as arrogant and sadly demoted to First Officer under the TLC care of Christopher Pike (Greenwood), who re-assumes responsibility of the Enterprise.  Simply put, Kirk isn’t ready for the chair yet.  Boo hoo.  I ask myself this every time  during each of my viewings…this again?!  However, without dishing any spoilers, we all know this will change.  And change it does after a short couple of scenes involving a certain family and a mysterious man unravels and results in an Enterprise facility in London being attacked (more like annihilated) and Federation officers being targeted.  It isn’t too long until Kirk and team are sent on a tactical, secret mission to a planet far off that I think, deep down inside, every Trekkie wanted to see played out on the big screen once again.  Come on.  You know you did!

So on the surface, sure S tar Trek Into Darkness is a blockbuster, popcorn film.  However, to me it’s much more than that.  It’s a rousing visual and riveting space adventure that grabs a hold of you from the beginning and truly never lets you go.    And of course you have to know it’s so much better enjoying it in the privacy of your own home in 4K on the new UHD Blu-ray format, right?  And sure there’s no reason to see Alice Eve’s character bikini clad, but so what if we do?  Those three seconds of beauty were needed to tell this tell of bravery, camaraderie and leadership that touches all too sharply upon the fragile nature of our world currently, namely the fear we live in of terrorism.  Truly no one’s safe.  And wouldn’t it be grand to know that there’s a Federation out there devoted to peace keeping and procurement of aiding lifeforms to ensure their survival?  I think so.  Make no mistakes ladies and gentlemen, this isn’t your father’s Star Trek …it’s mine…and I love it.

I can’t really talk more in depth about the film’s story without ruining any of the secrets, so I’ll keep a tight lid on it just like Disney did with Iron Man 3 ’s villainous betrayal to all of man kind who have read comic books.  But I will go on record by saying the following.  All the chemistry and humor the majority of us loved about the first film and its tangible character relationships/developments are here once again.  But the stakes are higher.  They’re bolder.  And more importantly, more mysterious.  What’s really the purpose of this secret mission Kirk is sent on?  Is it really to capture this terrorist or is there a hidden agenda the Federation isn’t letting anybody in on?  I’ll leave you to think about that.  That’s all I can say other than I think fans of the original Star Trek films will be relatively pleased at the revelations and events that unfold here.  Please keep in mind that these new Trek films are a reinterpreting of a legendary past franchise, not a butchering or a mockery of them.  This is a Star Trek universe for a brand new generation.  Keep your grumblings to a minimum and enjoy it for all its marvel and spectacular.  And if you have kids into sci-fi, involve them too.  Build memories.  Foster relationships.  Grow those loving and nurturing bonds.  This is why these movies are made…to bring us all together.  Now how about those 4K A/V specs?  Hungry for more?  Good!  Let’s get cracking!

Star Trek Into Darkness has been digitally remastered with a new 4K UHD transfer for exceptionally brilliant picture quality.  To keep this review simple, the below criteria was judged against the UHD disc.  The Blu-ray’s video score and comments can be found here .

• Encoding : HEVC / H.265
• Resolution : 4K (2160p)
• Aspect Ratio : 2.40:1 – However, it should also be noted that this presentation graces us with the IMAX version meaning there is aspect shifting going on, but believe me, it won’t damper your viewing pleasure.  It will only enhance it!  It’s a  thing of beauty when that screen opens up.  I just wish it all could have been shot in IMAX.
• Clarity/Detail : Star Trek Into Darkness on 4K UHD Blu-ray is absolutely stunning in every which way.  It’s like a wet reference dream.  There is a bonafide money shot in just about every sequence here, and I’m not just talking about the lightning brief Alice Eve scene every one loves. The textures and impeccable details in just about everything here is razor sharp and crisp throughout from the beginning of the film’s first frames with the crackles in the paint on the alien race’s faces to the intricate panels that litter the Enterprise’s bridge.  I can go on and on and talk about the intro’s colored vegetation stalks or the fabrics in the clothing to the wrinkles in the faces, but I think you already got the big “picture.”  It’s remastered in 4K and it’s a beaut, Clark!
• Depth : The depth of field goes on for miles in this presentation.  It’s too bad there’s no such thing as 3D 4K Blu-ray as I would love to check this one out in it if it existed.  Depth of field is wildly on display here from the corridors well beyond the opening doors on the USS Enterprise to the exploding volcano in the film’s beginning in the distance from the pink stalks Jim and Bones are running through.  Let’s not forget the expansive landscape shots of a futuristic looking London.
• Black Levels : The black levels, for the most part, are all deep and inky throughout.
• Color Reproduction : I know we’re talking about the HDR presentation here, but I believe the colors are more in check here than its previous Blu-ray cousin.  Take the opening scene for example, my favorite by the way.  It’s not scorching red anymore, but a softer pinkish tone that allows for really defined individual vegetation blades and stalks.  Don’t worry either.  The bright, unmistakable J.J. trademark lens flares are all in tact in this remaster.  This is a bright one so enjoy it.  The volcano scene alone will convince you of that.
• Flesh Tones : The skin and flesh tones all appear natural and authentic throughout, especially on Alice Eve.  Haha.  I could not resist.
• Noise/Artifacts : Other than some light 35mm grain, there are no problems visually with any artifacts, excessive noise or blemishes to be found anywhere on this print.  So in other words, you’re in for a real treat here better than any ice cream goodie you could ever imagine.  Be prepared to be dazzled and wowed.  If this is how good all the 4K UHD Blu-ray presentations are going to look, I’m never going to buy another regular Blu-ray release ever again.

