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Dune: Part Two is an irresistibly epic movie. After the cliffhanger ending of Dune: Part One had us all clamoring for continuation over two years ago (especially for those of us who haven’t read the novels) and the incredibly frustrating strike related delay from it’s original release date in early November 2023, I believe it’s very safe to say that the world was overwroughtly ready for Denis Villeneuve’s guaranteed to be epic sequel. These past few years, somehow managing to sur unofficial levels set during the lead up to the first installment- the widespread anticipation for this sequel has ran extremely high, you’ve all unquestionably felt it and more than likely walked or will walk into the theaters expecting something special. Being born a few years after their theatrical run concluded, growing up I’d always wondered what it must have been like to have watched The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings without the ability to directly move on to the next step in the trilogy with the simple process of popping a disc into a DVD player. With a film such as that one so deeply rooted inside of an overarching, episodic narrative trilogy- it’s fascinating to think audiences had to eagerly wait yearly to return to Peter Jackson’s coverage of Middle Earth. Well, after Dune: Part One like many I very much shared in the sentiment that younger audiences twenty years from now will reflect back on how fascinating it must’ve been to wait in between Dune releases. Cinematically huge, highly regarded fantasy film series adapted from beloved novels don’t appear often (in fact, it feels like every two or three decades) but it’s absolutely a fitting assessment for what Villeneuve has accomplished with Dune- and could possibly continue to accomplish if he’s permitted to make Dune: Messiah, making the entire cinematic venture a proper trilogy.

As I’m sure you all know, this film’s reception online has been overwhelmingly positive as the general online consensus has already been quick to deem this one of the greatest sequels in film history- for me, as of the moment this isn’t particularly a five star film and I did have a couple small issues with the film but I have no trouble whatsoever confidently confirming this film lives up to the unbelievable hype. One of the upmost greatest films ever made? No, I wouldn’t say so. One of the most impressive sci fi adaptations we’ve ever seen containing the potential to become a genuine modern day classic? That’s more like it. I’m not in the slightest surprised at the sky high reputation & word of mouth this film is building though because it truly does reach cinematic heights that only a select amount of films have before. Unfathomably epic in scale & production (seriously, how in the living hell did they pull it off?!) it’s legitimately impossible for the willing viewer not to be utterly immersed into the world of Arakais, and utterly riveted with the story of the Atreides & Fremen’s struggles. From a technical & visual standpoint this film’s flawlessness is undeniable, and while it’s narrative is where you might begin to see issues- it’s nonetheless excellent.

Picking up right where the previous film left off, the world & majority of our cast of characters have already been introduced or developed- leaving room for narrative advancement, taking great themes set root in the last film and fully diving into them. Namely, the way in which this film goes about conveying the dangers of unquestioned faith and the pressures of prophecy is bursting at the seams with cinematic essence. Seeing Paul & the Fremen people irreversibly fall farter and farther into an extreme belief of monotheistic leadership under the power of a single man- it’s all too familiar, all too scary, and very difficult to watch without fascination. At the end of the day, there are no true sides as long as power boils to an extent of madness- something the film expresses excellently in the film’s third act. Speaking of that third act, while the entirety of the film is wonderfully paced and consists consistent engagement- the final hour or so is truly next level stuff, thrilling beyond belief as every scene one ups itself in getting you closer and closer to the edge of your seat. It’s jaw dropping, as in I physically had my jaw dropped for most of this film’s last hour- most notably during the fight between Paul & Feyd Rautha, a scene that’s instantly an all timer as soon as you see it. Denis Villeneuve’s direction in this film is the type of directing that has and will define his career for the rest of his life. On the sad day (hopefully several decades from now) when he es away, I’d be willing to bet headlines will mention him as the director of the Dune trilogy.

