Ender’s Game (2013) was first released on 4k Blu-ray in 2016 (the first year of 4k Blu-rays). Lionsgate printed a second edition of the movie on 4k Blu-ray in Limited Edition SteelBook packaging that was released on August 8, 2023. The limited edition was available exclusively at Best Buy, and features a transparent slipcover and custom artwork on the front, back, and inside spread.
Ender’s Game 4k SteelBook Unboxing Photos
Movie
Ender’s Game was written and directed by Gavin Hood based on the novel “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card. The movie was distributed by Lionsgate and earned $125M at the box office on an estimated $110M – $115M budget. It stars Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, and Viola Davis.
In the film, a gifted child named Andrew “Ender” Wiggin (Butterfield) is recruited to an advanced military academy where young trainees prepare for a war with an alien species called the Formics that had previously attacked Earth and killed millions. Ender is immediately recognized for his advanced abilities but is ostracized by many of the cadets. Ender eventually has conflicts about retaliation against the alien race, and in the end [Spoiler] takes an egg from the Queen Formic to start a new colony.
Video
Ender’s Game on 4k Blu-ray is presented in 2160p resolution at 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The High Dynamic Range spec is the HDR10 type, expanding the color bit depth to 10 bits on screens that support it.
The movie was shot in Redcode RAW format in 5k, but the Digital Intermediate was mastered in 2k. As a result, this 4k presentation is an upscale of the 2K DI. However, the source and upscaling are so good that we can still say this is an excellent 4K presentation even if not native.
A gorgeous video image is prevalent throughout Ender’s Game on 4k Blu-ray. Colors and detail are especially noticeable in exterior and interior scenes of the International Fleet ship where the cadets train. The HDR10 video offers a wide dynamic range of color depth, with striking contrast and sharp details in the shadow areas. The images are sharp and don’t appear overprocessed.
Audio
The audio in Ender’s Game on 4k Blu-ray is offered in Dolby Atmos, an upgrade to the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track found on the previous Blu-ray edition. The theatrical presentation of Ender’s Game was mixed in Atmos, Dolby Surround 7.1, IMAX 6-Track, and various other formats depending on the theater. So, given its original Dolby Atmos mix the disc presentation on Blu-ray wasn’t created for 4k Blu-ray or Digital 4k, but rather adapted for home media formats.
This is a great Atmos soundtrack. The surround sound at 12 minutes when the shuttle is taking new students to their training base has some really interesting machine-like effects that hit surrounding speakers and Atmos-enabled height locations. And, subwoofers come to life with low frequencies as the shuttle breaks the atmosphere.
The flight and battle footage are also great Atmos experiences, the first occurrence of which starts at about 18 minutes when the “launchies” are reviewing video footage of a historic battle.
The “Games and Recreation” portion of the film offers a very cool audio experience, starting at about 30 minutes where the cadets compete against each other in teams. The biggest blast of low-frequency sound in the film comes from an explosion in the game’s world at 48 minutes.
Overall, this is a great audio disk that offers spatial effects delivered via the Dolby Atmos format, but any surround sound system will give you a great experience with some level of immersion.
Bonus Features
There are no bonus materials on the 4k Blu-ray Disc. However, legacy bonus materials include audio commentary, Ender’s World: The Making of Ender’s Game featurette (Blu-ray exclusive), Inside the Mind Game featurette, and deleted and extended scenes (with optional audio commentary).
Scores
Movie
3.5/5
Video
4/5
Audio
5/5
Bonus Features
3/5
Ender’s Game 4k Blu-ray (Original Edition)
