The Martian 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.5

The Martian 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Just in case Mark Watney’s stay on the so-called Red Planet wasn’t quite interminable enough in The Martian, Fox has gone back to the drawing board (and/or launching pad) and is now offering this so-called “Extended Edition” of the acclaimed film. The fact is, none of the ten or so minutes added to this new version really provides anything overwhelmingly thrilling or meaningful, instead doling out a few more tidbits on Watney’s predicaments on Mars as well as the shenanigans taking place back at NASA. While the material added to the film may not amount to all that much, this new release does also provide some new supplemental material (detailed below), and this 4K UHD finally provides an Atmos sound mix, so for those who didn't pick up the first release, those facts may be the true selling point of this new version, especially since both the original Theatrical cut as well as the new Extended Cut are included on this release.

The Martian 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.

My colleague Martin Liebman assessed the 4K release of the original version of the film in his The Martian 4K Blu-ray review, and I refer you to Marty's detailed write-up since the few extra minutes in this new version do not depart markedly (if at all) from the look of the first 4K UHD version.

Note: When we reviewers were deep within the gauntlet of setting up our new 4K UHD equipment, Marty experienced a really weird stuttering problem on one of his discs that he filmed with his phone and emailed to the rest of us. While not quite that dramatic, I did experience a longer than usual handshake on disc boot here, followed by a momentary stutter where it seemed like video information was trying to load but not quite getting there. It all resolved after about 25 seconds or so.

The Martian 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Both The Martian and The Martian 4K Blu-ray review featured fantastic sounding DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mixes, but that excellence has only been upgraded (with an emphasis on up due to those overhead speakers) with the new Atmos mix on this 4K UHD disc. Right off the bat, even in the relatively "quiet" opening moments with long pans across the Martian landscape, there's clearly more sonic information wafting overhead, but the first real test of the Atmos speakers comes in the devastating storm sequence, where a veritable whirlwind of activity helps to elevate an already exciting experience. The Atmos elements regularly inform both the interior moments in the Hab as well as (especially) some of the outdoor sequences, where even the sounds of Martian breezes are more clearly above and around the listener. There's still more clear overhead positioning in the big climactic sequence, where the careening flight into outer space provides a wealth of immersive activity. Fidelity is crystal clear throughout this thrilling presentation, with booming LFE helping to provide a counterweight to the new "higher" elements.

The Martian 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K UHD disc contains the Commentary (detailed in the review linked below), and the score above reflects the fact that this is the only supplement on the 4K UHD disc. The two standard Blu-rays included in this package have additional supplements which are detailed in our The Martian Blu-ray review.

The Martian 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is one "extended edition" where the actual extensions are no great shakes, but the additional supplementary material is really excellent and the new Atmos mix absolutely thrilling, helping to boost this release's allure. Double dipping may not be an absolute imperative here, but the good news is for those who do choose to buy this again, there is copious new material here, even if the bulk of it is extracurricular, as it were. For those who didn't pick up the first release, getting this should be a no brainer, since both versions of the film are here, and aside from a couple of missing (as separate entities) supplements which are now subsumed within the bounteous new supplements, the bonus material is also fantastic. Technical merits are first rate, and this version of The Martian comes Highly recommended.