Well damn. This was worth all of the hype & then some. Denis has struck spice once again. 

One of the many things this movie does excellently is the visual effects. With the rise of CGI, we’ve all seen large budget movies that just look atrocious. But that makes one appreciate it that much more when it’s masterfully done the way it is here. Plus, all of the action sequences are so tense & well-crafted too. 

Another strength of this is its script. I think what Part One does so well is provide all that exposition without ever losing any captivation and while still world-building to a high degree. That is very much relevant to Part Two as well but what else it does so well is flesh out Paul Atreides’ arc. Obviously Chalamet’s electric performance is a huge part of that too. There was also a lot more comedy in this compared to the first one, too which was unexpected but all of it landed for me. 

Speaking of, this star-studded cast is worth the hype too. Just like in Part One, Rebecca Ferguson is dynamite. Javier Bardem & Josh Brolin are always fun to watch. Could’ve used a lot more Florence Pugh. Austin Butler is too convincing playing a maniac. Léa Seydoux & Christopher Walken were welcome surprises in this too. Also, there’s a WILD cameo in this I wasn’t expecting. 

Shout out the makeup department for this. I saw the interview where Austin Butler said he didn’t shave his head for this since he had to film The Bikeriders right after this (another new release I’m excited for) but they could’ve fooled me. Excellent work across all the characters. 

Also, I hope at some point he rides off into the sunset like he deserves but selfishly I want Hans Zimmer to work forever if he’s going to keep submitting music like this. 

I said this about Part One but it seems apt to repeat it about this installment too: this just checks every box, when scale & execution intersect beautifully in every aspect. I’m also so grateful I got to experience this in imax. I hope the next installment gets greenlit soon. I want infinite more editions of these as long as Denis Villeneuve is at the helm.

Edit: Having not read the books, it wasn’t until this movie I finally understood why the series is titled Dune lol. 

Denis Villeneuve, Ranked (#2 out of 7)

Seen in Theaters 2024 (Trailers: Furiosa > The Fall Guy >>>> Godzilla x Kong > A Quiet Place: Day One > Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire)

2024 Releases, Ranked (#1 out of 13)

Watched in 2024, Ranked (#1 out of 47)