Biosphere Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Biosphere Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 23, 2026

Two men left to live inside a controlled environment with no chance for escape, forced to rely on themselves for survival and companionship. It’s not the “Bio-Dome” sequel that’s been threatened for the last decade, but a new production from Jay and Mark Duplass, who love to tinker with potentially comedic studies of relationships under duress. In “Biosphere,” the situation is quite grim, studying the experience of the last two men on Earth, watching them deal with an encroaching reality as they try to keep themselves alive inside a dome. However, there’s a lighter, stranger tone to the picture, with co-writers Mark Duplass and Mel Eslyn (who also directs) looking to take viewers on quite a ride of feelings and revelations, attentive to the element of surprise while endeavoring to make something truly human, especially when it comes to the complexity of emotions. “Biosphere” isn’t a crisply edited movie, but it’s a periodically involving tale of partnership, held together by outstanding performances from Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown.

Planet Earth has died in some way, leaving Ray (Sterling K. Brown) and Billy (Mark Duplass) as the last two people alive. They live inside a dome that’s meant to support life, with the men using their days to accomplish chores and work on their physical movement, maintaining a close relationship as they share a space, living inside the building for quite some time. One day, Ray discovers that one of their beloved fish, Diane, has died, which means a more interesting meal to Billy, but the reality remains: only two males, Sam and Woody, are left alive. Without the ability to procreate, a source of food is about to be eliminated, providing a challenge for the survivors, who also spot a faint green light in the distance, unsure what’s on its way to visit them. When one of the fish changes sex to survive, Ray and Billy begin to appreciate the wonders of life, soon challenged by other changes in their relationship as they try to ignore the dangers of the outside world.

What’s happened to the planet isn’t immediately understood in “Biosphere,” which introduces the characters on their daily run around the dwelling, with Ray trying to explain the ways of power dynamics with help from “Super Mario Brothers,” using Mario and Luigi as examples. The men have an easy back and forth, with the script portioning out the extent of their partnership in pieces, presenting them as a “brotherhood,” but they act more like a married couple. “Biosphere” offers clues when it comes to Ray and Billy’s pre-apocalypse jobs, enjoys the details of their daily routine, and provides something of a ticking clock in the green light, which emerges in the distance, putting the pair on edge as they consider what it could be.

“Biosphere” finds early tension in the death of Diane and fish, which hits Ray particularly hard, accepting the loss as an ominous warning of danger ahead for the pair, who’ve managed to create a semi-cozy existence for themselves. There’s conversation and entertainment (the men have memorized “Lethal Weapon 3”), allowing the inhabitants to ignore the greater danger facing them. They distract through personal interactions, including heated debates concerning a situation involving a bowling ball. These two have had their fill of each other, but the death of one fish provides a powerful reminder of finality, while the evolutionary might of another generates a sense of wonder and possibility. “Biosphere” achieves a fascinating sense of pure experience for the men, who are confronted with a stunning development in their strange world, unprepared for what this event means for them as humans.

Biosphere Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation (1.85:1 aspect ratio) for "Biosphere" only sticks with a single setting. Color is limited to a few decorative choices and clothing options, with some primaries present in the mostly white environment. Fish carry varied hues, and greenery is distinct. Skin tones are natural. The mystery green light registers as intended. Detail is acceptable, with a slightly softer sense of frame information. Skin particulars are appreciable on the actors, and their costuming remains fibrous. Interiors maintain a decent look at the particulars of dome life, maintaining dimension. Delineation has its struggles with limited lighting, finding solidification creeping in on occasion.

Biosphere Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix is working with a film that's entirely about two characters discussing their feeling for the run time. Dialogue exchanges are sharp, preserving performance choices and awkward silences between the survivors. Scoring maintains fresh dramatic support, providing defined choral additions that also play with separation. Surrounds aren't active, but musical moods occasionally go circular. Sound effects are appreciable. Low-end isn't challenged.

Biosphere Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features co-writer/director Mel Eslyn, co-writer/actor Mark Duplass, and actor Sterling K. Brown.

• Making Of (13:39, HD) features interviews with co-writer/director Mel Eslyn, co-writer/actor Mark Duplass, producer Zackary Drucker, production designer Megan Fenton, cinematographer Nathan M. Miller, and actor Sterling K. Brown. The production experience is covered in some depth here, exploring the genesis of the script and the physical needs of the shoot. Story is analyzed, along with tone. Some BTS footage is also included, providing some sense of the technical effort.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included on this release.

Biosphere Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Biosphere" studies the evolution of the central relationship as it goes through periods of conflict, forcing the characters to deal with their prejudices and masculinity, with the writing delighting in bringing these men into a new emotional frontier as they try to make sense of everything that's happening to them. It's a curious cocktail of feelings, but the film goes on too long, losing snap when it comes to discoveries as the run time heads over 100 minutes. It's an intimate story best played as briskly as possible, but work from Duplass and Brown is really the star of the show, with the actors turning the strangeness of the material and its many turns of thought and reaction into something remarkable at times. They bring humor and heart to "Biosphere," and while the feature itself grows exhausting, the performances remain alert and unpredictable, making the dramatic journey worthwhile.