gabriel’s review published on Letterboxd:
He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.
An exquisitely immersive reminder of the power the technical brilliance of a film can hold when paired with a great mind of a director whose ambition and artistry are nothing short of extraordinary. Dune: Part Two displays a clear vision from Villeneuve to tell a tale of revenge and faith in a sweeping epic blockbuster mold in what should be considered one of the best sequel films to have ever been made. Amidst the superb wide shots and jaw dropping cinematography, emerges a complex story of a savior and his journey of discovery and belief in his fate. The same journey that is juxtaposed with the blind faith put on his shoulders by people who, in desperation, build up a Messiah figure despite the consequences that may then come forward because of it. The progression of the film, however, deconstructs this seemingly hero silhouette and everyone’s true intentions, and shows the deeply disconcerting blood-flooded path concealed beneath sand by futility and religious extremism. Villeneuve offers a window into an alternate world enrichened by tradition and the human ability to adapt while nurturing in that same landscape a ruthless foreshadowing of the dangers of denying climate emergency and ignoring the surging violence of oppressors.
Dune: Part Two enrichens its universe as it fleshes out the true agenda of all its characters and what they represent in the vastness of this world’s settings. It’s a masterfully acted story with enough moments of grandeur and sheer spectacle to feel perfectly balanced as a whole, an end result that should be the blueprint for future blockbuster cinema.