“DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!” From the producers of Deep Blue Sea and Poseidon comes Lost in Space, a high-octane sci-fi adventure through time and space, where a family adrift in a distant world must overcome adversity in the face of incredible odds. The year is 2058. With Earth on the brink of collapse, the Robinson family is chosen to lead a critical mission to colonize a distant planet aboard the Jupiter 2 spacecraft. But the mission is sabotaged by the traitorous Dr. Zachary Smith, and the ship veers off course and plunges through a rift in space-time, leaving the Robinsons stranded in an unknown universe. Now lost in a hostile alien galaxy, the family must trek through treacherous environments, battle deadly creatures, and avoid Smith’s unpredictable schemes. As tensions rise and survival becomes uncertain, their greatest challenge may be holding together as a family. Lost in Space is a thrilling tribute to the classic 1960s TV series with dazzling visual effects and an all-star cast including William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Matt LeBlanc, Heather Graham, and Gary Oldman as the nefarious Dr. Smith. Dive into the epic adventure of the Space Family Robinson, available for the first time on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in a stunning new restoration!
What We Thought:
As I was watching this new 4K of Lost in Space I was wondering if I had ever seen the film before. None of it seemed familiar until they got to the planet and I actually remembered the “twist” before the big reveal. Not remembering if you had seen a movie before while watching it is probably a sign that the movie is pretty forgettable.
That’s the best way to describe 1998’s Lost in Space, forgettable. Despite a stacked cast, the movie was a disappointment at the box office and was crushed even harder by critics. Watching it today it’s definitely a weak film by current standards. Maybe in the late 1990s it sounded like a good idea, but the special effects and one-dimensional characters feel out of place even for the time period. It came out before The Matrix which completely changed the look and style of science-fiction, but you can tell it was going to be a dud regardless.
If you aren’t familiar with the movie, it’s based on the hit 1960s TV series and should have stayed there. William Hurt plays the father/husband of the Robinson family who is heading into space to find a future home for human beings because the Earth can no longer survive us. It’s a tried & true concept in sci-fi which even in the 1990s felt overly done. His family consists of Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Lacey Chabert and Jack Johnson. He’s joined by a pilot played by Matt LeBlanc and Gary Oldman plays the untrustworthy Dr. Smith.
Despite a top-notch cast, not one character seems original. LeBlanc’s pilot is the listen to no one else type who instantly is attracted to Heather Graham. Graham plays a smart science-y type, but still ends up just a love interest. Chabert’s teenaged girl is just awful and makes it all about herself. Will Robinson is a genius young boy whose father ignores. As much as I liked Oldman he can do this character in his sleep. Add in that all the tech jargon and effects are suspect in 2025 and I can see why the movie doesn’t have much of a following. Oh yeah, the creature character they find is annoying too and comes and goes without being relevant in the slightest.
Lost in Space is based on The Swiss Family Robinson, but set in space. In the 1960s the show could be considered groundbreaking, but in the 1990s the movie is unoriginal. I think it could be remade today and made darker and grittier, but with much better effects. The 1998 movie didn’t know if it should keep the campiness of the show or lean into the look of the time and somehow didn’t get either right. The new 4K does look great and sounds even better and comes with some solid bonus features at least. If you a fan you’ll love the new release, but it’s definitely a forgotten/not talked about film for a reason.
Bonus Features:
4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative by Arrow Films approved by director Stephen Hopkins
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio and lossless stereo audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
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, a newly filmed interview with director Stephen Hopkins
Lights in the Sky, a newly filmed interview with director of photography Peter Levy
A Journey Through Time, a newly filmed interview with producer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman
Art of Space, a newly filmed interview with supervising art director Keith Pain
Crafting Reality, a newly filmed interview with Kenny Wilson, former mould shop supervisor at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop
Sound of Space, a newly filmed interview with sound mixer Simon Kaye and re-recording mixer Robin O’Donohue
Lost But Not Forgotten in Space, a new video essay by film critic Matt Donato
Deleted scenes
Building the Special Effects, an archival featurette with visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton and animatics supervisor Mac Wilson
The Future of Space Travel, an archival featurette exploring the film’s vision of the future
TV Years, a Q&A with the original cast of the TV series
Bloopers
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
The Nerds Templar 