Gladiator 2 (Movie Review)

After what has felt like a lifetime in development hell, we finally have a sequel to the largely beloved historical epic, Gladiator. Released in 2000, that film had wowed critics and general audiences alike, effectively raising the bar for all subsequent sword-and-sandal movies from that era. This might help explain the degree of skepticism I had heading into Gladiator 2, especially considering how long it has been since I first heard Russell Crowe's Maximus ask us, "Are you not entertained?" But is the new film worth the wait or has it come 20-odd years too late?

The film begins with a stylized opening credit sequence that recaps the events of the first movie. And much like that film, it quickly segues into a large-scale battle showing the Roman army amidst their latest conquest. Except here the invasion takes place over the sea and they are led by Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), a seasoned general that has grown weary of the Roman empire's endless expansion. On the receiving end of the crushing defeat is a grown-up Lucius (Paul Mescal), who like his father, Maximus, quickly finds himself enslaved and forced to fight as a gladiator. But as his reputation grows as he works his way through the ranks of the Colosseum, so also does his bloodlust and his overriding quest for vengeance.

Despite being one of the most respected Hollywood directors out there, Ridley Scott has had more misses than hits of late. And while he would like to blame the shortened attention spans of today's youth for that, one could say it has more to do with the limited appeal of his most recent movies than anything else. Gone are the days when simply having the name of an A-list director or actor attached to a movie was enough to get butts in seats. Nowadays, the movie has to offer something more or somehow manage to tap into the cultural zeitgeist ala Top Gun: Maverick.

Speaking of Top Gun, if there's one thing that 1986 movie and its 2022 sequel have proven, it is that it is never too late to follow up a beloved classic with another entry. But like most recent sequels, prequels and reboots, Gladiator 2 is more of a rehash than a continuation of the story introduced in the first film. The movie hits a lot of the same story beats as the first one, even if it did manage to throw a few curveballs along the way. Notwithstanding, it falls into the very safe category of "more of the same," which depending on who you ask could be considered a good thing.

And like any good sequel of its ilk, the movie tries to one-up the original in one key area: the spectacle. And for the most part it succeeds, with the opening battle scene and another nautical-themed battle inside the Colosseum being the clear highlights. The production team definitely did a great job in replicating the sets from the original film, with the Colosseum looking nearly identical. There is a lot more CGI at play this time around though, especially with the animals used in the gladiatorial games, which sometimes felt like a step backward and nothing quite like the real tigers in the first film. Those tigers did receive a brief callback though, so there's that.

In terms of the story, I found the plot to be a little too contrived and convoluted in places, especially towards the end when things become almost borderline video-gamey. I can't get into specifics for fear of spoilers but suffice it to say that some character actions were too unbelievable for my liking. I understand that the characters needed to arrive at certain decisions for the narrative to work, but some of the ways in which they get there felt so heavy-handed that it frequently took me out of the movie. I am also starting to feel some serious Pedro Pascal fatigue so perhaps it had something to do with that as well.

It is also worth noting that I felt the movie lacked most of the emotional resonance that made the first one so great. There's just something about Russell Crowe's performance as Maximus, and the journey he went on, that immediately endeared him to viewers. I never felt anything remotely on that level with Lucius or any of the other characters here, and it wasn't for a lack of trying because quite some time is invested in setting up those characters. And while it was nice to see both Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi reprise their roles from the first film, it was still a bit jarring to see how little the characters themselves had evolved since then, effectively serving the very same functions as before.

The one character I did find somewhat intriguing was of course the villain, Macrinus. Denzel Washington gives a praiseworthy performance that was both understated and over-the-top, proving once again why he is one of the very best in the business. I only wish we had gotten to see him ham it up more, and sooner too, but the little glimpses at the extremes of his character were satisfactory enough. I won't go as far as say he deserves a Best Supporting Actor nomination at next year's Oscars but I wouldn't be surprised to hear his name get called out as one of the nominees when that time comes either.

