After the disappointing rescheduling of this movie to March 2024 (when it was supposed to come out in November 2023, but due to the strikes, the studio wanted all stars on deck to promote this movie), we finally got the much-anticipated sequel to Dune (2021, my review here). And almost instantly, it’s been universally praised and hyped as this generation’s Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. Although I have enjoyed this movie a lot, I would wait to make these calls, even though I could see it happening myself. But the hype train is so fresh we need some time, perspective and mainly the distance to see whether this (hopefully sooner than later trilogy) will stand the test of time.
Before I get to my review, I must write why this review might not be the most objective. I watched this movie only once, in the cinema, and two things happened that affected my enjoyment of Dune: Part Two. One indirectly, the other one more directly. The first thing was that I didn’t rewatch the first Dune film, so in the beginning, it was a bit harder to remember how we left things. Yes, this one is on me, so usually, I wouldn’t have mentioned it; however, this, mixed in with my other point, made a tiny difference for me. My cinema audience was… not great. Dune: Part Two is one of those films you need to get lost in; you want to be immersed in it to appreciate it. And due to some audience members directly around me, I could not do that. Thanks, the dad and son, where the son kept asking questions quite loudly, and the dad kept checking his phone every 20 minutes, only to receive a call an hour into the film (you guessed it, his phone wasn’t on mute). And thanks to the lady behind me, who had to pee but would rather shuffle around in her seat wearing one of those “garbage bag” like jackets that makes noise, especially when it’s being moved constantly, and it’s right behind. Honestly, something happened with people after the COVID pandemic, and it seems like we need to bring shaming back, at least to the cinemas, because if you don’t know basic etiquette (phone on silence, try to be as quiet as possible), just stay home, please.
It was mainly the audience factor, I presume, why I wasn’t fully immersed in this epic. But I also thought the first 20 minutes or so dragged on a tiny bit, and there is only so much you can do/shoot with sand. The scope of this movie is ginormous, and the worms are also cool, but it is still ultimately a desert, so once you have seen one (sand) dune, you’ve kinda seen them all. But those are very tiny nitpicks; let me start with why I enjoyed this film.
I think it was a genius idea to see the rise and fall (?) of Paul’s character through Zendaya‘s eyes, respectively, her character Chani. Her role felt bigger in this sequel and much more fleshed out where you understand where she stands and how she wrestles with her love for Paul and believing what she believes. I thought both she and Timothée Chalamet did excellent jobs. Speaking of him, I liked him, especially towards the end, where we see that gradual transformation to this fanatical leader who believes his hype. It was scary, felt real, and he portrayed it well.
Who I think almost stole the entire movie (besides Zendaya), was Rebecca Ferguson. Her character (like pretty much all characters in this film) felt more fleshed out and more grounded, and once you understood her “game”, it was on. There were many subtle things her character did throughout this movie; I was happy to see her every time she was on screen. I can’t wait to see what happens with her character next, especially now that we know new information about the Atreides family. I also can’t wait to see someone who makes a brief cameo appearance and should be important in the third episode (if you watched this movie, you know who I am talking about; if not, no spoilers here).
The entire black-and-white sequence on Giedi Prime (I had to look up the name of that planet) where we get introduced to Austin Butler was visually stunning, but I can’t say it stayed with me for that long. Again, this might very well be my audience experience, and when I rewatch it again, I might be mind blown, but most of the action in this film was expertly crafted and beautifully shot, and it was only the last 20/30 minutes that stayed with me long after the movie was over. Speaking of Butler, I thought he did a fine job, but I wasn’t over the moon about his performance. I have seen some comparisons to Heath Ledger‘s Joker, and that is when I know the hype train might have gone off the rails a bit. He wasn’t bad; I enjoyed his performance and what he did, don’t get me wrong, but making this performance into the second coming of Jesus… I don’t see it.
But, ultimately, I think that there is one thing everyone should see by now – Denis Villeneuve is an incredible director and one of the best of his generation. When I said: “We should wait to see whether these films have the staying power”, that does not reflect on his track record and how near flawless it’s been. Realistically, if it weren’t for Christopher Nolan (who is three years younger than Denis), I could argue that he is the best “new” director we have. That way, he is just a touch behind Nolan; however, that’s not a bad place to be, and we are lucky to have these talented filmmakers around at the same time, and they will 100% be remembered 100 years from now.
As far as Dune: Part Two goes, I am so close to saying I loved it; I feel like it will happen when I rewatch it at home, on 4K. I will order it, and when it shows up, I will watch both the first movie and this one back to back. I think my mind will be much clearer as to whether those tiny things I have listed above are actual issues I had with this movie or whether I was just irritated from my poor cinema experience, and therefore, every tiny thing jumped out a bit more. I will repeat myself, but please, people, just be respectful of others, not just in the cinemas, but in general. Let others enjoy themselves, and if you can’t stay off your phone for 20 minutes, maybe the cinema isn’t for you.
Overall, Dune: Part Two was an epic movie that did most things perfectly. From developing the established characters from the first movie to adding some new ones, I liked what they did with all of them. I found Paul’s journey fascinating, and I can’t wait to see what happens next with him, his family and Chani as something big is coming. As long as Denis Villeneuve is left to his devices, we are in for a treat and possibly a generation-defining trilogy. Only time will tell, but for now, this is a near-excellent sequel.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
Until next time,
Luke