Ultra HD Blu-ray

Ridley Scott's 2012 return to the Alien universe is perhaps the ultimate Marmite movie. And as it happens, Team HCC count themselves among the group who love this big-budget blockbuster for its uncompromising combination of visual splendour, philosophical musings and Lovecraftian horror.

Picture: Regardless of where you sit with regards to Prometheus' virtues as a piece of storytelling, there's no denying that it is consistently a feast for the eye – and that feast is elevated to banquet status by the film's 4K Blu-ray release.

The addition of high dynamic range and wide colour gamut technologies to its striking sets and consistently imaginative VFX is a revelation. Shots showing the crew exploring the dark passages of the alien 'citadel' while wearing brightly lit helmets, for instance, are some of the most striking HDR images yet. The extra light range is also particularly effective at enhancing the Engineer's other-worldly, porcelain-like skin.

Colours are richer and more dynamic. The planet's strange light feels more alien, while computer displays such as the 'wakened' cockpit of the alien vessel and a holographic message to the crew look mouthwateringly intense. Detail levels are only slightly improved over the 1080p BD. There is some improvement, though, and at least there's no increase in grain or other noise.
Picture rating: 4.5/5

Audio: This 4K disc only features the same 7.1-channel DTS-HD MA mix that appeared on the original Blu-ray release. Yet while a film as rich in detail and scale as Prometheus would undoubtedly have benefited from some DTS:X or Dolby Atmos precision, the provided mix still does a strong job of underlining the shifting scale of the unusually varied locations, and delivers a fine sense of immersion underlined by lots of subtle placement effects.
Audio rating: 4.5/5

Extras: Fox's 4K platter carries over the two commentary tracks from the previous Blu-ray, while the accompanying 1080p disc also adds four 'mini movie' sidebars to the film and 14 deleted scenes. However, the omission of the dedicated extras disc from the previous 3-Disc Collector's Edition Blu-ray means that you don't get that release's outstanding two-hour-plus Furious Gods documentary. There's no 3D version, either. Pah.
Extras rating: 2/5

We say: This Alien spin-off looks beautiful in 4K HDR – but some will think 3D is still the way to watch...

Prometheus, Twentieth Century Fox, Ultra HD Blu-ray & All-region BD, £30
HCC VERDICT: 4/5