Let me cut to the chase, Dune: Part 2 is easily one of the best movies ever made!
The sequel to Denis Villenueve’s sci-fi film, Dune, crept its way to my heart and reawaken the film lover in me. Very few of the recent releases successfully did that but Dune: Part 2 did that with ease. At the very core, Dune is a study of humanity paired with oppression and religion (or better yet, fanaticism?)
Timothee Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides, the heir of the House Atreides. If you can remember, their house was ravaged by the vengeful and greedy Harkonnen as commanded by the Baron. With most of them wiped out, Paul went on a run at Arrakis along with his mother, Jessica played charismatically by Rebecca Ferguson. They were joined in their journey by the Fremen or the natives of Arrakis. Being the foreigner to this new planet, Paul fitted the role of the Fremen’s picture of a god or a savior, the Lisan Al-Gaib. As they journeyed on taking down the Emperor and making the Harkonnen’s pay for their actions, Paul embraced the role imposed on him.
Dune: Part 2 is a masterpiece in every aspect. The story based off of Frank Herbert’s classic series of the same was handled and translated perfectly for the big screen by Villenueve. One would say that the craziness of the books will be difficult to adapt, and perhaps it is but the director found a way to make them work and make them work right, that he did!
The story and the filmmaking of this movie is compelling all throughout. Despite the nearly three hour runtime, I found myself asking for more. It built a world that felt as real as it can get and immersed us, the audiences, into this universe. One thing that piqued my interest the most was the religious aspect of the story. And no, I am not religious in anyway but I am a sucker for movies that explore this narrative. Paul’s image with the Fremen’s and some of their’s blind belief towards him tickled me. It was as if they created a Messiah (*wink*) out of him.
When talking about Denis Villenueve’s Dune, it is impossible to not talk about the technical aspect of it as well. Villenueve is known for creating visually-outstanding movies such as Blade Runner 2049, and Arrival. He did not let down the fans in this two-parter movie as every shot was such a visual delight. Experiencing the movie in IMAX was one for the books and dare I say, a must! The music complimented the movie perfectly as well, thanks to Hans Zimmer!
Dune: Part 2 is a modern classic. With its rich world-building and spectacular filmmaking, it easily became one of the best films ever made. And yes, I will die on this hill. Experience the thrills, immerse into its themes, and enter the world of Dune. I cannot wait for the conclusion of Denis Villenueve’s take on Dune.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Philippines invited me to the advanced screening of Dune: Part 2 on IMAX SM Megamall but the review is subjective.
