You're Watching A Movie With Silas Lindenstein

Dune Part 2 (2024)
PG-13  ‧ Scifi/Adventure ‧ 2 Hours 46 Minutes
Written by Denis Villeneuve & Jon Spaihts
Based on a Novel By Frank Herbert
Directed by Denis Villeneuve

THE CAST

• Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, the exiled Duke of House Atreides, who is called “Muad’Dib” by the Fremen
• Zendaya as Chani, a young Fremen warrior and Paul’s love interest
• Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Paul’s Bene Gesserit mother and concubine to Paul’s late father and predecessor, Leto Atreides
• Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, the former military leader of House Atreides and Paul’s mentor
• Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen’s youngest nephew and planned successor of House Harkonnen
• Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, the Emperor’s daughter
• Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban Harkonnen, the brutish nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and older brother of Feyd-Rautha
• Christopher Walken as Shaddam IV, the Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe and head of House Corrino
• Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat, a Mentat loyal to House Atreides who is forced to serve House Harkonnen
• Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot Fenring, a Bene Gesserit and close friend of the Emperor
• Souheila Yacoub as Shishakli, a Fremen warrior
• Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, head of House Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha’s and Glossu Rabban’s uncle, sworn enemy to Atreides and former steward of Arrakis
• Charlotte Rampling as Gaius Helen Mohiam, a Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother and the Emperor’s Truthsayer
• Javier Bardem as Stilgar, leader of the Fremen tribe at Sietch Tabr

THE STORY

(In their own words). Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he must prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

THE BEST

The BEST things about the film

1. Stunning Cinematography
2. Incredible CGI. Sandworms are real, right?
3. Its runtime of two hours and forty-six minutes feels much shorter than it is. This is thanks to excellent pacing and an engaging story. 
4. The actors are great. 

THE WORST

The WORST things about the film

1. TOO MUCH INFORMATION AND CHARACTERS. I don’t think I should have to watch a movie with a glossary by my side. 
2. This is very much a Part 2, not a sequel. They just continue the story from the first one, and you need to remember what was going on, or you will be lost. They don’t do anything to help the audience out. I’d suggest watching the first one and then go the next day to finish the story. 
3. As wonderfully acted as the leads are, the script does not serve Timothy Chalamet and Zendaya. Their relationship does not get the attention it deserves. I kind of left not caring about them.

THE COMMENTS

I feel somewhat like Judas saying how I feel about Dune Part 2. It is undeniably an impressive film. The cinematography, the special effects, the acting, the story. They are all larger than life and excellently done. I feel like I should love this movie, but I don’t. I feel like the main characters, played by Chalamet and Zendaya, had too many time jumps when I wanted to see their relationship grow. I imagine there’s probably a good forty minutes of footage of their relationship on the cutting room floor that I feel was desperately needed. 

I didn’t care about the film. 

That is so weird because this should be a Silas film if you know me. If you know me, you probably assume this film would be a lock for me. But it wasn’t. There are too many characters that I’m desperately trying to keep track of, too many subplots, too much of everything. I could never relax into the film and get swept away in the sandstorm. 

This movie has everything except heart. 

THE LESSON

You can either do what is best for your heart or best for the people. 

IS IT REWATCHABLE

You kind of have to to keep track of people. 

THE FINAL WORD

Dune: Part 2 is beautiful: Stunning cinematography and unbelievably realistic CGI. It is a well-paced epic sci-fi film that deserves a lot of praise. Remember, this is part two and not a sequel. The events of part one immediately precede this film, and it takes zero time or effort to get you up to speed, so make sure part one is fresh on your mind. Dune is the ultimate epic story with loads of characters and even more subplots, which ultimately bog the film down for me. Despite the beautiful acting by Chalamete and Zendaya, I didn’t feel invested in them as a couple. While I liked the film overall, I also didn’t care about it. Maybe I’m just not a Dune guy. 

THE VERDICT
My 3L system gives me the choice to Love It, Like It, or Lose It. 

I give Dune Part 2 a Like It. 

THE TRAILER

THE MEME REVIEW