Speed and Angels Blu-ray features poor video and mediocre audio in this still enjoyable Blu-ray release
In 2003, Director Peyton Wilson entered the world of U.S. Navy fighter pilots. Thanks to unprecedented access granted by the Navy, Peyton captured and created the most intimate film ever made on fighter pilots. Epic High Definition aerial footage and stunning cockpit photography provide a dramatic backdrop for the larger story of fighting for your dreams. Inspired by the passion of two young Navy officers she encountered, Peyton followed Jay and Meagan as they chased their childhood dream of becoming naval aviators flying the F-14 Tomcat. Their two and a half year journey takes them through dogfights in the Nevada desert, night landings on aircraft carriers off the Atlantic coast, and eventually to the biggest challenge young officers face: wartime deployment to Iraq.
I never had a desire to join the military, but I have the upmost respect for those that possess what it takes to dedicate their lives to the protection of our country. For years, Hollywood has fictionally portrayed the military in both positive and negative light, yet we have seen a bit of a void when it comes to first hand accounts of military life. Filmed over a two and a half year period, and released in 2008, Speed and Angels is a refreshing glimpse into the elite world of Navy fighter pilots. From the first day of inflight training, to their eventual deployment to Iraq, we are given a front-row seat as two pilots do everything within their power to become the best.
Just another day in the office to the pilots of the U.S. Navy.
The film begins as Jay and Meagan graduate from the Naval Academy, and set off for flight school. These two young pilots are among the last to be trained on the now retired F-14 Tomcat, which most of you will recognize as the main star of the film Top Gun. Rather than dwelling on the endless hours of classwork Jay and Meagan go through, the film jumps straight into the cockpit for the training exercises between these new recruits and the school's training crew known as The Saints. Following their training at flight school, the pilots are sent to an aircraft carrier, where they are given a limited number of opportunities to prove they have the skill and precision to land an F-14 Tomcat on the small surface of a carrier. As we witness their journey from training to deployment, we're also introduced to Jay and Meagan's families, and given an in-depth background on the importance of flying to both individuals.
Fighter pilots are a rare breed, and this film does an excellent job showing that. Making the decision to become a pilot requires a level of dedication that most people simply don't possess, so it's a real pleasure to be introduced to this world from the comfort of our recliners. Most of you already know if your intrigued by the idea of flying fighter jets, so I won't bother trying to convince you to be interested in something you may not be. For those that are interested, this documentary will have lasting appeal, and will likely come to mind from time to time in the future (especially anytime you hear a jet fly over your house). First time director Peyton Wilson shows she has what it takes to create a well-balanced documentary, with a nice blend of stunning aerial photography, and dialogue-driven moments with Jay or Meagan. I felt my heart racing with anticipation as Meagan prepared for her first carrier landing, knowing one bad landing could mean the end of her career or her life. It probably didn't help my nerves to see a lengthy segment of failed carrier landings that have been caught on tape over the years, but it sure created a greater sense of tension when Meagan and Jay hop into the cockpit for their first attempt.
If I had one complaint about the film, it would be the somewhat anti-climactic ending. I won't go into a lot of detail, but the film fizzles a bit after the segment on aircraft carrier landings, and Meagan's story is almost completely dispensed with. Jay is given the opportunity to tell a sensationalized tale of his experience in Iraq, but I had hoped to hear a bit more about their experiences following the completion of their training. Perhaps it was my selfish desire to be entertained (which is not always feasible in the world of documentaries), but I had a similar feeling at the end of the fictional film Jarhead, where I expected some sort of rousing payoff at the end.
Speed and Angels is presented in 1080i using the VC-1 codec, at an average bitrate of 20 MBPS. This ranks up there with some of the worst Blu-ray transfers I've seen to date, with detail that barely surpasses an up-converted DVD, and many scenes that are obscured by an annoying level of noise. Several aerial shots are decent, but even those scenes still appeared to be shot using a standard definition camera. Without a doubt, the worst scenes are the interview shots with Jay, Meagan and their families. During those scenes, detail takes a huge hit, and you can see the occasional presence of digital artifacting. On the bright side, black levels are appropriately deep (with the exception of a couple night shots), and contrast demonstrates nice depth in both day-time and night sequences.
Presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, Speed and Angels fails to impress in the audio department as well. Most documentaries have a subdued track, but I was expecting more punch from a documentary that features multiple in-flight jet sequences. I wasn't anticipating an audio mix that rivals Top Gun, but I was expecting dynamic use of my surrounds, and the occasional sub-shaking blast as the jets take off from the carrier. Unfortunately, rear surrounds rarely come to life, and my subwoofer might as well have been an oversized coaster. I doubt the presence of a lossless track would have improved matters much, but it still would have been nice to hear if some of the deficiencies are a result of the lossy track. More likely than not, the real cause of the lackluster audio is the source material, and this could be the best we can expect from this film.
The supplements on the disc are presented in standard definition (480p) with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio.
Meet the Pilots: This extra is a collection of minute long interviews and clips with the pilots and RIO's that appear in the film. Most of the shots are extensions of scenes that already appear in the film.
Shorts: If you watched the credits at the end of the film, you've already seen the content of this 3 minute feature, and won't want to waste your time watching it again (in 480p).
Warbirds Video Game Preview: If you're playing this disc on a PS3, I'd assume you've played at least one or two video games in high-definition. At first glance, I assumed the preview was some sort of joke, but apparently there really is a "Warbirds" game. You'd have to go back to the early nineties to find a game that looks this awful, and anyone with a PS3 will be shocked at the low quality. According to most retail outlets, there is a game disc included with this Blu-ray; but I don't have the second disc, so I can't confirm if the game is a full copy of "Warbirds".
Considering the documentary is well-done, it's a shame I can't recommend this Blu-ray disc. The shoddy technical quality will be a deal-breaker to most high-definition enthusiasts, but I still feel this is worth a rental. Keep an eye on Peyton Wilson in the future, since I believe we may see some excellent documentaries from her in the future.
In an early announcement to retailers, Vivendi Visual Entertainment has revealed that they will bring 'Speed and Angels' to Blu-ray on September 16th, day-and-date with the DVD release. As this is an early announcement, no special features or technical specs are ...
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