Star Trek Into Darkness has been digitally remastered and features a Dolby Atmos soundtracks remixed specifically for the home theater environment.  To those not in the know, Dolby Atmos delivers captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead, to bring entertainment alive all around the audience.  To keep this review simple, the below audio criteria was judged against the UHD disc.  The Blu-ray’s audio score and comments can be found here .

• Audio Format(s) : English Dolby Atmos (defaults to Dolby TrueHD 7.1), French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital, English Audio Description
• Subtitles : English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
• Dynamics : Just when thought it couldn’t get any better than the video section above it does…well equally at least since we can’t go any higher than the scale of 5 doggies that we have previously established here.  It’s almost like the sound never lets you go here as all channels are continuously active throughout in this immersive Dolby Atmos (or Dolby TrueHD 7.1) surround mix.  From the subtle to the bold, things are both atmospheric, engaging and terrifically bombastic here.  Besides the excellent dimensional qualities here, spears being thrown overhead fly right at you and past in the film’s beginning, which will instantly have you begging for more and hooked.  Trust me!
• Low Frequency Extension : The LFE channel will rock your world through the many explosions, the blasters being fired upon you and the wild action sequences that never cease to let up until the film’s final triumphant moments.  You sure this is a Star Trek movie?!  I know one thing that’s for sure.  There’s no doubt your system is going to get a much needed workout from this one.  From an abrupt ship stop mid-warp speed to a crashing Vengeance on planet Earth, the bass is powerful and aggressive here.
• Surround Sound Presentation : The score’s rousing, emphatic and moving throughout the movie’s runtime, even in your rear speakers.  Heck, the experience here begins before the movie even ticks a second with the Bad Robot opening logo swirling behind you.  From the blasters to the many explosions, you’re surrounded here, but perhaps one of the coolest uses of the rear channels was on the USS Enterprise when you hear over the loudspeaker “docking clamps, 1, 2 and 3…”
• Dialogue Reproduction : The dialogue levels that are all loud, clear and intelligible throughout.

Star Trek Into Darknes s is presented here in a three-disc UHD/Blu-ray/Digital HD Combo Pack.  The UHD and Blu-ray discs include the spectacular IMAX version of the film and the package also includes a bonus Blu-ray disc with more than two hours of special features.  Also included is a redeemable code for the Digital HD copy of the film, which includes both the iTunes HD and UltraViolet versions of the movie.  So without further ado, let’s take a look down below at everything you’ll find spread across the three discs in this UHD/Blu-ray set.  It’s a pretty hearty collection of extras in this set, even many that were not in my coverage of the original Blu-ray release in 2013 found here .

• Feature film in 4K UHD – IMAX Version

Blu-ray Disc #1:

• Feature film in high definition – IMAX Version
• Enhanced commentary
• The Mission Continues PSA

Blu-ray Disc #2:

• The Voyage Begins…Again (HD, 2:28) – Go behind-the-scenes as filming begins on the next Star Trek adventure in this very short featurette.  J.J. and crew examine how they crafted this follow-up story and decided upon what is what as the cast reunite like a family.  It looks like a great time!
• Creating the Red Planet (HD, 8:28) – Experience the creation of a never-before-seen alien world (think red leaves and volcanic sets), as featured in the action-packed opening sequence of the film where the crew talks about abandoning plans of shooting this in Hawaii.  This is a gorgeous sequence, by the way.
• Introducing the Villain (HD, 2:16) – What do you think this is?  It’s not exactly what you think it is.  It’s basically the concept of human family and what risks what you endure to keep your family safe.  This was much heartfelt than I ever thought this extra could be.  But nonetheless it is ultimately about the intro of the bad guy here.
• Rebuilding the Enterprise (HD, 5:31) – Here you can see the design and construction of a bigger, interconnected Enterprise set.  In the first film the different parts of the ship were on different sets, but not this time because they are shooting on a much larger soundstage this time.
• National Ignition Facility: Home of the Core (HD, 4:32) – J.J. talks about the location shooting at the National Ignition Facility.  Real locations were very important to him here.
• Attack on Starfleet (HD, 5:25) – Go behind the scenes with the cast and filmmakers and witness the creation of the shocking attack on Starfleet Headquarters as we get a closer look at the set design, stunt work and action pieces.
• Aliens Encountered (HD, 6:54) – This one is exactly like it sounds, the many designs and application of alien makeup, including Zach’s ears.  We even get to see him shave.  I had fun with this seeing all the alien designs and how awesome the jobs look here.
• The Klingon Home World (HD, 7:30) – Spoiler alert!  There are Klingons in this film!  Discover the stunning world of Kronos, and see how the filmmakers reinvented the Klingons for a new generation by exploring the set design, the makeup and even the language.  Very cool!
• The Enemy of My Enemy (HD, 7:03) – Spoiler alert again!  Find out how, and why, the identity of the film’s true villain was kept a mystery to the very end.  Obviously they teetered here with how to delicately handle this with long term Trekkies and newcomers alike while paying sensitive homage at the same time.
• Vengeance is Coming (HD, 4:28) – Here’s a comprehensive look at the design and production surrounding the dread, big black enemy ship.  J.J. calls it a stealth version of the Enterprise that they call the Vengeance, which represents the dark side of everything the Enterprise is.
• Ship to Ship (HD, 6:03) – An in-depth and thrilling look at the filming of the iconic space jump sequence, which both defied the laws of physics and pushed the limits of visual effects.  Now with a sentence like that, how can you not watch this film or this associated feature too?
• Mr. Spock and Mr. Spock (HD, 4:08) – Leonard Nimoy makes a cameo appearance and reflects on his history with Star Trek as his Spock ears are sculpted and his eye brows are buzzed and shaped.
• Down with the Ship (HD, 6:09) – This is the exciting part folks!  Discover the stunt and VFX work involved to make the Enterprise roll over.  It’s not as easy as you think, or is it?
• Kirk and Spock (HD, 5:36) – In this one you can explore the dynamic relationship between the film’s heroes and their contrasting philosophies and mentalities.
• Brawl by the Bay (HD, 5:44) – Sit in with Zachary Quinto and Benedict Cumberbatch as they revisit their intense preparation for the film’s breathtaking climax.  And let me go on record by saying I fricking love this scene!   The movie went out on a rousing triumphant note because of it in my opinion.
• Fitting the Future (HD, 5:03) – Here we take a closer look at the film’s out-of-this-world costumes and designs from Michael Kaplan.
• Property of Starfleet (HD, 4:53) – Here you can track all the film’s myriad props.  You know you want a tricorder.  These are things you can’t buy in stores, folks.
• Unlocking the Cut (HD, 5:10) – Here’s a quick discussion with the film editors about all their monumental tasks.  Is there where we get all the lens flares?
• Visual Affection (HD, 9:03) – Here we have an in-depth look at the creation and implementation of the many visual effects throughout.  They touch upon my favorite sequence here too, the film’s beautiful opening run through those red crops.
• The Sounds of Music (and FX) (HD, 5:26) – Here we have a discussion with film composer Michael Giacchino and sound designer Ben Burtt as they discuss the gorgeous music in this film.  I just love that theme in these first two Star Trek reboots.
• Safety First (HD, 2:27)– Simon Pegg pulls a prank on the cast with this cream.
• Continuing the Mission (HD, 1:57) – Here we have an inspiring look at the partnership between the film’s crew and the organization that assists returning veterans to find meaningful ways to contribute on the home front through an organization called The Mission Continues.
• Gag Reel (HD, 5:48) – It’s quite a lengthy, goofy gag reel here.
• Deleted Scenes   (HD, 5:26) – There’s a Play All selection for the following deleted scenes: Nibiru Captain’s Log, Marcus’ Office (Alternate Version), Room Attack (Alternate Version), Carol’s Accent, Klingon Conversation (Alternate Version), Scotty Cargo Bay Door and Kirk Meets Girl.
• Theatrical Trailers (HD) – Here you will find the Announcement, Teaser and Trailer 2 trailers for this film.

In conclusion, all I have to say is this is how you do a summer blockbuster.   Star Trek Into Darkness is a ferocious and unforgiving frenzy of action, mayhem and most importantly a heaping serving of fun.   So drop everything you are doing right now and click here to order this precious cargo.   It doesn’t matter all that much if you haven’t seen the 2009 film, although the references may be helpful, or even if you are not a Star Trek fan in general, because I’m not.   You’re guaranteed to have a rowdy, hooting good time with this one.   There’s no complex time traveling.   There’s no overly long introductions.   We all know who everyone is or supposed to be in case you didn’t see the 2009 one.  It’s just a pure injection of adrenaline from the start to one hell of a knockout finish of an ending with knockout audio and reference video to boot.  This is how you do it, INDEED…and on UHD!  An instant MUST-OWN!

