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The Martian Extended Edition 4k Ultra Hd

Martian, The: Extended Edition (4K UHD Review)

Review Date: Jun 21, 2016
Format: Blu-ray Disc

Martian, The: Extended Edition (4K UHD Review)

Release Date(s)

2016 (June 7, 2016)

Studio(s)

Scott Gratis/Kinberg Genre (20th Century Fox Habitation Amusement)

Film/Program Grade: A+
Video Grade: A-
Audio Grade: A+
Extras Grade: A

Review

Based on the acknowledged novel past Andy Weir, The Martian opens on the surface of the Red Planet in the midst of NASA's almost-hereafter Ares Iii space mission. Six astronauts are busy exploring the terrain, gathering samples, and doing scientific inquiry, when an unexpectedly strong dust storm overtakes their landing site. Forced to abort the mission, they're struggling through worsening conditions to reach their MAV (Mars Ascent Vehicle) when 1 of them, botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon), is struck by flying droppings and falls out of contact. Believing him expressionless, the rest of the coiffure escapes into orbit and begins the journeying dorsum to Earth. But, unknown to them, Mark is even so alive. With a great deal of luck, ingenuity, and scientific knowledge, he's determined to stay that way until he can exist rescued. When NASA discovers this, they rally their best minds together – as only NASA can and with the whole world behind them – determined to bring Marker home.

The original Weir novel is almost the perfect template for a Hollywood film. What it lacked in prose, it more than than fabricated upwardly for in 18-carat and honestly written humor, heart, and a peachy try towards scientific accuracy. The genius of the novel is that Weir puts u.s.a. inside Watney's head, offering u.s. a window on his running monologue of thoughts in situations good, bad, and absurd. The genius of Drew Goddard's script accommodation, is that he has Watney recording many of those same thoughts on screen via a kind of GoPro-inspired video log for the team back at NASA. Not every honey scene in the novel carries over to the screen (notably an incident in which Watney rolls his rover), just this is true of any such adaptation. And of course, no filmmaker is more uniquely capable and experienced in building ballsy and cinematic scientific discipline fiction worlds than Ridley Scott. I nearly can't imagine a novel, and a script, more than well suited to Scott's talents than this. It'south nearly fool-proof.

The flick's casting is spot-on. Matt Damon is exactly the correct actor to play Watney. He's conceivable equally both an everyman in an extraordinary state of affairs and a highly capable NASA scientist. The residual of the Ares III bandage delivers also, including Jessica Chastain as the mission'south no-nonsense commander. Back on Earth, the unlikely ensemble of Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, and others absolutely shines as infinite agency administrators, engineers, directors, and mission controllers fighting to save Watney's life. Really, the only other way this project could have gone incorrect would have been if all the footling nuances of spaceflight – the accuracy to existent NASA engineering concepts and scientific details – had been Hollywood-fudged. Fortunately, NASA consulted with the filmmakers wholeheartedly, so well-nigh every aspect of the production – from the spacecraft, to the suits, gear, and even the surface of Mars itself – rings true, or at least truthful plenty. (The lack of business organisation for radiation in space is an result, as is the fact that dust storms could never really go that strong on Mars, and that the Hermes is roomier than you'd ever see on a existent spacecraft, but these are all nitpicks.) And really, why wouldn't NASA want to participate? The Martian is to the space agency what Peak Gun was to the U.S. Navy back in the 1980s. In the finish, the outcome is this: Ridley Scott'due south The Martian rightly takes its place alongside Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, Philip Kauffman'due south The Right Stuff, and Ron Howard'due south Apollo 13 (and to a lesser extent Alfonso Cuarón'south Gravity) as i of the best and well-nigh realistic films about manned spaceflight ever made.

