People underestimate the power of faith. This isn’t limited just to religion, but in people as well. Suicide bombings are the best example of this. People are willing to die for a cause that may or may not be misguided.

Joan of Arc was told by an archangel how to lead an army to victory, and it did. At least, that’s the story. Even as someone who is very dedicated to the belief that divine intervention and angels exist, I couldn’t tell you if Joan was visited by a divine being or if she was delusional. She kept faithful to her story through the skepticism, and was killed for it. This story has kept her famous for centuries, yet it could be built on a lie.

The Fremen had a prophecy that was ed down for generations, and Paul fit the description; but does this truly mean he is their messiah? Even at the end of the day, the prophecy doesn’t detail if he’s a good person or not; merely the savior of the Fremen. Villeneuve hints that while the prophecy seemed to be authentic, this does not mean Paul is immune to the grandeur of power. He throws Chani under the bus for power when they could have been happy together; likely due to her unbelief in him. The change is subtle, but Paul goes from humble to messiah complex in a believable way. ‘If the prophecy were wrong, why am I winning? I am their savior, and I deserve such.’ And there will be people who follow him until the end because of it. For better, or for worse.

While certainly with its depth, that is not to say the action is lacking. There are visually spectacular sequences that outclass most other blockbusters. The fight sequences are never done lazily, the visuals are never cheap; in fact Arrakis is brought to life so well. Lines such as “never waste your natural water” only bring out further the atmosphere created here. While the first movie focused on the resource of the planet, this one focused on the the nature of the planet. It’s no longer the spice which makes Arrakis alive, but Arrakis that makes the spice alive. This natural beauty is what separates the Fremen from the Empire.

I wish I could the five star bandwagon here, but I just don’t think this is quite there. Austin Butler’s character introduction was not integrated well with the rest of the movie. It’s a good scene and necessary scene, but it feels so out of place. There’s a good fifteen minute period where Paul is completely offscreen, and it can definitely be felt. I wish it was integrated better, because this would have had a chance at the perfect score, but it rubs me the wrong way for having a quarter hour forgetting the plot. A few scenes were less engaging than others, but not quite to the point of dragging.

Superior to the first, delves deep into the beliefs that motivate our reason to live despite the cost, and delivers on all the cinematic excellence that we have come to expect from the first one. Truly a great work that brings out the best of the art form. Not quite perfection, but likely the best we'll get for the rest of the year; and that’s okay. Films like this make me regain confidence in the sea of modern blockbuster trash that what made them special in the first place has not been lost. Hopefully this is the beginning of what becomes a prosperous franchise, and revives the blockbuster from its mediocre stagnation.