DISCLAIMER: This 4K UHD Blu-ray review was judged and graded using the following 4K certified A/V gear found here .

Brian White

Owner/Writer/Reviewer/Editor, Dreamer, Producer, Agent of Love, Film Lover, Writer of Screenplays and a Devoted Apostle to all things Ford Mustangs (the real ones with V8's!). Some of my favorite films include FIGHT CLUB, MOULIN ROUGE, THE DARK KNIGHT, STAR WARS alongside television shows such as SEINFELD, 24, SANFORD & SON and even the often loathed in the geek community BIG BANG THEORY. Outside of my three lives I live I also enjoy spending time with my girlfriend and our three girls (of the furry kind).

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Make it so —

For the first time, you can now watch every star trek movie in 4k hdr, 13 star trek movies are available in 4k, dolby vision, and dolby atmos..

Samuel Axon - Apr 10, 2023 8:06 pm UTC

For the first time, you can now buy or rent every single Star Trek movie in the latest 4K and HDR standards. That includes all six movies based on the original series cast, all four featuring The Next Generation 's cast, and the more recent J.J. Abrams films.

On April 4, Paramount released an UltraHD Blu-ray set that included Star Trek: Generations , Star Trek: First Contact , Star Trek: Insurrection , and Star Trek: Nemesis along with several special features. The set marks the first time these films have been available in a 4K and HDR home video release. Alongside the Blu-rays, the films also became available on on-demand storefronts like Apple's TV app.

Further Reading

So as of this week, all 13 theatrically released Star Trek films are finally available in 4K and HDR. The latest releases also support the Dolby Atmos audio standard in addition to Dolby Vision HDR.

That said, large swaths of the classic Trek TV series aren't even available in HD, much less in 4K or HDR. All three seasons of  The Original Series and all seven of  The Next Generation got Blu-ray and digital HD releases in recent years, as well as Enterprise and The Animated Series , and all the new Paramount+ shows are in HD. But Deep Space Nine and Voyager  are still only available in standard definition.

A documentary about  Deep Space Nine released a couple of years ago featured small segments upscaled to HD to show what might be possible and there have been fan projects to do the same with AI, too. However, there hasn't been much movement on an official full series upscaling project.

Update : A previous version of this article failed to properly distinguish between the non-AI and AI techniques used in prior attempts to remaster portions Deep Space Nine . It was corrected in an update.

Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs .

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Published Apr 5, 2016

Trek (2009) & Into Darkness Coming in 4K Ultra HD

Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness are set to become the Paramount Home Media Distribution’s first two titles to be released in the new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format. The J.J. Abrams-directed sci-fi adventures – due out on June 14 -- will benefit from the next evolution in home entertainment, as 4K UHD delivers four times the resolution and more than double the number of colors available with full HD. Further, 4K UHD offer exceptional vibrancy and contrast through High Dynamic Range technology, which reveals hidden details and shades that better resemble real life.

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Star Trek Into Darkness (4K Ultra HD)

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Star Trek Into Darkness is the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of Star Trek Into Darkness , bundled with the regular Blu-ray release of the film and a digital copy. The special features are the complete collection as included on the 2014 Star Trek: The Compendium release. [1]

The releases came with their discs mounted in the standard plastic snapcase and packaged within the customary cardboard slipcover.

External links [ ]

• Review at TrekMovie.com
• Review at Blu-ray.com
• 2 Marlys Burdette

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Star Trek – Into Darkness – 4K Blu-ray Review

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure here.

Paramount Picture | 2013

PG 13 | 2hrs 11 min | Sci-Fi | Fantasy | Adventure

HD | 1080P | Dolby TrueHD 7.1

Upscaled  4K | 2160P | HDR10 | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1

Aspect Ratio 2.40 & 1.78:1

Staring: Chris Pine | Zachary Quinto | Zoe Saldana | Karl Urban | Simon Pegg | John Cho

Directed by: J.J.Abrams

Ratings & Reviews

Please see here for my comments on reviewing movies.

My ratings are simple being marked out of a maximum of 5+. My reviews are biased towards the technical production aspects of the film with brief comments about the story line. Extras, sorry, that’s just not my ‘bag’.

So what did the 7.1 soundtrack sound like? Excellent in all respects, and the 4K HDR10 video? Also excellent especially considering it was upscaled.

Entertainment: 5

More differed gratification, but all 4K comes to those who wait. It was so worth it!

