Frank Herbert’s 1966 novel Dune has been adapted many times. There was a David Lynch film in 1984 and a pair of miniseries in 2000 and 2003. Since then, the Dune property remained untouched for the most part until the first film in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy was released in Sept. 2021. The film was renowned by critics and had relative commercial success. The second film was announced hand-in-hand with the first one and, after a slight delay, was released March 1, 2024.

Dune Part Two is a breathtaking film. The sheer scope and spectacle of the film is mind-blowing. It is a mainstream, entertaining blockbuster while providing heavy and thoughtful themes about politics and religion. There is such a ridiculous amount of thought and care put into every shot and costume in this incredible world. Every machine, every character, every civilization in this world has been thought out to the fullest extent. The level of love and creativity poured into this film should be a lesson for every modern science fiction or fantasy film.

From a cast and crew point of view, the Avengers of Hollywood were assembled to work on this film. Everybody from the visual effects artist and composer to the cinematographer and editor are some of the best in the business and have worked on countless legendary films. The director, Villeneuve, is one of the best working science fiction directors, going on an incredible four-movie run with 2016’s Arrival, 2017’s Blade Runner 2049, 2021’s Dune, and now 2024’s Dune Part Two. The cast is star-studded, with young emerging actors like Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler, accompanied by well-known veteran actors like Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Barden, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista and Christopher Walken.

Following 2021’s Dune, Dune Part Two follows the story of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and his journey. The central conflict of this film centers around a material called Spice. Spice is the most valuable resource in the world of Dune. It combines a spiritual hallucinogen and a vital power source that allows for space travel. Whoever controls the Spice controls the known universe. The problem is that Spice only comes from a small desert planet called Arrakis. Arrakis is inhabited by the Fremen, a group of people native to Arrakis who view the Spice as a sacred drug. The need to have political control over Arrakis, the Fremen and the Spice are at the core of the Dune story. The film features countless breathtaking scenes, including Paul learning to ride a Shai Hulud, the mythical giant sandworm inhabiting Arrakis, and multiple phenomenal action and fight sequences.

Dune Part Two stands apart from most modern-day blockbusters because it touches on many powerful themes. The film talks about modern-day politics, the white savior complex, colonization, religion and faith, and even Nazi Germany. It is up to the viewer if they decide to read into these themes and question the philosophy of the film or take it at face value as an entertaining, loud and thrilling science fiction epic.

The film is undoubtedly the strongest sequel to grace the big screen since 2002’s Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and one of the greatest science fiction films of all time, putting itself on the same level as all-time greats like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien, The Empire Strikes Back and The Matrix. The film is set up perfectly for the third film to complete the Dune trilogy as one of the better in recent memory. The third Dune film hasn’t been announced yet, but it seems only a matter of time before it is, given how the second film ended.

Dune Part Two is a film that all levels of fans should enjoy. The casual moviegoer should like or even love it, but a cinephile should worship it as a true masterpiece of the craft. Dune Part Two delivers a large-scale, fast-paced, thrilling story, but at the same time, it handles delicate themes with great care. Everybody should see it on the largest screen imaginable.