USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.40:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This turned into a pleasing presentation.
Sharpness tended to seem fine. Some interiors could appear a bit soft, but not to a significant degree. This meant the film usually looked accurate and well-defined.
I saw no jaggies or shimmering, and edge haloes remained absent. Print flaws also failed to create distractions during this clean presentation.
In terms of colors, Courage opted for stylized hues, as it favored a standard – though semi-subdued – orange and teal. None of these hues stood out, but the Blu-ray reproduced them as intended.
Blacks were deep and firm, and shadows offered appropriate clarity, with nice development of low-light shots. The image held up well and provided a good reproduction of the source.
Even more satisfying, the film’s DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack added a lot to the experience. Quieter scenes – like those onboard ships/subs – added a nice sense of place/ambience, and music boasted fine stereo presence.
As expected, the movie’s big action scenes fared best. Those created a terrific sense of the action, as planes and other war-related elements occupied all five channels. These blended together in a smooth, vivid manner to create a truly dynamic feel for the material.
Audio quality also was solid. Speech seemed crisp and distinctive, as I noticed no flaws like edginess. Music seemed warm and full, while effects added a real bang to the proceedings. Those elements showed good clarity and accuracy, and they offered tight, deep bass as well. The track seemed vibrant and dynamic as it accentuated the movie in a satisfying manner.
In terms of extras, only one component arrives. The Making of USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage runs 33 minutes, 11 seconds and presents comments from director Mario Van Peebles, writer/producer Ricgard Rionda Del Castro, writer Cam Cannon, producer Michaal Mendelsohn, executive producers Patricia Eberle and Timothy Patrick Cavanaugh, Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley, Edge Innovations’ Walt Conti, Navy SEAL John Rottger, Silo’s Don McCoy and Sean Hart, line producer Bill Wilson, production designer Joe Lemmon, sound mixer David Parker, Mobile Film Commission’s Eva Golson, costume designer Patrick O’Driscoll, script supervisor Melissa Randall, composer Laurent Eyquem, survivor Grandville Crane, daughter of survivor Maria Bullard, and actors Nicolas Cage, Thomas Jane, Tom Sizemore, Cody Walker, Adam Scott Miller, Johnny Wactor, Mandela Van Peebles, Jose Julian, Matt Lanter, Joey Capone, Callard Harris, Yutaka Takeuchi, Craig Tate, Emily Tennant, Brian Presley and Weronika Rosati.
“Making” examines the source events and research, story/character areas, cast and performances, shooting ocean scenes, recreating sharks and other effects, sound recording/design, sets and locations, costumes and period details, and music.
In a relatively short period of time, “Making” throws out a lot of participants and touches on a wide variety of domains. It does so in a reasonable manner, though it bites off more than it can chew. This leaves it as a moderately informative but rushed program.
The disc opens with ads for Harley and the Davidsons, Hacksaw Ridge, Standoff, The Trust and Deepwater Horizon. No trailer for Courage shows up here.
At its core, USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage promotes a stirring, memorable piece of history. Unfortunately, it treats this material in the most cliché, superficial manner possible. The Blu-ray offers very good picture and audio along with a decent behind the scenes program. Chalk up Courage as a one-dimensional disappointment.