Lost in Space (UK)

I have seen many reviews of this film, most of them bad, but I have to say I found it very entertaining. I guess you just have to take it for what it is, pure popcorn munching entertainment.

I suspect that everyone knows the story (and it`s outlined on the main DVD Reviewer page), but here`s a short synopsis. The year is 2358. Mankind has all but exhausted the supply of natural resources and is facing possible global extinction. Salvation lies with Professor John Robinson and his "hyperdrive" technology, a device that allows a ship to travel across the galaxy in moments. There is a catch however. Without a hypergate at each end of the journey, it is impossible to predict exactly where in the galaxy you will end up. Shortly after departing on a ten-year mission to "Alpha Prime", the only other habitable planet in the galaxy, Professor Robinson and his family fall foul of the scheming Dr. Zachary Smith. His sabotage forces the Robinson`s to use the hyperdrive without a gate and they are cast into the far reaches of uncharted space...

While this isn`t everyone`s cup of tea as a film, no one can deny that this is an excellent disc. It`s packed with features including cast & crew info, interviews, two trailers, two music videos, deleted scenes and a special effects feature.

The film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and the video quality is high throughout, with only one noticeable occurrence of pixelisation. The CGI effects are a mixed affair, the Jupiter II and the hypergate scene near the beginning of the film look fantastic but the "Blawp" creature does not.

Sound too is good, with both a Dolby Digital 5.1 track and a Director/Writer`s commentary. There are plenty of explosions and surround effects to give your system a good workout.

The actors all play their roles well. William Hurt and Mimi Rogers are perfect as the Robinson parents, and Heather Graham and Matt LeBlanc both turn in good performances. The children are portrayed exceptionally well by Lacy Chabert and Jack Johnson. However, the undoubted star of the show is Gary Oldman as Dr. Smith. Oldman puts in a fantastic performance as the malevolent, self-serving physician.

To sum up, this is a great fast-paced action fantasy with superb (if somewhat hit and miss) special effects. If you can remember not to take it too seriously this is a very enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours.

What a fun, fun, fun movie. Not too deep, quite spectacular and very fun to watch.
The video transfer is very good. There aren`t any compression signs and the special effects are very good. The combination of CG and live actors is done very well, too.
The DD 5.1 soundtrack is great. The surrounds and the sub get a massive workout and the dialog is always clear.
The menus are animated with sound.
The Extras include a nice commentary, 9 deleted scenes, a featurette about the special effects and 2 (horrible) music videos.
Bottom line - a really cool sci-fi adventure. Enjoy it.