It’s a towering achievement what he managed to do- bringing this dense, detailed novel to the screen with upmost sincerity & ambition. If he once again doesn’t get an Oscar nomination for Best Director, we might actually have to riot. As for the acting, it’s a perfectly cast ensemble. Timothee Chalamet might give the best performance of his career so far (his scene after drinking the water of life was insane, bravo), as we hoped for Zendaya gets so much more screentime & she kills every second of it, Rebecca Ferguson is just as compelling as before, Javier Bardem steals the show on multiple occasions & taps into some of the best work he’s given in years, Florence Pugh is excellent in her limited screentime, Josh Brolin is so loveable, Christopher Walken leaves an impact, and I could go on & on highlighting all the great performances in this cast. Oh, last but certainly not least- Austin Butler gives a fantastic performance. Menacing, bold, fun in a sick way, and instantly iconic- between his massively buzzed about portrayal of Elvis back in 2022 and now this performance, Butler is undoubtedly a movie star.

Returning behind the camera to once again deliver mastery, Greig Frasier’s cinematography is truly something to marvel over. This film absolutely wouldn’t hold the same power as spectacle if it wasn’t for his creativity & effectiveness as the eyes behind the lenses. Don’t you worry either, there’s countless frames throughout you’ll be able to use a wallpaper or lock screen- or print off onto a damn wall sized poster if you wanted. Joe Walker’s editing is fantastic as well, an element of the film I’m sure will grow richer with rewatches. The production design, costumes, and makeup are all top notch in stunning detail too. There’s almost no need to talk about the sound work or visual effects either, as they’re simply indescribable. This is one of the greatest sounding & looking films in all of film’s over one hundred year history- it’s breathtaking. I mean, the sand worms alone might be the most impressive useage of VFX ever- outside of Pandora & the Na’vi. Oh, and Hans Zimmer score is obviously groundbreaking too- we expect nothing less from the master.

In of the Oscars, we’re still in the current season waiting for the actual ceremony to happen- but my mind is already geared towards beginning to ponder over and prematurely predict the 97th Academy Awards, especially how well this film will fair. Look, sequels never do quite as well at the Oscars unless you’re The Godfather or a third installment such as Return of the King and this film’s early release is something to take into - but honestly, I feel great about this film’s awards chances next year. It’s got plenty enough steam & ion to last the entire year, it all depends on what the competition ends up looking like- which at the moment isn’t looking to be as packed as the last couple post COVID years. To put it out there- no, I don’t think this film has a shot at winning Best Picture. Until we know more about our batch of contenders it’ll rank high in my predictions, but just know this film isn’t the type to win Best Picture nor does it have many realistic paths to doing so. Months in advance, I have my money on TIFF’s Sing Sing or another resonant indie to take next year’s top prize. Anyway- as of today I’m confident this film will get nominated for Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup/Hairstyling, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Score.

You might say it’s foolish to think but I have no reason whatsoever to go against saying those nominations are absolutely happening no matter what the competition shapes up to be. It’ll 100% be in the running for nominations for Best Director & Best Adapted Screenplay as well- although I’ve got a feeling even if the competition isn’t strong, this’ll regardless miss out on a few major nominations. Hopefully Villeneuve can get in this time around- predicting him at this moment is an odd situation as I could absolutely see him getting in everywhere with ease & the academy making up for their past snub, or I could totally see him getting snubbed again. Hell, I could even see a world where he wins the Best Director Oscar. Time will tell, I’m certainly going to go back & forth predicting his nomination for the entire future season. Also, I have a feeling it’ll get a SAG Ensemble nomination this time around- although I’m not too confident in predicting any acting prospects yet, even if there’s a world Butler might kick off in a weaker field. Oh yeah, and this film is way more than likely winning Best Sound & Best Visual Effects once again- I don’t care if it’s over a year in advance, pencil it in. Please don’t even get me started on how I think the current season would’ve gone if this film had stuck to it’s November release- it hurts my head to think of all the possibilities. Not that this would’ve beat Oppenheimer for Best Picture or anything like that, this film would’ve mainly made almost every single one of this season’s below the line categories a nail bitting race. I unfortunately don’t think Villeneuve would’ve cracked this year’s Best Director lineup either. Overall Dune: Part Two handsomely managed to triumph in towering over the task of living up to extremely high expectations, providing a bonafide masterclass in science fiction filmmaking and bringing to the screen the type of genuinely compelling & in depth escapism we all crave like animals- this’ll easily go on to stand as one of the very best of the year, if not define the year 2024 in film. 

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