Gladiator 2 is a spectacular but ultimately inessential film that skirts by on the goodwill of its predecessor. It is clearly the weaker of the two Ridley Scott Gladiator movies so I don't imagine it enjoying anywhere near the impact and success that the original film did. That said, in this day and age of frequently botched sequels, sometimes the best we can hope for is one that recaptures at least some of the magic of what came before and Gladiator 2 certainly manages to do that much.

Joker: Folie à Deux (Movie Review)

Back in 2019, during what was arguably the pinnacle of comic book movies, Joker had helped further propel that specific subgenre of films to greater heights. Originally intended to be a one-off feature, the film would not only secure an unprecedented 11 nominations at the Academy Awards but also go on to earn more than a billion dollars at the global box office. And all of that pretty much ensured that Warner Bros. would be revisiting the Joker well before long. But does Joker: Folie à Deux manage to recapture what made the first movie a big hit or is it merely another cash-grab attempt by greedy corporate executives?

The new movie once again centers upon Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), the titular Joker who is now awaiting trial for the string of murders he had committed in the first film. Two years have passed since the events of the 2019 movie, and Arthur has spent most of that time being held behind bars. But when he meets and falls in love with a fellow inmate named Lee (Lady Gaga), it ignites a deadly passion in him as they both succumb to the effects of their shared psychosis.

From the moment I first heard that a Joker sequel was in the works, I was immediately skeptical. After all, the first movie had felt like a complete story unto itself, one that far exceeded its ambitions and could be considered a resounding success by every conceivable metric. But when I'd heard what route director Todd Philips was planning to take for that sequel, I became somewhat intrigued. I've always held a soft spot for musicals and their larger-than-life productions so I was at least interested enough to see how one would fit within the gritty, grounded reality of the first Joker film.

So regarding the musical element of the film, the filmmakers definitely made good on their claim that it was going to be a musical thriller. There were several musical numbers sprinkled throughout the movie, with more than a few recognizable classics as well as some original compositions. The songs themselves were decent enough, allowing Lady Gaga to once again flex her singing chops, while Joaquin Phoenix gave what I can only assume were his best vocal renditions. But none of those performances really stand out or stick with you after watching the film, or at least not like the way the songs from Chicago or Moulin Rouge did.

And at about halfway through the movie, a courtroom drama element is also introduced, which is where one would think the film would finally get to knock things out of the park, except this never rises to a level I can consider great courtroom drama, or even decent for that matter. Instead, what we get is some long-winded recaps of things that took place in the first movie, interspersed with glimpses at Arthur's warped version of reality.

My biggest grievance with the movie, however, was its overriding lack of excitement. The film meanders in a way that I quickly found tedious, with scenes that seemed to barely add anything to the overall story. To be clear, I have no problem with slow-burn movies or ones that favor mood and texture over plot or characters, provided they eventually arrive at a meaningful climax. But we spend so much time watching Arthur move through the motions of prison life that the whole thing couldn't help but feel drawn-out and overlong.

A knock-on effect of that slower pacing is it makes the narrative harder to follow. I mean, we already have to contend with having to piece together what is real and only a figment of our lead characters' imagination, so having long stretches where nothing of importance seems to happen only further complicates this. And speaking of climax, this is the one area of the story that I feel will leave viewers most divided and/or disappointed. I won't spoil how the movie ends except to say that I don't think that it had the intended effect the filmmakers had been aiming for, whatever that may be.

Joker: Folie à Deux succeeds as a half-decent musical but fails at nearly everything else. The story is a slog to get through, lacking all of the tension that helped propel the narrative of the first film. Which is a shame because I had high hopes for the movie, along with the legion of fans that felt it could be something truly special. But on the bright side, I guess the movie can serve as yet another example of why it is sometimes best to stay away from making cash-grab sequels without the requisite creative spark needed to make them work.

Alien: Romulus (Movie Review)

In this current age of streaming services and the often-predicted demise of movie theaters, it is not uncommon for movies originally slated for one to end up making their debut on the other. So when Alien: Romulus was first announced to be making the jump from a streaming to theatrical release, I knew that meant the film had far more to offer than the average Netflix Original. But is the final product worthy of the moviegoing experience or is it better suited for the streaming sludge pile for which it was initially destined?

