“You underestimate the power of faith.”
With 2021’s Dune, Denis Villeneuve set a very high bar for himself. Delivering the perfect amount of exposition that managed to feel epic yet extremely personal but never overwhelming, the first installment that introduced audiences to the unforgivingly cruel world of Dune was crafted with a masterful hand. So, needless to say, given how well the first one was made, there was much anticipation for Villeneuve to deliver something just as incredible for the sequel. And let me tell you: Villeneuve does not disappoint. Meeting and even exceeding expectations, Dune: Part Two is a totally stunning continuation of the first movie. There’s Fremen, more Bene Gesserit, more political warfare, and yes, more giant sandworms. Dune: Part Two is utterly epic!
Picking up right where the first movie left off, Part Two sees Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his Bene Gesserit mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) becoming fully immersed into the Fremen culture on the spice-filled, desert planet of Arrakis. Though many are reluctant to accept the suspicious outsiders into their home, through the insistence of one of the best Fremen fighters, Chani (Zendaya), who vouches for Paul’s fighting abilities and sincerity, and the pious tribe leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem), who sees signs that Paul and Lady Jessica may be the ones to fulfill the Arrakis prophecy to bring the planet prosperity, both very quickly become vital parts to the Fremen people, though maybe dangerously so as Paul and especially Lady Jessica aim to exploit the religious fanaticism surrounding Paul’s identity. All the while, the Fremen as a whole continue to fight off the black-clad and ruthless Harkonnen who killed off House Atreides and now control Arrakis and the spice harvesting.
Just like the first film, there is a vast richness to the story and characters of Dune: Part Two. Co-writers Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts not only dive deeper into the characters that we already know by exploring their dangerous personal and political agendas, but they also set to further expand the world by letting us finally lay eyes on the aforementioned Emperor (Christopher Walken) and his daughter, Princess Irulan Corrino (Florence Pugh), who, interestingly enough, actually introduces the film by recounting the genocide of House Atreides on Arrakis and the aftermath of it – a brilliant way to set up the giant stage and increasing stakes of this sequel, in my opinion.
And without giving too much away, the character developments of Paul and Lady Jessica, as well as really getting to know and learn about Chani and Stilgar (and their differences), heavily serve as vehicles to really hone in on the over-arching religious themes of this franchise.
With Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, but especially being the one to helm this space odyssey franchise, Villeneuve is seriously cementing himself as one of the most exciting directors in Hollywood right now and perhaps one of the best science-fiction directors to ever live. A bold statement, I know, but there is no doubting the talent he possesses for portraying worlds such as Dune on such a vast scale. Especially having the privilege and pleasure of witnessing this film on an IMAX screen, Villeneuve wastes not an inch nor a centimeter of the giant frame. Whether it is to show the colossus proportions of futuristic buildings, endless scores of worshippers crowding around just to catch a glimpse of a single person, or of course, showing just how giant THREE giant sandworms are (I could go on and on), there are so many shots in this film that impress upon your mind the gigantic proportion of the story while also being absolutely stunning while doing it. This is a director that knows how to completely immerse an audience in not just a film, but a whole world.
Dune was amazing, but Dune: Part Two feels like it is on another level. Free from having to lay out a bunch of exposition, this sequel is a great expansion of the world that is able to keep with the tone and pace of the first film, while also being able to give it a lot more room for other great facets like some pretty sweet action and fighting sequences. And yes, you could wait to watch it at home, but movies like this are made to be seen on the big screen. You will be in awe of the beauty of this film while its almost three-hour runtime absolutely flies by. I’ve said it once already, but there’s no other word to perfectly describe this movie so I’ll say it again: Dune: Part Two is totally EPIC!
Dune: Part Two is now playing in theaters nationwide.
MPAA Rating: PG-13.
Runtime: 166 mins
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writer: Denis Villeneuve; Jon Spaihts
Cast: Timothée Chalamet; Zendaya; Rebecca Ferguson
Genre: Action | Adventrue
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote: "Your father didn't believe in revenge.""
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Bros.
Official Site:
Release Date: March 1, 2024
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.
