“Dune: Part Two” acclaimed by critics as blockbuster masterpiece, debuting with a 97% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score

Rave reviews are flowing in as critics praise Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve’s highly anticipated action spectacle. With a 97% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the critics’ consensus is that Dune: Part Two is visually thrilling and narratively epic.

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Continuing the streak from its predecessor, Dune: Part Two lands with a success for reviewers. The Independent writes, “Dune: Part Two, like its predecessor, is a work of total sensory and imaginative immersion.” Total Film adds the movie to the hall of beloved sequels, saying, “However you cut it, Villeneuve wrangles coherence from Herbert’s unruly elements to deliver a sequel that ranks alongside The Dark Knight, The Empire Strikes Back – and Blade Runner 2049.”

The Guardian praises director Denis Villeneuve’s vision for the film, “The second part of Denis Villeneuve’s monumental Dune adaptation lands with a sternum-juddering crash; it’s another shroom of a film, an epic sci-fi hallucination whose images speak of fascism and imperialism, of guerrilla resistance and romance.”

Kudos also abound for the cast performance, with The New York Post lending focus to Timothée Chalamet’s performance as Paul Atreides. “But the series’ grounding force continues to be Chalamet. After singing and wisecracking as Willy Wonka, he’s back to his bread and butter: brooding and stoic contemplation. It’s in this second chapter, however, that we realize how perfect the actor is for Paul,” they write.

Rolling Stone also takes note of Chalamet’s take on the protagonist, saying, “But this act is also where you see Paul Atreides come into his own, and by extension, the actor who plays him. Part Two is where you see a boy having grown into a man, who then evolves into a reluctant — and eventually not-so-reluctant — savior.”

Not to be outdone, Zendaya’s performance as the warrior Chani was also a highlight of the film, with IGN writing, “The Fremen will need to be united to stand against the forces of the Imperium, and the sacrifices and compromises that Chani make constantly ground the story with help from Zendaya’s direct, steely performance.”

Watch the interstellar action rise to greater heights as Dune: Part Two arrives in Philippine cinemas on February 28.