The film takes place between the events of the first two movies in the Alien franchise, Alien and Aliens. It follows a group of young space colonists whose search for a better life offworld leads them to scavenge what looks like an abandoned space station. But unbeknownst to them, the station is home to the deadliest alien species in the known universe, the xenomorph. Now the group must fight for their very lives as they work to unravel the true nature of this most formidable foe.

After Dan Trachtenberg had successfully infused the Predator franchise with new life in his 2022 film, Prey, it was only a matter of time before the Alien franchise received a similar treatment. And Alien: Romulus is that much-needed shot in the arm that fans had hoped for, having already been disappointed over the years by several less-than-stellar sequels and prequels, not to mention those questionable crossovers with the aforementioned Predator series. And the way that director Fede Álvarez has been able to achieve this is by taking the series back to its horror roots.

Much like the 1979 classic that started it all, the new movie is all about building tension through the use of its rich atmosphere. The film is visually stunning, adhering to that same iconic design language created by H. R. Giger for the first film, even going as far as to mimic some of the technological limitations that helped define its look. So we get a nice blend of practical and digital effects that really help to ground the movie in its otherworldly reality. This extends to its sound design and score which perfectly captures the mood and overall soundscape of those earlier movies.

The movie itself is well-paced for the most part, although it takes a while before things truly get going as we spend quite some time getting to know the new characters. But once the required introductions and worldbuilding are out of the way, the tension never lets up as we are thrust from one nerve-wracking setpiece to another. A lot of those setpieces can be considered fan service for sure, with cool callbacks and fun easter eggs that not only pay homage to the two movies it is nestled between but to the entire Alien franchise as a whole.

And this is where I think the movie starts to falter a bit, in its attempt to tie into everything that came before, for better or worse. Because some things are, simply put, better left forgotten and unreferenced. Thankfully, the movie still packs enough new tricks of its own that help to keep things feeling fresh and less like a rehash. But there is no denying that it adheres so closely to the template set by those prior movies that it almost can't help but feel like more of the same.

It is also worth stating that the film falls victim to some pretty egregious horror movie logic, so expect to see characters make head-scratching decisions all in the name of sustaining the thrills or furthering the plot. And if you thought you'd seen the most ridiculous aspects of the franchise show its ugly face in the likes of Prometheus or Alien: Resurrection, then think again because there is some downright laughable stuff in this one.

Alien: Romulus plays like a greatest hits collection of the best and most memorable bits of the Alien franchise, except it also highlights some of the other, less-well-received aspects of the series too. So those hoping for a clean break or soft reboot might be disappointed or left wanting. It doesn't exactly help that its story is often driven by some truly paper-thin logic. But if you are willing to overlook all of that and embrace the movie for what it is and not what it isn't, then you might just be in for one hell of a wild ride.

Deadpool & Wolverine (Movie Review)

After taking what has felt like an extended hiatus since hitting rock bottom with last year's The Marvels, the Marvel Cinematic Universe returns to the big screen in a big way with Deadpool & Wolverine. And if the film's marketing is anything to go by, it is clear that it is being positioned as a much-needed attempt to reenergize the aging superhero franchise. But is this latest entry the franchise Viagra that the MCU desperately needs or is it just another multiverse-hopping adventure filled with cheap fan service and pointless cameos?

The film serves as the third entry in the Fox Deadpool series, as well as a direct sequel to 2017's Logan. And due to the very nature of its story, it is almost impossible to discuss any aspects of its plot without immediately entering into spoiler territory. But the general non-spoiler premise is this: in order to save his world and the people that are dearest to him, Wade Wilson (aka. Deadpool) must journey across the multiverse to find Logan (aka. Wolverine), the one mutant who can help him.

Ever since Disney had finalized its acquisition of Fox back in 2019, many had wondered what would become of the many superhero properties under the 20th Century Fox umbrella. Among the ones that were hanging in intellectual property limbo was of course Deadpool, a character that first made an appearance in the often-maligned X-Men Origins: Wolverine. But unlike that other titular hero who had received a near-perfect sendoff in the film, Logan, it felt like Deadpool still had the potential for several more adventures.

