Thump…Thump… Thump! Our chairs start to rattle with the impending rush of the sand worm, the visuals on the IMAX screen already has the crowd in silence with anticipation- the build up with sound made for one of the most memorable experiences in a theater in a long time. Denis Villeneuve proved that he was the right filmmaker to properly adapt the science fiction classic by Frank Herbert in 2021 with Dune Part One and now with Dune Part Two, Villeneuve establishes himself among the likes of Christopher Nolan, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. I was a massive fan of Dune Part One in 2021, mainly because I could not make it through Dune from 1984 without laughing. Villeneuve and the established cast made me fall in love with a story I was not a fan of for years, into a fan that cannot wait for more.

The night before seeing Dune Part Two, I rewatched Dune Part One and that choice really enhanced my viewing experience of this film.

If you were not a fan of Dune Part One, you would not enjoy this film as it is a continuation of everything in the first film. That being said, if the problem you had with the first film was the abrupt ending, this makes the film even better, in retrospect. The whole team from the first film returns. Villeneuve returns not just as the director but also co-writer with Jon Spaihts, Craig Fraser’s cinematography is back and the unmistakable score of Hans Zimmer. A lot of focus will go towards cast of amazing performances and some misfires, but the filmmakers here have crafted something that will inspire future filmmakers.

There were moments in the film that I felt like Villeneuve was inspired by directors like Christopher Nolan. It could have been seeing the film in IMAX, but an early scene felt like it was directed by Nolan with a beautiful landscape being attacked in silence. This is also credit for Craig Fraser’s breathtaking cinematography. The whole film is a visual treat: from the sand filled land of Arrakis to the introduction of a black and white world of the Harkonnen. Two scenes from this film that had me absolutely in awe was the first time that Paul rides a sand worm and the introduction to Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha. The suspense of Paul facing this large sand worm was perfectly paced and shot in a way that showed the struggles of riding a sand worm. As for the introduction of Feyd-Rautha, it instantly establishes that this a character that is a psychopath but also a showman, he loves the attention. It’s a black and white gladiator like scene that did feel a little out of place for a film that is mostly in the sands of Arrakis but its so well done, that I was begging for more cinematography from this planet.

Warner Bros Pictures , Legendary Pictures

Timothée Chalamet continues to prove that he was born to play the character of Paul Atreides. Throughout Dune Part Two, Paul is a more complex character with balancing the struggle of war, love and becoming a prophet. This may be a bold comment, but Paul Atreides is a much more interesting character than Luke Skywalker and even Anakin. The reason for this comparison is because I personally feel this film is this generation’s Star Wars. Chalamet is a very talented actor that is believable when he needs to be humble and charming to becoming this power hungry leader that becomes filled with revenge. One of the biggest improvements from his performance from Dune Part One, is the chemistry he has with Zendaya.

As much as I loved Dune Part One, one of the issues I had is the same issue I have with all the Spider-Man films: the usage of Zendaya. An actress of her caliber, seems to be just a love interest or a side character, but in Dune Part Two, we get Zendaya being able to chew up the scenery as Chani. In a film that is dominated by amazing female performances, Zendaya was the one that stood out the most. In the group of supporters from the Fremen, Chani is the only one that is willing to stand up against Paul and due to the performances between both leads, the emotional tug and pull is felt with every action throughout the film.

Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica and Javier Bardem as Stilgar both deliver stellar performances as well with their respected characters growing and faced with new challenges. Jessica has to take on the role as the new Reverend Mother for the Fremen people or die, and in turn, this gives Jessica even more thirst for power as she uses her status as a role to advance the narrative that Paul is the prophet. Ferguson perfectly captures this as her character becomes more powerful, her performance has a sense of control over those she shares the scene with. Bardem as Stilgar, the leader of the Fremen group, is enjoyable with some well-placed humor sprinkled into a pretty serious and dark film.

As for the new cast of characters, it’s a mixed bag and might be the weakest part of this science fiction masterpiece. Austin Butler, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh and Lea Seydoux join the cast in mostly supporting, yet important roles. It is difficult to gauge the performances by Pugh and Seydoux as they feel like characters that are set up to play bigger roles in the franchise. I do feel like both will have more to work with and are capable of great performances with these characters. Now, I love Christopher Walken (one of my favorite actors), but he does not fit the role of the emperor in this and at times his presence does take you out of the film. It’s not a bad performance by any means but anyone could have played the role. As for Butler, this role allows the viewer to forget about Elvis in the best of ways.

Warner Bros Pictures , Legendary Pictures

Austin Butler as an evil psychopath, mimics the voice delivery of Stellan Skarsgård’s Baron Vladimir, is an impressive feat after his previous roles, like Elvis and shows that he has the caliber to play any role. Butler, who defiantly bulked up for the role and is believable as Feyd-Rautha. At one point in the film he has a physical altercation with Dave Bautista’s Rabban, something that could have been a funny sight is instead terrifying with the command that Butler has. I left the movie theater asking to see Butler in more roles like this and even more excited for his upcoming film The Bikeriders.

Denis Villeneuve and the whole team that help create Dune Part One and Dune Part Two has done the unthinkable and even topped themselves with this continuation of a saga. I have made comparisons to Star Wars already, but I seriously think this may be the Empire Strikes Back or The Two Towers of this generation. If you have the opportunity, see this in the biggest screen possible. Great performances, action-packed, immersive world building and overall a visual treat. Wouldn’t be surprised if we are talking about this next year for Oscar nominations.

Rating 5 out of 5