Dune: Part Two Is more than just a sequel. It’s a sequel, a culmination and ultimately a fantastic escalation of everything you already loved about director Denis Villeneuve Movie 2021 Dune: Part One. This film ended with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) adopting a new way of life after almost everyone he loved was massacred. After a short break, things go up again here Right where they left off and tell a sweeping, cautionary tale about a young man burdened by destiny and how he will act to fulfill it. The film is dense and complex, but also majestic and captivating on a level that the first film only touched on.
That means something too, because Dune: Part One –which won six well-deserved Oscars for technical achievement– was a remarkable achievement in itself. This time, that skill level isn’t just there again, it could be better. Dune: Part Two looks stunning, full of shots you’d love to hang on your wall. The attention to detail in every frame is masterful, with costumes and props that could be works of art in their own right. You feel every sound and note of the music in both your bones and your heart. It’s also quite strange as it fully respects the voice and originality of author Frank Herbert. Similar to the first film, Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts’ script is designed in such a way that while not every name or concept sticks, the most important parts of the story are easy to understand. Even if you don’t know your Kwisatz Haderach from your Sietch Tabr, you get enough to enjoy it.
But here too you can say the most about the first film. What sets it apart? Dune: Part Two Compared to its predecessor, what stands out are the broader and more layered performances and characterizations, the escalation of tension through the editing and the new additions to the cast that enhance the already exciting material. It all starts with Paul Atreides.
This is Paul’s story. The first film was his story too – but now that he’s broken and lost and living in a whole new culture, Villeneuve focuses entirely on the character’s growth, humility and burgeoning purpose. Take a snapshot of Chalamet in the first scene of the film compared to the last and it would look like two different people. To deserve this, Second part beautifully chronicles Paul’s achievements, decisions and ever-changing state of mind, backed by an award-worthy lead performance from the actor. Anyone who views Chalamet as a generally cute and harmless screen presence is going to have those prejudices blown up big time Dune: Part Two. It goes dark and it’s fantastic.
As Paul begins to realize that he may be the Messiah the Fremen of Arrakis have been waiting for, he is constantly held back by the growing romance he has with Chani, played by Zendaya. Dune: Part Two significantly strengthens her role, not only from the first film but from the original novel, giving Paul both a worthy partner and a formidable voice that challenges his own. Chani stands her ground, speaks her mind, and is never afraid to be defiant, even in the scariest of circumstances. Zendaya’s intense, confident performance creates a character with as interesting and important a storyline in the film as Paul’s. One that embodies many of the film’s most notable themes of religion, prophecy and loyalty.
And during Dune: Part Two focuses mostly on Paul’s side of the story, the villains are much more prevalent and entertaining this time around. part One saw the Harkonnens, led by the Baron (Stellan Starsgård), massacre the entire Atreides family, or so they thought. In the sequel, we not only spent more time with him, but also with his nephews Rabban (Dave Bautista) and Feyd-Rautha, played by Austin Butler. Butler’s Feyd-Rautha is a new addition and he delivers a spooky sci-fi performance the likes of which we haven’t seen in a long time. Rautha is clearly portrayed as a force capable of dethroning Paul, and even though we don’t spend that much time with him, it’s terrifying and intense every time. Through Rautha and Butler’s interpretation of him, we see a completely different perspective on this world and almost a mirror of what Paul could become.
The Harkonnen genocide of the Atreides was committed at the behest of the Emperor, a character missing from the first film but brought to life here by the one and only Christopher Walken. He is often accompanied by his daughter, Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), who acts as an intermediary for all the characters and partly as a narrator. According to Herbert’s novel, neither has much to do in this film, but each actor still has enough presence that their characters blend effortlessly into the world, displaying a presence and authority befitting royalty. Every time they show up, you want to see more of them.
Villeneuve is able to empower Paul and the Harkonnens at the same time, finding an almost superhuman balance between the two sides in editing. The first sections of the film are long and consistent. Then, as the action increases, the speed of the parallel cut increases. Dune: Part Two begins with over an hour of just Paul and the Fremen on the bright, sandy surface of Arrakis. There is no break in history. No cutaways. We get a nice, long, remarkable bit that could form an entire film in itself. Only later does the film turn entirely to the Harkonnens and spend a shorter but still noticeably long (about half an hour) uninterrupted section with them. The transition is so jarring that it almost feels like a sequel within a sequel. As the film progresses, the transitions between scenes become shorter and shorter as the two stories begin to merge, eventually exploding into a brisk, multi-layered third act. This is what consciously increasing the pace means Dune: Part TwoEven after almost three hours, it never gets boring.
So we established ourselves Dune: Part Two looks great, sounds great, has wonderful performances and an exciting pace. Is that it? No. It’s also incredibly fun. Dune: Part One certainly had its share of exciting, action-packed set pieces, but they pale in comparison to those in Second part. From the first time Paul rides a sandworm, to an epic show for Feyd-Rautha, to a full-scale war with Lord of the rings The action scenes offer a cathartic mix of anticipation, excitement and reward. You feel like you’re sitting on a sandworm, in a close-up knife fight, or flying through the air. Villeneuve ensures that his plot has energy no matter the scale, but is also easy to follow, which adds to the enjoyment. For example, scenes of Paul falling through the sand are completely chaotic and blurry. And yet somehow we can see and follow everything perfectly. Additionally, the set pieces are spaced out just enough to increase the pace of the film and keep the ebb and flow of the film engaging throughout.
Probably the biggest challenge of all Dune: Part Two is the story of Paul’s mother Lady Jessica, played by Rebecca Ferguson. The film follows Herbert’s example and quickly sends Jessica on her own journey. One that is crucial both to the all-important lore of this story and to the world at large. However, Jessica’s story is by far the least accessible in the film, simply because it doesn’t adhere to standard mythology or the rules of reality. She looks to the past, to the future, constantly talks to her unborn baby and is rarely easy to understand. That is much. And yet, through Villeneuve’s expert direction and writing, everything that feels strange and uncomfortable about her character and her story ends up contributing so much to the decisions Paul, Chani and the others make in the end. Although at first glance it seems as if Lady Jessica is a burden on the film, one has to trust Villeneuve that the little speed bumps are necessary and ultimately beneficial.
That’s what matters. To be a great director you have to have a vision, and Denis Villeneuve has a vision to spare. When deciding to adapt Frank Herbert’s seemingly inappropriate book dune, this vision was an ambitious venture to split it in half, with no guarantee that the second part would ever be realized. Many probably thought it would never happen. But we trust Villeneuve. He has turned part One to an award-winning hit and now Second part completes, enhances and integrates this already classic film into something new and wonderful.
So if you liked the first one dune and were excited to see the story told in a way that enhanced the original, Dune: Part Two is all that and much more. It’s an excellent character piece told on a grand scale with all the action and visuals you could want. Stars like Chalamet and Zendaya shine, while new characters played by the likes of Butler and Pugh take everything around them to a new level. By keeping the story close to the original novel, Villeneuve ends the film quite abruptly and once again leaves you wanting more. But even if the film were wrapped in a loop, Dune: Part Two is so good, we definitely wish for more. That’s the price we pay for the privilege of seeing the work of a groundbreaking filmmaker who has just completed a definitive science fiction saga for the ages.
Dune: Part Two opens March 1st.
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