And ever since his first appearance and subsequent revival in two standalone films, his fate it seemed had been tied to Wolverine's. But Hugh Jackman was done playing the role and it didn't look like the family-friendly Disney brand would have any space for the likes of Deadpool within the MCU. So you can imagine my shock and excitement when Ryan Reynolds revealed that he was finally making good on his promise to bring Hugh Jackman back as Wolverine in the next Deadpool film.

Now that I've gotten a chance to see the movie, I must confess that the very first thing I felt afterward was relief. My biggest concern for the film was what looked like the sheer amount of homework required to truly appreciate what it was aiming to accomplish. Not only was it moving the story forward from prior Deadpool films and Logan, but it also had ties to a large swathe of the movies in the X-Men universe, the MCU, and other superhero films I won't spoil here.

Thankfully, the movie doesn't get bogged down in too much exposition trying to explain it all, and it was paced well enough that I never felt like I was being overwhelmed by any of it. The action does tend to test the boundaries of that R rating though, but that should come as no surprise for anyone that has seen the first two films. I was relieved to see that this one not only retained their hard-hitting edge and signature humor filled with fourth-wall breaks, but that it wasn't just more of the same or another rehash.

All that said, I would still personally rank it below the first two films since a lot of their shock value and novelty within the superhero genre is gone at this point. There is a bigger focus on musical moments throughout the movie, including one extended fight scene near the end that was set to Madonna's "Like A Prayer" that continues to live rent-free in my head even as I write this review. Most of it was played for laughs more than anything else but the action, stunts, and cinematography are so heavily stylized that they were never not pleasing to look at. And while not every single one of its jokes might land, the ones that did had me howling.

Deadpool & Wolverine is a blast from start to finish. It infuses the MCU with a strong dose of energy, the kind of lighthearted fun that once defined the superhero genre. And while it often leans too heavily on callbacks and references to older films, it still manages to stand on its own as a thrilling new adventure. Ultimately, your enjoyment of the movie hinges on how much tolerance you have for gratuitous violence as well as Ryan Reynolds' unique flavor of meta-humor, which are two things I don't see myself getting tired of anytime soon.

A Quiet Place: Day One (Movie Review)

From the moment that A Quiet Place had turned into the surprise hit of 2018, it was fated to become yet another horror franchise for studios to exploit. So you can imagine my surprise when its follow-up, A Quiet Place Part II, had somehow managed to replicate its winning formula without feeling like a mere rehash. But does the latest entry in the series, A Quiet Place: Day One, recapture the essence of those first two movies or has the franchise started to succumb to the laws of diminishing returns?

The new film functions as both a prequel and a spinoff, as it shifts its focus from the Abbott family in favor of a pair of new survivors, Sam and Eric (played by Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn respectively). And as the title alludes, it also focuses on the first days of the arrival of the creatures dubbed death angels by many. Both must navigate the many dangers and horrors that await them in the ravaged streets of an apocalyptic New York City, as they try to survive the onslaught of aliens lurking around every corner.

Prior to watching A Quiet Place: Day One, I must admit that I had developed a healthy dose of skepticism at the mere announcement of the project. Not only were we no longer following the story of the surviving members of the Abbott family, who we've grown to love and care about over the course of two brilliant films, but it was also covering old ground by depicting events that took place on Day 1 of the alien infestation. Then there were the trailers as well which made the film look like a considerable departure from the close-quarter thrills of the first two films.

I say all this to drive home the fact that I was already predisposed to being disappointed by the movie. But I had still done my best to keep an open mind, believing that the movie would at least manage to justify its own existence. And now that I have finally seen the film, I can say that I am equal parts relieved while still being somewhat let down by the story they'd chosen to tell. I was relieved that my concerns following the trailers had been mostly unfounded, as the movie delivered the kind of tense encounters that were worthy of the "A Quiet Place" name.

