The Martian [Extended Edition] [4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Blu-ray] [2015]

HOLY COW. I remember watching this movie at a free pre-screen and seeing how beautifully shot this movie was. And then thinking....this is gonna look gorgeous on blu ray. AND 4k. Well, as soon as I got the disc, I put it in my newly 4k UHD Player and never looked back. I Never even fiddled with switching back and forth between the 2k source. Didnt want to. Didnt need to. Mind you this is still a 2k source remastered and upscaled to 4k and unlike Fantastic Four where the image quality has a slight noticeable improvement, The Martian in 4k looks absolutely AMAZING. Sony has already released a reference UHD BLU RAY disc. I was in constant jaw drop mode the entire movie. Reds, blacks, whites, greys, every color that is displayed on screen at any given time pops out at you with draw dropping clarity and the HDR on this disc is flawlessly done. The HDR really adds to detail and depth and makes you think you can reach out and touch the actors, landscape props right from your screen. This is how 4k Blu Ray is supposed to be seen. I will note that there were a few instances of mosquito noise in the some of the darker scenes that some may not notice. But that was only a few instances and doesnt at all detract from the movie and experience. I noticed alot more noise in the Fantastic four so maybe it just boils down to who's doing the converting and how hard they work to remove the noise. The only downside to The Martian disc is Sony not releasing a Dolby Atmos track which baffles me. However, this DTS-HD Master track is NO SLOUCH. You will not be disappointed. All in all demo worthy material. The first batch of new technology is always trial and error but so far 4k Blu Ray looks like it will be a viable contender for UHD streaming. One can only imagine what 4k BLU RAY will look like when they start shooting movies with a native 4k source.

Though the plot is essentially the same and the visuals are stunning the movie only lacks in some areas that those who have read the book or listened to the audio presentation will find annoying. *spoilers ahead potentially* Changing Venkat Kapoors name and ethnicity to that of Vincent Kapoor is not the biggest deal. Chiwetal Ejiofor is a strong actor and really tries to feel what a man stranded on another planet feels. Though it was a bit of a stretch to feel him as Hindu which added a spiritual and if not atheistic view to his character. My biggest issue comes with Annie played by Kristen Wiig. A strong female character in the book who is willing and ABLE to play ball with government bigwigs/NASA nerds and the media but also nieve enough about actual space travel to give her some weakness was the best part of her character in the book that the film compartmentalized. She is the NASA press secretary. She delivered most if not all the bad news and fielded all the tough questions and storms. In the film she mostly stands there and interjects a few lines and facial expressions. I felt as though they picked on her in the film. From the Secret Meeting (did happen in the book) she gets her nievete to show, but then Rich pernel and Vincent use her as pen poppers and props. Her ability to tell off Teddy when Mitch subverts command and sends the manuever shows her balls in a man's environment in the book, but no where in the film is her character used well. Instead its given over to Commander Lewis played by Chastain. Who is as strong as they come. Though they take it a bit far with her having to do all the saving is a bit much. Sebastian Stans playing best freind Chris Beck is relegated to tossing some cards and doing very dangerous space walks outside the Hermes that were never in the book nor would I think approved by anyone at NASA or on the consulting team just for sheer stupidity. Its like they decided to say hey were taking all your parts, giving them to Chastain and to make up for it you can do these cool space walks. Overall its a good movie. Can't say Damon didnt mail in some of the lines he did as they felt forced and not in Whatney's dry sense of humor, but he made you feel like he was alone and there. So go save him.

Film director Ridley Scott is well known for releasing direct-to-disc “Extended Editions” or “Director’s Cuts” of selected movies, usually several months after the completion of their theatrical runs. His most notable Director’s Cuts, which are usually vastly superior to their shorter theatrical releases, include “Kingdom of Heaven,” “American Gangster,” “Gladiator,” and now “The Martian.” I’ve already reviewed the theatrical release version on Blu-ray disc (BD) of “The Martian” here at Amazon. I think it’s a nearly perfect blend of drama, high adventure, suspense, comedy, and realistically futuristic technology. Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Sean Bean, and based on Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of how an American astronaut, presumed killed in a violent sandstorm on Mars, is left behind to fight for his survival against incredibly long odds… “The Martian Extended Edition” is a 2-BD set, with one disc containing both the theatrical release and extended edition of Scott’s feature film, and the other containing a wide variety of excellent special features – most of which are brand new. The extended edition is 151 minutes long and adds about 10 minutes of footage to the theatrical release. Most of the extra footage shows astronaut Mark Watney’s heroic efforts to survive on Mars long enough for someone to come and rescue him. A few minutes are added to various scenes back on earth at Mission Control. I didn’t see any significant differences between the extended and theatrical versions of the film, so I’m a bit undecided as to whether or not my purchase of “The Martian Extended Edition” was worth the extra money I paid for it. However, if there were anything that does make my purchase worthwhile, it would have to be that supplemental “Special Features” disc included in this 2-BD set. I thought the bonus features were all very entertaining, interesting, and helpful in enhancing my enjoyment of the feature film. Highly recommended for both the feature film and the outstanding bonus features.

