Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
I have mentioned this before, but I love cinematic experiences. People don't always know what I mean by that and assume I'm saying I like movies. It's true; I like movies, but not all movies are a cinematic experience.
A cinematic experience is sitting in a theater, entirely engulfed by the film. All your senses are transported and you feel like you're doing more than just sitting in a seat watching moving pictures — you are experiencing something special. You're experiencing something new. These are movies you wish you could see for the first time again, and you're jealous when you find out someone has never seen it and that they get to experience it for the first time.
A few cinematic experiences I remember well are "Jurassic Park," "Inception," and "A Quiet Place." I get to add a new one to the list: "Dune: Part 2."
It might sound odd because I saw the first "Dune," and while I enjoyed it, I did not have that kind of cinematic experience. That should give you an idea of how impressed I was with "Dune: Part 2." As entertaining as the first was, this movie leaves it in the dust storm.
Here are some reasons "Dune: Part 2" blew me away and earned a spot on my "Cinematic Experiences" list.
It's an all-engrossing movie
Many movies have some fantastic elements: incredible acting, a beautiful score, a brilliant script or gorgeous cinematography.
"Dune: Part 2" had all this going for it, and more. It wasn't a perfect movie, but it was brilliantly made. Every aspect of the film was given meticulous attention, and it shows. The sound design rattles your bones, but it isn't loud for the sake of being loud. The set design is mesmerizing — you find your eyes wandering the screen, looking for all the painstaking details. The cinematography is breathtaking ... and the direction from Denis Villeneuve is pinpoint.
Great care and attention were given throughout the film, from the biggest action sequence to the smallest bit of b-roll. No frame or aspect of the film was more important than another. When all that hard work comes together, it creates a harmonious and powerful film.
The CGI is flawless
When Frank Herbert released "Dune" in 1965, his imagination ran wild with spectacular planets, intricate galactic politics, fantastical spaceships and giant worms. You can see all this and more come to life on the page with Herbert's words — but getting them translated on film is difficult.
Adapting Dune to film is a huge undertaking, and the computer graphics must be extensive. So many of Herbert's creations cannot be built and must be generated via software. "Dune: Part 2" has achieved something special regarding special effects, because it seems Herbert's creations have escaped his imagination and actually come to life.
There have been jumps in CGI in movies like "Toy Story," "Jurassic Park" and "Avatar;" and, now "Dune: Part 2" gives us another advance. It's incredible how flawless so many of the CGI shots are. From spaceships to sandworms, it looks as if these things were actually caught on camera. Maybe I'll show this to my grandkids one day and they'll say, "This is so fake, Grandpa." But until then, I have to say "Dune: Part 2" is the most incredible display of CGI I have ever seen on film.
The action sequences leave you breathless
"Dune: Part 2" isn't precisely a fast-moving sci-fi action movie, but when we do get action, it grabs you and refuses to let go.
Thanks to much of what I have already mentioned — the sound, cinematography and CGI — the action sequences are a spectacle while also feeling intimate. The scenes are choreographed to perfection, and the pacing keeps our jaws clenched and our fingernails in our palms. The sound design of the explosions and action penetrate your core, and the scope of the scene will knock you back.
Don't be mistaken; "Dune: Part 2" is not an action movie, but it is astounding when we get the action.
It's not a movie for everyone
You may have noticed I can't stop going on about how incredible "Dune: Part 2" looks and feels, but I haven't said anything about it being an entertaining movie. "Dune: Part 2" entertained me greatly, but I don't think this movie is for everyone. It has nothing to do with being a cinephile or anything pretentious like that, but rather, this movie is for a particular taste.
If you are not a sci-fi fan, I don't think this movie is for you. If you like action sci-fi more along the lines of "The Tomorrow War" or "Edge of Tomorrow," but not more cerebral sci-fi like "The Creator" or "Interstellar," then I'm not sure "Dune: Part 2" will be your cup of tea.
The movie slows down quite a bit, as does the source material. Plenty of politics are at play between the action sequences, and that doesn't play well with all audiences.
Whether you like "Dune: Part 2," or not, I think anyone would be lying if they said it wasn't well-made.
What parents need to know
"Dune: Part 2" is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense violence, some suggestive material and brief strong language. While PG-13 is the correct rating, I have to say it leans closer to the R-rated range. There isn't much language or sexual content, but plenty of violence. Not only are many people killed, but it can be graphic with blood and, at times, the ones doing the killing seem to be taking joy in the act.
Some viewers could also find a few inferences about violence disturbing.
"Dune: Part 2" is a little harder on the PG-13 than the first film, but it doesn't quite make it to an R. (I believe there should be something between an R and a PG-13, and this would fall in that category).
Conclusion
"Dune: Part 2" is not a perfect film. Some of the slow pacing threw off the flow once or twice, and not all of the acting was as strong as I had hoped, but that did not take away from an all-around brilliant movie.
If you enjoyed "Dune," then "Dune: Part 2" is about to blow your socks off. When the credits rolled, my friend and I stared at one another without words. He finally spoke and said, "Wow. That was an experience."
That's the best way I can describe "Dune: Part 2." It is a cinematic experience and one I wish I could have again for the first time.
