Challenger - DVD

Film: In January 1986, the launch of the US space shuttle Challenger is supposed to be another milestone in the history of manned spaceflight. But only 73 seconds after the launch, disaster strikes: The shuttle explodes and the entire crew is killed. All of America falls into a state of shock after this accident and US President Ronald Reagan knows that he must offer his voters a complete explanation. Therefore, a commission of high-ranking government officials and scientists is assembled to lead a comprehensive investigation. Among them is physicist and Nobel Prize winner Richard P. Feynman (William Hurt), who, unlike his colleagues, is not afraid to ask uncomfortable questions. In doing so, however, he repeatedly encounters a wall of silence, contradictions and half-truths. It becomes clear that there are some people, especially at NASA, who do not want the true cause of the accident to be found. But that is all the more reason for Feynman to keep searching for the truth.

With Challenger, the BBC has staged a thrilling reappraisal of the tragic shuttle disaster, which for the most part sticks to the findings of the investigative commission of which Richard P. Feynman was a member. Of course, the film has taken dramaturgical liberties to build up a little more tension. But on the whole, the drama can definitely be considered a factual account. The investigative work is a relatively dry affair. Long conversations, tours of factories and research facilities, and heated discussions among the various commission members - none of this sounds like the stuff of exciting entertainment.

However, despite the fact that there isn't really much else going on, director James Hawes does a very good job of keeping his audience riveted to the action and barely allowing any significant length to occur over the course of the nearly 90-minute running time. Hawes achieves this not only through the coherent script, but also through his very good lead actor William Hurt, who also delivers quite dry dialogues in a rousing manner. Overall, Challenger moves in the tradition of classic conspiracy thrillers like Silkwood. And even if the quality is not quite reached, the TV movie offers very good and exciting entertainment, which also makes you want to delve deeper into the true background of the story. Worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The DVD's picture is absolutely clean and features good overall sharpness, with only minor weaknesses in darker scenes. Here, some moments seem slightly washed out and smaller details are often lost here. The color scheme is very warm and overall feels pleasantly authentic. The German soundtrack is available in a Dolby Digital 2.0 mix, which remains rather restrained over long stretches. Only rarely is there very clear movement in the surround channels. However, this also suits the rather dialogue-dominated production and therefore does not really have a negative impact. Good.

Extras: Apart from programme tips from the provider, the DVD has no bonus material to offer.

Conclusion: Challenger is an exciting television film that traces the difficult investigative work following the Challenger disaster in a very matter-of-fact, yet engaging manner. The fact that the film works is due in no small part to the convincing acting of William Hurt, whose very authentic performance adds intensity to an already exciting (because true) story. The DVD presents the film in a good TV level picture and sound quality. Unfortunately, there is no bonus material, which is a real shame considering the subject matter. Still, the film is good enough to make a case for purchasing this disc. Recommended

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp