Well it's in the can.

Dune Part 2, after much anticipation since the 2021 film and having been pushed back from its original November release to this weekend finally sees the light of day and once again, we not only have one of the best movies of the 2020s, but also one of the best sci-fi films, best sequels, best fantasy films and will probably fight to stay on my best of 2024 (despite it not being my favorite of the year so far).

This sequel proves exactly why I love science fiction, why I love fantasy and it's my favorite genre and why I love films. Villenueve and his amazing team has done it yet again with this second part of a now planned trilogy with Dune Messiah coming eventually.

Everything that was built on the first film definitely is sured and subverted expectations here on what I was going into thinking and not only it expands on this world that I'm already in love with despite not reading any of the books, but it builds more groundwork for the finale to this trilogy with these characters. The intriguing aspects in the story with Paul Atriedes facing his destiny, the war that we were promised and another big war coming, the religion aspect (which is something in the book but not too beaten on the head) and the political intrigue all comes to a head here thanks to great scriptwriting and the characters old and new have plenty to do despite a few needing more to do but it gives enough for us to chew.

Villenueve once again directs with great competency compiled with a great script from Villenueve and Jon Spaiths, along with incredible camera work and gorgeous visuals in its cinematography by Greig Fraser (that black and white fight especially), immaculate costumes, makeup and production design by everyone involved. Also for a movie that's 166 minutes, it never feels boring and it also does great at being it's own movie despite it being a second half of a trilogy and two parter and allows us in a simple way to get ready for the inevitable third.

Editing by Joe Walker is meticulously well done in between the character moments and action throughout, which the action is all around great throughout especially the fight between Paul and Feyd. Hans Zimmer's score, I can't say anything more except it's epic.

The cast is all around phenomenal with our new and returning characters with a few nitpicks here. But they are all great ranging from Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem to Austin Butler (who turns in an extremely horrifying scary and disturbing take on Feyd Rathma and definitely better than Sting), Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan (which I'm hit and miss on Florence but she's fine here), Christopher Walken, and Léa Seydoux as Bene Gesserit Lady Margot (which her small screentime is great but I really want to see her play more of a role in Dune Messiah. People really take for granted mostly how incredible of a French actress that Seydoux is) and despite my worries and I won't spoil, Anya Taylor Joy does do good in one part (I can't spoil. Just go watch the movie).

My only issues which one is a nitpick and one is personal. The nitpick is I wanted more from Seydoux but we're gonna get another film so I'll get to know more about her mysterious character. Personal issue I take is the fact people are comparing this once again to Star Wars, Mandalorian and The Lord of the Rings trilogy in a little bit of an insulting way (which I get the comparisons considering that this was unfilmable), but in of this franchise, the comparisons stops people from looking at this as it's own thing as it should be. I'm not comparing it to what's came before, but rather looking at this franchise as it's own thing.

In conclusion, I have more to say in my review, but this is a movie that earns every piece of acclaim it's gotten and every piece of box office it will get even if you're not big on this world or Villenueve. I'm very excited for more of this world and if that third film sticks the landing like Beyond the Spiderverse will for those movies, we're gonna have a fantastic sci-fi fantasy trilogy of epics by Villenueve.

An expertly crafted masterclass of a sequel and don't be shocked when this movie gets at least a couple of Oscars for directing, technical achievements and maybe Chalamet for his acting, he's that damn good here. ing actress? I'm not sure if Ferguson would be qualified but this is gonna be one of those films along with Joker: Foil a Deux and Mad Max: Furiosa that will sweep the Oscars.

Well done yet again, Villenueve.

Take your time with Dune Messiah.

Grade: JD SVSA