When this movie was first released in theatres, I read several reviews that absolutely slammed it. The acting was bad, plot was dumb, and special effects looked like something out of a classic B-movie. Upon watching this movie on DVD, I decided that I will never listen to another reviewer again (just joking). Wing Commander is actually a decent science fiction film. Yes, the acting is bad at times, and the plot is far from creative. But the special effects make up for a lot of that with some truly inspired space battles. I'm sure some of my opinion is based on my low expectations for this film, but I will try to provide an accurate view of this movie's strengths and flaws.

In the future, humans are at war with an alien race named the Kilrathi. These ugly bearded creatures will not relent until the human race is wiped out (the background of the story is given in confusing voice clips during the beginning credits, so it is not very clear). After stealing a guidance system with Earth's coordinates, the Kilrathi are headed to our planet. Now the future of the human race is in the hands of two hot shot fighter pilots, and their elite fighter squadron on the battleship Tiger Claw. Time is limited, as this crew races to fend off the advancing Kilrathi force. It is sad when the stars of a movie manage to bring it down. Freddie Prinze Jr. looks stiff in his role as Christopher Blair, and Mathew Lillard give a ridiculous performance as Todd "Maniac" Marshall. Ultimately, both of these actors will make you cringe at times. Saffron Burrows would have received more respect from me, if she didn't have to act like a man during the whole film. The only two redeeming roles came from Tcheky Karyo and Jurgen Prochnow, who both give good authoritarian performances. This film is rated PG-13 for science fiction intensity. Language is not offensive, and there is no nudity to speak of. There is some sexual innuendo, but other than that, this movie does not contain anything you wouldn't see in a Star Wars film.

Picture-The picture did not leave me with too many complaints. Actually, the only flaws I noticed were some dust specks throughout. These white dots are not any more abundant than you will see in the majority of other DVD's though. It is very hard to edit out every speck from the transfer. The special effects are nicely done through the extensive use of computer-generated imaging. I especially liked the space explosions during the starship battles. At times, the switch between computer generated and real life is too noticeable. For instance, when the camera starts outside the spaceship and then zooms to the inside of the cockpit, the transfer does not happen very smoothly. Sound-Sporting a well-done Dolby digital soundtrack, Wing Commander leaves nothing to be desired in the sound area. I felt immersed in the space battles as they unfolded around me. Sometimes the director even places you in the cockpit, and makes you feel like you are actually chasing down a Kilrathi fighter. The music choices in Wing Commander, reminded me of what a modern day Battlestar Galactica movie would sound like (high volume orchestra music to portray a hero feeling). One small factor that I found strange, is that the fighter ships produce the same engine sounds as the jets in Top Gun. It seems like a spaceship should sound slightly different than F-16's, but that is just my opinion. Wing Commander overall shows how much sound can be used to redeem a movie.

Theatrical trailers are the only extras Fox decided to add to this DVD.

Fans of the Wing Commander video game series will find a great deal to enjoy here. I was pleased with the technical merits of the film, but the plot is thin, and the acting started to wear on me. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Mathew Lillard give stiff and ridiculous performances respectively. After seeing them in Wing Commander, I am surprised their teen-slasher careers are still going. Overall, I would say this is an average movie that has been transferred nicely to DVD. While not as horrible as Battlefield Earth, don't expect a "Matrix" quality film from Wing Commander.