The previous Theatrical Cut of this film ran 141 minutes. The new Extended Cutting is 151 minutes long… and that might not seem similar a big divergence. In fact, at that place's really only i new full scene. Almost of what you get are niggling scene extensions, additional grapheme moments, an boosted line of dialogue or two here and there. But you lot'd exist surprised how much they add up. The character moments especially really enhance the drama. Moment that were already powerful or human in the Theatrical Cut now have a little more room to breathe, making them just a niggling bit more than powerful and human being. In that location's too a greater sense of the scale of Mars itself. There are more quick establishing and mood shots of the landscape and Watney within it. You lot see Watney working to extend the range of his rover, yous run into a bit more than of his journey to the Ares Iv landing site late in the film. There'south a quick scene from the volume where you see Watney cleaning himself up in an inflatable tent during his rover journeying. You see Watney ingeniously testing the airtight integrity of his HAB canvas repairs. NASA's fateful supply launch is at present a flake more than tense. You too see a little more of the NASA team back on Globe, and more than of the Hermes crew equally well – mostly it'southward just little character moments, but again they add together up. There's the funny moment where the NASA people talk about Mark's use of profanity in his messages – you really acquire what that profanity was now (it's only implied in the Theatrical Cut). What's more, the new scene is really pretty terrific: Later the supply launch fails, and Watney is grappling with the fact that he now knows he's probably going to die, NASA is surprised to acquire that he's completing the original mission objectives. Watney has adamant that if he's going to die, he's going to requite his decease meaning and and so he'southward working to finish all the crew's abased experiments. That tells yous a lot about who Watney is and what motivates him, merely information technology too rings completely true to the way NASA astronauts are in existent life. Again, while all of these additions may seem pocket-size when looked upon individually, the sum total is an fifty-fifty more than satisfying viewing experience that the original version. I think fans of the novel will especially capeesh these additions.

You'll be pleased to know that actual 4K Ultra Hard disk disc here includes both the Theatrical Cut and the new Extended Edition. The video quality is nearly identical to the previous 4K Ultra Hard disk release of the Theatrical Edition (which I've reviewed here), then refer to that review for the details. However, the real surprise is that both versions of the film now include new English Dolby Atmos sound mixes. The quality and clarity of the previous BD and 4K discs' 7.1 DTS-Hd Master Audio mix remains, merely where the Atmos really shines is in the "vertical" channels. Once the grit storm kicks in, you really start to hear the activeness overhead. The launch sequences also benefit from the vertical extension, just even in more quiet moments y'all can hear subtle wind and creaking. I wouldn't say the difference is massive, but information technology's plenty to accept the audio grade from the A I gave the Theatrical Blu-ray and 4K sound to an A+ hither. Notation that sound is also available in English language 5.ane Descriptive Audio (on the Theatrical Cut but), and French and Spanish 5.one Dolby Digital, with optional subtitles in English (for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Spanish, and French. The simply extra on the 4K disc is a adept ane: At last, you become the long-awaited feature-length audio commentary with managing director Ridley Scott, screenwriter Drew Goddard, and novelist Andy Weir. It appears that Scott was recorded separately from the writers, but their comments cut together well enough and there's a great deal of interesting information offered from both sides. In a dainty touch, there are optional subtitles bachelor for the commentary in English language, French, and Spanish.

Disc I of the included Blu-ray offers both the Theatrical Cut and the Extended Edition via seamless branching, each with English language seven.ane DTS-Hd Master Audio. Boosted audio options include English language five.1 Descriptive Audio (on the Theatrical Cut only), and French and Castilian five.1 Dolby Digital, with optional subtitles in English (for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Spanish, and French. You too get the same audio commentary with Scott, Goddard, and Weir (and again there are optional subtitles for the commentary too in English, French, and Spanish).

Disc 2 of the Blu-ray includes all the rest of the bonus content, much of information technology new and all of it in HD. First up are a trio of quick Deleted Scenes (4:06) that weren't added back into the Extended Edition but are still worth checking out (including what is essentially an alternate ending to the film with vocalisation over). The highlight of the disc is the new 6-part feature-length documentary on the making of the film, The Long Mode Habitation: Making the Martian (79:21). Produced past longtime Ridley Scott documentarian Charles de Lauzirika, this slice covers damn almost every aspect of the production. It incudes Bespeak Caused: Writing and Management (11:08), The Bleeding Edge: Science and Pattern (11:59), Occupy Mars: Casting and Costumes (14:thirteen), 3 Worlds Away: Product – Hungary and Jordan (14:xvi), Wrath of the Cherry Planet: Stunts and Activity (10:14), and Bringing Him Home: Post-Production (17:44). I don't want to say too much about this content, because I think the segment titles speak for themselves. Merely I volition say that, as something of a lay skilful on the subject field of homo spaceflight history and technology, I found the feel of watching this documentary deeply satisfying. It'due south not as exhaustive every bit some of Lauzirika's by documentaries, but information technology really does at least touch upon virtually everything you'd desire to see more closely and larn more than virtually.

