Dune Part Two felt like a violent fever dream, a runaway train moving to a perfect conclusion. It was brilliant. The movie is violent and visually stunning. The film is a triumph of cinematography and special effects that perfectly encompass the depth and scope of the novels it sought to adapt. Dune Part Two is a spectacle. It will easily be the gold standard for action and sci-fi movies for years to come.
After the success of Dune Part One, Denis Villeneuve has come back to direct the second half of Frank Herbert’s Dune. Picking up where the first film left off, Dune Part Two tells a story that is much grander than its predecessor. It is not every day that a film has to depict a religious war, but Dune knocks it out of the park.
The film was released on March 1. to a favorable response from fans and critics alike. It made $178 million worldwide on its opening weekend alone.
From the first scene, the film impresses with visuals that put the viewer directly into the action and show the beauty of the sunstruck desert planet Arrakis.
The story picks up only hours after the end of Dune Part One, with Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, joining the desert-dwelling Fremen tribe after his family was massacred by the evil House Harkonnen.
Compared to the first film in the planned series of three, this installment focuses far more on plot and character development. The story expertly turns the foundation laid by the first film and shapes it into something unforgettable.
The Hollywood Reporter describes it as such—“The narrative is propulsive and relatively easy to follow, Hans Zimmer’s score is enveloping, and Greig Fraser’s cinematography offers breathtaking perspectives that deepen our understanding of the fervently sought-after planet.”
Over the course of the film, Chalamet’s character sheds his boyishness for a much darker, morally gray persona. Alongside him, Lady Jessica, played by Rebecca Ferguson, takes on a delightfully ruthless performance, working to make Paul the Messiah of the Fremen people.
Meanwhile, Zendaya gives a committed, powerful performance as the Fremen warrior Chani. While being Paul’s love interest, she serves as an excellent counter to the more extreme aspects of Chalamet’s character.
The moral dilemma behind these characters’ actions, and how they feel about it, is where they all truly shine. Paul’s hesitation to embrace his role as the Fremen Messiah and the conflict that it creates is simply brilliant.
With this film, Villeneuve has created a remarkably textural, sensory experience. The barren landscape of Arrakis feels truly unforgiving. Despite having relatively few lines of dialogue, the story flows perfectly. Dune Part Two is a masterclass of showing the story through visuals.
The stakes in Dune Part Two could not be higher as the film grapples with intense themes of idealism, zealotry, and the depths of politics. The film is a monumental accomplishment for science fiction–It is a must watch.
