Denis Villeneuve’s much anticipated follow-up to the 2021 Dune is an immense, intense and immersive sensory feast that begs to be seen on the largest screen possible.
I enjoyed Villeneuve’s bold adaptation of what was long considered to be an unfilmable classic sci-fi novel, and I had little reason to doubt that his second Dune movie would deliver. Villeneuve’s entrancing vision of the world originally created by Frank Herbert may not be quite as revelatory second time around, and part of me missed the hypnotic vibe of the first installment that’s less present in this more fast-paced, busier second part. However, the expanded scope, new visual wonders and exploration of themes only hinted on in the first movie more than made up for it.
Part Two continues the journey of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) right from where Part One left, with Paul and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) escaping the massacre of the House Atreides and finding refuge with the Fremen, the native tribe of Arrakis. It also ended with Paul finally meeting the literal girl of his dreams, Chani (Zendaya). As the battle for control of Arrakis between the Fremen and villainous Harkonnens intensifies, Paul finds himself questioning the part he’s meant to play. Should he embrace the role of the long-prophesied Fremen Messiah, or avoid the course that could bring on untold suffering and devastation?
It could be because David Lynch’s Dune is my most recent memory rather than the original novel, but I was genuinely surprised by how Paul’s story in this version is emphatically a tragedy and cautionary tale, rather than a simple rousing saga of triumph and righteous revenge. It really drives home the danger of power, religious fanaticism and charismatic messianic figures. Even more surprisingly, it also manages to mine some humour from blind belief, at times skating almost too close to Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
At this point, dictionaries need to come up with brand new synonyms for words like massive, epic, awe-inspiring and breathtaking, for surely they have already been exhausted when trying to describe the visual magnificence of Part Two. Its seamless blend of imaginative art direction, top-tier special effects and stunning cinematography was meant for the full glory of IMAX Melbourne screen, with Hans Zimmer’s thunderous score shaking your very bones. I’m a natural sucker for the dreamlike, arresting desert imagery, however my personal favourite was the eerie, nightmarish, H.R. Giger-inspired vision of Harkonnens’ home world Giedi Prime, with a black sun that sucks all the colour from the outdoor scenes.
Part Two does suffer from some pacing issues, with a third act that feels a tad too rushed and could have used another fifteen minutes or so. Overall Villeneuve does a good job keeping the story nimble, relying on visual storytelling where possible and avoiding excessive exposition. As a book adaptation, it makes a few drastic changes, concerning in particular the characters of Chani and Paul’s younger sister Alia. While they worked for me just fine in the context of this film, I was left feeling curious and maybe a smidge concerned as to how these changes would be reconciled in the inevitable adaptation of Dune Messiah.
Paul is a fairly passive protagonist in the first Dune, with tinges of a sulky adolescent, but the character’s transformation from a young pup to a feared messiah in the second part demands Timothee Chalamet to step up in a big way. He does so impressively, forever quelling any doubts I ever had about his casting. Paul and Chani’s romance may not be one of all-time greats, but it’s sweet and believable enough, and Zendaya (who was mostly familiar to me as a social media darling rather than an actress) is solid in a role that’s crucial to conveying the movie’s themes and messages. Rebecca Ferguson is chillingly effective as the more ruthless, slippery Jessica, who uses her new role as the Reverend Mother of the Fremen to fan the flames of religious fervour. Javier Bardem as the Fremen leader Stilgar takes over from Jason Momoa in the first film as a much-needed source of levity, at times lending a comic edge to Stilgar’s unshakable belief.
As for the newcomers, I had mixed feelings about Christopher Walken as the subdued and colourless Emperor, but everyone else felt like a welcome addition, with Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan and barely-there Anya Taylor-Joy set to play more significant roles in the third film. Austin Butler is the scene-stealing standout as Feyd-Rautha, Baron Harkonnen’s psychotic, sadistic and perversely playful nephew, clearly having a ball in a gleefully over-the-top performance. At times Villeneuve’s take on Dune feels like it could have used a bit more weirdness, so it makes me happy to see bizarre little details like Feyd-Rautha’s pet harem of cannibalistic women thrown in now and then.
Both ethereal and brutal, Dune: Part Two is more than worth the wait, with a few shortcomings easily outweighed by its technical brilliance, compelling story and transporting world-building. I am very curious as to how Villeneuve can wrap up Paul’s story, and tackle the less audience-friendly aspects of Herbert’s later books, but based on the evidence so far he could definitely pull it off despite the hurdles.
P.S. After almost thirty years of pronouncing Baron’s name as Har-KON-nen, I’m too old to change it to HAR-konnen as per the film… sorry not sorry.
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