★★★★★
Dune Part Two left me speechless. This is a cinematic experience I won’t soon forget.
This is why we go to the movies.
Words cannot describe it.
But here goes:
Monumental
Colossal
Powerful
Epic
Thoughtful
Haunting
Exceptional
Staggering
Transcendent
Absorbing
Immersive
Unreal
Gnarly
Crazy
Audacious
Ambitious
Visceral
Technically immaculate
Gorgeous
Emotional
Profound
I truly don’t think there is anything I can say that would do this movie justice. It’s both high art and a massive blockbuster. I’ll never know what it was like to see The Empire Strikes Back when it first opened in theaters but I imagine Dune 2 comes close. A staggering leap forward from what came before it while also feeling significantly more personal. Brilliant, huge, revolutionary sci-fi. This movie is a generational masterpiece. We are so lucky to be alive to witness this movie. I have never seen anything quite like it before. For years to come, we will all talk about the wonder we experienced when watching this for the first time.
Dune Part Two was vindicating. Like, less than five minutes into it, I sunk into my seat and thought “Ok, it’s somehow different (and better) than I imagined.” It kept that energy the whole film! My mind is scrambled with thoughts, so this review might be all over the place, but regardless the main takeaway is GO SEE DUNE 2! It’s the cinematic event of our generation. Believe all the hype you see. It is the realization of everything I’ve ever dreamed genre filmmaking can accomplish, we haven’t had a genre film quite on this level since The Lord of the Rings (or maybe ever). Within the first ten minutes, I knew we were within masterpiece territory. Once we got to the montage with Paul and Chani set to Zimmer’s “A Time of Quiet Between the Storms” (my personal favourite scene in the movie), I knew the bar had been raised. And by the time we got to the third act, well, I can’t even describe the feelings of excitement I had! The third act of Dune Part Two is perhaps the most staggering thing I’ve ever seen on a screen. I was in tears — I’ve never experienced anything quite like it in a cinema before! Dune Part Two is truly something special - it is the kind of blockbuster epic we don't see Hollywood make very often these days, and that is worth cherishing. I spent most of Dune Part Two slack-jawed in sheer awe of what was on screen in front of me. This movie is soul-shattering, and yet so exciting!
As I was watching the movie I realized in the moment I was likely witnessing cinematic history unfold before me — this film is a generational masterpiece on the level of The Godfather, Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars and of course The Lord of the Rings. This movie raises the bar to a whole new level - this film stands head and shoulders about 95% of current Hollywood production. I feel so lucky to have experienced a film on this level.
Denis Villeneuve's vision is on spectacular display in Dune Part Two, a bold journey that dives deep into the colliding tragedy of love and destiny. The visual language and soundscape are mesmerizing. You could feel the weight of this world sink in. The ensemble of Dune Part Two is wondrous, especially Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson, who command the screen and communicate so much with a single look. Timothée Chalamet totally raises the bar with his intriguing buildup of character, and Austin Butler relishes in sheer insanity. Everyone involved, from Hans Zimmer and his mesmerizing score, to Joe Walker and his terrific editing, deliver some of their most incredible work. Greig Fraser's cinematography, however, eclipses everything. The way his images characterize the world of Dune is absolutely breathtaking and the meticulous arrangement makes every single shot look like paintings with which I would gladly cover every centimetre of my walls.
Dune Part Two is a colossal action epic. The battle sequences don’t take up a large chunk of time, but when they arrive, they’re incredible. That final standoff between Paul and Feyd… tense doesn’t even begin to describe it. This is a beast of a film, rewarding in both the thrilling setpieces and rich allegory. Denis Villeneuve’s eye for action and iconography blends for a nearly flawless blockbuster, and an unforgettable cinematic experience. This is a transcendent cinematic masterpiece that demands to be experienced on the largest screen possible. Denis Villeneuve has created one of the best sequels of all time. One of the greatest sci-fi films of all time. Hell — one of the greatest films of all time. This is the Lawrence of Arabia of science-fiction epics.
Dune Part Two is triumphant. A masterpiece that has to be seen to be believed. I never wanted this to end. Denis Villeneuve has crafted a brilliant, bleak, and meaningful epic that further proves he’s a master of his craft. This is a sequel that takes everything that was great from the first film and somehow manages to improve upon it. And I LOVED the first film. Villeneuve has a deep understanding of Frank Herbert’s iconic novel. He understands the world, tone, characters, and ideas, and yet still makes changes where necessary that I found to improve upon the book. Even more immense than the first, but much more intimate — Denis Villeneuve manages to streamline the more alienating second half of the book into a riveting, action-packed epic. For me, the whole occupies a rarified place alongside The Lord of the Rings as the definitive version of a seminal text. I think Denis Villeneuve, along with Peter Jackson, is one of the very few filmmakers to ultimately improve upon the source material. It’s a too-rare blockbuster with proper meat on the bone - practically a satire of religious fanaticism at points.
