I knew I would love Dune Part 2 before any trailer even released. I loved the first film, I loved the book, there would be no reason for me not to love it. And even then, I was not prepared for what was to come. As magnificent as the trailers were, I wish I hadn’t seen them. Because then this movie would’ve hit 10x as harder which is saying A LOT, cause even still it had me completely drawn in. I believe Dune Part 2 is the first film I’ve seen that really is a part 2 to a film. Not a sequel, but the second half to the first. One cannot be watched without viewing the other. As such, I shall review it as one.

Although, there is one thing I can only discuss of Part 2 which is actually being able to watch it in theaters. And by god, it was easily the best cinematic experience of my life. It was also the first film I’ve ever seen in IMAX and Jesus, if the theater wasn’t so far, I’d go there all the time. I felt every vibration in my bones, I was physically shaken so many times, I had chills running down from my head to my legs. When the hair in my legs stood up, I was shocked, never under any circumstance had that ever happened to me before. I still the feeling, it’s something I will never forget. I had my eyes glued to the screen, not closing them for minutes on end until they started to strain and I needed to blink. And no people on their phone, or loudly talking, or eating with their mouths open, constantly getting up, it was truly the perfect experience.
The score and sound, I mean it’s Hans Zimmer, what much else can I say about it? He’s a master of his craft and everything he does fits perfectly with the film. A Time of Quiet Between the Storms is easily my favorite track. It’s so serene and emotional.. I actually can’t stop listening to it. Although there are a few scenes in particular with no music I shall discuss in a bit. And the sound is just astounding: the clash of blades, the (flapping?) of the wings of the Ornithopters, the thumpers thumping against the sand, and of course the rumblings and movement of the sand worms. Each sound not only is heard in great focus but also physically felt.

The visuals, I mean yeah this is easily the most gorgeous movie I’ve ever seen. One of the rare times a film is actually deserving of its high budget. Not once did it enter my mind that I’m watching something that isn’t really there, it looked and felt so real. The sheer scale and scope of the whole thing is unparalleled. ESPECIALLY whenever a sandworm comes on screen, I had the biggest smile on whenever one did. Something I don’t really hear anyone talk about are the shots in space. There’s only a handful of them and I just don’t think I can fully explain it. The look of the planets is so surreal, it looks like something from an old Sci-Fi film, and it’s just majestic to see. The black and white coloring on Giedi Prime is genius. Seeing the color fade away from the inside light to the natural light of the black sun was so satisfying to watch. Some other shots I loved were the setting(or rising?) moons, Alia the fetus getting mutating from the Water of Life, and the juxtaposition between the Harkonnens burning the Atreides’ bodies and the Fremen burning the bodies of the Harkonnen at the end. I don’t know the names of too many cinematographers but Greg Fraser’s will not be leaving my mind anytime soon. I should start to learn the names of more cinematographers, because I really believe they deserve more recognition than they get. This film is just truly a literal work of art.

