Dune: Part 2 (2024)

On March 1st, 2024, the highly anticipated Dune: Part Two was released in theaters, three years after Dune: Part One, and there is no doubt that the wait was worth it. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two is an extraordinary feat in filmmaking and in the Sci-Fi genre as a whole. Adapted from Frank Herbert’s novel, Dune, published in 1965, the film continues the story of Paul Atreides as he is consumed by power and false prophecy, all while joining forces with the Fremen on the planet Arrakis. The film had a budget of $190 million and has now raked in $367.5 million globally at the box office, just ten days after its release. With a runtime of 166 minutes, this movie may seem daunting, but don’t let that fool you. I was immersed in the film from start to finish, and not once did I believe that it was too long or poorly paced. 

In addition to its incredible scale, the cast of Dune: Part Two is an accomplishment in itself. The film stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha, and Christopher Walken as The Emperor, with even more incredible actors playing smaller characters throughout the film. Each actor gave a stunning performance and truly understood the character they were portraying. Dune is an incredibly complex world with equally complex characters, and I feel that each actor embraced the challenge successfully. 

One of the most iconic elements in the Dune franchise is its music, memorably surprising theatergoers during Dune: Part One with its sheer magnitude. Hans Zimmer has composed the score for both films so far, and each time I watch either film I am still blown away. Zimmer’s incorporation of heavy vocals, percussion, horns, and strings makes the film feel even larger, and the score layered with the cinematography of Greig Fraser is stunning. Each shot is more beautiful than the last and it brings you straight into the world of Dune. 

Every piece of Dune: Part Two was a masterpiece, and I believe that no matter your taste in genre, everybody should see Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two at least once in their life. Dune: Part Two was truly an epic achievement in filmmaking that is worth every second in the theater.