Technical Review – Upscaled 4K UHD HDR10

Star Trek Into Darkness was shot mostly on photochemical film using Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2 & Arriflex 435 ES cameras (35mm anamorphic) with Panavision Primo, C-/E-Series, ATZ and AWZ2 lenses, and large format 65mm IMAX MSM 9802 & Iwerks MSM 8870 cameras with Hasselblad Lenses. This release includes the film in a variable aspect ratio format that mirrors the IMAX theatrical presentation, shifting from 2.39:1 to 1.78:1 during the specific IMAX-filmed sequences. It was finished as a 2K Digital Intermediate, up-sampled to 4K and given an HDR color timing pass for this Ultra HD release. This UHD presentation shines at every turn, the imaging is simply beautiful, and I saw no evidence of any compression artifacts. Integration between close-ups provide outstanding levels of detail, clarity and definition like the “3D” face paint on the Nibiru aliens and the general great skin tones. From costumes to pores and stubble, eyelashes and skin, tattoos and scars, all show amazing clarity and detail. Surface details are also wonderfully captured from the bridges control consoles to the scuffs and scratches on various shuttles and craft. Despite the amazing detail and clarity there were no issues noted with the integration between real and digital.

Colors are wonderfully saturated with a huge range of hues all being vibrant and richly exquisite, without being overdone. From the red-tinted forests of Nibiru, the nebula star field backgrounds, closing credit graphics and Jupiters swirling red spot, all provide impressive and natural colors and hues.

There is less lens flaring in this film than Star Trek , but when they do appear your eyes reaction to the brightness still allows you to see fine detail, even in the brightest of imagery.

Blacks are deep and noise free, supported by excellent low level detail. Peak whites provide clean detail with no obvious clipping, creating a terrific dynamic range.

This is one of the better looking 4K Ultra HD film images that I have seen. Despite it not being in native 4K, it definitely belongs in the reference category.

Audio – Dolby TrueHD 7.1 

Star Trek Into Darkness is presented with an updated Dolby Atmos mix that defaults to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 in my system, this new mix sounds terrific. With its wide sound stage and detailed surround effects, the 7.1 mix abounds with atmosphere especially during the quieter moments, but really heating up during some of the more impactful action moments. Action sequences provide plenty of punch from the various weapons and intense explosions. Action scenes come to life with remarkable dynamics, weight, and detail, whether it’s a firefight on Kronos or combat between spaceships. Effects placement are accurate and natural, with movement in both the rear and side surrounds and various atmospheric effects consistently pulling you into the various locals and environments.

Good sub action certainly makes itself known during the action sequences, explosions and firefights, with a solid and extended bottom end having good punch and muscle where required. Dialogue is always clear and detailed with solid front-center imaging and prioritization.

Music is smooth and detailed, with a tight and deep low end support, effortless integration within the sound stage, and perfect clarity to every note.

There is nothing to criticize regarding this soundtrack, providing as it does, a reference mix.

Story Overview

Star Trek Into Darkness is set about 1 year after the events of Star Trek . Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is repremanded by Starfleet Command after a first contact incident where he manages to save both the indigenous population of the planet Nibiru, and Spock’s (Zach Quinto) life, but in doing so breaks the Prime Directive. Upon the crews return a force of terror within the organization destroys the fleet and everything that it stands for, leaving earth in chaos. Punished for his Prime Directive infraction Captain Kirk looses his command of the Enterprise to his mentor Admiral Pike (Bruce Greenwood) who manages to keep him on as his First Officer. Now with a personnel score to settle Kirk leads his team on a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction before all of the earth is laid to waste.

Was the 4K release worth waiting for? A resounding yes, especially for $7.96. This is a fun and entertaining movie and this 4K version provides an astonishing video and audio experience.  While there are few improvements to the 7.1 mix, Star Trek   Into Darkness looks and sounds terrific. Whether you are a Star Trek fan or not, this is definitely the way to view it at home.

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Star Trek into Darkness - Ultra HD Blu-ray

Sequel to the 2009 Academy Award-winning spin-off of the classic 1960s sci-fi adventure series. Captain Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise are called back to Earth after a devastating force from within their organisation leaves the planet in chaos and Starfleet in pieces. Determined to settle the score, Kirk embarks on a manhunt with the rest of his crew including Spock, Scotty and Chekov to find the party responsible before their whole world is laid to waste.

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

While I would never claim to be the Trekiest of Trekkies, I've been a die-hard fan of the franchise since my parents dumped me off at a theater to see Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in 1982 so they could get a few hours away from me. For better or worse, I have been pretty happy with 'Star Trek' over the years, mostly because even when they came out with some disappointing movies (see Star Trek V and Star Trek: Nemesis ), they still involved stories that were at least trying to tell something fresh and attempting to remain loyal to principles and canon of 'Star Trek'. I even enjoyed the 2009 Star Trek quite a bit. Even though it was an attempt to reboot the entire universe, it was also smart enough to tie in the events with everything that happened before. It was new and fresh, but it was still very much 'Star Trek'.

