Director Denis Villeneuve has done it again. Look out everyone, ‘Dune: Part Two’ has arrived. It’s a visually stunning blockbuster that deserves to be seen on the big screen. Some are saying, it is better than the first one. Let’s not forget, ‘Dune: Part One’ introduced us to the world of spice and sandworms. There is certainly more action in the second installment since the foundation has already been established. Anyway you slice it, ‘Dune: Part Two’ is an entertaining space opera. I believe it will do well at the box office and guarantee a projected trilogy based on Herbert’s 1969 book, ‘Dune Messiah.’
If you don’t remember much about the first Dune, don’t feel like you must watch it again to enjoy the second one. The albino-looking clan the Harkonnen massacre the House Atreides and their leader Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac). Son Paul (Timothee Chalamat) and mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) are taken in by the Fremen, native inhabitants of the planet Arrakis. Paul who has prophetic powers wants vengeance on the Harkonnens and wants to help liberate the Fremen. That’s it in a nutshell.
Once you hear the thump, thump, thump sounds, be prepared. This summons the sandworms to appear. Like an opera, Villeneuve knows how to balance the silence of the desert with the boom of war. Hans Zimmer’s thrilling score adds to the spectacle. Like Paul, we begin to appreciate the Fremens for their skills on the battlefield and their mystical beliefs. It appears to be inevitable that there will be a war between the Fremens and the invading Harkonnens led by the Baron (Stellan Skarsgard). His two nephew henchman, Glossu Rababan (Dave Bautista) and Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler) will do anything in their power to keep control of the valuable resource “spice.”
To me, the fascinating power play truly lies with the women called Bene Gessserit. They have superpowers and wear fancy head dresses. They are led by Charlotte Rampling and now Ferguson’s Lady Jessica. Once she drinks the electric blue worm juice, it’s all over. She transforms into a Reverend Mother. You would think these women would be able to rule the planet but they let the men do the dirty work. The Bene Gesserit has bigger fish to fry. They are working on creating a superhuman. If this all seems to be a bit daunting, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Villeneuve is a master storyteller. He understands that for a big epic to work, it is best to show and not tell. This is why he is so good at science fiction. Some of his other films like ‘Arrival’ and ‘Blade Runner 2049’ perfectly illustrate how he tells a story through stunning images.
It is not necessary to compare Dune: Part One and Two. The two films do an excellent job unpacking the dense plot of the book. If anything, there are probably too many side players. I don’t believe it was necessary to give so much screen time to Austin Butler’s character. I’m not criticizing his performance but his backstory dragged for me. The female characters were far more interesting to me. I would like to see more of Anya Taylor-Joy, Florence Pugh and Lea Seydoux in the next film.
Once again, Timothee Chalamet proves he has the acting chops to be the hero. He still loves Zendaya’s character to the last breath. He brings a certain degree of vulnerability to the role. It is not an easy job being a prophesied messiah. War is coming. Villeneuve is already busy writing the screenplay for ‘Dune: Part Three.’ Save me a seat in the back row. I’m in!
