If you are interested in the 4k version of this film more than likely you know the story so my review is based on new video and audio formats.

I have purchased the DVD then Blu-ray and finally the 4k version.

This release is by far the best this film has ever looked. I thought the Blu-ray had a good picture and the audio was decent. The 4k is so much better than I thought possible.

The Video

The 4k remaster is fantastic. The HDR is very evident in the way colors pop. With the 4k you get the usual upgrades and clarity of facial pores and facial hair sharpness. Clothing has texture and color that are vast improvements over the standard Blu-ray. In the opening sequence there is a vast improvement that gives the film a new depth of field that gives it almost a 3D quality. In the darker scenes there is a good improvement in fine detail. For example at 1:19:52 and again at 1:20:38 when the crew is watching the video on Miranda, River has a very small braid in her hair on the right side of her face that I could not see in the Blu-ray version. You can pick up objects in shadows that were lost in past versions.

Because the movie has has lots of scenes in both sunlight and the darkness of space it is a great movie to show off your equipment.

Audio

We get a new DTS-X soundtrack that makes great use of the overhead and surround speakers. Dialog is very clear even in scenes with lots of action. For me at the 1:26 mark when the reavers are chasing Mel you get the best DTS-X has to offer. If I want to show off my system this is the scene I use to show people how great your home theater can be. While all speakers get a great workout it doesn't feel forced and of the sound effects feel like they belong

While 4k is still relatively new, I own about 15 4k movies this movie is the best upgrade from standard Blu-ray that I've seen so far. It's the 1st movie I would give a 5 star rating based solely on audio and video.

While I love this movie I can't imagine it looking any better than this release. Until we can watch movies in a format similar to what the operative was reviewing at the escape sequence at the beginning of the movie I can't imagine needing to buy any other version.

Watched on a Samsung 75mu9000 tv with Samsung UBD M9500 4k player and Denon 1295w 7.2 avr.