DVD Corner

Dune: Part 2 4K UHD Review

“Dune: Part 2” is the best film of 2024 so far. 

Based on Frank Herbert’s masterpiece “Dune,” “Dune: Part 2” covers the second half of the novel. After fleeing into the desert, Paul Atreides and Lady Jessica fall in with the Fremen people. Stilgar (a Fremen leader) believes these 2 outsiders are destined to bring glory to the desert planet of Arrakis. Both Paul and Lady Jessica find themselves undergoing great change. Lady Jessica becomes a powerful Reverend Mother and is pregnant with Alia. Paul develops a relationship with a Fremen woman named Chani, becomes a warrior, rides sandworms, fights against Harkonnen forces, and drinks the Water of Life which allows him to see into the past, present and future. Paul also rallies the Fremen people to fight against the Harkonnens in his quest to claim the Emperor’s throne and wage war against the Houses who deny his claim.

Going into 2024, “Dune: Part 2” was my most anticipated film. Frank Herbert’s “Dune” is my all-time favorite and “Dune: Part 1” was the adaptation fans have been waiting for. Thankfully, “Dune: Part 2” did not disappoint. Writer/director Denis Villeneuve (who co-wrote this second part with Jon Spaihts) has a deep understanding of the source material and manages to give it the weight, scale, and spectacle it deserves. “Dune” is a very intellectual saga about family, politics, religion, war, and natural resources that requires an immense amount of world building and Villeneuve pulls it off and then some. Whether he’s diving into Paul becoming corrupted by power or showcasing an intense and fast paced duel between Paul and Feyd, Villeneuve manages to make this a true cinematic spectacle that never forgets the importance of characterization and theme. Of course, the film is also a visual marvel from the awe-inspiring special effects to the sets and production design that feels like they have leaped out of Herbert’s writing.

As an adaptation, there are a few noticeable elements that may puzzle fans. The end feels decidedly rushed with the rather truncated battle. Moreover, the absence of Thufir Hawait, Alia’s birth, and Paul and Chani’s son Leto II is a bit of a head scratcher. Now, it’s possible some of these elements are being saved for “Dune Messiah” (the second novel in the series) given that there was so much ground to cover in the first 2 films. It’s also possible that elements had to be cut for time and thematic purposes so as to not distract from the core character’s story arcs. Whatever the case may be, “Dune Messiah” cannot come fast enough!

Cast wise, there’s a host of excellent performances to be found here. Austin Butler steals the movie as Baron Harkonnen’s nasty nephew Feyd-Rautha. Timothée Chalamet continues to cement his legacy as one of the most talented actors of this generation. What can’t he do? After being teased heavily in part one, Zendaya gets a pivotal role to play here as Chani. It’s arguably one of her best performances to date (and a very subtle one at that). Rebecca Ferguson can do no wrong period. She slays it as Lady Jessica. Javier Bardem brings his own take to Stilgar and it works well. Christopher Walken is perfect as Emperor Shaddam IV.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 2160p. How does it look? A pristine print.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? From the Hans Zimmer score to the worm riding sequences, this is a dynamic audio track.

Extras:
* Digital copy
* “Chakobsa Training” revolves around the language.
* “Creating The Fremen World” covers the sets and production design.
* “Finding The Worlds Of Dune” focuses on location shooting.
* “Buzz Around The New Thopter”- A look at the practical and CGI elements of the Thopter.
* “Worm-Riding”- A behind-the-scenes look at how the worm-riding was achieved from a production standpoint.
* “Becoming Feyd” is all about Austin Butler becoming the character.
* “A New Set Of Threads”- A featurette on the costumes
* “Deeper Into The Desert: The Sounds Of Dune”- A bonus feature about the score by Hans Zimmer.

May 12, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Austin Butler, Denis Villeneuve, Dune, Dune: Part 2 4K UHD Review, Frank Herbert, Paul Atreides, Sandworms, Zendaya