Before the release of the second part of “Dune” by Denis Villeneuve, critics revealed their first opinions.
For blockbuster fans tired of most of the big-budget productions of recent years, it is expected like the Messiah: Dune, Part II is released in cinemas this Wednesday, February 28 and promises to create an event after the critical and popular success of the first part, in 2021. The sequel to the adaptation of Frank Herbert by Denis Villeneuve (First Contact, Blade Runner 2049) is undoubtedly the cinema release not to be missed this week.
But if Dune, Part II promises to create an event after the very warm reception given to its first part, is the film a success? The first press critics shared their feelings before the release of the science fiction feature film, and they are clear: the second episode is “even better than the first” (BFM TV).
In France, the press is totally won over by this second part, which Le Devoir does not fail to describe as a “masterpiece”. Numerama does not hesitate to give the film a 10/10, while Ecran Large gives it a more measured but equally excellent score of 4/5. For the first media specialized in technological and digital news, Denis Villeneuve “revolutionizes sci-fi at the cinema” by offering a feature film “both metaphysical and spectacular”.
Same story with Première, for whom Dune 2 is “a monumental cinematic messiah”, even describing Denis Villeneuve as “Ridley Scott’s finest heir”. For the magazine specializing in seventh art news, “at the end of its (almost) three hours of film, Dune: Second Part becomes, like Oppenheimer last year, an immense piece of cinema thought out and invested, super exciting, a film truly driven by a vision.”
Internationally too, the press is totally seduced by the imposing aesthetic and ambition of Dune 2. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes lists 97% positive opinions out of 156 reviews listed: “visually thrilling and narratively epic, Dune, Part II continues Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the beloved sci-fi series in spectacular fashion.” This is a better rating than the first part, which won the support of 83% of critics (and 90% of users who gave it a rating). With such echoes, there is no doubt that the feature film will arouse public curiosity this Wednesday.