This will probably become more beloved than _Dune_ for being a bigger, more action driven film. Personally I prefer the first film by a long shot, but there's a lot to like here. I loved Paul's new journey for this installment as it doesn't develop in the way you'd expect based on the ending of the first film. The themes of colonialism, false prophecies and religion reach a level of depth that cannot be found in other sci-fi/fantasy contemporaries like _Lord of the Rings_ or _Star Wars_; this film certainly made me understand why this story is taken so seriously as a piece of literature. Despite the source material being so old, there's still something new and refreshing about it. You don't often see major Hollywood productions calling out religion as a manipulative force helping the people in power. On top of that this brilliantly subverts the concept of the hero's journey we've become accustomed to by everything that was in one way or another inspired by _Dune_. The acting is pretty great, Timothée does a great job at playing the transition Paul goes through. Despite his boyish looks I was sold on his performance as the leader of the Fremen. Rebecca Ferguson and Javier Bardem are also scene stealers. The visuals are once again mindblowing, in terms of set/costume design, cinematography and CGI this is as close to perfection as you could get to right now. The vision and scope of this movie are truly unmatched, which leads to some breathtaking sequences that I'll remember for a while (sandworm ride; the black/white arena fight; knife fight during the third act).

However, for all the praise I have for _Dune: Part 2_, I think Denis is being uncharacteristically sloppy with this film. First of all, Bautista and Butler feel like they're ripped from a different franchise altogether. Their over the top, cartoonish performances are more suited for something like _Mad Max_ than the nuanced world of _Dune_. The bigger cracks start to appear when you look at the writing. The brief moments where the movie pokes fun at religious zealots through Javier Bardem's character, while funny, probably won't age very well. Like the first movie, it has a tendency to rely too much on exposition and handholding, a problem which might be worse here. I feel like a lot of the subtlety is lost in order to make the movie more normie proof, and that's quite annoying for a movie with artistic ambitions like this one. For example, there's this scene where Léa Seydoux seduces Austin Butler's character, and everything you need to know as a viewer is communicated through Butler's performance. Cut to the next scene, where Seydoux is all but looking at the camera saying "he's a psychopath, he's violent, he wants power, etc.". I just feel like compared to Villeneuve's precise work on _Blade Runner 2049_, he's consciously dumbing it down here. It's understandable and somewhat excusable for a complex story like _Dune_, but he occasionally takes it too far for my liking. Then there's the love story subplot between Chani and Paul, which almost entirely misses the mark for me. It feels rushed, there's no chemistry between the actors and some of the lines are painfully cheesy. Because of that, the emotional gutpunch their story eventually reaches during the third act did little for me. Finally, I'm a little dissatisfied with the use of sound. I loved the otherworldly score Zimmer came up with for the first _Dune_, however this film is so ridiculously bombastic and low-end heavy that it starts to feel like a parody of his work with Christopher Nolan. For the final action beat of the film Villeneuve cuts out the film's score, and it becomes all the more satisfying for it.

Overall, I recommend this film, however maybe temper those expectations if you're expecting a masterpiece. There's a lot to admire, but it's flawed.

6.5/10

>*"Lead them to paradise."*

So epic! A proper sequel to the masterpiece that is the first one, ***Dune: Part Two*** is everything I wanted and more. The scale and the stakes are much bigger. It really benefits from the world-building and character roots previously established in the first and makes everything bloom. The themes (and at times criticisms) on religion and politics felt so refreshing for a sci-fi movie. It's pretty thought-provoking in that sense. The story had me captivated and invested. It still has it's slow moments but the action sequences are perfectly placed and the payoff in the third act is so worth it.

The biggest praise I could give it is the character arcs and evolution. Paul's evolution here is so fascinating, we basically watch a boy become a man. At the beginning of the movie you fear for his life but by the second half he's the one to fear, emanating confidence. Timothée Chalamet absolutely owned it. Austin Butler is the perfect villain, so unpredictable and violent. I love Jessica's character arc but it felt rushed at times, like she changed too much in between some scenes. The Reverend Mother is so badass, i'm always secretly rooting for her for some reason (the *"silence"* moment was perfection).

