Is Dune: Part Two safe for kids? Is Dune: Part Two OK for kids? Read the Dune: Part Two Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, an honest parents guide and mom review of the all-new Warner Bros. Pictures Dune 2 sci-fi fantasy adventure film sequel Dune: Part Two 2024, starring Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Zendaya as Chani. No spoilers! #DunePartTwo May contain commissioned links.
Dune: Part Two Movie Review | Safe for Kids? Parents Guide
Award winning, all-star casting, ambitiously thrilling – even with slow source material and an admittedly slower book-to-film story adaptation – there’s a lot riding on director Denis Villeneuve to carry Dune: Part Two into a sequel worthy of the fandom’s acceptance.
But is he truly up for the impossible task – to make a sequel that is equal if not better than the original?
In the highly anticipated 3-year follow-up film sequel to the 6-time Academy Award winning Dune 2021 starring some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, Dune 2 is finally here. And the spice is up for grabs.
In this Dune: Part Two Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, I’m breaking down the visuals, the story, a full PG-13 age rating explanation for violence, adult themes and language, and what kids’ age recommendation is suggested to watch in this new 2024 Dune: Part Two parents guide to the new Warner Bros. Pictures live action sci-fi adventure film sequel. A no-spoiler parent review of Dune: Part Two 2024, can Dune 2 visually thrill fans – again?
The Visuals
Dune: Part Two is more than a visual feast. It’s a whole sensory experience. Spanning vast desert landscapes to costume pageantry to audio vibrations that are pulsating throughout the film like a living, breathing character of the movie itself, there is no argument from me that Dune 2 shatters visual effects and CGI enhancements for a full-on immersive viewing rivaling that of Avatar: The Way of Water, Lord of the Rings, or Interstellar. Breathtakingly beautiful.
Audio disclosure: I caution that those sensitive to strong vibrations, loud and low tone audio sensations and sensory processing issues may want to skip this film and/or watch in the comfort of home. The sound enhancements are quite a feat for this Dune: Part Two sequel, however at times even I was overstimulated by the loudness and length of some of the auditory sequences.
That being said, I highly recommend that fans upgrade their viewing experience to see this Dune sequel in IMAX. It is definitely worth the cost to for full surround sound and visual depth to watch.
Photosensitivity Warning. For viewers prone to epilepsy and photosensitivity, there are a few scenes with bright flashing and/or strobing lights. One scene has background flashes – similar to lightning strikes and fireworks – that occur down a dark hallway, about one-third of the way through the film. Another scene occurs after a character ingests a liquid – with bright flashes of light and images of zoomed in faces quickly passing.
Those triggered by bright flashes should proceed with caution – and perhaps not opt for enhanced screening options.
The Story
The Dune saga continues as returning director Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival“) embarks on the sequel “Dune: Part Two,” the next chapter of Frank Herbert’s celebrated 1965 novel series. The cast includes new and returning stars Timothée Chalamet (“Wonka”) as Paul Atreides, Zendaya (“Spider-Man: No Way Home”) as Chani, Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”) as Lady Jessica, Josh Brolin (“Avengers: Endgame”) as Gurney Halleck, Austin Butler (“Elvis”) as Feyd-Rautha, Florence Pugh (“Black Widow”) as Princess Irulan, Dave Bautista (“Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise) as Beast Rabban, Christopher Walken (“Hairspray”) as Emperor Shaddam IV, Léa Seydoux (the “James Bond” franchise) as Lady Margot, Souheila Yacoub (“Climax”), along with Stellan Skarsgård (“Good Will Hunting“) as The Baron, Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years”), and Javier Bardem (“Lyle, Lyle Crocodile”) as Stilgar.
The follow-up to 2021’s six-time Oscars® award-winning film “Dune,” Dune: Part Two is the long anticipated sequel film covering the second half of the first book of Frank Hebert’s 1965 Dune Chronicles. (Try saying that three times fast.) Picking up immediately where the first Dune movie ends, we join Paul Atreides and his mother on their journey with the Fremen – filled with grief and revenge while also discovering love and foreseeing the possibility of hope.
