‘Dune: Part Two’ Achieves Record-Breaking Rotten Tomatoes Score Upon Debut

The Rotten Tomatoes score for Dune: Part Two establishes a fresh record for the Dune franchise.

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two has received the Certified Fresh status on Rotten Tomatoes, establishing a new record for the franchise.

‘Dune: Part Two’ Sets New Rotten Tomatoes Record with Impressive Debut Score

Dune: Part Two has achieved a record-breaking critics’ score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, with 98 reviews contributing to this high rating. This establishes a new benchmark for the Dune franchise, surpassing Denis Villeneuve’s earlier Dune film, which scored 83%. Notably, the 1984 adaptation directed by David Lynch lags behind with a considerably lower score of 37%.

CBR’s review of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two describes it as a bold achievement, drawing inspiration from various sources such as Jean Giraud (Moebius), Stanley Kubrick, and Star Wars. The review praises Villeneuve for transcending these influences to craft a substantial piece of sci-fi world-building. The film is commended for avoiding the conventional dichotomy of delineated heroes and villains, presenting a nuanced narrative. Critics suggest that it is too early to predict the trajectory of Dune Messiah. However, Frank Herbert’s original vision is worth exploring. The complexities and persistent cliffhangers make Dune more than just a setting for the gathering of melange, called Arrakis in the language of the Fremen.

Dune: Part Two Draws Comparisons to The Empire Strikes Back

The acclaim for Dune: Part Two might not be unexpected, especially considering the recent endorsement from renowned filmmaker Christopher Nolan. Nolan admired the film, drawing parallels to The Empire Strikes Back. He remarked, “What I was really struck by is the sense of immersion in that world. For me, I don’t think it says too much to say that if Dune: Part One was Star Wars, this to me is very much The Empire Strikes Back, which is my favorite of the Star Wars films. I just think it’s an incredibly exciting expansion of all the things you introduce in the first one.”

Upon reflection, the director of Oppenheimer marveled at Denis Villeneuve’s skill in incorporating new and unprecedented imagery into the narrative, elements not present in Frank Herbert’s original 1965 novel. Nolan commented, “It’s a film with so many unique images, things you’ve never seen before. I was so struck by the detail of everything, and they’re not all from the book.”

Villeneuve has already described the narrative of Dune: Part Two concludes on a darker, more tragic note. This would differ from the events described in Frank Herbert’s novel, hinting at the potential of Dune: Part III. “All of the elements are there,” Villeneuve remarked. “But I think the movie adaptation is more tragic than the book. The way that Part Two ends… it would create a total balance and equilibrium to finish Paul’s storyline in what we could say in Part Three.”

There Will Be Another Dune Movie?

Villeneuve has always expressed a strong interest in expanding the Dune series. He has also stated that it would culminate in a third installment, which would adapt the events of Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah. In an interview with Empire magazine, Villeneuve expressed his ambition to create a trilogy. He also noted that preliminary plans for a third film are already underway.

Timothee Chalamet expressed his enthusiasm for a Dune film trilogy, saying, “The idea excites me very much. If the time and opportunity come to complete the story with Messiah, I think we’re all super-enthusiastic about that.”

Featured Image Via Warner Bros. Pictures