Dune: Part Two

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.

A monumental piece of cinema.

Paced to perfection, uniquely beautiful, thought-provoking, beyond thrilling, with unbelievable cinematography and flawless worldbuilding. Backed up by the best ensemble performance in a blockbuster since Fellowship of the Ring. An entire production on their A-Game.. it's an incredible technical achievement. Everyone on set was clearly aware they were working on something special. Denis Villeneuve's love for 'Dune' shines through every stunning frame. Part 1 of his adaptation was wonderful, but here he improves on it in every way. It just doesn't get better than this.

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!

Like the first part, the second part is visually stunning, though having read the book twice, I regret to say that unlike the David Lynch version from the eighties, De Villeneuve almost deliberately destresses the mystical/mythical core of the story. This makes for an impressive viewing that somehow left me unsatisfied. In De Villeneuve's hands the story becomes one of political grandstanding which is but part of what the book is about, both in relation to the hidden ways of the Fremen and the nature and mission of Paul and his mother. For example, in the second part those scenes where Paul Atreides becomes the Kwizatz Haderach are rather weak and not very convincing.

Having left this essence out of the movies, they become a bit of an emptied out visual experience. A kind of secular, profane Dune. Still nice, but also a bit disappointing.

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.