Director Denis Villeneuve is an auteur who works with people who helps him to get the vision he sees in a movie. His dream project was to adapt DUNE into a movie adaptation in two parts (and hopefully DUNE MESSIAH). DUNE PART TWO improves on DUNE PART ONE and it is the better of the two parts. The character development is deeper and the action is mixed with the developing story of how religion manipulates a people makes this one of the better adaptations of Frank Herbert's novel Dune. Timothee Chalamet is great as Paul Maud'Dib Atreides where I felt he was miscast in DUNE PART ONE. The only characters that feel a little underwhelming are Princess Irulan Corrino (Florence Pugh) and the Emperor Shadaam IV (Christopher Walken in a very restrained performance until act three). Some characters storylines are changed (Chani), minimized (Paul's sister), or excluded (Thurfur Hawat who had scenes that were cut from the final film).

DUNE PART TWO is one of the best adaptations of the novel despite the changes and it makes it a richer world building version of the movie with the locations and themes. The only problem is how some changes in the climax and ending may lead to even further changes to the story of DUNE MESSIAH because of one change to a character's fate by the end of the movie. I do think DUNE PART TWO is my second favorite sci-fi movie directed by Denis Villeneuve behind his fantastic BLADE RUNNER 2049. I do wish the director would release the deleted scenes from PART ONE AND PART TWO of DUNE despite Denis thinking the deleted scenes are dead to him and he rather not have them being included to blu-ray. I think the cut scenes should be included as disc extras even if it has to have an introduction by the director explaining why he doesn't like including deleted scenes and say fans can judge for themselves why they were cut, or maybe he should take the alternate and cut scenes edited together into a short film. I do want to see DUNE PART TWO in theater again unlike DUNE PART ONE which I had also seen on HBO Max and could wait for the 4K UHD blu-ray release. DUNE PART TWO is one of the best sci-fi movies of the 21st century and you should see it on the big screen if you can. Now the wait for DUNE MESSIAH begins.

This movie review is ©3-2-2024 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com