Not so with 'Star Trek Into Darkness', a movie that actually starts out very smartly, then manages to sink everything we know and love about 'Star Trek' in its second half. Oh, it's entertaining to be sure, but it makes so many logical (pardon my Vulcan sensibilities) mistakes, that I actually went on a rant about all its problems right here on our 'The Bonus View' blog just a few years ago. Don't worry, I won't get quite that crazy again – I've learned to accept many of those issues I had and just try to enjoy the movie for what it is – but I confess I'm still a little frustrated. Because 'Into Darkness' could have been a very good 'Star Trek' movie if the filmmakers weren't so obsessed with one thing. And that 'thing' is a guy named Khan.

It's no longer a secret that Benedict Cumberbatch plays one of 'Star Trek's most iconic roles in 'Into Darkness'; heck, Paramount even gives it away on the back box cover of this release, even though that reveal isn't made until halfway through the actual film. The problem is that Cumberbatch doesn't even need to play Khan here. He's first introduced as a terrorist named John Harrison, and the fact that he's Khan Noonien Singh actually plays no significant part in the movie other than that his blood contains 'magical' healing powers – an ability that, frankly, could be given to any bad guy. So when Benedict's character sneers at Kirk and Spock and proclaims " I am Khan! " at the movie's midpoint, it's nothing more than an attempt at fan service. Kirk and Spock have no idea who this guy is, nor do they seem to really care much – the film never really delves into Khan's past, reveals his importance in Earth's history (but not important enough that anyone on the Enterprise has ever heard of him), or any of the other facts/personality traits that made the Ricardo Montalban version of the character so beloved among Trekkies.

Actually, I'd love to see someone make a fan edit of 'Into Darkness' where all the Khan mentions are cut out and see how the film plays. I'm guessing it actually might play a little better. It would still have a number of plot holes (the most frustrating being how transporters work in this movie) and that horrible climax where the storytellers think they're being clever by repeating (with a slight twist) the conclusion of The Wrath of Khan and instead just come off as lazy screenwriters, but at least it wouldn't diminish one of 'Trek's best-known villains. Remember how cool Darth Vader was before the Star Wars prequels came along and ruined him? 'Into Darkness' sort of does the same thing to Khan.

But for all the things wrong with 'Into Darkness', it's far from a complete disaster. It's competently made by Director J.J. Abrams (who, in his defense, has confessed in the past to never being much of a 'Star Trek' die-hard), features some great visual eye candy and set pieces, and is more-or-less very well acted (I still have some problems with Peter Weller's slightly over-the-top Admiral Marcus and the way that Cumberbatch enunciates most of his dialogue). So that leaves the big question to be answered: Is it worth picking up on Ultra HD? I think it is. The 4K format is driven by its ability to enhance the visual quality of a movie, and that added boost is definitely a bonus here, particularly when it comes to the IMAX-shot scenes. Even then, I can't endorse 'Into Darkness' as strongly as 2009's Star Trek in 4K Ultra HD, but I'm still giving it a recommendation.

The Blu-Ray: Vital Disc Stats

'Star Trek Into Darkness' sets its phasers for 4K with this Ultra HD/Blu-ray/Digital HD release. The discs are housed inside a black Elite keepcase, with the 4K Ultra HD and first Blu-ray disc (which contains the film) on a plastic hub, while the second Blu-ray is on the inside right. A sole insert contains a code for either an UltraViolet or iTunes digital copy of the movie. A slipcover with artwork that matches that of the keepcase slides overtop.

There are no front-loaded trailers on any of the three discs. The main menus for the Ultra HD disc and the Blu-ray movie disc are identical: a montage of footage from the film with menu selections across the bottom of the screen. The second Blu-ray (with the majority of the bonus features) has a similar menu design, except it has a montage of behind-the-scenes footage from the movie shoot.

All the discs in this release are region-free.

Video Review

Even though the IMAX footage was originally shot in 65mm and scanned at an 11K resolution, everything here comes from a 2K digital intermediate, which was then upgraded to 4K. While visual results of the 35mm part of the movie match the quality of the 2009 Star Trek 4K release (in other words, very good), the real 'wow' factor here comes in the IMAX footage – it looks fantastic, despite being downgraded to 2K then upgraded back to 4K. Since the first portion of the movie has been shot with IMAX cameras, viewers won't need to wait long to see what I'm talking about. The rich reds of the foliage of the opening scene look even richer and deeper in 4K, with some real depth and 'pop' to the image. Every time the movie switched back to it's standard 2.40:1/35mm format, I couldn't wait for the jump back to the full-screen/IMAX scenes. It made me look forward to the day that Hollywood finally shoots one of these big budget films entirely in IMAX (which, last I heard, was happening with the next 'Avengers' film).

