While writing this, I'm still processing the film I've just seen. I loved the first Dune so naturally, I was very, very excited to watch this second part and man, I wasn't disappointed. It's a fittingly epic second part of the story that proves once again that Denis Villeneuve is one of the most exciting directors working today.
The story picks up pretty much right where the first part ended, with Paul Atreides and his mother ing the Fremen after his father and his house are destroyed by the Harkonnens. The film sucked me right back in from the very start and didn't let go. It deals with themes of power and religion and they are used by various people for their own gain. It's very ambitious in that aspect but the film absolutely nails it.
Just like its predecessor, it's a beautifully shot film with a lot of scenes that left me struck by the beauty on screen or by some of the great production design and just the incredible world that the filmmakers manage to create here. It's really the perfect example of why a film should be seen on the big screen.
The acting is also very, very good here. Timothée Chalamet is so good here as Paul and it's incredible to see him grow from a boy to a man leading these people into a war. Zendaya is great as well as Chani and the relationship between her and Chalamet is an interesting, and ultimately, heartbreaking one. Very good ing work here as well from Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Florence Pugh, among others. The standout among the new cast however is Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha, who is a pretty terrifying presence here and solidifies Butler as one of the best young actors working today. It also helps that most of these characters are complex and threedimensional ones that hold your interest throughout.
In the end, I loved Dune: Part Two. It's pretty much everything I wanted it to be and even though it runs at almost three hours long, it always kept my attention. It's an early contender for best film of this year.