Synopsis: Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Stars: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Josh Brolin
This is a spoiler-free review.
There are two directors who use IMAX technology effectively: Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer, Inception) and Denis Villeneuve. The majority of the time, when you see the word IMAX attached to a film and those two men aren’t involved, it’s a money grab.
Countless films are released in IMAX that don’t use IMAX cameras to film it. Last year, the promotion for Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One asked audiences to see it on the biggest screen possible, meaning IMAX. It was screened at IMAX theatres, but IMAX cameras weren’t used to film it. It was great for the studio’s bottom line, but there was no benefit to the viewer. It was a great film but not a true IMAX experience.
This isn’t a ‘pick on Tom Cruise session’ as countless films have gone down this yellow brick road, including Focus and 50 Shades of Grey. When Nolan and Villeneuve grace us with a theatrical project, there is no hoodwinking going on. You will get exactly what you are paying for: an outstanding theatrical event.
That being said, Dune: Part 2 is a phenomenal cinematic experience that needs to be experienced in an IMAX theatre. Your senses will come alive while viewing this film.
In 2021, the first Dune film was very successful, receiving ten Academy Awards nominations and winning six.
Villeneuve always intended to make two movies based on the book by Frank Herbert. It’s worth noting that I have not read the book, nor do I intend to. Fans of the book interested in whether the film adaptation represents the novel aren’t aligned with my interests. I am interested in the film and the overall experience of seeing it.
Many times, the commentary is, that’s not like the book. . . Looking at you comic book fans! Villeneuve has taken this material and made it into something mind-blowing.
Viewing the first film is strongly recommended before venturing into the sequel. The first film serves as an introduction as we meet the Atreides family, who rule the planet Arrakis.
Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) is with the Fremen, the native inhabitants of Arrakis. After the events of the first film, he is focused on avenging his family’s name. The film demonstrates Chalamet’s growth and maturation as an actor. His acting resumé is impressive: he has been nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in Call Me by Your Name, he has worked with Greta Gerwig in Lady Bird and Little Women, made us cry in Beautiful Boy and worked with the other preeminent IMAX director Christopher Nolan in Interstellar. He shines in this film.
In fact, the entire cast shines. An ensemble that includes Javier Bardem, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh, to name a few, is like having all of the first-round picks in sports.
The first film did a great job of bringing us into Herbert’s world, part two ramps up the action. The film is two hours and forty-five minutes, but fifteen minutes is credits. It doesn’t feel long at all.
My initial thought was that the release of this film was delayed from November 2023 because of the actors strike and the writers strike. A March release would hurt the film from an award-season perspective. I no longer feel that way. It is impossible for me to conceive of a scenario where ten movies that are released in 2024 are better than this. I’m not predicting Best Picture, but it has to be in the conversation.
This is a movie that needs to be seen in the theatre. Villeneuve and his team have created a visually stunning film. Greig Fraser, who won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for the first Dune, might be making another trip to the Oscar stage.
With the Academy Award-winning score from Hans Zimmer and an award-winning sound department, this film’s audio sets the bar high.
The same things that made the first film so incredible and grandiose are magnified here. The proverbial training wheels are off, and it’s full steam ahead.
When you see this film, be prepared to be transported to a desert world with sandworms and people who can communicate by reading each other’s minds and some of the most incredible visuals you have seen in a movie in a long time. Most of all . . . see it in IMAX!
Grade: A
Watch the movie trailer:
