The Showtime-Produced Epic Series Arrives on Digital, DVD, Blu-ray™, 4K Ultra HD™ and Limited-Edition 4K Ultra HD™ SteelBook® on November 14.
Synopsis
After years of human civil war and growing political unrest, mankind’s very future is threatened when our outermost colonies intrude upon the sacred worlds of the Covenant – a fanatical powerful alliance of alien species. As the Covenant destroys world after human world – only one soldier slows their advance – a cybernetically enhanced “Spartan” supersoldier, the Master Chief. But as the incredible mystery of the Covenant’s true ambition, and the secrets of his own enigmatic past converge, then he will have to decide if humanity is a cause worth saving.
Review
In my review of the first season of Halo I said the series carefully takes control from the player, adding depth and scope which methodically adapts the franchise for the screen. Anchored by a charismatic cast and some impressive visuals, Halo reaches the UK market as a promising sign of things to come.
Given time to watch the series through a couple of times I certainly feel that those sentiments have only increased. HALO really is a sci-fi series to be fully consumed as the ultimate binge-watch. It’s blockbuster storytelling adds wonderful depth and nuance to the characters, rounding them out to be something much more than a construct to be controlled by the player.
Now the series arrives on home video with an impressive array of bonus features for fans to devour. I was able to catch the series on Blu-ray where we find the nine episodes spread across five BBD-50 discs. For the uninitiated that means each episode has plenty of room to breathe, recreating both wonderful picture and sound as close to the source material as possible.
Here’s how the episodes are spread out:
Disc One:
- Contact: In the year 2552, humans on the planet Madrigal have been fighting for independence from Earth, but a fatal encounter with the Alien Covenant complicates things. Master Chief John 117 and his super-soldier “Spartans” join the fight. After the battle, Master Chief heads to his home planet of Reach with a Madrigal survivor and a mysterious object he discovered on the planet. But a controversial order has John questioning his mission, and himself.
- Unbound: John takes Kwan to an old friend and learns more about the mystery object, which the Covenant and Makee are determined to steal. With the alien threat growing, Dr. Halsey has a plan to deal with John’s unpredictable behavior.
Disc Two:
- Emergence: John meets his new partner, and he discovers secrets inside his own memory. Kwan wants to return to Madrigal to continue her people’s fight for independence, but Soren has other plans for her. Makee initiates her plan to retrieve the Madrigal object, with deadly consequences.
- Homecoming: Guided by his visions, John takes Halsey and Cortana back to where it all began, looking for answers from his past. With Soren along for protection, Kwan goes in search of an army. Meanwhile, John’s behavior inspires another Spartan to begin a journey of self-discovery. And Miranda discovers a possible link between the artifact and something much larger.
Disc Three:
- Reckoning: On the run and out of options, Kwan and Soren have a difference of opinion. With the possibility of finding the mysterious Halo on everyone’s minds, John makes a horrible discovery. And the war rears its ugly head.
- Solace: Survivors from battle return to Reach. John confronts Dr. Halsey, and the lies of his past. The new prisoner seems to know John better than he knows himself. Determined to know more, John turns back to the mystery artifact, which shows him something truly startling.
Disc Four:
- Inheritance: Kwan’s journey to uncover her family’s “true purpose” takes her deep into the deserts of Madrigal. Soren obsesses over unfinished business.
- Allegiance: John and Makee come to terms with their shared vision. Halsey has one last chance to save her mission, and herself. As things come to a head, everyone must choose a side.
Disc Five:
- Transcendence: Beaten, battered, and betrayed, John 117 leads the Spartans on a suicide mission to find the Halo and save humanity. But at what price?
HALO was shot digitally rather than on film, on Blu-ray that makes for a richly detailed image that perfectly portrays the level of detail in all aspects of the production. From the costumes to the set design and makeup, there’s a lot of fine details to behold on screen and the disc transfer presents it in all its glory.
The opening battle sequence on Madrigal is a perfect example of the kind of punch that HALO is able to pack visually. The planets landscape is made up of a mix of visual effects and practical set design. The two integrate organically with little to no visual cues to discern between the two. Likewise the battle sequence is enhanced by visual effects and a number of fully CGI alien characters. The scene itself is flawless and features some of the series’ best stunt work. As an opening gambit, the series couldn’t have given us a better scene.
Front and centre across the series is, of course, Master Chief’s armour. The suit’s game-accurate military green looks spot on in the final presentation. Across the series the various alien worlds, military bases and locations allow for a wide ranging colour palette and the Blu-ray transfer handles all of them with ease.
The series lands on Blu-ray with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack which is, for the most part, excellent. Again the opening battle sequence is a great example of what the show (and this release) is capable of. Maximising the use of all the channels to hit the viewer with an immersive mix of sounds. Some moments, particularly during space travel, feel a little light on some of the bassier sounds. In these moments HALO feels a little timid in its presentation. But when the series needs to pack a punch it’s right there for you to hear.
It’s fair to say that HALO season 1 comes packed with HOURS of bonus features. The sticker on the slip case proudly proclaims there is over five hours of special features and from what I’ve seen, very little of that is repetitive.
Each episode of the series comes packaged with a HALO Declassified episode hosted by Sydnee Goodman. Sydnee interviews members of the cast and creative team as well as giving fans glimpses at behind-the-scenes featurettes and footage. These Declassified episodes run from 19 minutes at their shortest, all the way up to 32 minutes at the longest. This is really an amazing way to bring fans in to the world and showcase the series creative talents.
Bundled on to the fifth and final disc of season 1 are also a handful of featurettes. Some do feature footage that has been seen in Declassified but it is often presented differently and team with either more interview footage or different interviews. All the featurettes are presented in 1080p.
Featurettes included are:
- Dissecting the Battle of Madrigal (10:01): A closer look at building the stunning battle sequence that is seen in the first episode’s opening minutes. It also looks at surrounding plot elements and characters.
- The World of Halo (8:49): Looking back at the franchise’s video game roots and the lore that has been built over the decades. This is a good primer piece for viewers who don’t know much about the series.
- The Culture of the Covenant (9:43): Looking at the new character, Makee, and her place in the show. It also looks at translating character models from the games to the series, Covenant language, production design, and more.
- Adapting Halo (13:08): Exploring key production design elements from throughout the season.
- Becoming Spartans (8:06): Exploring the cast who play the Spartan characters.
- Creating the Costumes of Halo (9:20): As the title suggests, this piece explores various costumes, designs, and purposes throughout the series.
- Weapons and Vehicles of Halo (10:20): Again, a self-explanatory supplement that looks at the fun stuff: guns and vehicles used in and designed for the show, based on the video game.
- The Making of Cortana (4:56): Bringing the crucial and fan-favorite character to the screen. It looks at performance, character qualities, and VFX.
- The Lake of Eternal Life: A Song from Halo‘s Score (2:44): Discussing a key piece of music from episode three.
Verdict
The 9-episode first season of HALO arrives on Blu-ray with a stunning selection of content for physical media fans. From it’s strong visuals and booming soundtrack, right through to the hugely details bonus features, this is a must-have for fans of the franchise.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
