Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: March 31, 2026
Rating: PG-13
Film: 4/5
Plot A family fights for survival as a planet-killing comet races to Earth. John Garrity (Gerrard Butler), his estranged wife Allison (Morena Baccarin), and young son Nathan make a perilous journey to their only hope for sanctuary. Amid terrifying news accounts of cities around the world being leveled by the comet’s fragments, the Garrity’s experience the best and worst in humanity while they battle the increasing panic and lawlessness surround them. As the countdown to global apocalypse approaches zero, their incredible trek culminates in a desperate and last-minute flight to a possible safe haven.
My Thoughts It’s hard to believe this film made its debut on Blu-ray five years ago. Regardless, the studio has finally released the film in 4K to coincide with the release of its much inferior sequel. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the film on my first viewing and was curious how well it would hold up on a second. Well, I’m happy to report it holds up quite well.
Even though I knew how things would end up, I was still pulled in by the phenomenal first act and it does an excellent job of laying the groundwork for what’s to come. The tension builds as the comet gets closer to Earth and when the disaster finally unfolds, you find yourself rooting for the family to reunite and to escape to safety.
Much like the second film, the family must overcome multiple hazards that present themselves—some of which are caused by their piss-poor decision making along the way—but you can’t help but root for them to prevail (spoiler alert—they do, hence the second film).
I was impressed with the Blu-ray release and found that the 4K is a nice upgrade. Detail is excellent, color reproduction is spot-on, and the use of HDR definitely adds to the enjoyment of the film, especially when all hell breaks loose. The added resolution really shows up in facial pores, clothing, and interior shots.
The Blu-ray had a 5.1 DTS-HD MA track while this one sports a 7.1. Overall, there isn’t a huge difference between the two and you’d be hard-pressed to tell one from the other, especially if you use any post-processing that upmixes a 5.1 presentation to make use of all of the speakers in the room. Regardless, there are really no complaints here. The track boasts outstanding dynamics, plenty of room-shaking LFE, and the dialog is always clear throughout the chaotic scenes.
Video 9/10
Audio 9/10 (DTS-HD MA 7.1)
Special Features:- Deleted Scenes
- Humanity – Production Featurette
- Filmmaker Commentary
- 4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital Code
Conclusion I was surprised that Lionsgate didn’t release this in 4K the first time around, but they finally corrected the oversight. While the film doesn’t deliver anything new to the genre, it’s still a fun ride due to the likable cast and is much more enjoyable than its sequel. The upgrade over the Blu-ray is noticeable, but if you already own it you’ll have to decide for yourself if a double-dip is warranted. I know what will happen in my home, the Blu-ray has been shipped off to the library and the 4K is sitting proudly in my collection.
Reference Review System: JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(I utilized
Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Zidoo UHD8000 Media Player
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
Mini DSP HD
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
4 Replies
369 Views