The performances and characters… where shall I begin? I guess I’ll go with weakest to strongest and without a doubt the weakest performance in this was Christopher Walken. I don’t think he was bad or anything, he just wasn’t given much to work with, and what he did get he did well enough. Although there was one line he delivered that I thought was great; “Do you know why I killed your father? He believed in ruling with the heart. But the heart was not meant to rule. In other words, your father was a weak man.” I think that really summarized Paul’s struggle in the story, which I’ll talk about when I get to him. Same sentiment with Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, just not much material to judge off but what she did worked well. I think she'll knock it out of the park in Messiah. I believe Lea Seydoux did great with the little she got and the performance and character perfectly demonstrated the manipulativeness of the Bene Gessirt. And to avoid repeating myself over and over again; Stephen Mckinley, Charlotte Rumpling, and David Dastmalchain all did well with their parts, I simply wish we got to see more of them. Jason Momoa plays Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, and honestly, it works. It fits well with the cool older brother dynamic they gave to him with Paul. Josh Brolin did well in the first part but I thought he was even greater in the second part. I honestly enjoyed the bond between him and Paul more than Paul and Duncan’s. Also, completely irrelevant, but in like every scene he’s in he tries to hurt, kill, or destroy someone/something and it’s kind of funny. Oscar Isaac does great as an irable and fair leader, someone who well, leads with his heart. I just wish we got more bonding between him and Paul. “A great leader doesn’t seek to lead. He’s called to it and answers” is fucking chilling after seeing both parts. All three of the main Harkonnens were imitating in their own rights. David Bautista was the dumb raging beast but he also played the fear in said beast well too, especially when confronting his cousin or uncle. The scene in the Ornithopter perfectly demonstrates the fear of God that he’s put in his own troop. The cuts to all of their faces looking around, knowing that one wrong word could piss him off is great to see. Stellen Skarsgård brings this large and commanding presence with the baron. And Austin Butler delivers the best performance of the three with Feyd-Rautha. He plays creepy so unbelievably well. The open mouth smile, the weird growls, his love for pain, you can even see saliva coming out of his mouth during the gladiatorial arena fight. And yet Feyd-Rautha still carries honor with him, in his respect for battle. Every villain doesn’t need to have some tragic backstory, a villain who is pure evil can still work through the performance and other traits said villain carries. Javier Bardem is exceptional in portraying the religious devotee. His faith only growing further and further as Paul cements his status as the Lisan al-Galib is so awe-inspiring at face-value but tragic when you stop and think about it. The facial expressions he makes are easily my favorite from the whole cast. Zendaya did amazing as the astute non-believer and the bond between her and Paul felt legitimate. I’ll discuss their romance more later but there's a small little details that I’d like to point out. Before their first kiss she goes “Your blood comes from dukes and… great houses” it’s so small and it really doesn’t matter to anything, but she pauses, makes a face, and actually thinks about what she was about to say next. It’s so small but it makes the scene feel so real and really sells the performance for. Rebeca Ferguson is exquisite as Lady Jessica, her transformation from the mother of Paul to the Reverend Mother is terrifying in the best way possible. I believe “I’m not asking his mother, I’m asking the Bene Gesserit” sums it up perfectly. The Harokonnens send Paul and Jessica for the desert to take them, and in a way I believe it did. Once Jessica realized that Paul would not go off-world, she believed the only way to keep him safe was to push him into his forced destiny as the Lisan al-Galib. The Water of Life only opened her mind to the past Reverend Mothers and pushed the agenda further. And finally, Timothee Chalamet as the titular Paul Atreides. I’ll it I’ve only seen him in a handful of films and was unsure of how his portrayal would match the Paul I envisioned. But I can say, without a shadow of doubt, that he provides the best performance I’ve seen from him, and in my opinion, of this film. From the Atreides heir and boy, Paul to the Fedaykin warrior, Muad’Dib, to the Lisan al-Galib, the Messiah and Emperor of the known universe. His story is a true tragedy. From having to conform to an impending doom he knows awaits his family to becoming the impending doom to the universe itself. Throughout the first part we see Paul lose everything around: his home, his friends and mentors, his family, and finally, with his final fight with Jamis, his innocence. At the beginning of Part 2 Paul is set on the path of revenge, even if it means going along with the prophecy he knows to be nothing but falsehood. But as he interacts more and more with the Fremen, he realizes what has truly taken root, and cannot allow himself to follow the path of the Messiah. His comradery with the Fremen, his love for Chani, fighting with them and trying to take back Arrakis, he finds his own path, like his father wanted him to. He followed the rules of the heart, but unfortunately the heart was not meant to rule. He can only see fragments of the future and he fears losing Chani, so he does what he must, and finally, he loses his identity. Paul learns from drinking the Water of Life,”This is how we survive, by becoming Harkonnens”, if he wishes to ascend to being the emperor, he must rule by using his power and fear.

