‘Dune: Part Two’ opens in IMAX: ‘A thrilling ride’ that ‘surpasses its predecessor’ [Review Round-Up]
The highly anticipated release of “Dune: Part Two” took place February 25, 2024, when Warner Bros. launched the epic sequel in limited IMAX theaters before the film goes nationwide on March 1. Director Denis Villeneuve appears to have another monster hit on his hands, with early screenings garnering a 97% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics consensus reads, “Visually thrilling and narratively epic, ‘Dune: Part Two’ continues Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the beloved sci-fi series in spectacular form.”
“Dune: Part Two” will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. The all-star ensemble cast includes Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista and Christopher Walken. Read our full review round-up below.
Carla Hay of Culture Mix writes, “’Dune: Part Two’ is a masterful technical achievement that surpasses its predecessor movie on a storytelling level. It’s less cluttered with characters than 2021’s ‘Dune’ and has a more compelling villain and higher emotional stakes.” Continuing, “A characteristic of an above-average sci-fi/fantasy film is the portrayal of the chief villain or villains. [Stellan] Skarsgård as Vladimir Harkonnen and Bautista as Glossu Rabban have less screen time in “Dune: Part Two” than they did in 2021’s “Dune” and don’t really do anything new with their performances. Butler as Feyd-Rautha is the “Dune: Part Two” villain who is the obvious standout, since it’s already been revealed in the movie’s trailers that the climactic battle scene includes a one-on-one fight with Paul.”
Matt Oakes of Silver Screen Riot praises the film, stating, “A triumphant middle chapter that grapples with inner darkness, ruminative notions of prophecy and destiny, romantic entanglement, and familial tragedy in what is set to be one of the great trilogies and a true modern masterwork.” Adding, “A steely-blue-eyed Chalamet handily leads the cast, his chemistry with Zendaya’s Chani, in a much expanded role from Part 1, the human foundation for the sociopolitical war games to unfold atop of. The supporting cast is truly a remarkable assemblage of A-cast talent, one of the finest ever congregated for a tentpole film (or really any film for that matter), with the aforementioned cast as well as Josh Brolin and Charlotte Rampling returning and the addition of Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo from Anya Taylor-Joy capping off a real who’s who of Hollywood talent.”
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Murtada Elfadl of AV Club says, “As blockbuster movies go, ‘Dune: Part Two’ is a thrilling ride that totally earns its two-and-a-half-hour running time. The filmmakers add much-needed heft to their display of virtuoso filmmaking by adding serious real-life themes.” Concluding, “The screenplay tries to give Chani some complexity by turning her into the voice of the freedom fighters. However she still remains just the hero’s love interest, since the main narrative is primarily concerned with Atreides’ education as a leader, which is another rather simple story. That leaves the movie’s two stars stranded with nothing much to do except to pose and make intense eye contact at each other. At that, they are both fabulous and fulfill the promise of the first movie. Sometimes all a movie needs is just two good looking movie stars filling the frame with their presence.”
Glen Weldon of NPR notes, “The first film tackled the hard work of arranging the game pieces on the board, so ‘Part Two’ swiftly sets about bashing them into one another. All those factional conflicts roiling away throughout the first film finally get to boil over at last.” Adding, “In Villeneuve’s hands, a sci-fi epic like ‘Dune: Part Two’ can deliver what’s expected – big stakes, big conflicts, big explosions – but it can do so in a clear and rigorously consistent visual language that serves the story. Even in the biggest battle scenes, his camera keeps us focused on what matters most – the human cost of it all.”
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