In 2000 Val Kilmer and Carrie-Anne Moss headline the sci-fi adventure Red Planet. Now for the 25th anniversary of this film' release Arrow Video has restored and released this film on 4k UltraHD!
Synopsis: In the not-so-distant future, the ecological crisis on Earth has taken a turn for the worse, and humanity's only hope may lie in seeking refuge on neighbouring Mars. After years of unmanned missions to terraform the planet, a crew of astronauts aboard Mars-1 are finally sent to establish Earth's first Martian colony. But a giant solar flare sends their landing module crash-landing on the planet, leaving our pioneers stranded in a harsh crimson wasteland. As the crew battle the elements and rising inner tensions, they soon discover that Mars' newly formed atmosphere has had unexpected and terrifying consequences.
The film for its time was groundbreaking. Especially with the special effects. But now 25 years later you can see how far we have come. The story is typical sci-fi one. Nothing unique, but the cast puts everything they have into their roles. I think they deserve credit for that.
In addition to good performances by Val Kilmer and Carrie-Ann Moss, we get believable acting by Tom Sizemore (Natural Born Killers), Benjamin Bratt (Demolition Man), Simon Baker (L.A. Confidential), Terence Stamp (Superman and Superman II).
Red Planet grossed only 33.5 million against a budget of 80 million. Now most people would think this was a bad film. And while it isn't the most amazing sci-fi film, it's not as bad as many might think. I think the real problem came because about 8 months prior to this release was the film release of Mission to Mars. I think people might have had a bit of mars fatigue.
Red Planet has been transferred to 4K Ultra HD in 2160p and presented in 2.39:1 aspect ratio. The audio track is the original lossless English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio. Finally, there is the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Arrow Video has taken the original 35mm camera negative that was scanned at Warner Bros./Motion Picture Imaging. Then they restored it in UltraHD. Arrow Video has done another amazing job in restoration here. The colors are spectacular. But in all honesty the crispness of the picture quality doesn't do the special effect many favors. The audio track is clean with dynamic appeal.
Now as with most Arrow Video releases this 4K is a deluxe one. And it features some nice bonuses that will keep fans of this film entertained. Take a look at what is included.
* The Martian Chronicles, a brand new interview with visual effects supervisor Jeffrey A. Okun
* Suit Up, a brand new interview with helmet and suits designer Steve Johnson
* Angry Red Planet, a brand new visual retrospective with film critic Heath Holland
* Deleted scenes
* Theatrical trailer
* Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
* Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Mark A. Altman
Arrow Video added brand new interviews along with beautiful new artwork by Matt Griffin. To be perfectly honest. I would have like to see a bit more bonus features from this release. After all a 25-year anniversary is pretty epic. But it is still okay!
So, if you enjoy sci-fi films as much as I do. Red Planet, while not the great film, is still an enjoyable experience. This new 4K UltraHD release is a must add to your home video library. Head over to MVD Shop or Amazon and order your copy today!
Out of 4 films reels (4 being the best) Arrow Video's 4K UltraHD of Red Planet receives.....
0 Comments