Conflicted first watch. Liked it, didn't love it. Feels a bit rushed in parts. Like they should have made three movies out of the first book instead of two, to truly build up to things, to make the impact really land. The final battle and its surrounding circumstances for example feels oddly rushed, and huge plot points just happen and fly by a little too quick.

Costumes are good, and a few moments gave me chills, but I am missing a sense of playful madness and leaning more into the oddities of Herbert's world building. I don't think this needs to be as muted and grounded as Denis Villeneuve has made it. It all feels very "post-Nolan" in its cinematic language and I just wish it had more of a fantastical and unconventional spin on things. I don't care about naturalism in science-fiction. Give me theatricality!

But maybe that is just a fool's dream since a film like this has to go through so many committees of approval and appeal to a broad enough audience to get made. So I am not the target audience for a modern blockbuster in the first place, and I am too old to hope for miracles, so it is good enough for what it has to be in order to exists, so I will take it.

Everybody says the next chapter 'Dune Messiah' gets real crazy, so that can only be a plus for me, if they keep making these. There is no way things aren't getting exceptionally bleak.

Not a huge fan of Hans Zimmer, but his style works better here than in the first one. re-watching part one at home in preparation revealed how essential it is to see this in cinemas. Your mileage may vary on the contents and structure within, but it was never boring, the biggest compliment I can give this film is that I easily could have sat for another three hours.

"I am showing you the superhero syndrome and your own participation in it."

— Frank Herbert