2056. A toxic cloud of pollution has swallowed the earth, killing untold numbers. The world’s nations have dissolved, with all power now in the hands of giant corporations. The rich retreat to sealed biodomes while the poor choke and starve. On the space station Rubikon, Hannah (Julia Franz Richter), Gavin (George Blagden), and Dimitri (Mark Ivanir) weigh the fate of the planet’s survivors. Should these crewmembers risk their own lives on a rescue mission to the surface, or ignore the old world to build a new one of safety and solitude, living off the station’s sophisticated algae symbiosis system? Against the vast canvas of the cosmos, three people with different worldviews debate their moral responsibility to the species, all while grappling with the timely agony of isolation.

For thoughts on Rubikon, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/MI3XM5V3nD0?t=2914]

Video Quality

Rubikon debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original aspect ratio that looks pretty great. The movie has many shadowy environments on board the ship which are complemented by deep black levels that hold together nicely. This allows for a more seamless experience that does not ruin the aesthetic. Objects hold up well in the darkness and retain their depth with banding only showing up in brief instances. The transfer provides a substantial amount of detail and clarity throughout the ship with little buttons and widgets that stand out. The movie itself has a reserved palette that renders very nicely on screen, especially when it comes to the highlights which do not bloom. No damage or digital noise was detected that would detract from this transfer. RLJE has done nice work.

Audio Quality

The film comes to Blu-Ray with an effective DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original English with a few other languages sprinkled in that are aided by subtitles. The movie makes great use of environmental sounds to create disquiet in this contained location. Surround channels get some rewarding activity with the ambiance of the interiors. The low end adds some much appreciated texture that enhances a few key moments. The dialogue and sound effects are balanced well with the score where nothing sounds muddy. This track does everything that is asked of it. There are English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

There are no special features provided here.

Final Thoughts

Rubikon is an admirable effort to make an engaging science fiction tale on a minimal budget, but the narrative becomes a bit too bumpy along the way. There is some effective cultural commentary here, but the characters are not developed enough to make certain decisions ring as true as they need to. The performances are good and the attention paid to the crafts does not go unnoticed. This is still worth a watch, but you should have your expectations in check. RLJE Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. If you are a science fiction fan, you should give it a shot to see if it works for you.

Rubikon is currently available to purchase on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: RLJE Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.