Species 4K Blu-ray Movie 
Collector's Edition / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-rayShout Factory | 1995 | 108 min | Rated R | Jul 26, 2022
Movie rating
|
| 6.3 | / 10 |
Blu-ray rating
| Users |  | 3.8 |
| Reviewer | | 4.0 |
| Overall | | 3.8 |
Overview click to collapse contents
Species 4K (1995)
When a beautiful human-alien hybrid escapes from observation, scientist Xavier Fitch dispatches a crew of experts to find her before she is able to fulfill her horrific purpose: to mate with unsuspecting men and produce offspring that could destroy mankind. As her deadly biological clock ticks rapidly, Fitch and his team are hurled into a desperate battle in which the fate of humanity itself hangs in the balance!
Starring: Natasha Henstridge, Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Alfred Molina, Forest WhitakerDirector: Roger Donaldson
| Horror | Uncertain |
| Thriller | Uncertain |
| Sci-Fi | Uncertain |
| Action | Uncertain |
Specifications click to expand contents
Video
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Subtitles
English SDH
Discs
Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Packaging
Slipcover in original pressing
Playback
Region A (locked)
Review click to expand contents
Rating summary
| Movie |  | 3.0 |
| Video | | 4.0 |
| Audio |  | 3.5 |
| Extras |  | 5.0 |
| Overall | | 4.0 |
Species 4K Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 26, 2022Shout! Factory has released a 4K UHD release of the 1995 Sci-Fi/Horror film 'Species.' New parameters include 2160p/Doby Vision video. No new audio track is included; the studio has simply repurposed the existing 2017 track from the previous Blu-ray release. This three-disc set includes audio commentary tracks on the UHD and feature film Blu-ray discs and the video-based extras on a bonus Blu-ray.
For decades, scientists have sent communiques into space, hoping to receive a response from intelligent extraterrestrial beings. Finally, their cries into the darkness have been answered. The aliens' message: a chemical formula for more efficient energy and the instructions on how to combine human and alien DNA. Curiosity gets the best of the scientific community, and they've succeeded in following the directions. They've created the "docile and controllable" Sil (Michelle Williams), a young girl who looks normal on the outside, but is a real beast on the inside. When it becomes clear that, even in captivity, she can no longer be controlled, the decision is made to kill her. She escapes, demonstrating superhuman agility and strength along the way. The team's leader, Xavier Fitch (Ben Kingsley), assembles a group of highly specialized individuals to help in the hunt: a "solutions" man in Preston Lennox (Michael Madsen), the Molecular Biologist Dr. Laura Baker (Marg Helgenberger), the empath Dan Smithson (Forest Whitaker), and the Cultural Behavioralist Dr. Stephen Arden (Alfred Molina). The team's mission is complicated when it's discovered that Sil has matured into a fully grown adult woman (Natasha Henstridge) who has one thing on her mind: mating and bearing a child. Can the team stop her before she breeds and sets in motion a devious plan to take over humanity through interspecies propagation?
For a full film review, please see the listing for the original 2006 MGM release by clicking here.
Species 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.
Shout! Factory touts this 4K UHD release of Species as sourced from a "4K scan of the original negative." The press materials also include the
same verbiage for the Blu-ray disc; I
cannot verify if this is indeed a "new" transfer or the same transfer from the 2017 Blu-ray. However, the UHD release looks very, very good. The image
holds a fine natural grain structure, a bit sharper and denser in a few spots but certainly capturing the picture's natural filmic qualities and innate
definition with oftentimes striking command. The grain is very beautifully rendered; film medium fans are going to be very pleased with the
presentation. The 2160p resolution gain brings a firmer sense of image complexity to the screen over the 1080p counterpart as well. Faces and clothes
are exceptionally well defined. There
is no shortage of visible depth and awesome sharpness on display, certainly extending beyond the Blu-ray's good, but still comparatively limited,
rendering capabilities. On the whole, textures look excellent here.
Colors are notably more vivid and vibrant compared to the Shout! Blu-ray. There is also a fine sense of depth at work, bringing the Dolby Vision color
spectrum to a fullness and exactness beyond the comparatively flat and drained Blu-ray's abilities. Lively 90s clothing colors are alive and kicking here
in
2022 courtesy of the Dolby Vision grading, with striking depth to blues, reds, and other brilliant hues seen throughout the film. Whites sparkle and
blacks are very solid, if not prone to approaching crush. Skin tones are full and healthy, favoring a hint of warmth. The image does display the odd spot
and speckle, enough to notice but not enough to detract from or degrade the image. Otherwise, there are no source or encode issues in play. This is an
attractive and very agreeable UHD release from Shout! Factory.
Species 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
It appears that Shout! Factory has simply repurposed the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack from its 2017 Blu-ray rather than upgrade the audio experience to Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. For a full review of the UHD soundtrack, please click here.
Species 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
This UHD release of Species contains no new bonus content; everything is identical to what was included in the 2017 set. See below for a list
of what's included and please click here for full coverage. Sadly, no digital copy code is included with
purchase. This
release does ship with a non-embossed slipcover.
UHD Disc/Blu-ray Disc One:
- Audio Commentary: Natasha Henstridge, Michael Madsen, and Director Roger Donaldson.
- Audio Commentary: Director Roger Donaldson, Make-up Effects Creator Steve Johnson, Visual Effects Supervisor Richard Edlund, and Producer Frank Mancuso Jr.
Blu-ray Disc Two:
- Afterbirth: The Evolution of Species
- From Sil to Eve
- Engineering Life
- H.R. Giger at Work
- The Making of Species: The Origin, The Concept, The Discovery
- Designing a Hybrid
- Alternate Ending
- Theatrical Trailer
- Production Design Gallery
- Creature Design Gallery
- Still Gallery
Species 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
At the end of the day, Species proves to be a capably fun little ride. There's nothing really special about it, and that it's best remembered for its spurts of nudity is a bad omen to be sure, but Director Roger Donaldson's film maintains an even keel, producing a fair amount of suspense, good action, and likable characters, all coming from a surprisingly decent script. The film requires the old suspension of disbelief, though it's good enough to enjoy as a competent yet rather generic motion picture. The new 2160p/Dolby Vision picture quality is terrific. The carryover 5.1 lossless soundtrack is rock solid, too, and plenty of extras are included. Recommended.
