Dune: Part Two Review

March 3, 2024 at 9:21pm
By Jason Stettner

Quite awhile back we were left with the abrupt conclusion to Dune. It’s been years, and now we’re graced with the glory that is Dune: Part Two. An experience that must be seen on the big screen, as it really is cinema at its finest. It’s a beautiful film melding together stunning cinematography, emotionally driven performances and incredible sound.

The story here continues from the events of the original film. We have Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) working to become one of the Fremen while battling with the concept of him having to become a messiah for them. An eventuality one might assume based on the third book taking that very name.

Whatever the case we have a budding romance between him and Chani (Zendaya) as both aren’t exactly warm to the idea of this prophecy yet still want the best for the people of Arrakis. The sandy planet they’re battling for in case you didn’t know that. There are of course some deep religious themes present throughout this experience and it was intriguing to see those concepts develop across the course of the first movie and this second one.

It’s a fast yet slow build towards power as Paul bonds with the local people including a very entertaining Stilgar (Javier Bardem). While this is the primary story at play, there are other factors and moving pieces. We have Paul’s mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) building up the legend and or in general tale around her son while also being very creepy as her daughter grows from within.

The Harkonnen house continues to plot while building up a powerful young monster in the form of Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler). Their planet lore building sequence of black and white being magnificent to take in aesthetically. Finally the Emperor (Christopher Walken) is contending with prior decisions with this story largely handled by Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) his daughter.

It’s a lot going on, and could have used even more screen time I suppose but it works here. It really does, some aspects may jump along but it tells a very cohesive and strong story across its runtime. I wanted to see even more while still being perfectly satisfied by what was a strong structured tale.

The performances here really are strong, feeling epic like in the older days of Hollywood. A sense of true star power from a growing group of mostly younger cast members. Chalamet is commanding, and Paul’s romance with Chani is soft while being welcoming as something you could get behind and want to see succeed.

Jessica was particularly terrifying in this movie as she continued to embrace greater powers and Ferguson really brings a strong balance behind that. I was also stunned by Pugh in each scene, the style and backdrop usage of her character was very effective here. The list really does go on though, this is a film of strong performances from smaller to larger sequences. Complete savage ruthlessness from Butler and an excellently furious but ultimately terrified Bautista presence.

The combat when showcased is tense, large in scale and thrilling. This is backed by empowering sound, particularly during crazy worm sequences. The music in general was just a treat to take in, the theater using Dolby Atmos here was excellent. I was most stunned by the cinematography. The imagery here is remarkable.

I’m not sure everyone will appreciate just how well set some of these moments were. They make the movie feel even more impactful. The large explosions, the use of aggressive sun and the adjusting lighting depending on the location. The whole black and white area as mentioned was particularly stark in contrast to the winding dunes.

The Conclusion

Dune: Part Two is a cinematic masterpiece anchored by powerful performances, stunning cinematography and incredible scale. I was blown away by the movie and it may be one of my favorite cinematic experiences. It really was just ever so thrilling to sit through and really does make the first film feel rewarding.

One where I did feel it rather too abrupt in its presentation. This feels like a full story from start to finish and it was exhilarating. I was excited by the political intrigue, the scheming and also the budding romance that felt like something you wanted to see built further.

Still furthermore the way everything escalates to a grand conflict but yet still makes it feel intimate and impactful. You’re left wanting more while also being greatly satisfied by what they were building towards. It’s entertainment at its finest and it’s nice to watch a movie that’s so incredibly epic and exciting.

Dune: Part Two Review at Theather with AVX DBOX Viewing

Rating Overall: 10