Now, time to discuss the war council scene. I held off on talking about it for individual characters to talk about it as a whole. It is quite possibly my favorite scene in the movie and, dare I say, one of my favorites of all time. Paul storms into the council, and Timothee Chalamet really brings in the sheer presence and command that is needed to convince the Fremen. Paul then convinces the tribes by using his knowledge of the past, “At the time, this world went by a Fremen name, Dune”, CHILLS. And finally Paul brings it home and all the Fremen kneel to the Lisan al-Galib. “I am Paul Muad’Dib Atreides, Duke of Arrakis. The hand of God be my witness, I am the voice from the outer world, I will lead you to PARADISE’, GOOD GOD I'VE SEEN THIS FILM FOUR TIMES AND I GET CHILLS EVERY TIME I’VE SEEN THAT SCENE. It’s perfect: Paul’s gravitas is immaculate, the look of emotion and pride on Gurney’s face, the smile Jessica wears, Chani’s anger, Stilgar’s sheer awe and reverence with tears in his eyes, every actor brings their fucking A game. And the scene may seem triumphant and a declaration of freedom, but the horror of reality is that it’s the cementation of war and enslavement.

The comedy… yeah imma keep it a buck fifty, I didn’t laugh or chuckle in slightest. Not from any of the lines from Ducan or Stilgar or anybody, I just didn’t find the film funny. Which is totally okay, this isn’t a comedy or anything, lol. And to be fair I have a pretty dry sense of humor, a lot of stuff people find funny is stuff I don’t. It also felt very natural and didn’t take me out of the movie. And if it’s any constellation, the theater I went to laughed at every joke so I’m glad others found the levity to be joyous.

The suspense, you know I haven’t seen anyone discuss just how suspenseful this movie is. I’ll talk about how suspenseful the fights are in the next segment, but for now I’ll discuss the other stuff. The whole film is just littered with this sense of impending doom. In the first half, everyone already knows that House Atreides faces extinction and it’s sad to see executed. Then of course there’s Paul’s visions of the Jihad, the holy war. Every time one shows up it’s do or die, as it should be. The worm coming towards the spice harvester as Leto desperately tries to get everyone on board the Ornithopters, Jessica and Paul’s narrow escape from another worm, and the worm riding scene. Jesus, I think it’s time I discuss that scene, because it is genuinely perfect. No music, nothing but Paul’s footsteps across the sand and the sounds of the wind. He tests the sands until he finds the perfect spot, and the thumping begins. Again, nothing is heard other than the thumping and Paul muttering okay to himself over and over again. Then the rumbling begins, it’s a massive worm, the largest we’ve seen yet. The worm comes and Paul takes his leap and he struggles. He holds on for dear life as there’s no sounds but the humongous worm moving across the desert dunes. He’s then finally able to ground himself, get one hook in, then he gets the other in, and the music kicks in and everyone begins to cheer. The face of joy on Chani turning to realization that this only cements Paul’s legend as the Lisan al Galib, and the face of Stilgar as it further cements his beliefs, are something I will never forget. It is truly cinematic perfection, even keeping Paul will succeed you can’t help but be on the edge of your seat as you watch it unfold. One of many perfect sequences in the film.

