Tom Hardy’s review published on Letterboxd:
Unreal. Unfuckingreal. This is monumental. The cinematic event of a lifetime.
Every couple years, Denis returns to remind everyone he's operating on a different planet than everyone else and he's showing no signs of slowing down. With Dune: Part Two, he somehow elevates everything that was already great with the first part into something that only a true visionary can put to screen. The direction is absolutely seamless. The wildest thing is this is arguably not even his best work (I'd still give Blade Runner 2049 the slight edge but I can understand how some see this as his magnum opus). Famously snubbed for a Best Director nom three years ago, Villeneuve definitely deserves to be the frontrunner this year. There's still 10 months to go, but I'd be pretty shocked if someone ends up more deserving of the award this year. Hopefully, he gets his dues just like Christopher Nolan, who has been winning left and right for Oppenheimer.
This film also adds to his sci-fi résumé, which thus far is hard to beat. The two Dunes, Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, his Dune: Messiah and Rendezvous with Rama… when this man retires, he will have a strong, strong argument for being the greatest sci-fi director EVER (if he somehow isn't already the GOAT now).
I could go on for ages about the technical details of this film, but to keep it short, it's just flawless in every aspect. The cinematography is jaw-dropping, the visual effects are so realistic, and the sound design is fully engrossing. In particular, the black-and-white infrared Giedi Prime scenes are so sleek and perfectly lit, with cinematographer Greig Fraser putting in some all-time great work. The extended one-take action sequences also make up for the lack of action in the first, elevating the film beyond anything in my wildest dreams. Hans Zimmer's score is far better than the first Dune and it's easily his best work in the last decade. Once again, it's only March, but this has the Cinematography, VFX, and Sound Oscars pretty much wrapped up, and good shots at Score, Production Design, and Editing as well.
I've talked about this before on my first Dune review but the scale is insane. If there's anyone who understands how to depict scale, it's Denis. Expanding upon what made the first one stand out, he takes it to another level with the awe-inspiring visuals. Zooming out to see people as specks crossing the vast desert that seems to extend endlessly as far as the eye can see and showing gargantuan ships descending from the skies as well as massive edifices and stadiums really puts into perspective the true scale and spectacle of the events that are transpiring. All of the colossal sandworm scenes are fucking awesome and pulse-pounding, and there are numerous moments where I got full-body chills.
The performances are amazing, particularly Timothée Chalamet, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. Unfortunately, the Academy doesn't give two flying fucks about sci-fi in above-the-line awards, so none of them will get Oscar nominations (Everything Everywhere All At Once won three acting Oscars but I would consider that more of a drama than hard sci-fi, like Dune). Austin Butler in particular is astonishing. His voice matches the same pitch, tone, and inflections as Stellan Skarsgård's Baron Harkonnen, which is extremely impressive. If I closed my eyes, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to tell which of them was speaking. The physicality and strange mannerisms he brings to the role immediately tell you everything you need to know about the character. Part Two's story also allows Timothée Chalamet to exhibit more range than in its predecessor. His commanding presence, especially during the final act, demands your complete, undivided attention and the internal conflict he experiences over the course of the film is easily apparent. I'd venture to say this is his best work, suring his performance in Call Me By Your Name. Zendaya has much more screentime now and she takes advantage of every second, building up Chani's relatability and allowing the audience to sympathize with her plight as the events of the film unfold. Rebecca Ferguson's character, Lady Jessica's, ruthlessness really stood out to me and she has a number of vital scenes, the standout being the Water of Life scene. I also loved Javier Bardem's Stilgar, who is such a good hype man. Part One's performances were great but everyone in the cast seems to have taken it up a notch to provide a truly moving experience.
Between this franchise and Spider-Verse, we are so blessed to have two all-time great trilogies unfolding right before our very eyes.
I know all film is subjective but I'm seriously judging anyone who isn't giving this 5 stars. I just cannot fathom what more anyone could possibly want from an adaptation like this.
Now pardon me while I go searching for the soul that just left my body.
