Arriving with much anticipation on the heels of Dune: Part One, Denis Villeneuve’s long-awaited sequel brims with masterful technical workmanship and dramatic storytelling that keeps you at the edge of your seat with bated breath. Dune: Part Two will likely blow you away.
The second installment in the Dune franchise needs only the first few minutes to fill us in on the state of Arrakis. What follows is a hypnotizing feature-length madhouse made out of dreams and nightmares. Paul Atreides’ (Timothée Chalamet) journey continues: this time, he ventures alongside his mother, Lady Jessica Atreides (Rebecca Ferguson), after the death of his father, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), and the massacre of his people. Paul must unite with the Fremen, the overlooked and marginalized people of the desert planet Arrakis, to take back their home planet and eradicate House Harkonnen from it once and for all. With the help of Chani (Zendaya) and Stilgar (Javier Bardem), Paul learns the ways of the Fremen to accomplish their goal and avenge his father.
There is a lot to praise in Dune: Part Two that will most likely be repeated time and time again whenever it’s examined. There’s tension in every scene, pulsating throughout every second. The stakes are high and the scale is grand. The escalation gives way to an adrenaline rush of cinematic proportions. In all likelihood, Dune: Part Two will be revered in film history for years to come – it manages to be unlike anything we’ve seen before, yet comfortably familiar at the same time.
What Villeneuve and the Dune team have crafted pays tribute to the greats of science fiction, whether deliberately or not. Many moments carry echoes of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017). There are also details in the production design reminiscent of The Hunger Games franchise’s unmistakable Capitol architecture. But then there are new awe-inspiring details – like the black sun that can invert and contrast black and white in the blink of an eye. The film uses light and sound with cunning prowess and exceeds every expectation. It elevates its story past Dune: Part One, outshining the first one effortlessly. (This is thanks in large measure to the film’s cinematographer, Greig Fraser.)
The film also asks the viewer to accept a lot at face value. I must admit that, hours and even days after my initial viewing, some plot points still feel unearned. We know from Frank Herbert‘s novels that Paul Atreides isn’t meant to be the hero, but Dune: Part Two asks us to accept this change in his character quite suddenly. That being said, the movie sets Paul up to move through the story with fanfare in his wake. And herein lies the biggest fault of the film: Paul Atreides isn’t a savior; he’s a destroyer.
At the hands of Lady Jessica, who acts as a Lady Macbeth archetype, Paul walks right into a position that allows him to influence others. This plays into the intricacies of organized religion and how it is weaponized by the hand of colonization. Villeneuve portrays how fervently people are willing to believe and what they’re willing to believe in. Bardem’s Stilgar is the perfect example of what is so often a sign of hope or desperation to look past the current situation.
Dune: Part Two‘s epic scale adds a touch of grandeur that is quite admirable from an artistic standpoint. Yet there is a vile nature to the praise Paul receives as a character. Beyond this, Chalamet does a superb job as the false prophet. Despite what people might say about the 2019 film The King’s lack of memorability, it’s nonetheless true that Chalamet carries an unforgettable presence as a privileged man with a great weight on his shoulders.
Beside him, Zendaya remains a standout in the franchise. Another incredible performance, and one of the actor’s most transformative to date, is Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha: he is equally terrifying and striking in his sadistic nature. Franchise newcomer Florence Pugh commands a regal air as Princess Irulan, though at times it felt like she was merely an actress playing a role instead of inhabiting a fully developed character. The fault here most likely falls upon the writing, which is perhaps overly ambitious for trying to portray so much within an already-elongated runtime of two hours and forty-six minutes.
Despite the grand affair, Dune: Part Two has one glaringly obvious detriment within our current sociopolitical climate. It’s impossible to ignore the resemblance of the film’s rebellious plot to what we’re witnessing in Palestine. The real-world parallel brings a sense of dread when viewing the film. You can’t help but be fully aware that, while this sort of act is praised on the screen, a ceasefire has yet to spare the Palestinian people further genocide. Dune: Part Two thus presents a complex example of the white savior trope. The film appears to be gratingly aware that the core of it is the danger of a colonizer’s influence over a civilization – but that awareness doesn’t keep it from falling into the same trap.
Ultimately, Dune: Part Two is a feast for the eyes and the ears. It features tremendous sound design by Dave Whitehead, an incredible score by Hans Zimmer, and expert editing by Joe Walker. It will quite literally take your breath away. It glorifies its main character’s journey even as it understands the horrible impact his victory will have. Through Chani’s eyes, we can see Paul’s descent into ruin. The most we can do is hope that the audience will share her vision and reflect upon how it mirrors our world.
Rating: 8/10
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