Dune: Part Two

I really don’t know what to say to express how insanely amazing my experience was when watching this movie. I won’t go into spoilers here but I will be very descriptive of certain elements (nothing explicitly plot related) so read at your own risk I guess. First of all, I have never sat in a theater and been as absolutely blown away and stunned by visual imagery as I was watching Dune: Part 2. I am not lying that this was one of the most impressive and mesmerizing cinematography I’ve watched in years. Every scene, every shot, a perfect execution of cinematic principals and creative vision. Essentially 80% of the movie I just sat there with my jaw dropped because of how expertly crafted and full of purpose the lighting, composition, and color was. I need to teach a cinematography class on lighting styles in order to use this film as prime examples for almost every creative and cinematic lighting technique. I was worried the black and white section of the film would feel unmotivated but there are story elements the give reason to the lack of color in certain scenes which allowed me to fully invest my mind into the environment. I think the cinematic techniques this film excels in the most more than anything is 3 point, naturalistic, volumetric, and magnitude lighting. I don’t even really have the best of words to describe some of my emotions derived from the light other than believable awe. They make sense narratively and yet are some of the most perfected visionary lighting setups I’ve ever seen. Okay next the music is a massive step up from the last film. I felt like the the first Dune film had a unique sound but lacked some depth. This one feels like it also recognized that and decided to implement one of the best film scores ever. It reminds me of a perfect blend of a few of Hans Zimmer’s other compositions. Specifically between Dune: Part 1, The Dark Knight Rises, and Blade Runner 2049. The scale and magnitude of this film are really felt. You feel totally immersed in a universe that is much bigger in scope than the first one. Now, I have said before that the first Dune felt reminiscent of The Fellowship of The Ring in its place within the Lord of The Rings Trilogy and that this new Dune Trilogy will become one of the greatest film trilogies of all time. I made that prediction after I saw the last film and I’m happy to say that Dune: Part 2 is quite literally equivalent to The Two Towers. There’s excellent and understandable world building. Amazing character arcs and growth that was less present from the previous movie. An actual 3 act story that ends in the best way, leaving you satisfied while also creating a desire for more. Great pacing and a much more engaging storyline that has tension, conflict, emotion, and makes you really care for the characters (especially Paul). And of course Dune: Part 2 could not be equivalent to The Two Towers without a Helm’s Deep… and man does this film have one of the most high tension finales of a film ever. My heart was pounding non stop for over an hour as I sat leaning toward the screen locked into what was playing out on screen. Now some people might disagree with me here but I actually really liked the changes they made that differ from the books. I think they are narratively more compelling and allow for an easier transition into the more strange parts of the Dune world. This is one of those films that is gonna make me re-rate every film I’ve logged on Letterboxd. Overall Dune: Part 2 is the best film of 2024. One of the best sci-fi films ever created. One of the most cinematically compelling films. The best experience I’ve had in a theater in years. I will likely be seeing this 1-7 more times over the coming weeks and I might do a more detailed review/analysis on my channel if I have time. As long as movies like this continue to be made, cinema will never die. GO SEE IT SO THEY GREENLIGHT PART 3!!!!!!