DUNE: PART TWO MINI-REVIEW

Dune: Part Two, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is a tremendously well made spectacle of a movie with some fine performances and terrific action set pieces. It ranks among some of the best sequels ever made. Think The Hunger Games: Catching Fire or, even, The Empire Strikes Back. Dune: Part Two is that good. The movie is anchored by some amazing performers in some of the best roles of their careers. Among them are Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya and Austin Butler who you may remember from the recent 2022 film, Elvis. 
Florence Pugh plays Irulan Corrino whose dad is Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken). These characters open the film with a reveal that Irulan is aware of something very distinct and problematic. These two characters will return later on as the movie shifts us back to the principals, Paul Atreides (Chalamet), Princess Jessica (Rebecce Ferguson) who is Paul's now pregnant mom, and the love of Paul's life, Chani (Zendaya). 
This film has a lot of clever action scenes and scenarios. One truly intriguing one comes when a key character ends up riding a sandworm. Stellan Skarsgard, as Baron Harkonnen, leads the villains which have some intense cohorts embroiled in the action. Dave Bautista plays Beast Rabban convincingly and menacingly but it is Butler as Feyd-Rautha who flat out steals the movie. Butler's character, with his bald head and frightening creepiness, is like the complete opposite of Butler's other roles. So, when Butler bursts on and chews scenery, the movie almost transforms from a great movie to an instant classic. Butler is so scary, he's bound to send chills up the viewer's spine. As he takes on men in fight scenes and randomly slashes people's throats, Butler is the bad guy you'll love to hate. His performance is up there with Heath Ledger's from The Dark Knight and Butler could be headed to next year's Oscars thanks to his work in this film. Butler's line delivery is appropriately icy cold. 
There is some compelling chemistry between leads, Chalamet and Zendaya. Plenty of scenes here showcase their mutual admiration towards one another and when scenes of that love they form being jeopardized arise, they are heart-wrenching to behold. This love story between them is essentially the foundation of the film.
A drink which also serves as a poison is introduced in the picture. This "Water of Life" has a huge significance in the movie. One point, later on, Paul will drink it and what happens from there until the end will keep the audience gasping as one surprise development occurs after another, especially in terms of the development of the relationship between Paul and Chani. That special relationship becomes altered and the last frame of the movie ends the movie on a cliffhanger that is simply going to make viewers demand the release of Dune: Part Three immediately.
The ending of Dune: Part Two is only the beginning. This film takes the themes of leadership and good vs. evil and creates some of the most multi-faceted characters you'll ever see in a science fiction film. This sequel is simply, in a word, amazing. Hans Zimmer's musical score captures the themes of the movie so eloquently. Zimmer will also be headed back to the Oscars next year as Butler will. Denis Villeneuve is a genius in the craft of film-making and Dune: Part Two is his best film yet! 
​Rating: ***** or 10/10

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