I wasn't expecting the amount of action we got, compared to the first there's a lot. The action and set pieces are so memorable. The worm riding scene was the best moment of the entire movie, I felt so alive with all the special effects and the sound design and the vibrations it's like I was riding it myself. Epic third act battle and hand-to-hand knife scene (although it isn't top tier combat compared to a lot of action movies but the editing and camerawork made it look flawless). They did skip some action in the third act that I wanted to see more of though.

God tier cinematography. I thought there was no way it could look better than the first but they somehow managed to make it look even better in this one. Loved the color grading and the way the sand moves, flawless. The most visually stunning sequence was the black and white one introducing Austin Butler's character. Epic sound design.

I keep trying to pick a favorite between *Part One* and ***Part Two*** and I don't think it's going to happen... they're equal. Overall an excellent sequel. Can't wait to see what's in store for *Part Three*.

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!

Like I said...this is the best science fiction movie I've ever watched. Watched it a few hours ago and I still can't get my mind off of how beautifully crafted this movie is, it's not your regular science fiction movie, it does not resonate with everyone. But Dune part 2 has just reinvented the science fiction genre to a place where you never would've thought. Denis Villeneuve is the best working director in the industry right now. His mastery in worldbuilding is simply a cinematic spectacle, Dune 2 surpasses its predecessor in every way imaginable delivering a deep dive into one of the most beloved stories in fiction ever.

It cannot be stated enough, but this movie is one of the most visually stunning movies I've seen in my lifetime, although it's not as stunning as Blade Runner 2049, it's a close second. The breathtaking cinematography coupled with Hans Zimmer's score captures the grandeur of the world and immerses the viewer into the beautiful world Dune is.

Yet another stacked cast with Timothée Chalamet being the lead, delivers a captivating performance from start to end. The supporting cast including Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson and Austin Buttler is nothing short of a memorable performance.

Dune isn't without it's fair share of nitpicks, I loved all the characters but the female characters in particular felt under-written or under-developed, which seems to be a recurring issue with Denis lately, most the female characters were used for 'Sex Apeal' and lacked depth in exception to Rebecca's character, who was fleshed out really well in both movies. I loved Zendaya's portrayal of Chani, but I wasn't sold on the romance one bit, at times it felt too forced and their chemistry wasn't convincing, once again this isn't an issue in their acting but rather the chemistry was a bit off. I love Hans Zimmer but his score here is probably the most forgettable yet, there is one track that stood out to me but all the others felt like recycled tracks off his other movies.

This is now officially my 3rd favourite movie of all time.

Director Denis Villeneuve has actually managed to maintain the quality of what I consider to be the almost perfect "Dune" (2021) in this sequel. And I don't even want to start ranking both films; they are clearly on par for me and belong together. While the 2021 film has a stronger beginning, the finale of "Part 2" is much more satisfying. Ultimately, a double feature is worthwhile.

Looking at the second part on its own, my only major criticism is that the opening is a little clunky. In fact, it feels a bit like you're entering the middle of a story (which you are). However, it doesn't take long before you're fully immersed in the world again. This is primarily due to Villeneuve's impeccable sense of style. Whether it's the production design, score, visual effects, costumes, or sound, everything fits together perfectly. I would be very surprised if the film didn't play a major role at the Oscars in 2025.

But the acting is also another highlight. Timothée Chalamet shows once again that he is already a master of his craft. And Zendaya and Javier Bardem are also great in extended roles this time. But the MVP for me is actually Austin Butler, whose Feyd-Rautha is incredibly unsettling.

All in all, "Dune: Part Two" is a complete success. Only viewers who were hoping for a definitive conclusion to the story might be a little disappointed. After all, Frank Herbert's story is far from over. But if the film is successful, which it looks like it will be, then we shouldn't have to wait too long for an adaptation of "Dune Messiah."

I had to watch Dune part 1 because if I didn't, I would not have known what to expect in Dune part 2. The movie was incredible. To see it on the big screen really makes a difference. You need to see every angle possible. I understand why it needed to be that way. I loved the movie. I would watch Dune 1 and 2 over again. I didn't like the scene where Feyd-Rautha died. But it was necessry if they planned on doing a third installment for Dune. The casting for this film was picked brilliantly. It fit them like they were part of the era of Dune itself.