Dune: Part Two

If you liked or loved the first one, the same will apply for this one. Personally, I loved this one even more and I think general audiences will as well. So I hope it does well at the box office because I need Dune Messiah now. This is everything I love about going to the movies. Also, Hans Zimmer.

For book readers, I'd say this one takes more liberties than the first, but they were changes I liked, some for the better even. For the most part, it still hits the main beats from the book with a few things altered. The biggest change being no time jump. Therefore, a certain character doesn't fully appear in the movie contrary to the book. Though, they still use the character in a different way that I liked personally.

I know it's early in the year, but you can lock some Oscar nominations for this movie: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Score, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Costume, Best Production Design, Best Makeup, and hopefully Rebecca Ferguson this time for Best Supporting Actress. I guess that's pretty much every category now that I've typed it out lol.

Dune Part 2 is an epic movie; slickly made, and visually stunning.

But I had to explain quite a bit to the friends around me who had not read the book, especially the water of life scene and the final battle.

The movie had almost a 3 hour run time, but it felt overlong because Villenue focuses too much on spectacle on very little on substance.

It is a beautiful movie, but it feels like it has no soul. The emotional connection between Paul and Chani, so vital to the story, is completely lacking and unbelievable. The two main characters are good looking enough but has absolutely zero chemistry on screen.

I am certain Zendaya is a fine actress in some things, but she has basically 2 facial expressions here, and the one she uses the most is a scowl directed at Paul. I found her to be the worst part of this movie.

The final fight scene is short, choppy, and a mess. It felt anticlimactic and unfulfilling The Harkonens are basically reduced to bumbling villainy almost cartoonish. The ending was super abrupt, and was so different from the book that it left me wondering what the filmmakers would do if they want to do a sequel.

I want to reiterate that this isn't a bad movie. Villenue is great at creating a world that looks living and breathing, but he can't give life to individual characters.

It is like he can't see the trees for the forest.

I saw Dune 2 on an XD screen and sound system. Visually, Dune 2 was jaw dropping. The sound was intense, and at times, too loud and droning. If you are interested in seeing this movie, it is worth seeing on a big screen.

Though I was fully engaged for its 2 hour and 46 minute run time, I would not call Dune 2 a masterpiece. Most characters acted emotionally flat. I also felt the romance between Paul and Chani was not convincing. When the story was reaching its climax, I did not care about the characters. I also think the movie should have spent a little time on setup about the Fremen. I get that they are oppressed by the Harkonnen, but their sacrifices and lost freedom should be shown to the viewer so we understand the emotional motivation to do a full assault on the Harkonnen.

Austin Butler was so intense in the movie. It illustrates his acting range. I hope he is recognized for his performance.

And here are some little nit-picky criticisms. They don't address how the Fremen eat. In terms of world building, these sort of details are necessary to make the world believable. I'm not convinced humans could survive on Arrakis. There is no way you could grow crops and raise animals. Did they eat synthetic food? The planet also couldn't sustain gigantic worms. These huge beasts would have to consume millions of calories a day, which is not available. Showing the details of a sustainable life on such a dry planet would help with believability. And the voice control thing done by the Bene Gesserit is sort of dumb. I know this is from the book, but that part of the book doesn't hold up over time.

This was a perfect sequel to Denis' part one. It accomplished all the main plot points of the book while delivering stellar performances and visuals that most films only dream of having. This film will go down as one of the best in sci-fi/fantasy and it deserves all the laurels it will be gifted. Not in the longest time has a franchise, and a singular movie, captivated me in such a way. This story, these characters, this planet, Dune, lives rent-free in my mind. You would be doing yourself a disservice not seeing this film in IMAX, as the soundscapes created and the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer are so immersive you feel like you are a part of every scene. This movie is a masterpiece in storytelling. 10/10.

This is the kind of movie that is impossible to do justice, just by talking about it! It is the kind of experience you had once.. but you never thought you would get again.. until this movie proves you WRONG!!

This movie takes the aspects of the first movie and improves upon them in almost every way possible, already writing itself into the books of greatest sequels of ALL TIME!!

Everything in this movie was TOP notch! Dennis Villeneauve proves why he is not only a master of Sci-Fi movies, but just filmmaking in general! This was a demonstration of power, in what you can achieve with filmmaking!

I beg you to watch this on the biggest and best screen you can find! This will be an experience that will stick with you forever!

I thought the real Blockbuster was dead.. but I was wrong! This is the cinematic experience i craved!

Now I am gonna watch this movie again, and maybe again! Then I am gonna read the books!