Dune Part 2 – REVIEW
Image: Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya in Dune- Part Two (2024 Photo by Niko Tavernise/Niko Tavernise - © 2022 Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The highly anticipated and remarkable blockbuster sequel to Dune is finally coming to a cinema near you! The fanbase will love it, but will there be mixed reactions from non-fanbase movie goers?
Based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert the movie had to be produced in two parts owing to the complex nature of the novel. Dune was the first chapter released in 2021 and now Dune Part 2.
Filmed in the impressive IMAX format this epic science fiction action drama is visually stunning. Every dollar of the reported $190 million budget is evident on screen. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful, and the elaborate sets are mammoth. Excellence is prevalent in most areas of production.
Timothee Chalamet reprises his role as Paul Atreides, the exiled Duke of House Atreides who seeks revenge against those who annihilated his family.
Chalamet seemingly can do no wrong with many cinematic hits under his belt including Call Me By Your Name and the latest worldwide smash hit Wonka. His performance is nothing short of brilliant, highlighting that he’s a highly respected master of performance at such a young age.
The vast supporting cast includes Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Christopher Walken, and Charlotte Rampling.
But the setback in this windswept epic is in the storytelling technique; the story is so long and dense. It’s simply very difficult to keep up with all the subplots and plots within plots, and the intricacy that it creates. That seems to have been the same issue with Part 1 of this latest reimaging and even the original David Lynch version produced in 1984.
There is just so much to absorb story wise and once audiences feel they’re lost in between plots frustration and disinterest sets in, and it’s impossible to recover.
If this happens it’s best to just sit back and enjoy the sheer artistry, the mesmerizing cinematography, the action-packed war sequences and the originality and bizarre nature of the land and flying machines.
For the most memorable and mind-blowing experience it’s highly recommended to watch this mammoth visual spectacular in the IMAX Theatre. The vast screen and deafening loud soundtrack compounds the enjoyment.
However, for full understanding of the story, this is one of those movies which you really need to watch twice – at the very least.
★★★1/2
In Cinemas February 29
