Ben Nixon’s review published on Letterboxd:
Such an incredible spectacle, exceeds its predecessor and triumphs in plot development; the praise is so deservedly warranted- an exceptional piece of cinema.
The character arc of Paul Atreides is fascinating and complex, we delve into his psyche and motivations so prevalently here. He is reluctant to take up the Messianic mantle because he knows it's a lie. But things go according to his vision and he becomes a morally complex character. Religious fantacism takes hold of the fremen; it is however up for interpretation what kind of character Paul becomes. Is he a tyrant? Was it the only path? What does religion have to do with it? Paul takes hold of the Bene Gesserit lie by exploiting faith.
This leads to other questions, with prominent emphasis on religion. Can one truly trust the arm of flesh? The frailty of man? Leaders have come and gone throughout history bringing different ideals. One's own morality comes into play. Agency is vital to the human experience. Man will always falter. This leads to questions of a higher power and His role. Is there a God above? What are the implications of that?
We don't get stories like this in Hollywood anymore. There is no happy ending in Dune, and one can only ponder the moral complexities of it. The structure, set-up, visuals, sound and story are crafted in ways that are hard to put in words, due to how everything came together so miraculously. The performances are commendable; Timothée Chalamet is unbelievably phenomenal, with great from the likes of Austin Butler and Rebecca Ferguson, also. While it’s too early to predict for next year’s awards, I feel a similar situation may pan out for nominations as it did for its 2021 predecessor; cinematography, craft and visuals will be a mainstay but I’m really not sure I see any performance-related nods- I will happily be proved wrong, but I simply feel the focus will again stay on the look and production of this spectacle. Yes, the performances are far superior in this one compared to the first, but we’ll have to wait and see; if anyone is to receive a nod it’ll be Chalamet.
Denis never lets you out of this experience! The pure weight of the film is presented through astounding narratives, rich cinematography, an epic story and mesmerizing action sequences coupled with an effervescent soundtrack from Zimmer.
