Spoiler Warning: Light spoilers for Dune: Part Two ahead!
I am now three years running where I’ve gotten very hyped for a film, and then upon release, the movie actually lived up to the hype and then some. In 2022, it was The Batman. In 2023, it was Oppenheimer. This year, it was Dune: Part Two.
Similar to Oppenheimer, though, I can’t precisely explain where my hype for Dune: Part Two came from. I’ve never read the Dune books by Frank Herbert (which I aim to rectify before long), and while I enjoyed the first film back in 2021, at the time, I didn’t think it was anything particularly special. But then I rewatched it once or twice more, and things started clicking for me. The scope of the world and the many intricate facets of the story started unfolding for me, and as that was going on, my hype for the sequel only grew. Thankfully, my faith was not misplaced.
For all the recent woes of Hollywood and modern blockbuster cinema—with lackluster releases becoming more common and studios micromanaging projects to shreds—it’s nice knowing guys like director Denis Villeneuve are still able to make outstanding films. And that’s putting it lightly. Dune: Part Two is a downright masterful achievement of sci-fi filmmaking.
Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides
With this decidedly triumphant release, the Dune film franchise is shaping up to be for sci-fi what Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is for fantasy. Dune: Part Two takes everything established in its predecessor and amplifies it all tenfold. The sheer magnitude and spectacle on display in this film are astounding, with jaw-dropping imagery complimented by some of the greatest VFX work I’ve ever seen on screen. Furthermore, the performances, coupled with another impeccable score from Hans Zimmer, are absolutely enthralling.
Dune: Part Two picks up pretty much right where Part One left off (basically minutes afterwards). Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), travel alongside their new Fremen allies, including Stilgar (Javier Bardem) and Chani (Zendaya), through the scorching desert world of Arrakis. Hot on their heels are the ruthless Harkonnen, who aim to bring Arrakis and its precious spice resources under their control.
As Paul continues his journey, he and Chani develop a deeply romantic bond, and he learns the ways of her people and aids the Fremen in their war against the Harkonnen. All the while, Paul battles against a centuries-old prophecy that deems he is the messiah of the Fremen who will lead them to paradise. In order to truly free Arrakis and avenge his fallen house, he must choose whether to remain who he is or to become something far greater—and arguably more terrible.
Zendaya as Chani and Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica
Villeneuve has crafted a truly vibrant world with his Dune films. Part Two is dripping with atmosphere, adding layers upon layers of depth and flavor to what was established in Part One. The easiest spot to look at is just how fleshed out Arrakis is; from Fremen legends to the sands themselves, so much of this vivid world is on display for viewers to enjoy. And even though the movie has a nearly three-hour runtime, it never quite feels like it, thanks to its brilliant pacing. The story, in simplest terms, is a very elaborate take on the “chosen one” and “white savior” tropes and why they’re so dangerous, but it’s all executed with impressive skill.
Paul’s journey from valiant warrior and friend of the Fremen to fiercely focused leader of the desert people is gripping through and through. His relationships with Chani and his friends tether him to his humanity, but other outside forces, such as his mother and the insistent beliefs of Stilgar and the other pious Fremen, essentially force him into a role he does not want. But once he accepts his role as the Lisan al Gaib/Mahdi/Kwisatz Haderach, all hell breaks loose in the best ways possible. Seriously, the last half hour of the film is mind-blowing.
All told, the story is largely carried by its evocative themes of family, religious fanaticism, control, prophecy, and love. It also plays well with Greig Fraser’s masterful cinematography, with some of the most visceral and beautiful scenes I’ve ever seen in epic sci-fi. Craning shots of the vast desert of Arrakis are utterly breathtaking, while smaller and quieter locales are brimming with little details. Couple this with the amazing VFX work (anything involving the worms in particular looks awesome) and some badass fight choreography and camera work, and you’ll have a hard time looking away from this visual smorgasbord.
Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha
I was particularly floored when we finally got to revisit Geidi Prime, the homeworld of House Harkonnen. No joke, my jaw nearly hit the floor. The scenes on this black and white, military-industrial planet feature some of the coolest shit I’ve ever seen in a movie, period. The planet literally has a black sun, so everything has this sort of negative lighting effect to it. The film isn’t just using a black and white filter for the fun of it. And no, I don’t care if black suns don’t exist and that’s not how light works. It’s fucking cool, so leave it alone.
All of this is accented perfectly by Hans Zimmer’s beautiful score. One of my friends noted that it never quite hits any truly heroic notes, which is pretty much on the money. Rather, the music here is equal parts haunting and triumphant (not quite the same as heroic). The swells and lows hit at all the right times, particularly in the epic battle sequences, until you find moments where the sound cuts out completely. The final fight between Paul and Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler) plays out in silence, and it’s all the better for it. Things like this are further bolstered by the crisp and booming sound design—so much to love in this regard.
Paul and Feyd-Rautha duel in the final fight of Dune: Part Two.
This is all, then, to say nothing of the brilliant performances from the star-studded cast. Chalamet and Zendaya offer career-defining performances here. I was never thrilled with either of them in the past; they had roles I enjoyed them in, but nothing I would write home about. Their work here in Dune: Part Two surpasses all their prior work, though, and leaves me excited to see what they’ll do moving forward.
Rebecca Ferguson is simply dominant in her role as Lady Jessica, a character who takes a very interesting turn as a semi-villainous presence throughout the film, as opposed to her caring nature in the previous film. And Javier Bardem absolutely shines as Stilgar, serving equal parts as a bit of comedic relief and as perhaps the film’s strongest example of the dangers of blind faith and religious zeal. Alongside them, Josh Brolin delivers his usual brand of staunch work, as expected, in the role of Gurney Halleck.
Javier Bardem as Stilgar
The lead trio of Harkonnens, including the aforementioned Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha, Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladamir Harkonnen, and Dave Bautista as Rabban, all deliver exceptional performances as well. Butler notably stands out for obvious reasons; it’s clear to see how much he enjoyed playing a psychotic villain. Going into this movie, I was most excited to see him, and I’m glad to say he didn’t disappoint. Léa Seydoux also has a very commanding presence in her brief appearance as Margot Fenring, working mostly alongside Butler and basically owning all of her scenes.
If there were any two characters I wanted more from, it was Florence Pugh and Christopher Walken as Princess Irulan and the Emperor, respectively. What they have here is solid, especially in Pugh’s case—she gives a collected and understated performance, for sure—but it just seems like the story didn’t have the time to flesh them out or utilize them more. That said, I have every confidence that at least the Princess will become more prominent in the inevitable third chapter of this sprawling story.
On that final note, though, I can’t imagine this franchise not getting at least one more movie. If nothing else, this film is going to make a lot of money on principle alone (it’s too big not to), which is primarily what studios want to see when backing another project from a director and crew. Thankfully, though, Dune: Part Two also succeeds in just being a phenomenal piece of cinematic storytelling, so it’s hard to see a world where Villeneuve doesn’t get to adapt Dune: Messiah next. And I’m so very, very excited for that.
The explosive climax of Dune: Part Two
Villeneuve and his collaborators have come together to create one of the greatest sci-fi spectacles of our time with Dune: Part Two. Between the powerful story, the magnitude of the world that’s been created here, and the brilliant performances and music, there’s just so much to enjoy. This is just one of those films you have to see on the big screen, so make sure to get to the theater as soon as possible (I highly recommend IMAX, if you can). I can assure you, this will be a movie to remember for years and years to come, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.