I was super excited to watch a preview screening of Dune: Part Two more than a week before its full cinematic release on 1 March – and I'm sure many fans will be lining up to watch director Denis Villeneuve's latest sci-fi blockbuster next month. Although, as the credits rolled on the 166-minute epic, I felt it was more 'anti-blockbuster', given it's far removed from your standard Hollywood summer flick.
Long story short: despite loving Dune: Part One, which I own on 4K Blu-ray (long may it live!), I found Dune: Part Two made me want to put my head in the sand at times. But that's because I made a critical mistake and, to ensure you don't do the same, Netflix is your best friend this week because it's streaming Dune right now – and it's currently in the streaming service's top 10. That's why it's one of the best streaming services.
Don't make the same mistake as me having not recently watched the 2021 first part before moving on to the second. Having all the characters fresh in mind and every step of their journey imprinted in your grey matter will really help you make the jump between the two movies, as these standalones throw you straight into the action – there's no recap or gentle introduction.
There's no doubt that sci-fi is having a major period of success lately: Apple has just recommissioned some of its major series; while Netflix has many highly-rated movies to stream too. Dune: Part Two also has a high rating based on top critics' Rotten Tomatoes scores – where the movie is currently sat at a 97% positive rating. I think the audience score will sit at odds with that, however, as and when ratings come in over the following weeks.
I'm not doubting the spectacle of Dune: Part Two – it's clearly a cinematic masterpiece in many of its scenes (although, watching in IMAX, the near-square large-format in which the movie is captured, a lot of the close-up action shots can get a bit hard to follow), but its star-studded cast simply isn't used to best effect, the main love interest storyline isn't explored in any meaningful depth, and I think other viewers will find some of the 'arty' choices questionable and, at times, downright annoying.
Having pondered why so many fellow viewers in the cinema applauded the film as its credits went up – eek, was it just me who didn't 'get it'? – I began reading the various high-profile reviews, which are liberal in their handing out of 5-star praise. It was the BBC Culture's more reflective 3/5 rating that resonated with me the most: "You might expect a big-budget space opera to exhilarate you and move you, and on those terms Villeneuve's sprawling, pretentious folly has to count as an abject failure ... Some viewers will be driven up the wall, and out of the cinema, but others will be spellbound," reads that text.
Phew, it wasn't just me then! But if you're down for Dune: Part Two's rollercoaster ride then, please, don't make the same mistake I did: ensure you strap in and watch Dune: Part One just ahead of time, get your dystopian sci-fi hat on, and make the absolute most of it. Netflix is your easiest way to do that, so happy streaming folks!
