jryn7’s review published on Letterboxd:
Yeah going right to 5 stars. And I can finally start my Best of 2024 So Far list ;)
Villeneuve pulls it off, packing the sequel with all the big events while still getting good character development for the returnees. Paul goes into the desert with the Fremen and tries to become one of them while avoiding the dark vision of his future that keeps haunting him. Meanwhile Jessica has plans of her own to bring about the Bene Gesserit prophecies and make her son the Kwisatz Haderach - in opposition to Paul’s wishes. But the possible futures are dwindling as battles rage all over Arrakis for control.
Chalamet and Zendaya are great and get lots of time for Paul and Chani to develop together. Ferguson makes a great scheming Bene Gesserit Javier Bardem gets a lot of laughs as the plain-spoken Stilgar. And the new additions are strong, especially Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan and a creepy yet honorable Austin Butler as Feyd
-Rautha (somehow nailing Stellan Skarsgard’s vocal tones). Even they (and Lady Fenring for book geeks) get time to establish their characters. And as things go dark Zendaya stays strong and the changes to her character work. But Chalamet really goes dark and rises to the occasion - his equivalent of the “Long Live The Fighters!” speech to the Fremen is a showstopper.
Once again the visuals are amazing and the Hans Zimmer score rumbles in your bones. This and Dune know what an epic really feels like. And it is true to Herbert’s vision of a tragedy. Let’s hope Villeneuve goes 3 for 3 when Dune Messiah is greenlit. He certainly sets it up well.
