Surprisingly more enjoyable than expected
As someone who appreciated the first Dune more than actually enjoyed it, the 2-hour-45-minute sequel was not on my ‘most anticipated of 2024’ list. But surprisingly, Dune: Part Two, which follows Paul Atreides as he unites with the Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis to lead a war, was more enjoyable than expected.
Like the first film, the scope of Dune 2 is grand and the visuals are impressive. The first third of the film is especially entertaining as Atreides learns the ways of the Fremen, develops a nice romance with Zendaya’s character, and the sandworm scene is pretty much the coolest thing in the film.
If you weren’t as big a fan of the first film, however, the things you probably didn’t like are still here, namely an overly long runtime, a self-serious tone, and bland characters (Javier Bardem excluded). That said, the film is not bad at all: it is impressively put together and director Denis Villeneuve ensures you feel the impact of every explosion, punch and blaster shot. The epic vibe of this film is just not to this particular viewer’s taste.
Dune: Part Two will please fans of the first film, as it should, but it is unlikely to sway newcomers, which shouldn’t be its focus. This is a well made sci-fi epic that gives you your money’s worth for the price of admission, but it is not necessarily one I’ll be itching to watch again.
Rating: 6/10
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