Thankfully, this Dune 2 sequel focuses less on landscape building and character development and more on the climactic action and storyline. Zendaya and Timothée’s chemistry on-screen is passionate and convincing but it’s Austin Butler’s performance depth that sold me. A pleasant surprise for the slight uptick in the usual slow pacing and dry source material, Dune fans will appreciate the care that director Villeneuve takes in bringing this first chapter of Dune to a close – using full visual and audio enhancements for explosive results.
Throw in a few unexpected jokes, a surprising cameo, and an ending twist from the 1984 original film – and we may have a rare spice in the desert – and perhaps an even rarer sequel that the entertainment world has not seen in many years.
Dune: Part Two PG-13 Rating Explained
Is Dune: Part Two safe for kids? A Dune 2 sequel rated PG-13? Should parents be concerned? It’s no secret that I am highly skeptical of all MPAA ratings (um hello, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker not disclosing any language??). And as we know, not all movie and TV age ratings are the same. As a parent, it’s been rather heartbreaking to witness how ratings have shifted over the years with a G-rating no longer an option to help guide parents.
PG ratings now oscillating between Turning Red intense to Christopher Robin calm, and even PG-13/TV-14 age ratings teetering on the edge of R or MA ratings (Moon Knight and Werewolf by Night, I see you!), there’s a wide range between the age of 0-14 years old for parents to consider. Having fully disclosed parent guidelines can help determine if a movie or show is kid friendly – and safe for the whole family to watch together.
Why is Dune: Part Two rated PG-13? In this Dune: Part Two Movie Review | Safe for Kids?, this 2024 sci-fi Dune 2 film sequel from Warner Bros. Pictures is rated PG-13 for “sequences of strong violence, brief strong language, and some suggestive material.” With film and TV ratings also unpredictable these days, having fully disclosed parent guidelines can help determine if a movie or television show like Dune: Part Two is kid friendly. Is Dune: Part Two too scary for kids? Is Dune: Part Two not for kids? Let’s breakdown that PG-13 age rating in this Dune: Part Two parents guide.
Violence/Suspense. Dune: Part Two violence and suspense is on par with the first film with the addition of added sci-fi “war” scenes. Expect lots of fist fighting, hand-to-hand combat with knives, kill shots and slit throats (one very prominent scene that may be triggering), deaths and inferred deaths, bone crunching noises, sci-fi creatures and human-like monsters/deformities, minimal animal and monster violence and death, anger and revenge, and a variety of weapons and machinery including guns, knives and explosive devices.
Expect moderate amounts of blood and gore (again on par with the original Dune 2021 film) with the addition of vomit noises and visuals. There are also multiple video shots of a fetus in different stages – this may be triggering for some. There is also more medical instruments and devices used – including needle injections tubing and violent convulsion/seizure like movements.
Suspense and peril also includes use of religious/ritual ceremonies, creepy characters, and creepy voices – also similar to the first film.
Adult Themes. There is a mild use of drug and smoking content in Dune: Part Two A character smokes from a huge “bong” like device in a couple of scenes. There are visuals and dialogue reflecting characters being “drugged,” with stumbling present. There are multiple scenes inferring intentional first person poisoning. There is one mention of acting “drunk.”
Other adult themes include the toilet dialogue of “drinking his warm piss” and many religious ceremonies and pageantry referring to prophecy, prayer, and worship of a “messiah” like figure. As stated above there are many images and video of fetuses in various stages throughout the film that may be triggering for some.
Did someone say Dune Part: Two sex scene?! Some suggestive material and sensual innuendo is a new realm in the Dune: Part Two sequel. Sexual content in Dune: Part Two includes one fully naked body seen from the backside (not fully human in form but the nudity intention is there), one scene of two characters panting with one character laying on top of the other while talking (nudity sex scene implied but not shown) – scene shown of characters from chest and up, multiple kisses between characters, professions of “love,” being “sexually vulnerable” and implied relations/pregnancies between characters – including possible incest.
Language. Should parents be concerned about the brief strong language in Dune: Part Two? Foul language phrases and swear words include: 2 “sh!t,” and 1 “H-E-double-hockey-sticks.”
