The reviews of Dune: Part Two paint an epic picture of the sequel’s quality, both in terms of storytelling and spectacle, and they prove that the second installment in the series is much better than the first. The 2024 epic science fiction film, directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts, serves as the second part of Villeneuve’s two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 book. As a result, the movie picks up where the first one left off, but unlike many other sequels, Dune: Part Two seemingly exceeds the caliber of Dune based on its Rotten Tomatoes score.
Of course, Dune, which premiered on October 22, 2021, in theaters and on Max (which was HBO Max at the time), received positive reviews from critics. It was ultimately a box office success despite its delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, having grossed over $430 million against a $165 budget. However, the first film’s quality is still lacking compared to the second movie’s reception. Dune‘s Rotten Tomatoes score is 83 percent, while Dune: Part Two‘s Rotten Tomatoes score is 14 points higher at 97 percent as of the writing of this article.
Critics Have Praised Dune 2’s Emotional Story, Grand Action, & Complex Characters
The critics’ consensus about Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two on Rotten Tomatoes reads, “Visually thrilling and narratively epic, Dune: Part Two continues Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the beloved sci-fi series in spectacular form.” The high praise for the 2024 epic science fiction film goes much deeper than that brief statement, and critics went into more detail in their reviews. But to paint a picture of the project’s ample admiration, many called Dune: Part Two one of the best science fiction movies ever made, which only made the hype surrounding the sequel grow exponentially in the days leading up to its premiere.
Other reviews of Dune: Part Two revealed that the film is “thrilling, “hypnotic,” and “a towering feat of sci-fi cinema.” Critics explained that Villeneuve did an excellent job of balancing the spectacle of world-building with telling a riveting story. More reviews claimed that the 2024 epic science fiction movie isn’t afraid to explore the complexities of the characters, contains captivating action sequences, and features relevant themes. Sci-fi projects often disregard their stories in favor of building a unique and immersive world. However, Dune: Part Two seemingly values its plot as much as its action scenes and special effects.
What Critics Didn’t Like About Dune (Despite Its High RT Score)
Dune
Dune the big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal bestseller of the same name. A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
- Director
- Denis Villeneuve
- Release Date
- October 22, 2021
- Writers
- Frank Herbert , Eric Roth , Denis Villeneuve , Jon Spaihts
- Cast
- Dave Bautista , Rebecca Ferguson , Sharon Duncan-Brewster , Jason Momoa , David Dastmalchian , Stephen McKinley Henderson , Stellan Skarsgård , Charlotte Rampling , Chang Chen , Oscar Isaac , Zendaya , Javier Bardem , Timothee Chalamet , Josh Brolin
Although Dune has an excellent 83 percent score on the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, critics had some problems with the first film. The critics’ consensus on the website reads, “Dune occasionally struggles with its unwieldy source material, but those issues are largely overshadowed by the scope and ambition of this visually thrilling adaptation.” So, with the good came some bad regarding Dune, and critics did not shy away from conveying their issues with the 2021 epic science fiction movie in their reviews.
Some criticisms of Dune were that its story did not earn its runtime of two and a half hours; the movie neglected its plot and instead focused on world-building; it felt like a lengthy setup of Dune: Part Two‘s story; and the film lacked emotional depth. Overall, most problems with the movie circled back to its story, which many felt was lacking in comparison to its cinematography and impressive world-building. However, based on the takeaways from Dune: Part Two‘s reviews, the sequel more than makes up for Dune‘s disappointing plot while still living up to the first film’s grand scale.
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Dune 2’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Reflects Fixing The First Movie’s Criticisms
Dune: Part Two‘s 97 percent score indicates that Denis Villeneuve took the criticisms of Dune into account while making the sequel and ensured that the second movie didn’t run into the same problems as the first. The reviews show that the 2024 epic science fiction film got rid of all the faults of the 2021 picture. Additionally, the spectacular Rotten Tomatoes score reflects the cast and crew’s efforts to produce a sequel that is better than the first movie.
Based on critics’ reviews, the sequel focused much more on crafting an immersive and resonating story, resulting in a captivating plot that can stand on its own against the striking special effects. Of course, only time will tell if audiences agree with critics’ assessment of the 2024 film. Nevertheless, Dune: Part Two‘s impressive Rotten Tomatoes score sets an impossible challenge for Dune 3, and it might not be plausible for any following project to match the success of the first sequel.
Dune: Part Two
Dune: Part Two is the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film that covers the novel’s events by Frank Herbert. The movie continues the quest of Paul Atreides on a journey of revenge against those who slew his family. With insight into the future, Atreides may be forced to choose between his one true love and the universe’s fate.
- Director
- Denis Villeneuve
- Release Date
- March 1, 2024
- Writers
- Denis Villeneuve , Jon Spaihts
- Cast
- Timothee Chalamet , Zendaya , Florence Pugh , Austin Butler , Rebecca Ferguson
- Franchise(s)
- Dune