Parts of 'Into Darkness' are, well, dark - such as the scenes that take place aboard the Dreadnought-class starship in the second-half of the movie. The 4K boost here definitely helps those moments, as blacks are deeper and details are noticeably better than the 1080p version of the movie. In fact, details are pretty great throughout, and the fact that Director J.J. Abrams seems to pull back a bit on his lens flare obsession in this movie (although the Enterprise bridge scenes are still packed with them) is helpful.

Even though – thanks to those IMAX scenes – I think the visuals here are slightly better than the 4K release of J.J.'s first 'Star Trek' movie, I held back on giving this a reference-quality score, simply because of the 2K DI source used for this transfer. That said, it's hard to imagine anyone will find much to fault here – the image is fantastic.

Audio Review

'Star Trek Into Darkness' beams up to 4K with an English Dolby Atmos track (which plays as a 7.1 Dolby TrueHD track for those without an Atmos set-up) that is nothing short of reference-quality. Even slightly more-so than the 4K version of the 2009 film, every swoosh, crash, bang, zap, buzz, and beep of the track comes off as distinct and with real clarity. Smooth seamless pans and directionality are used throughout, giving the audio a real immersive feel to it. Dialogue is clear and properly mixed with the rest of the track. LFE use is frequent and fun.

There are no glitches to speak of with the audio, and despite as active as this track can get, I never got that 'unbalanced' feeling where the explosions and laser blasts felt excessively louder than they should. Say what you want about the movie itself, but this is top-notch audio that only manages to enhance the already-impressive video quality, making 'Into Darkness' a great disc to throw in your 4K player when you want to show your friends what this format is capable of doing.

In addition to the Atmos track, the 4K disc also offers up 5.1 tracks in Spanish, French, and Portuguese, as well as an English Audio Description track. Subtitles are available in English SDH, English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

Special Features

Note: Since all of the bonus materials on this release have appeared on prior releases of 'Star Trek Into Darkness', the Blu-ray supplements descriptions that follow are from fellow HDD writer Joshua Zyber and taken from his fantastic review of Star Trek: The Compendium .

Also note that his 4K Ultra HD release of 'Star Trek Into Darkness' does not include the 3D version of the movie, so if you already own that on Blu-ray, you'll want to hang onto it if upgrading with this release.

4K Ultra HD Disc

Blu-ray Disc 1

Blu-ray Disc 2

Final Thoughts

There's no denying that 'Star Trek Into Darkness' is at times entertaining and action-packed. The movie's biggest faults lie in the fact that it doesn't feel very much like a 'Star Trek' film, nor does it get many of the established (alternate timeline or no alternate timeline) principles of the original show right. Still, it's hard to believe most fans won't want to pick this Ultra HD release up, given its outstanding video and audio. 'Into Darkness' is among my least-favorite 'Trek' movies, but this release is still recommended.

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STAR TREK and STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in June

| April 12, 2016 | By: Matt Wright 28 comments so far

With the latest home video format now available, the newest Trek films were obvious choices to release on UltraHD Blu-ray. The first two JJ Abrams Trek movies will be available on the UltraHD Blu-ray format on June 14th. The most important upgrades to these releases are the HDR (High Dynamic Range) video and the new Dolby Atmos soundtracks. Full details after the break.

As many expected, the newest Trek films are part of the first movies Paramount will release on the new UltraHD Blu-ray format. There are no new special features, they’re the same as The Compendium two-movie release from a couple of years back, but at least nothing is left out (I’m looking at you first versions of Into Darkness ).

Into Darkness is an especially good fit considering parts of it were filmed in IMAX.

The new UltraHD Blu-ray format offers 4k UltraHD video, but more importantly, it offers High Dynamic Range which allows for a much larger range of brightness and color depths, much closer to the high quality digital cinema format used in all modern movie theaters. Paramount has also chosen to upgrade the soundtracks with new Dolby Atmos (an object based surround sound with speakers positioned around and overhead the audience), which is another great digital cinema trickle-down technology. With the right new HDR capable UHDTV and Atmos surround sound gear, this should make for an awesome upgrade for the two movies.

Press release is below:

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What a perfect gift for any ocasion!

Nice stocking stuffer if someone is also buying you an 86″ UHD TV with HDR and a new 7.1.4 Atmos Receiver. ;-)

Which I plan to buy myself sometime this summer. I will make these two films among the first I try out on the new system.

Yep, I hear ya. Planning to upgrade my system later this year. That way I can properly review these for the site :-)

Good deal. Keep us posted. Long time Matt, how have you been?

Heya, super busy but doing well :-)

also, any occasion.

Like that Trek is an early adopter. Were the vfx and DI made in 4K, or is this an up-rez?

