Dune: Part Two (2024)

Dune: Part Two Review

Everything that Dune was is visibly redoubled in Dune Part Two. The movie is a mixture of Frank Herbert’s strange vision, director Denis Villeneuve’s ability to find diverse and profound quality even in the visceral, cinematographer Greig Fraser’s amazing attention to detail in large-scale shots compositionally, production design of the highest order and a superb ensemble cast that matches a highly ambitious blockbuster whose ambition knows no bounds.

A sci-fi film at its best, this action-packed sequel to Villeneuve’s 2021 movie. A writer-director who creates an entire universe with some very sharply drawn characters on one hell of a beautiful tapestry. It’s hard to think about any other film that could top this greatly thrilling and absorbing sequel. Consequently, it is richly collated and strangely built.

In comparison with the relatively slow exposition loaded into Dune, every bit of the first few minutes of Dune Part Two feels like running down hill for someone who has just begun running for his or her life towards which they are probing all their energies into such they cover despite its length it does not appear as if it is long.

Some parts of Dune Part Two can be baffling – there was an idea that Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel could never be filmed; something David Lynch proved without a shadow of doubt in his disastrous Dune (1984), but Villeneuve manages to find such mannerisms through which he communicates without appearing forcible.

The operatic rhythm of Hans Zimmer’s score underpins the film. It does not only work as compositions but functions like rhythms do within the desert landscape – as part of the sound design proper in relation to Dune Part Two.

What could be more exhilarating than Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) taming a rampaging sandworm so he can ride on top? Among them, Dune Part Two is never short of such surprises as Austin Butler’s transformation into a bloodthirsty nephew of Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) who delights in causing destruction.

It is the sheer size and spectacle of the movie that takes one away but within its epic proportions there are always traces of humanity. His enduring interest in characters and set pieces has found an expressive means through images for Villeneuve.

Even when filmed in close-up, the landscape – whether it is a desert bathed in golden and russet hues or the Harkonnen home world bleached out by a black sun – remains visually intact. It is always present to some extent. Alternatively, on the other side we cannot say that these people are less important – they remain at the forefront whether speaking casually or actively participating in grand acts of violence.

Dune Part Two starts with respect to what happened earlier in its predecessor and then becomes this amazing conclusion of a very strong narrative culminating the first novel from Dune series. The narrative which Villeneuve generates here boils over with intensity. They come alive – these characters at least do and especially those who drive the story forward itself.

Paul Atreides and Lady Jessica her mother (Rebecca Ferguson) are determined to guarantee their safety by winning the favor of Fremen, desert dwellers on the planet Arrakis, famous for its spice in which they have to take revenge against Harkonnens. There are many other battles which must be fought before Paul can actually claim his place beneath the sun.

Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), known as The Emperor of Known Universe collaborates with Baron Harkonnen and his family including ruthless Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista) to help take back control of Arrakis by accelerating the decline of House Astreides.

Arrakis is an inhospitable place where Fremen tribe resides that is valued among thousands others because it produces spice. Harvesting spice is difficult and highly risky due to huge worms under the surface.

Fremen leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem) thinks that Paul is an outsider prophesied to bring peace and prosperity in their society while some do not hold this view, not even Paul who takes nothing for granted but tries all he can do gain acceptance from Freemen so as to win their trust.

Bene Gesserit mother of Paul Atreides belongs to a sect of women dreaming about how they will rule over everything in this world as well as beyond physical dimensions. These two also cause friction between themselves just like Gurney and Paul get at odds

Dune Part Two focuses mainly on a young protagonist who has taken up a position much bigger than what he really is. This means that Paul must find out who he was born or called upon to be without caring about the weaknesses that are associated with human nature in flesh.

Paul struggles with doubts though he has been trained not to show any fear. Shall he succeed in fulfilling his destiny? “Fear is the little death that brings obliteration,” Lady Jessica had said to him in Dune. A good part of Part Two is spent on the young man finding his way forward while doubts still linger within him.

Dune Part Two, in doing this, keeps going like a house on fire. The screenplay by Villeneuve and John Spaihts not only gets totally into the spirit of Herbert’s dense, complex tale, it also punctuates the conversations and elaborate world-building with sharp character development on one hand and eye-popping, high-octane sequences on the other.

The coming-of-age theme that started in Dune keeps progressing here till at some point a romance begins. Zendaya plays Chani in Dune Part Two who emerges from visions had by Paul during the first film. Zendaya’s features are prominent parts of the movie worth watching.

Rebecca Ferguson outshines almost every other actor except Zendaya. In fact, both actors demonstrate emotions and subtle shades of personality which allow action to travel across different registers as well as moments for reflection.

Two other women – Princess Irulan played by Florence Pugh who is Emperor’s daughter and Lady Margot Fenring played by Lea Seydoux as Bene Gesserit woman- have smaller roles but they are none worse than their main counterparts.

The ending of Dune Part Two is better than the abrupt denouement of the first film, still it may not satisfy a lot of people watching. It implies what Villeneuve has always meant – trilogy.

This is an exciting idea; Dune Messiah, another book in the series, is even more unfilmable. Considering what he did with Dune and Dune Part Two, there would be no reason to think that we are not in for another visual feast.

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