"Revisiting Dune since its initial run in IMAX theaters is a fantastic time for a few reasons. One element is that it's official that there will be at least one if not more sequels in this epic Dune universe. This allows the first film to breathe and take its time exploring the different houses, characters and of course, set up all the conflicts and battles that will be coming to a head in those future movies.
After the initial shock and awe at all the visuals throughout the film, it's easier to focus on the nuanced performances by the actors and learn some of the culture and reasoning behind the actions that take place in Dune. It's still a long film that takes things nice and slow spending more time with world-building than having a ton of fun like a Star Wars outing. But that's the tone for this particular sci-fi epic and it works well. This is the first part of a longer movie that will only get better with age and after repeat viewings."
For the full review, Read Bryan's Theatrical Feature Here.
Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Dune arrives on Blu-ray from Warner Bros Home Video. This package comes with the Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Code. The discs are housed inside a hard, blue plastic case with a cardboard sleeve. The artwork features the main cast of the film looking out over the sand dunes. There is an insert for the digital code.
Dune comes with a stunning 1080p HD transfer with an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 that looks incredible. The image isn't as cultivated or rich as the 4K picture with its HDR upgrade, but it still has an excellent-looking image.
The transfer was handled with love on this Blu-ray and it shows even with the extra hour plus of bonus features. Those colors still pop and look wonderful with natural amber and orange tones in the sand dunes that contrast well with the blue-ish skies above. The dark nature of the interior shots looks great with some exquisite black levels set in the dark. The electric blue eyes look fantastic as well. It's the more nuanced colors in lower light situations and the more subdued color palette during twilight hours where the image doesn't show as much depth or detail as it does with the HDR uptick.
Additionally, while the detail is sharp and vivid, in the darker sequences, closeups don't always reveal the beads of sweat, sand specks, or other minor details that the other 4K transfer picks up easily. Still, the black levels are deep and inky and the skin tones are natural for sure. However, for those that are watching Dune on a big projector or large OLED TV, the 4K image is better suited for viewing. For those with smaller televisions, this Blu-ray will come through with flying colors. There are no video problems to speak of.
This release also comes with a Dolby Atmos track, which is the best-sounding audio option on a disc that has been released. Yes, it's that good. Read the full audio review HERE.
There is over an hour's worth of extras here, all of which are worth watching. There's no doubt going to be a big collector's set with multiple commentary tracks, deleted scenes, and more coming out in the future, but for now, these few extras are worthy and entertaining. To read the full list of bonus features, CLICK HERE.
Dune by Denis Villeneuve is simply wonderful and a master-work in an upcoming two or three parts. There's nothing else like it in the sci-fi world right now. This Blu-ray release has a visually stunning 1080p HD image that looks great, although the 4K picture with HDR looks better and more nuanced. The Dolby Atmos track is out-of-this-world wonderful and might be the best audio track to ever come out on home video. The extras are all worth watching with more coming in future releases. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
