When the first reviews of Dune: Part Two started trickling out on February 14 following the Paris premiere, one stood out to me. “I’m very grateful to be alive just to see this, to have the chance to see a film like this, it’s hard to describe,” said French critic Hycarius.
Grateful to be alive.
It’s a bold statement to throw out there for a movie, but it’s hung out in my brain for the last two weeks. After finally seeing Denis Villeneuve’s sequel to 2021’s Dune, I fear he was correct.
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Dune: Part Two actually was that good. The sci-fi epic based on Frank Herbert’s novel does everything right. It’s well-paced, incredibly well-acted and makes you feel every range of emotion over the two-plus hour runtime. It’s the kind of movie that future generations will lament not getting to see in theaters the first time (although at that point everyone will probably have their own theater-like sound systems at home).
I don’t think anyone truly doubted the acting chops of Timothée Chalamet (Paul Atreides), Zendaya (Chani), Austin Butler (Feyd-Rautha) or Florence Pugh (Princess Irulan), but if they did, those doubts should be put to rest now. All four put out the best performances of their careers, and Chalamet, Zendaya and Butler should be getting Oscars buzz for 2025.
Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica) was phenomenal — and should be shortlisted for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars — and Javier Bardem (Stilgar), Dave Bautista (Beast Rabban), Souhelia Yacoub (Shishakli) and Charlotte Rampling (Reverend Mother Mohiam) all turned out incredible performances.
Zimmer’s score is soul-shaking. The cinematography is breathtaking. The action scenes are tense and will have you holding your breath. Visual effects are flawless. This movie is so good, you’ll consider whether riding sand worms is a legitimate means of travel.
Part of me hopes you found this review after going to see Dune: Part Two. This type of hype is nearly impossible to live up to. But then I remember Hycarius and his bold statement. Just sit back, relax, avoid the creepy popcorn bucket and enjoy that you’re able to see this movie on the big screen when it was released.