The fights and battle sequences are all well choreographed and a spectacle to behold. But there’s a few in particular I’d like to discuss, the first one being the training scene between Paul and Gurney. While as a fight itself it’s not too impressive, as a scene as a whole, it's excellent. It perfectly establishes the relationship and dynamic between Paul and Gurney, while also being a vessel for explaining shields to the audience.It works both as a fight and narrative, something that every fight scene should strive to achieve, of which the ones in Dune do. Paul’s fight with Jamis shows his first time in real combat and demonstrates that he’s no slouch, he was trained by the best fighters in the galaxy after all. It also conveys Paul losing the last drop of innocence he had, for now he has killed. As well as showing that his visions are 100% accurate and events can occur differently from how he viewed them. The gladiatorial fight is the perfect introduction to Feyd-Rautha as it shows his eeriness, his skills, and his honor all in a single fight. The second attack on Arrakeen is easily the most visually stunning battle in the entire film, the entrance of the sandworms is such a glorious thing to witness. It’s rather short but it works well as it was a planned sneak attack and really demonstrates the desert power that Leto had hoped to covet before his demise. And the final fight between Feyd-Rautha and Paul, good lord, was perfect. The headbutt and the flip into the leg sweep were so satisfying to watch and hear.There was no music present whatsoever and it only magnified the clash of the blades and the sound they produced. The heavy breathing between the two made it feel so surreal, as well as the gasps and worry of everyone when Paul was stabbed. The suspense filled the air as Paul has a knife at his throat before discreetly pulling the knife out of him and killing Feyd-Rautha. “You fought well Atreides” even in death, he carries honor for his combatant.

The romance is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Paul gives Chani this look while explaining the wind thingy, and maybe I’m looking in too deep but I know that look very well. I've received and been the receiver of that very stare. It’s the look you give someone when they’re talking and you are just not paying attention to anything they are saying. Not because you don’t care, but because you’re so infatuated with them, the way they talk, their beauty, it’s the look of falling in love, and it’s beautiful to see. And aside from that moment, I think they just have really good chemistry, and the dialogue between them feels so smooth and natural. “I will always love you Paul Atreides as long as you stay who you are.” Thus shows the tragedy in their love. No matter how much he tries to turn his back against it, the world seems content in making him fulfill his role as the Lisan al Galib, the very thing Chani hates. But becoming the Lisan al Galib is the only way forward in which he can keep her safe, no matter the abominable consequences. The way he keeps looking over at her during his fight with Feyd-Rautha seems loving, but he knows full well what he's about to do after he wins, and it’s tragic. And the hurt on her face when Paul asks for Irulan’s hand in marriage is so unbelievably gut punching.

The pacing I believe to be is perfect. Some say it’s slow in the first half but I disagree. Every single scene meticulously builds either to the world, the characters, the relationships between characters, or the relationships between the characters and the world. This may sound like movie 101, and on paper it is, but often not the case in execution. So many movies often don’t meet these basic standards with unnecessary scenes and lines that explain too much, explain too little, are dragged out, are rushed, or are just straight up pointless. Dune has no such problems. 5 hours and 20 minutes of cinema and each and every scene is needed as they all have a distinct purpose. I can point to even the smallest of scenes and find the reason for its existence. For instance, the scene with the kangaroo rat, Muad’Dib shows how EVERY living being on Arrakis (except for the worms which is explained later) values water, and sets up the reasoning for when Paul takes up the name Muad’Dib.

The film has excellent worldbuilding. The level of conservation and reverence the Fremen hold for water is demonstrated to great effect. The Fremen gathering the water from Harkonnens, Stilgar showing his respect with his spit, and the basin of sacred water in Sietch Tabr. The way Stilgar describes how no one, even under dying of thirst, would drink from it and cleans off the tears from Jessica is astonishing and really drives in their beliefs well. And because of it you can feel the weight and impact of it being destroyed during the Harkonnen attack, despite only showing it for a few seconds.

The story of the film makes it even more abundantly clear than the book that this story is not one of triumph. It’s not about the rise of a young nobleman, avenging his father, and reclaiming his title. It’s not about the native population rising against their oppressors and achieving freedom. “Who will our next oppressors be?”, they are simply trading one oppressor for the next, and partaking in the oppression of others themselves, all under the guise of religion. This story is warning of the dangers of blindly following those who lead you and that of religious fanaticism. Throughout the whole film, it’s crystal clear how much water means to the Fremen. Yet, towards the end, there they are, burning bodies. Burning away water, abandoning tradition for the sake of religion. Not a tale of triumph and freedom, but a tale of horror and oppression.

And that final line is chilling, and the perfect set-up for Dune:Messiah;
“Your brother attacks the great houses. The holy war begins.”