Altered 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Altered 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 7, 2026

The (hopefully?) unintentional humor of calling a film Altered when it is in fact a retread of any number of previous science fiction (and, frankly, other) productions, albeit with small tweaks attached, may color some viewers' reactions to this effort. Altered is in several significant ways a "revisiting" of ideas and even plot points of Gattaca, with a dystopian world where genetic modification has split society into two groups, those with genetic enhancements and those without. Sound at least a little familiar? That's sadly just the beginning of a film that purloins material from other probably better remembered productions as it documents the struggles of a "special" (i.e, non-genetically enhanced) guy named Leon (Tom Felton, looking kind of weirdly Jonathan Pryce-like throughout) in his efforts to (quoting a log line that is as generic as the film itself) "fight the system" and "change the world".

Leon's attempts to "fight the system" and "change the world" are encumbered by the fact that he's paralyzed, though his able bodied niece Chloe (Elizaveta Bugulova) helps in that regard. In just another example of a plot point having been lifted whole cloth (in more ways than one) from another property, Leon ends up inventing a high tech exo-skeleton superhero suit of sorts that allows him to, well, "fight the system" more than simply figuratively. This very plot point may remind those with long memories of the short lived Fox series (produced by Sam Raimi) M.A.N.T.I.S., which did exploit the very same (or at least extremely similar) plot formulation. (An even older made for television piece called Exo-Man proves just how hoary this plot point has been.) That transformation comes courtesy of what might be jokingly referred to as one of this film's "sub McGuffins", a bloom called the Genesis Flower which magically appeared after a near apocalyptic nuclear event, and which is now tightly controlled by the film's genetically enhanced elites, but which Leon gets a cutting from in the opening vignette.

Altered has the arguable audacity to call its cordoned off area for the non genetically enhanced folks a "district", in yet another undeniable tether to a dystopian franchise, but the film attempts something at least somewhat "new" if not exactly improved by introducing a Lady Gaga adjacent pop star named Mira (Aggy K. Adams), whose own genetic enhancements have gifted her with the world's supposedly most supremely beautiful voice. Mira nonetheless insists on performing live for the "specials" in their district, with calamity of course ensuing, though for overly convoluted reasons that introduce a whole subsidiary set of nemeses, when the film has not exactly been shy in detailing nefarious aspects of people like politician Frank Kessler (Richard Brake). Other kind of ludicrous plot points hinge on the passage of a bill to make genetic enhancements available even to "specials", which while slightly different may remind some of at least somewhat similar mechanics vis a vis "improvements" offered in Pluribus.

One way or the other, unsurprisingly after a seeming terrorist attack, Mira ends up partnering with the exoskeleton equipped Leon and Chloe to figure out various layers of corruption after it appears someone is out to frame "specials" for various shenanigans. The whole aspect of a nascent "class war" based on (in this case) genetic enhancements vs. good, old fashioned everyday normal (if occasionally "differently abled") humans is itself kind of tired feeling, and there's little if any suspense as to who the "final boss" is going to be or how the protagonists will fare in their enterprise. The film does try to ask some provocative questions, but the writing is so ham fisted that Altered comes off as the comedy it seems to be at its very opening courtesy of some cheeky voiceover by Leon describing the near end of Mankind which then led to the genetically enhanced variety. The final "punchline" as it were is things are set up for an ostensible sequel that my hunch is will never happen.

Altered 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: While this is a standalone 4K release without a 1080 disc, I am offering screenshots from Well Go USA's standalone 1080 release of Altered as I think it actually provides a better representation of the look of the palette in particular, rather than offering screenshots from the 4K disc which are by necessity downscaled to 1080 and in SDR. Because this release does not include a 1080 disc, the 2K video score above has been intentionally left blank.

Altered is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Well Go USA with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.39:1. The IMDb lists the Arri Alexa 35 and a 4K DI as the relevant data points. This is an extremely well detailed presentation throughout, sometimes to the film's detriment as certain deficits in the CGI become pretty apparent at this resolution. Otherwise, though, detail on all the practical sets, costumes and props tends to be excellent, and fine detail on costumes in particular is really precise looking (the sweaters Felton wears are just one notable example). The palette gets a rather nice upgrade courtesy of the HDR / Dolby Vision grades, and some vignettes, as in the blue and green swathed sequence with the initial "terrorist" attack really pop incredibly vividly in this version. Rather interestingly, at least to my eyes, what becomes apparent at this resolution is that digital grain looks like it only accompanies certain scenes, or at least is only really visible in certain scenes. The opening vignette in the high tech "museum" where the kids are on tour, or even later largely bright and white (from a production design standpoint) sequences like the family planning interlude look like just pure, crystalline digital captures with no attempt to recreate a film like texture. Other moments, notably some of the "workshop" material with Leon and Chloe, have at least a dusting of digital grain.

Altered 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Altered features a rather boisterous Dolby Atmos track that is perhaps surprisingly effective given some of the wobbliness seen in some of the visual VFX work. There's really excellent immersion throughout, and at least a couple of major smackdown scenes, some with gunfire, offer pretty powerful bursts of LFE and noticeable height and lateral movement in sound effects. Scoring can also punctuate the side and rear channels. Dialogue is delivered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and French subtitles are available.

Altered 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

On the minus side, this 4K release does not even feature the sole supplement of Well Go USA's 1080 release, this film's trailer. On the plus side, there are also no other trailers that the disc boots to, as in the 1080 release. Packaging features a slipcover.

Altered 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Felton is fun (he also is one of the film's producers), but Altered is in actuality More of the Same in several salient ways. Technical merits are solid for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.