Drunken Yoda here, and I was able to use my considerable clout to get an advance showing of Dune Part Two last night so here’s the review.
By “clout” I mean I paid for a ticket that was screening all over the city last night. But I typed in that credit number like a boss! Anyhow, I’ll keep this spoiler-free. Short short version? Better than Dune Part One… and Dune Part One was spectacular. I wondered whether Denis would be able to pull it off or would he disappoint us like he did with. .with…
Oh wait, Denis never disappoints.
I wasn’t able to see Dune Part One in the theaters as it came during lockdown. My only nitpicks with Part One were the various shots that were just way too dark. There weren’t many but there were a few. My other nitpick was pacing, a side effect of only telling half a movie. Thankfully those issues are non-existent here. I saw it in IMAX and I can say that there are moments, not nearly as long, but moments that haven’t been this epic looking since Lord Of The Rings.
The special effects are top-notch. I couldn’t find a seam or any CGI-ness. If you’ve seen Quantumania, you know what I mean by that. There’s no uncanny in this valley.
And nearly every single shot is a work of art. Denis seems to remember that movies are an art form and contrary to what nihilistic lefty cult members will tell you, art is as much a celebration of beauty as anything else. This movie has that in spades. There are breathtaking epic shots of the landscape, but even the tight, close-up shots have something to say. There’s just no wasted celluloid anywhere in this.
The pacing is far better. I was never looking at my watch but I did check it out of curiosity. I was surprised to see how much time had gone by. It moves at a brisk pace. Part One was long but really not that much happens. House Atreides takes over Arrakis, gets betrayed by the Harkonnen, and most are killed with Paul on the run to join the Fremen.
It’s a lot of world-building and not much plot. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really GOOD world-building and I love the heck out of Dune Part One… but it does drag and ends on an unsatisfactory note. This is mostly because doing it right requires breaking up a single book into two. Lord Of The Rings has three distinct books that have good beginnings and endings within the larger story.
Dune Part Two really kicks things into high gear. Paul gets a lot more agency in this section and this helps the movies tremendously.
Timothy Chalamet really was the right choice for Paul, he’s able to bring it when it’s called for. I really didn’t think he had it in him as another Hollywood femboy, but I was wrong. He comes across as someone with the weight of the world on his shoulders and he plays it well as the movie wears on.
Nearly all the supporting players are perfect, from Javier Bardem, to Rebecca “Marry Me” Ferguson. Florence Pugh does a good, if small turn, as the Emperor’s daughter.
My only complaints are Christopher Walken as the Emperor, he’s so old and so… Walken that it’s hard to take him seriously. Like DeNiro, he’s become more of a parody of his former self. Thankfully, he never goes over the top, he’s downright subdued in the role so I can kind of give it a pass.
Not as much with Zendaya, who pretty much plays Chani as either dismissive or frowny. She’s just a very average actress at best and can’t really bring it when it’s necessary without looking like a pouty teenager. Again, it wasn’t enough to bring me out of the movie but someone else would’ve been better.
These are nitpicks in an otherwise stellar movie. I’ll avoid going into any more detail for now and have a spoiler review (if you want one) a week or so after release. Sound off in the comments if you want more details!
Until then, I give it my highest recommendation in spite of the very few flaws. This is the kind of blockbuster that needs to be supported. My preview showing was full to the brim and all the theaters in the city were. I hope that means good things for the opening.
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