But my disappointment is due to the fact that the movie simply lacks the same emotional weight I had felt while watching the prior films, and most of that stems from its new leads being nowhere as endearing as those that came before. Lupita does an admirable job as Sam but her performance never quite rises to the same level of brilliance she had shown in a film like Us. The same can be said of Joseph Quinn, who shows none of the charisma and bravado he had shown in the brilliant fourth season of Stranger Things.

I acknowledge that none of these things are a fault of the actors I mentioned, as I'm sure they'd played their characters to perfection as written in the script. The problem is with the characters themselves and the film's inability to make me care about their plight. The first two films gave us protagonists we could immediately care about because of how relatable each member of the Abbott family seemed. The same cannot be said of Sam and Eric, who more often than not felt more like overused Hollywood archetypes rather than living, breathing human beings.

With most of the negative stuff out of the way, I must equally acknowledge all the things I felt the movie manages to get right. Chief among these are the various alien encounters. The death angels felt like an ever-present threat for the most part rather than the glob of CGI creatures the trailers had made them out to be. I was pleased to see most of the action the trailers were filled with take a back seat in favor of actual horror and some effective jump scares.

I also loved the look of the film's New York setting, with its fog-filled streets lending it an otherworldly feel that only helped to heighten the tension. And this is when the film works best, when it has us holding our breaths in anticipation of the next unexpected appearance by its true stars, the hideous aliens that retain their status as nightmare fuel. It's just a shame that that tension never gets dialed up to eleven like in the first two films, held back as it was by a lack of compelling leads and some rather questionable writing choices.

A Quiet Place: Day One is the kind of film a franchise produces once it has started to run out of steam. After all, there are only so many times you can reuse the same basic premise before it starts to feel kind of stale. Add in the fact that the film tends to get heavy-handed with its handling of some of the more sensitive aspects of its subject matter and you start to understand why it might not be for everyone. And while it offers its own share of close-quarter thrills and some very cool highlights, the overall movie lacks the emotional pull that helped elevate prior entries.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Movie Review)

The Mad Max franchise gets reignited once again as Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga races into cinemas this weekend. And as the title suggests, it is a film that centers upon the one-armed imperator from Mad Max: Fury Road, who many believed had effectively upstaged Max in his own movie. But now that she has a movie all to herself, does it give any additional insight into what makes the character tick or is it merely another excuse to have a bunch of road warriors battle it out across the beautiful desert backdrop of the Wasteland?

The film takes place several years before the events of Mad Max: Fury Road, in a post-apocalyptic future where warring factions battle for dwindling resources. It opens with a young Furiosa just before she gets abducted from her home in the Green Place, a place of abundance in an otherwise unforgiving land. But her mother doesn't give her up without a fight, even though it ultimately costs the older woman her life when they cross paths with the evil warlord, Dementus. Furiosa soon finds herself property of Immortan Joe of the Citadel and there she begins the process of working her way up the ranks of his War Boys, fueled by a quest for revenge and a desire to find her way back home.

After getting blown away by the sheer brilliance of Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015, I was pleased to learn that the franchise was going to receive another entry. So you can imagine my disappointment when I also learnt that this next entry would be taking the form of a prequel. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with prequels if done right. But I would have preferred something that moved the overall story forward, and that same sentiment encapsulates my feelings coming out of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

The first thing that caught me off guard while watching the film was its pacing and overall length. The film doesn't remotely match the kinetic pace and energy that made Fury Road so great, nor does it attempt to as it instead focuses on fleshing out the backstory of its title character, as well as the world and lore that her story take place within. In addition to revisiting the Citadel, we actually get to see the other strongholds of Gastown and the Bullet Farm this time around. But in its attempt to show us more of the world the films take place in, the movie loses some of the mystic that made these places and the characters that inhabit them so memorable.

And speaking of characters, we get quite a number of new and returning faces, as well as one specific cameo I won't spoil here. Despite receiving top billing, I was surprised to see that Anya Taylor-Joy didn't actually make an appearance until nearly an hour into the film. And while I was initially skeptical that they had opted to recast the role of Furiosa with someone younger, she effectively channels the same stoic determination and overall badassery that Charlize Theron had brought to the role in Fury Road.