The Martian is a new Ridley Scott classic, featuring his best work in years, the best performance I've ever seen from Matt Damon, an outstanding supporting cast, a surprisingly funny screenplay from Daredevil creator Drew Goddard, and a great narrative that ties the film together beautifully. As expected with Ridley Scott films, the film itself is visually stunning. The landscape of Mars looks absolutely breathtaking, and the scenes aboard the Hermes and back on Earth are just as sharp in detail and scope. The way he chose to make this film made it almost seem like an exceptionally made biopic. Many times during this film, I legitimately believed that Mark Watney was a real, living person that was actually stranded on Mars for many months alone. It's Cast Away meets Apollo 13, and this marriage is crafted beautifully. Matt Damon is absolutely brilliant in this film. He plays Watney with so much optimism that it actually makes the depressing aspect of the film not as depressing for me. However, when he has to put on his dramatic chops in certain scenes, he truly commits to the drama of the situation, and that right there is true Ridley Scott suspense for you. The supporting cast, everyone involved, all do great work as well. Jeff Daniels, Jessica Chastain, particularly Chiwetel Ejiofor. He is one of the best actors working today, and this movie and 12 Years a Slave shows how far he's come. The most surprisingly element about this movie though was the screenplay. The film is hilarious in some parts, in fact I'd argue that it's funnier than most comedies that have come out this year. What makes to movie unique to me was Watney's optimistic point of view. He believes that he isn't going to die on Mars, and this transforms this rather depressing situation into something comical instead. But when you really think about it, this is a very personal film about some people coming together to save somebody. That's it. And in today's world, it's nice to hear an story about people coming together to save one of their own. I have nothing bad to say about The Martian

It's weird. With everything The Martian has going on and going for it you'd think it might be more of a straightforward action film, but rather this is a movie about problem solving. Problem solving in the cheesy sense of never giving up, but legitimate in that our protagonists circumstances have him stranded on Mars. These days, one almost goes into a Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator) picture with the expectation of receiving something handsome without necessarily having any sustenance and that reaction has been warranted over the last few years (Prometheus has it's lovers and it's haters, but I'm in the former camp). What makes The Martian different than say Robin Hood, The Counselor or even Exodus though is that it once again sets the director up in what seems to be his most comfortable and inspiring setting: space. In going back to the cosmos, the director does his own problem solving and dives head first into his grand new science fiction film by embracing every aspect that makes up this story. Whether that be in the Mars-based segments with Matt Damon's astronaut Mark Watney or on Earth at the various NASA headquarters with engaging intellects like Chewitel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels. Beyond having rounded up a stellar cast Scott has more or less crafted his most entertaining film in years by really seeming passionate about the material. Of course, rather than space, this could be the reason all of his films taking place out of our planet's orbit tend to generally turn out for the best. Scott is an explorer, a man who likes his scope large and his stories fairly bombastic. What bigger canvas is there to paint on than space?

Ultimately the Martian extended cut isn't that varyingly different or extended from the theatrical cut. BUT if you liked that film and are at all a home theater buff, this one is all the better as the UHD extended cut features a wonderful upgrade in the audio department with a Dolby Atmos mix. For those of us already equipped for such an experience, it's definitely a treat, right from the get go as the storm hits. It definitely is an atmospheric experience even for scenes simply in the interior of the Hab. While the film was shot mostly in 5K it was edited and mastered in a 2K environment. However, there are elements for this release that went back to higher resolution when possible - it's a confusing thing but you can ready about it from the filmmakers online. Ultimately it's a really good looking version - whether shots are uprezzed or not - that also takes HDR and uses it to it's best advantages for adding some pop and nuance without overdoing it.

I pre purchased this item and was billed for the original price and shipped before officially released on Tuesday however I didn't receive it until Wednesday therefore I could have got it at bestbuy store on Tuesday and at a lower price so I called to get price lowered because they offered it cheaper when released. A week later it dropped price again at Best Buy but they would not honor the lowest price even though it was within two weeks from there first established price. Believe it or not it dropped again on Bestbuy.com within the second week. I really feel that if they lower cost I should have been automatically reimbursed down to the lowest amount. From $26.95 to $19.95 to $17.95 to at last $14.95. I will not preorder because I could have waited and got it at lowest price since guarantee price match can only be done once and I got that first match, but no more. Really I understand if it was a competitors price match but come on when bestbuy lowers price like I mentioned above, I as a customer should be taken care to receive the best price especially when all this transpired in a two week period.

After reading the book a few years ago, the film adaptation of the Martian didn't disappoint. Matt Damon was very close to my mental image of Astronaut Mark Watney, the rest of the cast executed very well, and of course the effects were great. It's a great ride start to finish, the science is (I understand) close to spot-on except for the windstorms. Mars' thin atmosphere means the wind doesn't have as much impact - according to NASA, peak wind on Mars would be 60 MPH and without as much impact as similar speed on earth, so nothing like what was shown in the film. So, not totally accurate, but close, so I forgive Andy Weir and the film maker. The packing of this product suits my wishes - I watched the 3D copy, but my wife and friends don't like 3D so it was right to have the standard version. I'm not nuts about Digital Copy - it would be nice if you could put all your movies into one place/app on your computer, and in this case, the digital copy is not compatible with the Windows Movies & TV app. Annoying, but not enough to take a way a star. Enjoyable film, 2D or 3D. Recommended.