Dune: Part Two First Reviews Are All Saying Exactly What We Expected
Let’s face it – it’s hard to put out a good sequel these days. Following the fan-bashing comments that were thrown at Rian Johnson and J.J. Abrams for their work on the Star Wars sequel trilogy, it’s almost enough to turn a director away from follow-up projects forever. Thankfully, that was not the case with Denis Villeneuve because Dune: Part Two is already getting rave reviews weeks ahead of its March 1 opening.
Initial Reactions Are Overwhelmingly Positive
The film, which was full of surprises earlier this week when it celebrated its opening in London, quickly gained massive praise from critics who have been lucky enough to catch an early screening. Thankfully for us, the early bird viewers have been kind enough to share their opinions on Twitter, giving us a taste of the excitement awaiting us in Dune: Part Two.
Zenday Steals The Show
“Spectacular” and “Worth the wait” were just the beginnings of the positive reviews that rolled in from those sharing their thoughts and feelings on Dune: Part Two. Leading lady Zendaya has also been at the heart of the enthusiasm, with many promising that there will be more of her in the second film as opposed to her sparse appearance in the first. In what should come as a surprise to absolutely no one, the Euphoria star is said to be “The crux of this whole movie.”
A Sequel That Rivals Lord Of The Rings
Another writer praised Denis Villeneuve for crafting Dune: Part Two to be “Even more immense than the first,” adding that for those who found themselves slogging through the second half of Frank Herbert’s original novel, the director managed to pack plenty of action into his adaptation. One initial response even wrote that it rivaled the incredible battle scenes in Peter Jackson’s film, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, which many regard as some of the finest cinematic fantasy battles of all time.
Giving Star Wars Nostalgia
Along with its likening to the best film in Peter Jackson’s trilogy (just this writer’s opinion), critics also said that Dune: Part Two captured everything that made the original Star Wars films such a success. One said that it mirrored the storytelling of The Empire Strikes Back, while another added that he felt like he finally understood what everyone in the cinema for 1977’s A New Hope felt.
Austin Butler’s Performance Praised
Although we were all hating on him over the last two years since he appeared in the titular role in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, it sounds like not only has Austin Butler managed to shake his southern drawl but he’s picked up a new accent for Dune: Part Two. This time, no one is judging him, with numerous critics praising his performance along with that of Rebecca Ferguson who returns to the fold following her appearance in the first Dune.
Watch Dune: Part Two In Theaters This March
And, all of the critics certainly agreed on one thing in particular – audiences need to see Dune: Part Two on the biggest screen possible to get the full effect. Luckily for those close to IMAX theaters, the Timothée Chalamet-led production will be showing on the all-encompassing screens as it was filmed with such viewings in mind.
With all the buzz surrounding the most anticipated sequel in years, there’s no doubt that Dune: Part Two will live up to the hype and be worth the two-and-a-half-year wait since the first film’s arrival back in 2021.