Chris Hemsworth likewise joins the pantheon of great Mad Max villains as Dementus, a man that more than lives up to his name over the course of the film. He was equal parts terrifying and charismatic, and always a joy to see whenever he was on screen. It was also nice seeing characters like Rictus Erectus, the Bullet Farmer, the People Eater, and of course Immortan Joe and his party of War Boys all make a return, although the knowledge of their ultimate fates in Fury Road make the reunion all the more bittersweet.

But I think where Furiosa truly succeeds is in its action sequences. George Miller had already outdone himself with Mad Max: Fury Road, a film that was shot largely using practical stunts with a sprinking of VFX, and a lot of that remains the same here. Just when I thought I'd seen all the cool ways that people could get thrown off motorcycles or chewed up by cars, the film doles out even more vehicular madness to show I ain't seen nothing yet. All of it was beautifully shot and appropriately epic, even if it doesn't quite outshine what came before.

Furiosa can be considered yet another benchmark for post-apocalyptic action movies. But while Fury Road had put nearly all action films before and after its release to shame, this one merely serves as a reminder of why George Miller, at 79 years old, is one of the very best directors still working within that specific subgenre. And even though the film takes a while to get going, and it sometimes struggles to justify its own existence, it ultimately satisfied my hunger for more Mad Max movies, at least until we get that proper sequel that's hopefully still in the works.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Movie Review)

Between last year's Godzilla Minus One and the Apple TV+ show, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, it sure feels like a great time to be a Godzilla fan. And while I am still yet to watch the former and I wasn't particularly keen on the latter, I was very much eager to see what new tricks the titular kaiju had up its monstrous sleeves in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. But does the latest entry in Legendary's MonsterVerse bring anything new to the table or is it simply more of the same?

The film serves as a direct sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong, so those who never got around to watching Monarch can rest easy as that show has no real bearing on the film's events. Much of the movie takes place in the Hollow Earth, where Kong now resides with hopes of making a new home for himself. But he soon stumbles across an entire tribe of giant apes and their tyrannical leader, the Scar King, who is hellbent on spreading his tyranny to the surface world. 

Meanwhile, Godzilla has slipped back into his role of sole alpha and protector of mankind as he continues to keep the different categories of kaiju at bay. But when he suddenly starts seeking out sources of radiation to draw power from, it becomes clear that he is preparing for his most powerful adversary yet. Now, the two titular titans must once again set aside their differences and band together in the ultimate monster tag team. 

The MonsterVerse films have never really taken themselves too seriously. And with each subsequent entry, the filmmakers have leaned increasingly harder into each one's inherent campiness. So anyone going into Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire expecting high art only has themselves to blame at this point. That said, I still found myself taken aback by just how nonsensical this new MonsterVerse entry manages to get in its two-hour runtime.

To call the story in the movie convoluted and dumb would be putting it lightly. It often approaches Transformers levels of ridiculousness with just how logic-defying and reliant on plot contrivances it becomes. It is almost as though Adam Wingard and his writers had taken a bet to cram in as much ridiculous action and farfetched storytelling as humanly possible. But depending on who you ask, that could either be considered a good thing or a bad thing. 

Much like prior entries, the new film suffers from a slew of issues that range from inconsistent pacing to human characters that are just nowhere as compelling as their kaiju counterparts. However, the decision to trim the roster of human characters down and to give the kaiju more screen time ultimately helped to keep the film moving along before it turned into a slog. But I still felt we could have gotten to the meat of the action much sooner.

Because Godzilla x Kong shines brightest when it simply lets its two titans loose to cause all manner of chaos and destruction. It never gets old watching entire cities get wrecked in the wake of these monsters and the film delivers plenty of that, especially in its explosive third act. The visual effects bringing all that chaos and destruction to life were adequate for the most part, although I don't see it winning any awards at next year's Oscars.

Godzilla x Kong doesn't quite match the sheer thrills of the last MonsterVerse movie, but it certainly packs enough of a punch that it is sure to satisfy Kaiju fans. The movie lives up to its title by offering the kind of monster mayhem most of us could only ever dream of as kids. And while it does require leaving your brain firmly checked at the door to overlook some of its more egregious shortcomings, the overall package is still worthy enough to earn another recommendation from me.

