Written by Mateo Biggs
On October 22nd, 2021, theater goers and many film connoisseurs were left in awe as the credits to Denis Villeneuve’s film “Dune” rolled across the screen. Based on the 1965 novel “Dune” by Frank Herbert, this film tells the story of a young man (played by Timothee Chalamet) who must face numerous trials and dangers in order to fulfill a destiny beyond his understanding. Filled with drama and action, the film had received an 8/10 rating from IMDb, an 83% with Rotten Tomatoes, and a solid 74% from Metacritic. The film had gained fame and reputation almost overnight as Chalamet’s performance of main character Paul Atreides along with Zendaya’s portrayal of the fearsome warrior Chani.
After Villeneuve told Vanity Fair that he would be staying true to the actual novel and splitting his movie series into 2 parts, many fans were left on the edge of their seats for the past 3 years– until “Dune: Part 2” was released to theaters across America as of March 1st, 2024. Upon release it made $210,801,051 domestically and $299,000,000 internationally. In total, that means that “Dune: Part 2” has made over $509,801,051 worldwide just within its release week alone.
Just as dramatic as its predecessor, the film sported beautiful cinematography and audio which helped get them nominated for the Don LaFontaine Award for Best Voice Over. Although some fans may be torn on the direction of the film’s continued plot– it’s important to remember that Villeneuve is keeping as close to the original source material as possible while keeping it engaging for audiences to watch. Chalamet’s reclaiming of his role of Paul Atreides was akin to watching a fish take to water. Chalamet seemed to have perfectly embodied our main character and continued his journey in the dangerous and destructive world of Arrakis.
Many agree, as the film gained a IMDb rating of 8.8/10, a Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%, and a Metacritic rating of 79%. In fact, “Dune: Part 2” gained a 95% liked score from Google users. It shows that much like the desert planet of Arrakis, “Dune: Part 2” has taken the film community by storm.
Of course, you don’t have to take critics’ words for it, see “Dune: Part 2” for yourself and decide whether you agree or not.
