Review - Dune: Part Two
Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
Written by: Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts
Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Josh Brolin
Running Time: 167 minutes
Rating: 4/5
They said it couldn’t have been done. Fear is the mind-killer.
Frank Herbert’s Dune has been celebrated as one of the most influential and powerful works of literary science fiction for decades. Since its release back in 1965, there have been many attempts to adapt Herbert’s work across film and television - to each of its own varying degrees of arguable success. In 2021, Canadian auteur, Denis Villeneuve brought it upon himself to tackle another adaptation of Herbert’s Dune. The film was a critical and box office darling; taking home six Oscars out of 10 nominations and grossing an incredible $400 million worldwide. With absolute confidence, Villeneuve released the film as a Part One pending a greenlight of its forthcoming sequel. Delayed with the SAG-AFTRA strikes at the later end of 2023, Villeneuve returns with Dune: Part Two; a leviathan in sight and sound, a tremendous feat in science fiction filmmaking.
Villeneuve whisks audiences back into the world of spice; reuniting them with the journey of Paul Atreides, who, after the fall of his Noble House, is seeking refuge with the Fremen, a nomadic people native to Arrakis. As the Harkonnen grow near, Paul finds himself called to be a chosen leader; a prophesied messiah to the Fremen people, a leader and the chosen one to bring paradise to the world. Disillusioned by those around him yet driven his destiny to avenge House Atreides, Paul unites a broken people in hopes of banishing the Harkonnens from Arrakis. The Atreides blood that was once fueled by honour and hope, feels ravaged by fear and pain, an intensity that builds into anger and control. Timothee Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson are astounding in their commanding performances as the remaining survivors of House Atreides. Bound by love and blood, the two dominate every scene with masterful control and confidence; a brooding intensity that slowly controls and overwhelms. As the Baron seeks to wholly eliminate all that stands in his way, he commands his nephew, Feyd-Rautha, a sociopathic megalomaniac to become the heir to Arrakis. A violent, treacherous and cruel man, Feyd-Rautha becomes the perfect foil to the rising Paul. Austin Butler astonishes with an uncontrollable physicality; a force only matched by spilled blood and a thirst for death. Butler’s unrelenting shadow is haunting, powerful and visceral.
From the breathtaking sandswept desert and the crescent moons of Arrakis, to the monochrome corruption of the Harkonnen homeworld of Giedi Prime and the calming rains of the outside planets, Dune: Part Two is a majestic experience of wonder and awe. Every frame feels meticulous in design, capturing the soaring landscapes of the world to the intricacies of human condition. Every gasp of air, every primal scream, every tear shed and every kiss given; Villeneuve captures the heartbeat of Herbert's expansive story with precision and passionate catharsis. With its overarching (and sometimes, overwhelming) themes of religion, power and prophecy and destiny, it feels a little ironic that Villeneuve crafts Part Two’s character moments as more intimate than its predecessor. There are many moments in the film that feature a lingering close up of a character; whether it be Paul, Feyd-Rautha or even Chani, Part Two’s scope may feel drastically larger, it feels like Villeneueve never loses sight of Herbert’s characters. No matter the scale of conflict, world-building or plethora of motivations; Part Two somehow feels smaller.
Even in the largest of set pieces; from Harkonnen ambushes in the desert to large scale battle sequences between hundreds of Fremen and Harkonnen, the film makes it a point to reduce its action on screen in favour of ensuring the audience only follows its named characters. You won’t find extended battle sequences across multiple points-of-view of soldiers, Fremen or civilians. Villeneuve makes it a point to capture the scale of the conflict in establishing shots and then follows one or two characters to make it through the conflict and progress the story. That being said, there is one sequence in this film that is made for the cinema, from its blaring IMAX sound mixing to the 70mm projection, Villeneueve delivers some of the most enthralling and visually powerful sequences in recent memory.
What may seem surprising for many is how Part Two is only eleven minutes longer than its predecessor; but feels significantly longer in pace and narrative. While it might feel like a detriment, the film unabashedly takes its time in expanding Paul’s journey and relationship with the Fremen. The first half of the time feels like an extended training montage in Paul’s journey - a detour of sorts, from the primary conflict. It is only in the second half, after Feyd-Rautha is introduced, that the film begins to pick up steam in its building towards an ultimate confrontation. Part One allows Villeneuve to set the table, politically, strategically and cinematically speaking; introducing the main motivations, characters and turning points in their lives. Part Two takes everything that Part One does right and stretches it across its runtime - albeit with the time with the Fremen feeling a little slow and glacial in pace.
When all is said and done, it is hard to say where Villeneuve’s Dune series will stand against the leagues of cinematic science fiction. A rare studio blockbuster epic that swoons and romanticizes a world woven deep in political complexities, religious prophecies and enigmatic characters. Villeneuve’s passion for Herbert’s material is undeniable in its gargantuan scale and cinematic glory. Some may consider Dune: Part Two this generation’s The Empire Strikes Back, and while I am hesitant to cement the film as impactful as Lucas’ foundation; Dune: Part Two will certainly stun, mystify and command your attention and surround you with some of the best science fiction sequences in recent memory.
Dune: Part Two extinguishes any doubt of Villeneuve’s talent, for it is a prophetic foretelling of a future Oscar on the horizon. Trust in Villeneuve.
For fear is the mind-killer.
