Thanks to Warner Bros. Pictures, we had a chance to review the “Dune Part Two” Blu-Ray combo pack with our very own copy!
Below is our description and analysis of the product:
Be sure to pick up your copy starting 5/14/2024!
About Dune: Part Two – Coming off the heels of the critical and box office success of its continued theatrical run, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two debuts for purchase and rental Digitally at home on April 16.
From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, the critically acclaimed Dune: Part Two continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller “DUNE.”
- On April 16, Dune: Part Two will be available for early Premium Digital Ownership at home for 29.99 and for 48-hour rental via PVOD for $24.99 SRP on participating digital platforms where you purchase or rent movies, including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Fandango at Home, and more.
- On May 14, Dune: Part Two will be available to own on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD from online and physical retailers. Dune: Part Two will also continue to be available to own in high definition and standard definition from participating digital retailers.
Dune: Part Two is directed by three-time Academy Award nominee Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049”) from a screenplay he and Jon Spaihts wrote, based on the seminal bestselling novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert.
The expanded all-star international ensemble cast features returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Wonka,” “Call Me by Your Name”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Malcolm & Marie,” “Euphoria”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”), Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Avengers: End Game,” “Milk”), Oscar nominee Austin Butler (“Elvis,” “Once Upon A Time..In Hollywood”), Oscar nominee Florence Pugh (“Black Widow,” “Little Women”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Thor: Love and Thunder”), Oscar winner Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter,” “Hairspray”), Lea Seydoux (the “James Bond franchise and “Crimes of the Future”), Souheila Yacoub (“The Braves,” “Climax”), with Stellan Skarsgard (the “Mamma Mia!” films, “Avengers:
Age of Ultron”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Being the Ricardos”).
The film is produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe and Patrick McCormick. The executive producers are Joshua Grode, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Herbert W. Gains, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, Richard P.
Rubinstein and John Harrison, with Kevin J. Anderson serving as creative consultant.
Synopsis:
Dune: Part Two explores the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
DIGITAL, 4K, BLU-RAY & DVD ELEMENTS
Dune: Part Two Premium Digital Ownership contains the following special features:
- Filmbooks: House Corrino
- Filmbooks: The Reverand Mother
- Filmbooks: Water
- Filmbooks: Lisan-al-Gaib
- An Ensemble for the Ages
- Chakobsa Training
- Creating the Fremen World
- Finding the Worlds of Dune
- Buzz Around the New “Thopter”
- Worm-Riding
- Becoming Feyd
- A New Set of Threads
- Deeper into the Desert: The Sounds of the Dune
- Inside Dune: The Spice Harvester Attack
- Inside Dune: Gurney Hallaeck’s Revenge
- Inside Dune: The Fight for the Imperial Throne
Dune: Part Two 4K UHD and Blu-ray contain the following special features:
- Chakobsa Training
- Creating the Fremen World
- Finding the Worlds of Dune
- Buzz Around the New “Thopter”
- Worm-Riding
- Becoming Feyd
- A New Set of Threads
- Deeper into the Desert: The Sounds of the Dune
HNS Review: “Dune: Part Two” expands on the mythology and world building of “Part One”. The ensemble cast does a terrific job immersing us into the characters that inhabit this world. The sound, visual effects, and cinematography are all immaculate. I enjoyed that the stakes were raised in the film, putting Paul’s conflict front and center. The film is quite dense and may require some extra knowledge of the source material to fully engage, but Dune: Part Two is a success on all accounts!
About the Product: I really like the design of the package. The background is very shiny, encompassing the characters in the film with an orange hue seen often in the film. The epic scale of the film is showcased nicely. Viewers have the option to watch the film with the disc or on the digital code that is provided. This is certainly a film sci-fi fans will want to add to their collection!
About the Special Features:
Inside DUNE
Spice Harvester Attack – The crew had to work in difficult conditions two hours outside of Abu Dhabi when constructing this scene. Building sets in this high heat and sandy terrain was no easy task. The special effects crew explained how they used practical effects and what to add later with CGI in each frame. Designing unique technology to construct the weapons for the scene was a big part of it as well.
Gurney Halleck’s Revenge – Gurney’s fight with Rabban was intentionally short so that it didn’t overshadow the fight between Paul and Feyd. The crew wanted to make the confrontation personal and emotional with the history between the two characters.
Fight for the Imperial Throne – Scene was shot over a few weeks to captivate the amount of story going on during this one event. 600 LED lighting panels were brought together to create sunlight essence on set. Villeneuve wanted the stakes to be high and the essence of warriors to show. Having the entire cast in one room elevated the energy and the tension for the actors. Each actor had to convey a certain emotion to make the scene happen while Chalamet and Butler put in the physical work.
