Lost in Space [Limited Edition] 4K Ultra HD Review

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Revisiting Lost in Space: An Incredible but Flawed Trip

Arriving in theatres with a large budget and a wave of late-90s sci-fi aspiration, director Stephen Hopkins’ Lost in Space is a film of great contrasts. Though it fights to contain its convoluted narrative and underdeveloped characters, it is a breathtakingly beautiful and often exhilarating special effects spectacular, despite its visual effects struggling to hold up after all these years. This 1998 remake of the adored 1960s television series trades the campy allure of the original for a grimmer, more action-packed vibe, in a cinematic experience alternately stunning and exasperating in equal measure.

An All-Star Cast Adrift in the Cosmos

The movie features a really outstanding ensemble cast. Mimi Rogers is a capable and strong-willed Maureen; William Hurt lends a stern, emotionally distant gravitas to Professor John Robinson. Though often sidelined by the writing, Heather Graham and a small Lacey Chabert fulfill the roles of Judy and Penny Robinson effectively. The most impressive, naturally, is Gary Oldman as the deceptive Dr. Zachary Smith. Oldman eats the scenery with a delectable, over-the-top performance, smoothly transitioning from sniveling coward to malevolent villain. Matt LeBlanc, fresh from Friends, infuses Major Don West brings a roguish, anachronistic appeal that recalls simpler action heroines. Though obviously gifted, the cast is too often left traveling a complex story with little opportunity to develop outside of their archetypes.

Groundbreaking Visual Effects and Production Design

In its technical accomplishment, Lost in Space really excels. The visual effects were amazing for a release from 1998. Though antiquated in some ways by today’s criteria, the CGI was advanced at the time, especially in Robot’s design and rendering. Particularly the legendary “Blarp,” the creature effects from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop are realistic, imaginative, and still quite impressive. From the smooth, lived-in interior of the Jupiter II to the alien terrain the crew has to cross, the production design is equally amazing. Big, loud, and skillfully designed, the action scenes offer the movie its most memorable and funny sequences.

A Convoluted Plot and Pacing Issues

The screenplay of the movie is its biggest fault. Strong at heart is the concept—a family cut adrift in the cosmos as a result of sabotage. But the story swiftly gets bogged down with excessively difficult sci-fi components like time paradoxes, alien spider monsters, and a villain that appears both under-explained and all too familiar. The story attempts to do too much and jumps between several set-pieces without letting the emotional center of the Robinson family really connect. The pacing is erratic, with moments of great activity followed by lulls that don’t advance character or tension. This is a classic instance of spectacle dominating content.

Movie Verdict: A Fun, Flawed Spectacle

Although Lost in Space is far from a complete disaster, it is not the major success its creators had hoped for. It’s a product of its era—a big-budget, effects-driven blockbuster that emphasizes visual marvel over narrative coherence and emotional depth. Although the complex narrative and erratic character development prevent it from becoming a classic, the film continues to be a fun trip thanks to its amazing visuals, thrilling action and Gary Oldman’s fantastic, unhinged performance. Best approached with modest expectations, it is a flawed but entertaining journey—a nostalgic blast of late-90s sci-fi idealism worth revisiting for its spectacle alone. Even if it finally seems a little lost in its own universe.

The Video

Lost in Space was restored by Arrow Video. The original 35mm camera negative was scanned at 4K 16-bit at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging. The film was restored in 4K and color graded at Silver Salt. It is presented on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio in an HEVC 2160p (4K UHD) Dolby Vision encodement. The image looks very good considering the heavy amount of visual effects used in this movie. There is a lot of detail and film grain is visible and organic. The only thing hindering this from being absolutely top notch is the limited resolution of the CGI, which does stand out a bit and lowers some of the overall apparent resolution of the transfer. Otherwise, this looks stellar, no pun intended. The colors really pop as do highlights and blacks are inky.

The Audio

This is the standout for this release. A staggering DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio mix as well as LPCM 2.0 stereo. The 5.1 is dynamic, bombastic, and surrounds you in sounds from explosions to atmospherics on the ship and laser blasts. Low end is beefy and bone rattling as well.

The Supplements

This release comes with several new featurettes and archival featurettes all packaged in a beautiful set with new and original artwork with a reversible sleeve.

Limited Edition Contents:

• Slipcover
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Pye Parr
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing by critic Neil Sinyard, articles from American Cinematographer and an excerpt from the original production notes

Bonus Features:

• Archive audio commentary with director Stephen Hopkins and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman
• Archive audio commentary with visual effects supervisors Angus Bickerton and Lauren Ritchie, director of photography Peter Levy, editor Ray Lovejoy, and producer Carla Fry
• A Space Odyssey (1080p; 00:20:58) — A newly filmed interview with director Stephen Hopkins, recorded exclusively for Arrow Films in 2025.
• Lights in the Sky (1080p; 00:17:26) — A newly filmed interview with director of photography Peter Levy, recorded exclusively for Arrow Films in 2025.
• A Journey Through Time (1080p; 00:17:55) — A newly filmed interview with producer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, recorded exclusively for Arrow Films in 2025.
• Art of Space (1080p; 00:32:16) — A newly filmed interview with supervising art director Keith Pain.
• Sound in Space (1080p; 00:09:20) — A newly filmed interview with sound mixer Simon Kaye and re-recording mixer Robin O’Donohue.
• Crafting Reality (1080p; 00:06:53) — A newly filmed interview with Kenny Wilson, former mould shop supervisor at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, recorded exclusively for Arrow Films in 2025.
• Lost But Not Forgotten in Space? (1080p; 00:18:31) – In this new video essay, film critic Matt Donato examines the Lost in Space reboot and dissects the film’s cult-like success since its release.
• Deleted scenes (1080i; 00:11:47)
• Building the Special Effects (1080i; 00:15:55) – In this archival featurette from 1998, visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton, animatics supervisor Mac Wilson, and computer graphics supervisor Lee Danskin break down the film’s 767 effects shots.
• The Future of Space Travel  (1080i; 00:09:47) — An archival featurette exploring the film’s vision of the future
• Q&A with the original cast of the TV series – TV Years (1080i; 00:07:34) – An archival featurette from 1998 featuring the original Lost in Space TV series cast.
• Bloopers (1080i; 00:02:44)
• Theatrical Trailer (1080i; 00:01:34)
• Image Galleries (4K):
  • Stills
  • Lobby Cards
  • Stills from William Todd-Jones, puppeteer of The Robot & Spider Smith (Shadow)

The Final Assessment

Lost in Space has never looked or sounded better, even of the visual effects don’t quite hold up and the film still isn’t what fans really wanted for an adaptation of the beloved TV series. I would still recommend this for anyone looking for a great popcorn flick and home theater fodder.

Lost in Space [Limited Edition] is out on 4K Ultra HD September 2, 2025 from Arrow Video

Details

• Rating Certificate: PG-13 (for some intense sci-fi action)
• Studios & Distributors: New Line Cinema | Prelude Pictures | Irwin Allen Productions | Saltire Entertainment | Arrow Video
• Director: Stephen Hopkins
• Written By: Irwin Allen | Akiva Goldsman
• Run Time: 130 Mins.
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Video Format: HEVC 2160p (4KUHD)
• HDR Format: Dolby Vision (HDR10 Compatible)
• Primary Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1
• Secondary Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Stereo
• Subtitles: English SDH
• Street Date: 2 September 2025