Dark Winds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Dark Winds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie Review

Aww, no Rainn Wilson this time?

Reviewed by Randy Miller III November 6, 2023

AMC's Dark Winds, recently renewed for a third season that likely won't air for at least another year, continues the template set by Season One while expanding its scope and ambition in true sequel fashion. While both include more than a few flagrant deviations from the source material -- a major complaint of first-season reviewer Dr. Svet Atanasov -- I'm less of a stickler for tradition (see also: Interview With the Vampire) and thus was more receptive to its charms, so therefore I'd probably award the first season a slightly higher 3.5/5. For my money this second season represents a stronger degree of momentum and overall atmosphere... but also doubles down on wholesale changes from the source material, so your personal enjoyment will largely hinge on your continued tolerance for such things.

Opening with a gripping and stylized black-and-white flash-forward, Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) approach an RV in the middle of the night, unsure whether or not to close in on their target, Colton Wolf (Nicholas Logan), before backup arrives. After hastily entering to find no one inside, the trailer is sprayed with automatic weapons fire and both officers are pinned down. Rewinding some six days earlier to the present time, a car explosion outside the hospital where Joe's wife Emma (Deanna Allison) works quickly prompts an investigation that brings in Sheriff Gordo Sena (A Martinez). The explosion -- a carefully-planted bomb, as it turns out -- claimed one life, a man with specific ties to the explosion that killed Joe's son years ago. That victim's next of kin? A man connected to an entirely separate case spearheaded by now-private eye Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon). Moments after their inevitable reunion, Joe and Jim are fired on by the very same man glimpsed in the black-and-white opening.

Unsurprisingly this means that a portion of Dark Winds' second season leads up to the events that open the premiere, with the bulk of this six-episode run moving at a more urgent pace than that of its predecessor. It's more than that, though, deepening to include the involvement of a cult called "People of Darkness", the noir-ish involvement of femme fatale Rosermary Vines (Jeri Ryan) and her rich husband, drilling site owner B.J. (John Diehl), and more humanizing detail for supporting characters like Emma, who is fleshed out into a more believable and interesting person than how she appeared in the the first season. It's all framed neatly by the series' modus operandi, the culture clash between Native Americans and white people -- specifically, the ongoing struggle of the former to take a higher road than their oppressors -- as well as the importance of cultural identity and traditions, for better and worse. Season 2 also expands to explore the ins and outs of shifting personal moral codes... especially from the perspective of Joe himself, who's again played brilliantly by McClarnon and anchors these six episodes more firmly than ever.

Overall this season proves to be an enjoyable and largely gripping sophomore effort, one that perhaps moves a bit too fast through several subplots and other detours but otherwise at a consistent clip that's often more tense, engaging, and perhaps accessible than its predecessor. If nothing else, fans are at least treated to a satisfying conclusion (as far as karma is concerned) while a few doors are thankfully left open to justify enthusiasm for the upcoming third season, including but not limited to its main three characters and their unique relationships with one another.

Like their release of the first season a year ago, RLJ Entertainment brings Dark Winds to Blu-ray in a compact two-disc package, once again sporting a solid A/V presentation that outpaces any available streaming option; unfortunately, this time no bonus features have been included. It's extremely disappointing, considering the strength of both the show and its cast, but then again is at least priced to attract fans who have seen and enjoyed Dark Winds thus far.

Season 2 episodes include "Na'niłkaadii", "Wonders of the Unknown", "Antigonish", "The March", "Black Hole Sun", and season finale "Hózhó náhásdlįį", with three episodes contained on each dual-layered disc.

Dark Winds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Like its first season, AMC awards Dark Winds: Season 2 a quality 1080p transfer on Blu-ray, showcasing its attractive landscapes and understated compositions with energy to spare. Fine detail and color reproduction are superb under the right conditions, lending themselves to visible textures and a stable appearance that impresses without distracting or feeling too showy. The opening scenes of episode 1, a highly stylized "flash-forward", are purposefully drained of color except for key foreground and background details (screenshots #5, 6, and 7) à la Schindler's List and Sin City, and these all-too-brief but memorable moments are handled well and likewise look true to their source.

Although I didn't notice any more of the image stuttering described in Svet's linked review of Season One, I was able to pick out a few stray moments of light banding and macro blocking that luckily weren't too distracting; it was once again a smart move to divide this modest six-episode season onto two dual-layered discs, ensuring that flagrant compression artifacts could be more easily avoided. Overall, this is another solid effort befitting the visually solid series.

Dark Winds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix follows the same general rules of the first season while accounting for its renewed focus on energy and action, which unsurprisingly leads to more noticeable doses of discrete surround activity. Dialogue is always clean and crisp, with certain segments of Native American speech accompanied by forced player-generated subtitles. Otherwise, it's a pretty front-forward experience with a decently wide dynamic range, sporadic but effective use of low frequency, and a good overall balance that suits the subject matter just fine. It won't be confused with a big-budget theatrical presentation, but within its boundaries there isn't much room for improvement.

In addition to the sporadic forced subtitles mentioned above, optional English (SDH) subtitles are also offered.

Dark Winds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc set ships in a dual-hubbed keepcase with no slipcover or inserts. Unlike RLJ Entertainment's Blu-ray release of Season One, no extras are included this time around. A missed opportunity, as another behind-the-scenes featurette or even a few cast/crew commentaries would have gone a long way towards a heartier recommendation.

Dark Winds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Graham Roland's breakout AMC hit Dark Winds, recently renewed for a third season, ever-so-slightly improves upon the foundation set in Season One by increasing the tension and pace at critical moments. It's a no-brainer if you've already bought and enjoyed the first set, as RLJ Entertainment's Blu-ray offers another rock-solid A/V presentation; the lack of bonus features is a major missed opportunity, but it's tough to complain at the current price point.