The theater experience has been a little bit less fought after, than ever, in the last few years. More than ever, people have more access to movies in numerous ways. New streaming services are coming out with more and more content that goes directly to their platform, instead of hitting theaters. Which begs the question, "do I really need to see this movie in theaters?". Without a doubt, my answer will always be yes. Movies are meant for the big screen. I do understand that there are some people who cannot make it to the big silver screen and that's ok too. If possible, movies are best viewed with an audience, popcorn and on the biggest screen you can find. I was extremely lucky enough to see Dune: Part 2 in IMAX at a fan event. Denis Villeneuve has crafted easily one of the best sci-fi movies of recent time! When you think of the word "Epic" this movie should come to mind. A creative masterpiece that will shake the world of film and create a standard of how movies tell stories. It is a visual feast filled with iconic moments. The movie feels lived in and enriched with so much detail, that makes the world building so believable. It is a political drama, war piece and a hero's adventure. Timothée Chalamet brings the character, Paul Atreides, to a whole other level in this sequel. This character will soon be one of the most iconic characters to have ever been on the big screen. The ensemble of actors really nailed every line, action sequence and brought on screen, with so much presence. I didn't ever feel like I was watching actors act, but real characters, that I was following on this epic odyssey. Dune: Part 2 not only surpasses its previous movie, but also enhances the rewatchability of the first one. The story is starting to feel full and paints a bigger picture of what Denis wants to achieve. Dune: Part 2 is without a doubt, a near perfect piece of cinema that will be studied in film classes for years.
Timothée Chalamet is one actor that I've kept my eye out on. He has proven himself to really hold his own in a movie. As a young actor, he already has a lot of different movies under his belt in terms of genre. Call Me By Your Name, directed by Luca Guadagnino, was the first movie I really saw Timothée in and is his best performances of his career. Dune: Part 2 is easily his second best performance. Loved seeing his performance in this movie and he really carries a very demanding role in it. He is the chosen one and has to fill this huge prophecy that the movie really makes us, the viewer, feel the weight of that life. Him and Zendaya had great chemistry on screen and their relationship felt real. I will say that they did make the romance happen very fast and really didn't create a strong foundation. Her character just basically helps him out for a bit, they kiss and then they are together from that moment on. The only part of the movie that felt a little rushed. Zendaya is an all-star, as she always is. She is a badass in the movie and kicks a ton of ass in numerous fight sequences. She plays someone who has a strong character arc, that carries the weight of knowing how to do things the right way and is conflicted by Paul's choices. The two major standouts of this movie has to go to Austin Butler and Rebecca Ferguson. They both had the most jaw dropping and most engaging scenes in the movie. Rebecca Ferguson brings the character of Lady Jessica on this amazing transformation. She plays such a manipulative character, who is also loving, caring and at the same time, threatening. She is an apex predator in the movie. She knows exactly what to do to get things done and it was so cool seeing her do her thing. Easily one of the best written characters in the movie. Probably the person who has the most leverage and power in the whole story. Austin Butler plays Feyd-Rautha, who is the newest threat in this movie and he absolutely nails it. His look, demeanor and actions just showcase chaos and violence. A person who takes pleasure doing unspeakable acts. Easily one of the scariest villains we have seen on screen. A perfect antagonist that brings the film a ton of tension. Every time he was on screen, I couldn't wait to see what he would do. The thing that made him so scary was his character's unpredictable actions.
Truly the biggest star of the movie is Denis Villeneuve. His style and vision of this story is what makes this movie so epic. Part 2 brings in more entertainment and large scale action, that he would be the only person that could have pulled this off. He sees visual story telling as one of the most important aspects. He tells stories by giving these incredible visuals feasts that we are more than happy to consume. The whole movie is gorgeous to look at. From the set designs to the articulate costume designs, everything is set to the highest bar of detail in this movie. It has some of the most creative action pieces as well. The technology is breath taking to see and the big battle in the third act had me in awe. For those who wanted more action in Part 1, you will be so happy to know that Part 2 has plenty of it. A perfect blend of the political drama aspect and battle scenes. The story may not be very deep, but it has layers and has really been beefed up. We all have seen the hero story several times, but this movie just executes that story so damn well. Even though the overall story isn't that original, they made this movie stand out. There hasn't been a movie like this ever! It is one of those things that has to be seen on the biggest screen possible. The movie speaks for itself and should. Cinematography was done by Greig Fraser and obviously, if you know his past films, he knows what he is doing. This movie is just pure talent all around. Even the sound design sounds epic. Watching in IMAX will have your seats shaking based on how loud this movie is. One of the greatest immersive cinematic experiences I've ever had.
Overall Dune: Part 2 is a must watch. The story itself, may not be the most original, but how the story is delivered, is what makes it so different. If you need to see something big in scale, you do not need to look any further. This movie brings so much richness in visuals and it being shot for IMAX, makes perfect sense. The amount of care put into this movie is incredible. Everyone brought the vision of this movie come to life. The cinematography is jaw-dropping and really sets the standard of getting the perfect shot. Like I said previously, the sound design is impeccable. Immersive to the max. Denis Villanueve is a director that I love and adore so much. He really understands how to create an atmosphere and tell a story that is meaningful. The entire cast does some of their best work in their careers and really work well off each other. It was amazing to see so much talent on the screen. Everyone who worked on this movie is the best in their field and it shows. It is entertaining as all hell. This movie will be on people's top lists, for best movie of the year, and it's only March. Dune: Part 2 is beyond creative and original in its own way. The quick sum up of the review is go watch this movie immediately! You will not regret checking this out on the big screen. It was how it was intended to be seen. Just know that you will be seated for nearly 3 hours and honestly, it's going to have you wanting more!
Rating: 98/100