There'southward also some great additional fabric here that examines the reality of Mars exploration. Cartel Mighty Things: NASA's Journeying to Mars (14:47) is a nice wait at the latest science on the Red Planet and NASA'south current vehicles and plans for a future manned journey (hopefully, in the 2030s, though it's worth noting that – at that pace – SpaceX is likely to beat them). The Journey to Mars 101 (2:02:18) is actually a tape of a fun event held at Play tricks Studios back in February. I had the pleasure of attention this result, which was co-sponsored by NASA, JPL, the White Firm Function of Scientific discipline and Technology Policy, and the Planetary Society (you lot can read my report on it here). It'south split into three parts, each a record of a different panel discussion held that day. It begins with NASA's Journey to Mars (47:41), which is moderated by novelist Andy Weir, and features ISS Expedition 44/45 astronaut Kjell Lindgren, NASA lead scientist for Mars Exploration Programs Michael Meyer, NASA JPL Mars Mission Manager Jennifer Trosper, and NASA'due south Program Executive for Solar System Exploration Dave Lavery as they discuss what's really needed to make a Mars mission possible. It continues with Living on Mars and Beyond (48:13), which is chastened by Bill Nye the Scientific discipline Guy and also the CEO of the Planetary Society. Information technology features the Tom Kalil who is the Deputy Manager for Engineering and Innovation from the White House Office of Science and Engineering Policy, former NASA principal technologist Mason Peck, MIT's Manager of The Center for $.25 and Atoms Neil Gershenfeld, and erstwhile DARPA biotechnologies scientist Alicia Jackson equally they talk about what it will take to establish a permanent human presence on Mars. Finally, Why Science Fiction Inspires Me (26:23) is moderated by Adam Savage of Mythbusters, and features a discussion with Weir, Scott, and Goddard. If you lot suspect that what's discussed during these panels is serious hardcore nerdity, you lot're absolutely right… and information technology's absolutely fantastic. This is spaceflight science way beyond the level of annihilation you lot'd run across on the Discovery channel and, if y'all're really into this stuff, it'south utter wonderful to watch. This section also includes Ridley Scott Discusses NASA's Journey to Mars (ane:31), which appears to be a PSA that Scott recorded for NASA Idiot box.

The remainder of the extras here include fabric plant on the original The Martian Blu-ray (reviewed here), starting with the Gag Reel (7:33). There's a collection of "in-universe" Ares Mission Videos (xxx:32 in all), including Ares Three: Farewell (3:35), The Correct Stuff (3:20), Ares: Our Greatest Run a risk (3:39 – which features astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson), Bring Him Dwelling house (i:34), and Exit Your Mark (1:03). You've probably already seen these on YouTube, every bit they were used to promote the film's theatrical release. The previous Product Art Gallery is here too (if you watch all the images, it's about 17 minutes worth of auto-advancing material) that shows concept art for the motion picture's Hermes, Mars, and Globe settings. Finally, the disc includes 4 Theatrical Trailers for the film (11:09 in all – the previous BD just included one): A, B, K, and R, for those of you keeping score. There's also a newspaper insert with a Digital Copy code that appears to offer the Extended Edition in Hard disk drive.

Patently, this package doesn't include the Theatrical Cutting or the Extended Edition in Blu-ray 3D. I understand why some fans would be upset by the lack of 3D hither, just I don't retrieve information technology detracts from the quality of this special edition. However, given that this set does include all of the previous Blu-ray bonus content, you lot can simply accept the Theatrical Cut Blu-ray 3D disc from that erstwhile gear up, put it in a newspaper sleeve and tuck it into the case hither and you accept everything that'south bachelor.

[Editor'due south Note: Given that well-nigh all 4K releases are multi-disc sets, with the extras often included on divide BD discs, our extras grades for these 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray reviews volition reflect the bonus content across all discs in the ready.]

The original Theatrical Cutting of The Martian was arguably Ridley Scott's best piece of work in a decade, since perhaps his managing director's cut of Kingdom of Heaven. This new Extended Cut makes that work fifty-fifty better. For my own part, I think this may now be my favorite Ridley Scott motion-picture show. And I certainly don't say that lightly. I love the texture and tension of Conflicting and the visual poetry of Blade Runner. They're ii of my all fourth dimension favorite sci-fi films. Merely I don't actually consider The Martian science fiction. This is the kind of moving picture a director tin only really make afterwards a long career of honing his or her craft. Scott's past films nearly the hereafter were way ahead of their fourth dimension. Now that future is hither, and he'due south fabricated a film about it that'south not at all flashy, but is visually, tonally, and authentically more perfect than whatever other similar effort to engagement… and I really think that makes it a more impressive achievement. With The Martian: Extended Edition, Scott's forward-looking creative impulse has reached its fullest, truest expression yet. And it'south thrilling.

- Pecker Hunt