Milder bad language phrases and insults in Dune: Part Two include: “stupid,” “morons,” “psychotic,” “holy mother,” “hate,” “piss,” “demon,” and “g-d.” Overall, Dune 2 is very light on language – similar to the first film.
Dune: Part Two Age Rating for Kids
With a runtime of 2 hours 46 minutes, this Dune: Part Two 2024 film runs a little long but feels even longer. Long ritual sequences and longer dialogue scenes may drag for young kids. Violence is rampant throughout. The addition of new sexual content may also sway parents from allowing kids to see this sequel.
However, the addition of added action/war scenes, explosive elements, audio and visual enhancements, and a somewhat faster paced story with interesting new characters may entice little Dune fans. And if your kids have already watched and loved the first movie Dune: Part Two is a no-brainer must see.
Dune: Part Two is most like the the original Dune 2021 science fiction film after the 1965 Frank Hebert sci-fi novel – inspiring films like Star Wars and The Matrix.
This 2024 sci-fi Dune 2 film sequel from Warner Bros. Pictures is rated PG-13 for “sequences of strong violence, brief strong language, and some suggestive material” by the MPAA.
No, there is no mid credit scene in Dune: Part Two which is on par with the first film. I thought the director may have slipped in a little something for the end of the first Dune Chronicles book, sadly there’s nothing extra for Dune fans.
Based on my Dune: Part Two parents guide and mom review above, I would not recommend Dune: Part Two to kids younger than the age of 12-13 years old.
With multiple scenes depicting graphic violence and suspense, along with language, Dune: Part Two is a sci-fi fantasy film sequel that is the next level above more kid friendly sci-fi films like Star Wars. I advise parents to prescreen the film for strong violence and new sensual content added into this sequel.
Considering the full PG-13 age rating breakdown above, this parent movie reviewer would not recommend Dune: Part Two to kids younger than the age of 12-13 years old. This Dune: Part Two PG-13 rating is pretty spot on and comparable to the first Dune 2021 film (plus the addition of sexual innuendo). If your kids have seen the first Dune movie, they will most likely enjoy the end of the first book to film adaptation.
The Overall
A slow yet spicy sequel that is ultimately a full sensory experience, I daresay that Dune: Part Two is one of the rare film sequels that is better than the predecessor.
While still slowly paced and relatively reflective of the dry source material, the addition of extra explosive action sequences and CGI elements as well as the introduction of strong supporting characters (how amazing is Austin Butler’s performance range?) really stretches this film into more than a cult franchise, but a religious experience that honors the breadth of influence of the 1965 sci-fi fantasy book.
Full disclosure, I’m not a Dune hype girl. I don’t understand the fandom of folks who “struggled” fifteen times to get through the first book – but still love the movie. What I can appreciate is how a 1965 book series laid the foundation for so many sci-fi and fantasy film premises that we have loved and appreciated over the years – still do. And how Dune finally has the spotlight (not the 1984 version) to shine on it’s own merit.
Exhale. Dune: Part Two is surprisingly satisfying for fandom and movie lovers alike. And Dune: Part Two will be a sci-fi fantasy film pillar that will continue to be influential for decades to come.
Which begs the audience to ask…Will there be a Dune 3? While I don’t foresee director Denis Villeneuve coming back for a reboot, I definitely see the saga continuing in the hands of Warner Bros. Pictures. But anything less than this Dune caliber would be a huge mistake.
Follow Dune on social media:
- Website: https://www.dunemovie.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dune
- Twitter (“X”): https://twitter.com/dunemovie
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dunemovie/
- #DunePartTwo
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Dune: Part Two, the all-new Dune 2 sci-fi fantasy film sequel from Warner Bros. Pictures falls into theaters starting Friday March 1, 2024. Will your family be watching?
I was invited to screen Warner Bros. Pictures‘ new Dune film sequel Dune: Part Two 2024 in exchange for this Dune: Part Two Movie Review | Safe for Kids? Parents Guide. All photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Be sure to follow Raising Whasians for more movie updates, celebrity interviews, entertainment and behind-the-scenes info!
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