In the year 2005, when I was just a young lad (12, I know I am dating myself here), I was at the theater and experienced the closest thing to a proshot I would have encountered up to that point. I am not saying that Chris Columbus’s version of Jonathan Larson’s Rent is a proshot, because it’s not, but this is the closest to seeing a stage adaptation on the big screen that wasn’t something like The Lion King or Mary Poppins, something that wasn’t Disney. If you’ve never seen Rent, it is a lot to take in; it’s not a light musical by any definition and you should most likely have some *rough* understanding of what you’re watching before seeing the film because it is a very sensitive topic. The story, performances, and songs (albeit a few are cut out, rearranged, and replaced in the movie version) are undeniable and some of the biggest names of stage and screen are presented here (and the majority were in the original production).
The movie takes place in New York’s East Village and focusing on a variety of characters. We are quickly introduced to Mark and Roger (Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal) — Mark an aspiring filmmaker, Roger an HIV positive musician — and, just as the title of the movie/musical insinuates, they must find a way to pay the rent. Now, just being HIV positive isn’t enough to contend with. Their landlord is also their former roommate, Benny (Taye Diggs). On top of dealing with this issue, another arises within their friend group when Tom (Jesse L. Martin) falls in love with Angel (Wilson Jermaine Heredia) who is slowly and painfully dying of AIDS. Rent doesn’t shy away from the stigma, culture, societal impact, or judgement that the HIV/AIDS epidemic had/has, it shines a light on it, making the audience know they’re not alone. Their stories intertwine and other friends get involved, including Maureen (Idina Menzel) and Mimi (Rosario Dawson), to tell the story of how one measures a year.
While Chris Columbus has never done a musical in his career (Home Alone; Mrs. Doubtfire; Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) and he hasn’t done another one since 2005’s Rent, there is something admirable about his telling and staging of Jonathan Larson’s magnum opus. Diehard Rent-heads may be adamantly against the film because of the changes it makes, whether that be restructuring, removals, or replacements of songs, or recasting two characters from their Broadway stars. But Rent as a film holds a soft spot in my heart and it is the first musical that got me into musical theater, outside of the safer more child-driven Disney fare. The 2007 Blu-ray release was the only piece of physical media to exist for this film, so it is absolutely wonderful that for the 20th anniversary of the movie, Sony Pictures has decided to re-release it in glorious 4K UHD.
This 4K presentation of Rent is a new transfer with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and HDR10. It is nearly impossible to describe how flawless this presentation looks. It is simply sublime, having dark, rich blacks and vibrant colors pop throughout the presentation allowing Rent to truly flourish. However, with it being a musical adaptation, the new Atmos track is breathtaking. Every note, every creek, every tear shed can practically be heard, locking your emotions in a stranglehold. This is arguably a reference quality disk for non-CGI enhanced movies, ones that are just focused on humanity and drama, and the picture and audio soar in this new presentation that feels like one is watching Rent for the first time.
Now, here is the only real bit of negativity: the special features, or there lack of. This is not to say that there aren’t any special features, because there are five, but when so much love, care, and attention was put into the disk presentation itself, there is hope for at least something new, but there is not. They are the same five features audiences have had available to them since 2007. Does this diminish the disk? No. Does this make the question of buying it immediately a question? Potentially. In terms of needing to own a copy of Rent in 4K UHD, it comes down to how badly one needs a slipcover in their collection and how soon they want to revisit the movie as there is nothing new to be had on the disk itself; it’s just a new, glorious presentation. So, while Rent in 4K is fantastic, it is not an immediate need to repurchase unless it is a holiday must-watch.
Rent Special Features:
- Commentary by director Chris Columbus and select cast
- Feature length documentary No Day but Today
- Deleted scenes and musical performances with commentary from Chris Columbus
- PSAs for the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation and the National Marfan Foundation
- Theatrical trailer
Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray and digital November 18th, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Sony Pictures Rent webpage.
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Categories: Home Video, Reviews, streaming
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