"Dune: Part Two" is a 2024 science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve. Based on Frank Herbert's 1965 story of the same name, this feature is the planned sequel to "Dune" (2021). Originally planned two be a two-part film (with this film securely ending somewhat where the 1965 book ends), Villeneuve has planned to expand his film series out to at least one more feature film which would encom Herbert's 1969 book "Dune Messiah". I found that to be very applicable for the course because as I had never formally read the "Dune" books (only brushing up against the varied film adaptations and maybe dipping slightly into the television series), I did find that there was a good furthering of story that could be expanded upon at the completion of this film. I'll avoid the spoilers (which seemingly most have seen this film before me anyways) but I can now easily see the necessity of bringing further plot into the fold. Naturally, I'm sure that "Dune: Part Two" could have been shaped to be an endcap but I liked that they chose to further things along.

Catching up with some of the award season elements that is at least within my ability, I finally was able to get to this film on 4k disc that has been death staring at me from the pending pile for a while now. As I had seen the first film prior to this a few years before, I will say that did do the right thing in my mind by revisiting that feature again before dipping my toe in this (probably the ultimate reasoning why it took me this long to get to this). As I didn't really expand into the elements of the story in my review of the first film and probably won't do much of that here (namely because I've watched this way after the fact than most), I will say that balanced transition between the two films is well done. I might have liked the more exploratory position of the first film, but I think those are just common advantages just like any other introductory film within a trilogy. There is some positional ebb and flow in this film and quite honestly as I though the end of the first film slowed down quite a bit, the beginning of this second feature took time to get started up as well. These are items I am going to hold the most against the film because there is still importance to their position to the story and the entirety of "Dune" is something one puts in for the long haul. The end of the film (something that I touched on above) is also a bit of a cliffhanger design that would hit a wall if there were only two films planned, but I am greatly interested in what the third film brings. When it is all said and done, I am still giving this film a high rating because it is all one complete experience in total and it is hard to break up what is one full merit experience. I don't think it will take home the top prizes but I'm glad to see its nomination as a recognition of its entire experience existing.