Duna: Parte 2

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!

Saw an early screening of this film at the Tilton Square Theatre in New Jersey, and I was completely blown away. From the opening scene all the way until the credits I never felt bored, which is impressive for a 2 hour and 45 minute film.

I don't want to write too much here, I prefer anyone reading this with the slightest bit of interest in the film to go see it immediately. It doesn't release worldwide until March 1st, so grab tickets and I would highly recommended you see it in IMAX if possible. Almost the entirety of the movie is filmed with IMAX cameras.

This movie is an absolute visual spectacle probably going to win a couple Oscar's for sound editing, picture, etc., and the fight scenes are choreographed so fantastically. Like I stated in the beginning, see this film!

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.

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.

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.