Better than the first in almost every conceivable way, and yet still flawed in a way that prevents true greatness. DUNE and it's sequel suffer from the same expositional error that BLADE RUNNER 2049 does: these films spell it out way too often, and often through hilariously over-expositional corny dialogue. Thank goodness DUNE: PART TWO isn't so slow, unfinished and surface-level as the first film, which elevates it (with dramatic effect) to the upper half of Villeneuve's filmography. But, it is still hampered from the original bifurcation (the films would have been better as one long 4.5 hour film with a 20 minute intermission like the good old days). In any case, however, the "EMPIRE STRIKES BACK"ness of this part of the story is done incredibly well, and so are the visual effects, especially in comparison to the flatness of the first film. Overall, DUNE: PART TWO is a -massive- improvement from part one, Denis Villeneuve's worst film. But, the film still struggles to stand within the pantheon of blockbuster cinema due to its cornball script.

Denis Villeneuve Ranked