Extras
Filmbooks – It was interesting seeing some background on The Emperor’s family here. His bloodline has been in control for many generations, giving some insight to his rule in the film. The history of becoming a Reverend Mother is explored as well, elaborating on the events in the film that Paul’s mother experienced. The importance of water is explained in further depth, explaining how The Fremen utilize the little water they have and how it plays a large role in their culture. Another important piece of Dune’s culture is the Fremen’s belief in the Lisan Al Gaib. But the film highlights how not all Fremen are smitten by the prophecy.
An Ensemble for the Ages – This was a very informative section. Each of the main cast members sit down and elaborate on their interpretation of the characters. Each seemed to rely on one another and recognize the level of talent that was in the room. What was interesting to me is that there were actors of different generations that all played a role in making this story come to life. With the complex dynamic the characters share, it is impressive to see all of these performers use each other as inspiration to create the strongest story possible.
Chakobsa Training – Villeneuve wanted to create different cultures between the Fremen to make the story more realistic to our world. He also used clues from Frank Herbert’s novel to piece together the languages that the Fremen share. It was difficult to a point of learning another language. The amount of preparation and studying the cast and crew had to do was surprisingly dense. It’s clear Villeneuve wanted to make the film resemble the rich cultures within the novel.
Creating the Fremen World – The crew used 340 square feet of stages to create different environments. 40% more sets than the first film. Many practical sets were built to capture the essence of each scene, specifically the harsh nature of Arrakis. Lots of middle eastern architecture was used as inspiration too. The actors emphasized how being in an authentic environment like this helped them feel like they were actually on Arrakis. I was very impressed with the amount of detail that was included when creating the sets in order to capture the entire Fremen culture. I definitely felt more immersed in the story when watching the film.
Finding the Worlds of Dune – Villeneuve wanted to highlight the relationship the people on Arrakis had with the nature around them. The film is designed to make viewers feel the same conditions the characters. There was a lot of preparation that came with filming in the desert because resources had to be taken out to set. The actors and crew really enjoyed being out in each location, explaining how the deserts in each country were unlike any location they’d shot in.
Buzz Around the New “Thopter” – Villeneuve wanted to push the limits on what he could capture on camera. The machines the Harkkonens used were built to be larger and more intimidating than in “Part One”. The wings on the Thopters needed to be added with CGI because they would have been too dangerous on set to have around.
Worm-riding – The crew created the logic and physics behind the worm’s movements and behaviors. This took weeks to complete and a large crew of people to create the desired authenticity of the sequence. It took 2 months to develop the progression and structure of the scene. This was such a cool section to look into because this must have been so challenging to execute properly. It’s even more impressive because in the film the execution is flawless. I truly felt like I was on the sandworm with Paul. The actors stood on a platform that was designed to feel like wormskin with dust being blown at them. CGI was used to create the worms because of the scale they portrayed to regular human size.
Becoming Feyd – Creating Feyd comes from growing up in a brutal world under the Baron’s control. Training for Feyd’s fighting took months before shooting happened. Butler wanted to emulate Feyd’s personal characteristics in every scene, including the fights. The complexity of his character is fascinating to observe as he was one of my favorite characters in the movie. The physical and emotional characteristics Villeneuve wanted from Feyd was complex but intimidating. It was truly a transformative performance.
A New Set of Threads – The costumes were a very impressive aspect of the film. Each subset of the Fremen culture had their own fashion designed for them. The desert and colors surrounding the people in it were an inspiration for the color of the costumes. Religion and political divide also played a part in this as well. Even the jewelry they wore had symbolism to the Fremen culture. The same goes for the Harkkonens and their culture. Each costume was designed to highlight the characteristics of each character. I’d be interested to observe the film again paying attention to these details.
Deeper into the Desert: The Sounds of DUNE – Hans Zimmer composed most of the music for “Part Two” while “Part One” was released in theaters. Chani’s song was meant to be the heartbeat of the film as her emotion for Paul was strong yet complex. The environment the characters endured was also inspiration for parts of the score. New instruments were built to convey a distinct feeling to the viewer which was really neat. I recall noticing that the sounds and instruments sounded very unique which makes sense now. With the wide array of situations (battles, sadness, hope, weirdness, etc.) there was a variety of sound that needed to be conducted. The score was one of my favorite parts of the film. It is truly unique and the film wouldn’t have been the same without it. The sound was also excellent. The worm scene in particular had amazing sound design and the crew explained how they added each detail to make the scene more realistic.
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