Dune: Part Two (Movie Review)

The 2024 moviegoing season begins in earnest with the release of Dune: Part Two, the second half of Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's seminal sci-fi epic. Originally slated for an October 2023 release, the film was unceremoniously bumped amidst last year's writers and actors strikes. And now that it is finally here for all to see in all its glory, you can bet that many will be doing just that over the course of the next couple of weeks. But does the film itself warrant all the hype surrounding its release or is it merely another tease for greater things to come?

The film picks up exactly where the first part left off, with Paul Atreides and his mother forced to seek sanctuary with the Fremen on the desert planet of Arrakis. Meanwhile, the Harkonnens have regained control of its immensely profitable spice production business. But Paul would soon learn the ways of the Fremen, and prove to be a thorn in the Harkonnen's side through coordinated attacks on their spice harvesters. Except he is also haunted by visions of a holy war that could very well claim the lives of billions across the galaxy. And so he must decide whether or not to accept his fate as the messiah some already see him as.

My biggest complaint coming out of Dune: Part One was that it felt incomplete by design. Having chosen to adapt just one-half of the source material, this meant that director Denis Villeneuve had ended up with a movie that left a good chunk of its story untold, and all the dangling plot threads that came with that decision. But even in its incomplete state, the film had proven itself to be a class above your typical book-to-film adaptation.

Its impressive production design, stellar visual effects, incredible worldbuilding, and excellent characterization were all testaments to both the strengths of its source material and Denis Villeneuve's deft handling of it. And all of that remains true in Dune: Part Two, a film that manages to match the brilliance of the first one's execution while building upon all its groundwork and achievements to create something even grander in its scope and ambition.

To put it in another way, the first film crawled then walked so that this one could take to the skies and soar. For a movie that boasts a runtime of nearly three hours long, I never once felt its length as I was fully engaged from start to finish. Every second of those nearly three hours felt earned and accounted for, mainly due to its excellent pacing. It would have been too easy for a film of this scope to get bogged down in details but it never loses sight of the big picture of its overarching narrative.

That said, if you are the type of moviegoer who didn't care for all the rich lore, worldbuilding, and character development that made up the better part of the first film, then you might also not do so in this one. Because even though there is more action and overall spectacle this time around, none of that is a real focus and you run the risk of finding it just as slow or boring. Although how anyone could find these movies boring remains a mystery to me, but to each their own I suppose.

But if, like me, you thought the first film was brilliant, then you're surely in for a treat because this one is clearly the better half. Everything from the cinematography to the score and visuals has been taken to the next level. And even though it has taken nearly three years for it to get here, it was definitely worth the wait. So taken as a whole, and as a fan of the books themselves, I have to say that this is as perfect an adaptation of the first book as I could've ever hoped for.

I also need to confess that I had my doubts when it was first announced that Timothee Chalamet would be playing Muad'Dib/Paul Atreides, simply because I felt he'd lack the imposing force of the former. But I'm pleased to report that those doubts were unfounded as the actor imbues the character with all the depth I remembered him having in the book while showing an acting range that is simply unrivaled. The new additions to the cast were also great, especially Austin Bulter who gave a stunning villainous turn as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen.

If you're only going to see one film in 2024, then it needs to be Dune: Part Two, a cinematic feast for the eyes and senses that easily surpasses the first film's brilliance, resulting in one of the greatest book-to-film adaptations since The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Yep. It's that effing epic. And while it remains to be seen if it could ever hope to stand the test of time like that other film, something tells me that it is a movie that will continue to get talked about, among film fans and critics alike, for many years to come.

My Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies for 2024

As the dust slowly settles on 2023, we can begin to look forward to what the new year has in store for us in terms of new movies to watch. But expect to see at least one movie from my most anticipated movies list for last year make an appearance on this one. This is of course due to delays brought on by the combined weight of the prolonged WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the effects of which are surely going to be felt this year and well into the next, possibly beyond. So with that in mind, here are my most anticipated movies for 2024.

10. Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver

Leave it to Netflix to milk every potential new subscriber out of their expensive Zack Snyder sci-fi epic, Rebel Moon, with their decision to split the movie into two halves. There's even already talk about a potential director's cut being in the cards. But even though Part One had turned out to be as messy and derivative as many feared it would be, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to Part Two. So here's hoping that it ties the story together in a meaningful, less convoluted way.

9. Kraven the Hunter

2024 marks the arrival of three new Sony's Spider-Man Universe films. And while my expectations for Madame Web and the third Venom movie are practically at rock bottom, I'm still harboring some measure of hope for Kraven the Hunter. The trailer looks like it could be the kind of bonkers fun the cinemas are great for but Sony's track record with these Spider-Man adjacent movies hasn't been all that great, so it remains to be seen if we have another Morbius on our hands.

8. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Even though it feels like we only just got a fantastic trilogy of films in the Planet of the Apes series, it's actually been more than half a decade since it concluded. And with all things that manage to turn a profit for Hollywood producers, it was only a matter of time before they went back to that particular well. The new movie takes the story forward about 300 years after Caesar and friends, so expect to see a fresh cast of CGI simians we can all root for or hate on.

7. The Fall Guy

I'm a very huge Ryan Gosling fan so of course I was excited the first time I heard he was going to star in the new action comedy, The Fall Guy. Not to be confused with the 2016 film, The Nice Guys, this one has him taking on the role of a movie stuntman who gets wrapped up in a mystery surrounding the disappearance of the man he is stunt doubling for. It is actually based on an 80s TV show that I never saw but I'm definitely going to be keeping a close eye on this one.

6. A Quiet Place: Day One

The first two movies in the A Quiet Place series were both my favorite movies in the respective years they were released. So even though I am not the biggest fan of prequels in general, I'm very much down for this one. It stars Lupita Nyong'o and Djimon Hounsou, the latter of whom will be reprising his role from the second film in the series. And going by the title, it appears it would be set at the onset of the arrival of the creatures responsible for decimating the human population.

5. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Godzilla fans have been eating good this past few weeks, between the Apple TV+ show, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, and the Japanese feature film, Godzilla Minus One. Well, they can add Godzilla x Kong to the menu, the latest entry in the MonsterVerse series and sequel to 2021's Godzilla vs. Kong. The titular titans have been forced to team up once again, as they face off against a new threat that could very well do more damage than both monsters combined.

4. Joker: Folie à Deux

Despite previously stating that the film was a one-off, the executives at Warner Bros. are following up the tremendous success of 2019's Joker with an inevitable sequel dubbed Joker: Folie à Deux. Joaquin Phoenix reprises his role as the Joker, but this time around, he'll be joined by Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. The movie has been described as a musical thriller although it remains to be seen just how that would translate to the film we'll be getting at the end of the day.

3. Deadpool 3

After clearing out most of their film slate for 2024 amidst the Hollywood strikes, everyone now has their eyes set on the MCU's sole remaining tentpole for the year, Deadpool 3. The film would mark the Merc with a Mouth's first MCU appearance, as well as the return of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, so there's plenty enough reason to get excited. But I'm just curious to see just how much of its R-rated edge the film will be allowed to keep under Disney.

2. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Following a show-stealing appearance in the phenomenal Mad Max: Fury Road, the character of the Imperator Furiosa gets her own solo outing in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. But rather than have Charlize Theron reprise the role, Anya Taylor-Joy will be stepping in instead to play a younger version of her. I know I said I'm not keen on prequels but this is Mad Max we're talking about. Fury Road was my favorite movie for 2015 and I have no doubt that this one could be a top contender for 2024 as well.

1. Dune: Part Two

And here we are again, with Dune: Part Two once again topping my list of most anticipated movies for another year. We can blame a delay brought about by the SAG-AFTRA strike for that but better late than never I suppose. And from everything I've seen in the trailers, it looks like it is going to be worth the wait. My primary criticism of the first film was that it felt incomplete since it was only adapting one half of the book, and this one looks like it is poised to fix that, with more of the epic battles and rich lore the book was known for.