Plot Summary – Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he must prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

★★★★★ 

Watched 29 Feb 2024

When I’m twenty minutes into a movie I get feeling that it might go into my Top 20 of all time. I got that feeling five minutes into this one. Only three times in my life have I felt a movie become my favorite of all time. All three times I knew about halfway into the movie. The first time I was thirteen years old and watched Captain America: Civil War. The second time was when I watched The Social Network in ninth grade. The third time was in March 2021, when I watched Ulidavaru Kandanthe. Since then, I’ve never felt it. Kantara and Garuda Gamana came close. I felt it today. I felt it very early on in this film. Dune: Part Two is a complete achievement of cinema. It’s also now my favorite movie of all time.

Now, begins my process to justify this. From the second the credits hit, I’ve been thinking about how to write this review. Usually, I read some other reviews and even watch or listen to a few before I write mine. This time, I don’t care what other people think. I don’t want their thoughts to sully mine. Everything about this film is perfect to me. Let me try to explain.

I’ll start with the acting. This film has the most enviable and star-studded cast I’ve seen. Florence Pugh and Christopher Walken were the performances that felt like the best ‘cameo’ appearances, while not very long, they packed their punch. Austin Butler is generationally talented and flexes every acting muscle in his body to play the antagonist of this film. This might be the best antagonist performance that I can remember since Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. In his limited screen time, he is cunning, frightening, vulnerable, evil, and bloodthirsty. All while being hungry and raw. This is an incredible villain performance. In a film where the antagonist is so well-acted, you expect that the good guys don’t have the same gravitas.

You’d be wrong. Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson, and Josh Brolin are all impeccable in their roles supporting our two leads. Zendaya might already be in the silent face-acting hall-of-fame but she takes it to another level here. She is so convincing and in a film with such an incredible performance from both the antagonist and the protagonist, she has you rooting for her throughout. That being said, the performance Timothy Chalamet gives here is historic. They said he was our generation’s Leo, and everyone doubted it. This is him cementing his name in the big leagues. An absolutely insane performance from Timothy here. He has the charm of a charismatic leader, the nerves of a hesitant messiah, the power of a god-like figure, and the vigor of a warrior. He plays this role with complete command. I have never seen anything like it.

Next, the score by Hans Zimmer. It locks you in. It doesn’t let you go. I’ll be listening to this one for years to come. I can’t believe someone has achieved something like this in music. It is heart-stopping and completely enveloping in its nature. This is matched by Greig Fraiser’s cinematography. Books will be written, and movies will be made about the shots in this film. I have watched over a thousand films and when I say this is the most beautiful film I’ve ever seen, I am not lying. I have never seen a film look this. There are visuals achieved in this film that have never been achieved before. That a person could not imagine. These are insane shots. I am at a loss for words as to the treat to the eyes that this experience was. Watch it on the biggest screen possible. You will not regret it.

The writing and direction by Villeneuve. While Part One was an excellent visual and technical experience, I did feel like the pacing was a bit off. This is a perfectly paced movie. Denis makes the one hundred and sixty-six-minute run-time feel like a lifetime-spanning experience. I didn’t want the movie to end. I was hoping that it would never end. This is the majesty achieved by the film in its writing and direction. You’re taken from a skeptic to a worshipper. From a doubter to a fanatic. This film makes you believe.

This might be the most complete achievement in cinema that I have experienced in my lifetime. I urge you to watch this film in theatres. Let it take you over like it did me. If you come out of the other side not completely engrossed, then watch it again. Cause the film has done its job. Now its your turn.