I imagine that they were at least rendered in 2.5K for theaters, if not 4K. If they were sufficient for 35mm film it shouldn’t be necessary to redo or uprez anything.

No 3D version included? Really?

3D is dead…until James Cameron resurrects it again, then it’ll be cool for a few minutes.

4K Blu-ray doesn’t support 3D.

Nice. Just “future-proofed” my reciever for 4k. As soon as the OLED s drop in price, just a bit more, I’m in.

Star Trek Lives!! (in 4k!)

@Jonboc – did you make sure your receiver can decode Dolby Atmos? Im intrigued by this and plan on getting a new 11.1 receiver to include 4 ceiling speakers as part of my 7.1 surround.

Higher definition wont help the film; It will still be terrible.

Maybe Cumberbatch looks more like Khan in 4k!

These look like great releases. I don’t have plans to upgrade my Blu Ray for 4K (though I do have a 4K TV), so I’m hoping that these eventually make their way to a 4K streaming service.

I just don’t see the physical media side of 4K becoming anything special. This seems like a streaming medium to me.

It would be a pretty safe bet Paramount is prepping these for both physical media and a 4K streaming service that offers HDR content (like Vudu).

this is unfair, i just upgraded from VHS to DVD recently. :*(

So … I have the Compendium set of ST & STID Blu-Rays that I watch on my PS3 Blu-Ray Player and a regular 1080p widescreen TV. If I don’t have anything 4K, is there any advantage to buying the 4K Blu-Rays? Better picture quality / better viewing experience on a 1080p set? Or should I not bother?

johnnyb807,

Hard to say, the PS3 is on the cusp of Sony technological orphaning but if Sony updates it to read the UHD discs then you’ll still have to compress it to get it on your set. The beauty being that your aren’t stuck with whatever compression the disc publisher chose but if you aren’t planning to get any additional gear then you’ll just trade the publisher’s for whatever scheme Sony chooses to employ.

The only way for you to know if it is worth it to you is to find some home theater installer who will let you audition it on PS3 in their showroom. and see for yourself.

The PS3 is not capable of playing 4K Blu-ray discs. It is a whole new disc format, like DVD to Blu-ray.

So you’ll need both a 4K television and a 4K UHD Blu-ray player to play these discs.

Any blu-ray drive is capable of having its firmware updated to read an UHDBD. So the PS3 “playing” a UHD disk isn’t a technical problem per se — although some other manufacturer going to the trouble to pay for all the licenses might be but we are talking about Sony here. Now getting that out of it as a full 4k image would be a challenge that at minimum would probably involve some expensive add on. But that wasn’t johnnyb807’s immediate concern. He wanted to know that if Sony enabled his PS3 to play the UHD disc down-compressed to 2k for his equipment, would he notice any improvement?

Disinvited – I see what you’re saying. I just think you’re making the things way more confusing than the original question was asking. Regardless of whether or not the PS3 could be made to play UHD discs, it doesn’t meet the hardware specifications to display in 4K. So if you already have the movies on Blu-ray and you only have a 1080p TV there would not be any point in buying this set, unless you intend on going 4K in the future and want to future-proof.

Beyond that anything is purely speculation since, as far as I know, no announcements from any manufacturers have been made regarding regular Blu-ray players receiving updates to play UHD.

yes, Disinvited is mistaken. There are multiple reasons why a current standard BD player won’t play a UHD BD.

1. 4K requires the use of a new compression scheme called HEVC or H.265. So a brand new decoder chip is needed.

2. The UHD BD discs themselves can be triple-layer, which is not in the standard BD video specs at all. There is a similar but unrelated BD data disc spec for 3 and 4 layers but it’s for computers only. Further the UHD BD spec allows the use of a higher density pattern to hold the data, squeezing more space out of a 2-layer disc (66GB versus 50GB).

So the optical mechanism of the drive in a standard BD player literally cannot focus properly to read the extra layers and/or new density of the pits and lands in the discs.

Oh no, not another lot of new technology to spend money on…sigh

I do wonder what we are seeing that is supposed to be so much clearer, better somehow, than what is shown on a good Blu-ray/DVD player. Also, with more than half of any population apparently needed glasses to be able to see what’s in front of them, ie a word on a page/computer and/or what they might drive into, I do have to wonder just what this latest tech is supposed to improve. What we see is only as good as the what our eyes, with some aid if necessary, are able to see and interpret.

I only need reading glasses. I don’t have glasses for driving the car. I have watched these new HD TVs and honestly, I can see little or no difference in picture quality. If anything, some picture look unnatural, especially on the larger screens.

I’d completely switched to digital/streaming. But with the availability of a UHD Bluray player, I’m back to discs. This will be nice to add to the new collection

Why? So we (at least some of I would assume) can be “ultra” irritated with ‘Into Darkness’ again? No thanks. I’m good

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