So rarely does blockbuster filmmaking feel this personal. You can feel Villeneuve’s touch on every frame. It doesn’t behave like a typical blockbuster at all. To be honest my favourite aspect of Dune Part Two is how aggressively “anti-blockbuster” it is. Every aspect of the standard Chosen One narrative here is filled with portent and dread. The movie doesn’t want Paul to become the One. Once he does, even the “epic final battle” intentionally feels wrong. This is kind of the hallmark of a great sequel: Upend the audience’s expectations and make them feel defeated. This is why Chani is so key as both an emotional focalizer and a surprising audience surrogate (a great update from the novel!), especially when it comes to Paul’s turn. There’s this constant sense of looming dread, and when it happens, it is terrifying. The ending feels like a punch to the gut, versus a moment of celebration or victory. It is bleak — perhaps one of the most bleak blockbusters I’ve ever seen from a major Hollywood studio. You leave the movie feeling very somber. The film also handles its themes and characters with intent and complexity; themes of religious fanaticism, imperialism, colonialism, cultural appropriation, the hero myth exposed, the dangers of a messiah complex, fate vs free will, revenge, and ecology. I was also impressed with how much this film trusts the audience to interpret and digest the thematic discussions themselves rather than spoon-feeding them to us. It actually makes you think, especially when it comes to the actions of Paul and Jessica. All is not as it may seem on the surface level, and when you think deeper about the dynamics between characters and the situations they are put in, it is clear that those who may appear to be the “hero” may indeed actually be the villain. Once you get to the end of the movie and everything becomes clear, only then will you understand the true point of Dune. I just love that this movie exists and isn’t afraid to be as complex, deep, or intricate as it is! I never wanted to leave Arrakis and was angry when I knew it was coming to an end because I couldn’t get enough.
Grieg Fraser’s remarkable cinematography adds so much scale, beauty, and grandiosity to this film. His every choice is calculated and perfectly executed. I love how he and Denis use colour here. This is a visual extravaganza and the VFX artists should be commended. I can’t remember a second where I didn’t feel transported to Arrakis and its beauty and horror and that’s thanks to their incredible work. And the film wouldn’t be the same without Hans Zimmer’s brilliant score. This world feels so tied to what Zimmer has created here in a way that Middle-Earth feels tied to Howard Shore. It’s a booming, beautiful, and epic soundtrack. The costume work, makeup, sound design, editing, everything here is executed perfectly. The costume design, hairstyling and makeup, and sound are all somehow even more impressive this time around. The crafts were something that I really didn’t think they would/could top yet somehow they did. I fully expect Dune Part Two to dominate next year’s creative arts categories come award season.
Hell, it could straight-up dominate the entire awards season. Best Picture? Yes. Best Director? Yes. Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Supporting? Yes and Yes and Yes. Best Adapted Screenplay? Yes. And literally every other category it is eligible for. I’m ready to see a Return of the King type sweep.
Dune Part Two is an astonishing sci-fi epic that surpasses Part One in every single way. Denis Villeneuve has realized his dream of adapting Frank Herbert’s masterwork to the big screen with the depth and scale it deserves in a tour de force we rarely see anymore. Truly in awe of all its craft from top to bottom and the perfect cast who bring these characters to vivid life. Timothée Chalamet gives one of his most captivating performances to date, certainly his darkest. He commands the screen like never before. Zendaya is the heart of the movie, while Austin Butler relishes in playing pure psychotic evil. But the scariest performance of all might be Javier Bardem who perfectly captures the novel’s dangerous message of fundamentalism.
I think part of what makes Dune Part Two so special is the on-screen chemistry between Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet. Dune 2 is a massively scaled film: from set-pieces to sound production, filmmaking doesn’t get bigger. But if you strip Dune 2 down and remove all its technical achievements, at its core is an authentic, believable love story told by two of the best young actors alive. Paul and Chani’s scenes together are some of the best moments of the film — including and especially the movie’s final scene, which might be the film’s most memorable. It’s clear that Zendaya and Chalamet are still coming into their own as actors, but this really felt like a moment for both of them. Timothée Chalamet delivers his best performance since Call Me By Your Name. This is such a powerful yet devastating performance. Paul is on an inevitable journey that he can see but desperately wishes to avoid. He commands the screen with staunch authority. It’s a revelation. Chalamet gives an inspiring, memorable performance that in many ways could do for Chalamet what Titanic did for Leonardo DiCaprio. I also have to single out Zendaya’s performance. She’s the beating heart of the film. She delivers such quiet, impactful emotion sometimes without even saying a word. She’s a big reason why the third act works as well as it does. Truly incredible work from her. I expected a lot from the second installment of Dune — but I wasn’t prepared for the emotional punch the film packed, thanks in large part to its two biggest stars. What a performance from both Zendaya and Chalamet!
In the end, Dune Part Two is a remarkable work of art. It’s everything I want from cinema and sets a new standard for what we should expect from our blockbusters. It absolutely blew away my expectations and I can’t wait to see it again. I don’t have the words to accurately describe just how much I adore this movie. It transports you to a world of pure immersion for 3 hours and the performances are life-altering. I may see this 10 times in theatres. I can’t stop thinking of how much I love Dune Part Two and how it fills me with gratitude for what cinema means to me. This is what the movies were made for. This reminds me of why I love movies. We don’t get films this good as often as we ought to, so savour it. Never has a movie transported me to another planet like Dune Part Two. It is as immersive of an experience as I have ever had in the theatre and will go down as one of my all-time favourite cinematic experiences. I hope everyone gets an opportunity to see this on the biggest screen possible. There is truly nothing else like it. I LOVE this movie. Not only is Dune Villeneuve's magnum opus; it's the definitive sci-fi epic of a generation. A tragic tale of blind fanaticism and corruption. A spectacular, soulful, awe-inspiring masterclass of aesthetics and mood beautifully echoing Paul's turbulent journey, that left me utterly speechless! I can’t believe we are lucky enough to have a movie like this! It left me with this beautiful feeling that I had just experienced something truly special. I teared up realizing that Villeneuve's Dune is real, that I got to see it, and it's a masterpiece.
There is before Dune Part Two and there is after Dune Part Two. I don’t know if the world is ready for this movie. It is gnarly. It is crazy. It is audacious. It doesn’t hold back. Wow. I can’t believe it exists. But it does. And it’s here! Bring on Dune Messiah!
Long live the fighters.
Long live Denis Villeneuve.
Long live cinema.
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