Director: Denis Villeneuve
Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Duration: 166 minutes
Dune: Part Two (4K UHD) – Movie Review
If we have to be completely honest, we have been somewhat neglecting our movie and series review section due to our ever-growing backlog of games on the site. Even so, sometimes we do have to pay special attention to some amazing must-watch titles, such as Dune: Part Two. The movie has finally hit the shelves, allowing fans all across the globe to buy a physical copy of the film. We found this a great time to check out the movie again, and what extras a physical copy will include. For our review, we were given the 4K UHD version with the first movie included. This two-movie bundle comes in a cardboard sleeve and includes Blu-ray discs for each of the two sci-fi movies.
Obviously, Dune: Part Two picks up right after the ending of the first movie. Paul (Timothée Chalamet), and Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) are both trying their best to get accepted by the Fremen. Paul is trying to respect their ways and become one of them. He is growing particularly fond of Chani (Zendaya) and it seems that this feeling is mutual. More and more Stilgar (Javier Bardem) is getting convinced that Paul is the one that will lead them to freedom and a lush and green paradise. Jessica, however, is trying to plant the seed that Paul is indeed the Fremen’s savior, and she tries to rise to the top herself to ensure both her and her son’s safety.
Arrakis is still left in the hands of House Harkonnen, and they still try to harvest as much Spice as possible. The Fremen, however, are putting a stop to this, and Paul is a leading figure in doing so. Due to the low Spice production, drastic measures have to be taken, and it seems that the Fremen will no longer be able to hide in their fortresses.
Where the first movie laid out the groundwork and was somewhat slow, the second movie kicks things up quite a few gears. Even though there is still a lot of worldbuilding and political intrigues going on, there is also a lot more combat action. The film finds the right balance between story exposition and explosive action, and there’s never a dull moment to be found. We particularly enjoyed the overall mood-setting scenes that would later spiral down into hair-raising rituals and other somewhat creepy events. Those familiar with the source material will probably already know what to expect. Nonetheless, we can assure those viewers that they will still be surprised by the overall production value and how the narrative is getting fleshed out in these modern adaptations of the 1965 sci-fi novel. Denis Villeneuve utilizes the same techniques as he did in the first Dune movie and Blade Runner 2049 to set the right atmosphere. This means you’ll be treated to a narrative-heavy experience and a visual spectacle wrapped neatly into one movie.
In terms of acting performances, not much has changed when it comes to the original main characters of the first film. Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, and Josh Brolin present the viewers with formidable performances. Their respective characters get fleshed out further, and we see a clear evolution when it comes to the role they play in the grand scheme of things. A few new faces are added to the cast, such as Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and several others. Most of these new faces play key characters, and we once again enjoyed the clear character evolution throughout the film.
Just like the physical release of the first movie, Dune: Part Two also comes with a hefty amount of bonus content. This content is primarily behind-the-scenes footage and making-of featurettes, but it’s very much worth watching. We enjoyed seeing how many of the sequences of the film came to life, as well as how the Fremen’s language, Chakobsa, was invented. It’s always interesting to see how things are crafted and how much effort was spent in this case to give the cult classic a second lease on life. As we received the two-movie bundle for our review, all the bonus content of the first part was present too. The boxset has 2 4K UHD discs and 2 Blu-ray discs, allowing those with regular Blu-ray devices to enjoy this set as well.
Conclusion
Dune: Part Two is a bit more action-packed than the first movie, but it continues with its epic world-building and impressive visuals. Acting performances are top-notch too, and we can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment, even though we’ll still have to wait quite some time for that. If you loved the first movie, then you’re going to love the character evolution and the slow but steady progression of the plot. If you were on the fence and haven’t watched the first film yet, it might be interesting to check out the two-movie bundle that’s available now.
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