written by: Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts
produced by: Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Denis Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe
& Patrick McCormick
directed by: Denis Villeneuve
rated: PG-13 (for sequences of strong violence, some suggestive material and brief strong language)
runtime: 165 min.
U.S. release date: March 1, 2024
“Dune: Part Two” continues director Denis Villeneuve’s devotion to bringing Frank Herbert’s literary sci-fi classic to the big-screen, with an emphasis on grand world-building and a spectacle of sound and vision. Indeed, the biggest screen possible is where this ambitious continuation should be experienced. When his previous movie, “Dune”, was released in 2021, it was released on HBO Max (now just “Max”), the same day as its theatrical release, after multiple release date delays due to COVID-19 and to avoid competition from other movies. Once the movie was met with predominate praise from critics and moviegoers (even some loyal Herbert fans), it made sense that another movie would come, especially considering the “To Be Continued” ending it had.
Villeneuve always had in mind a second part, considering the last movie opened with a “Part One” proclamation on screen, even though such a distinction wasn’t in the title. Either that or his hope was as strong as his ambition.
Now the director has returned to finish what he began, along with the same cast of characters, as well as a handful of new ones. Like the last movie, there are still moments from Herbert’s novel left out, just like there were in David Lynch’s cult classic adaptation from 1984. But Villeneuve, who co-wrote with Jon Spaihts (replacing Eric Roth, who co-wrote the last screenplay), has omitted them knowing what translates best to a medium fueled by what can be seen and heard. Such decisions made sense for Lynch’s one movie and Villeneuve’s two movies. What both have in common is that they’ve mined the material and captured the essence. Villeneuve benefits from a bigger budget and today’s technological advancements that aid the visual effects (both practical and special) applied.
War has broken out on Arrakis, finding the armies under the House Harkonnen battling the indigenous Fremen warriors over the coveted spice the desert planet offers. The exiled young Duke, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), believed to be dead, has sided with the fierce Fremen, living among them with his surviving parent, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), now pregnant with his sister. While some among them believe the mother and son to be spies, two Fremen watch Paul closely with curiosity. Young warrior, Chani (Zendaya), is apprehensive at first, but sees a certain sincerity in Paul, while Fremen tribal leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem) is convinced Paul is the “Lisan Al Gaib” and he and Jessica are the prophesied mother-and-son from the “Outer World” that will bring prosperity to Arrakis, despite the misgivings of the elders.
Paul is aware of his inevitable messiah status, thanks to the visions he’s had for some time now. It’s within those visions where he was first enchanted by Chani, and the two are now becoming gradually close during Paul’s short time amongst the Fremen. That’ll happen when you ambush Harkonnen transports together. Jessica has no choice but to become the new Reverend Mother of the Fremen, requiring her to drink the toxic Water of Life (fatal to men, tolerable for women), ingesting “centuries of pain and sorrow” which awakens her unborn daughter, providing them with a unique, albeit creepy, ability to communicate. Lately, Paul’s visions of a holy war on Arrakis have increased, as well as a suspicion that his mother’s transformation may complicate the future.
Nevertheless, Paul remains steadfast in his support of the Fremen, determined to learn their ways and take an important position of leadership against the Harkonnen colonizers. The ultimate test requires Paul to ride a giant sandworm, which he does in a momentous sequence set to a swelling Hans Zimmer score and captivating cinematographer Greig Fraser (who lensed the last chapter), earning him Fremen names “Usul” and “Muad’Dib” (pronounced “Maud Deep”, which has a comical meaning). The kid now has as many nicknames and titles as he does fingers on one hand.
Meanwhile, the morbidly obese Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) with his black oil baths, is let down by his nephew Rabban’s (Dave Bautista) inability to maintain control of the Fremen situation. Despite the Harkonnen attempts at increasing spice production, the Fremen continued to destroy their reserves and any growth opportunities. To apply the needed pressure, the Baron recruits his other nephew, Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), Rabban’s younger brother and heir to House Harkonnen, an unhinged warrior with a volatile bloodlust.
There was already quite an assembly of characters in the last movie, resulting in characters played by Zendaya and Bardem not getting much screen time. Viewers unfamiliar with the source material felt jipped by Villeneuve’s ending of “Dune”, while those in the know knew full well that “Part Two” would provide more screen time for Chani and Stilgar. As a result, this second chapter benefits from what the two actors bring to these roles. Both actors bring unexpected multi-dimensions to their characters, as well as much-needed levity and vulnerability. “Part Two” is also concerned with how and where the Fremen live in this vast sandscape, residing in underground cave systems, called sietchs, expanding on the culture of these mysterious people with eyes of electric blue.
Another returning character is a welcome one and that is Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), Paul’s mentor and former Atreides military leader, who was thought dead yet has survived on Arrakis in his own way. He and Paul are equally surprised to see each other – especially Paul, who needs a father figure and a connection to his lineage. Gurney proves to be a valuable asset to Paul and Brolin’s portrayal also brings a welcome presence, often commenting on events with a weary comical sarcasm and needed tactical wisdom. For a movie that focuses more on spectacle than characterization, it helps to have a stellar cast making the most of their screen time.
As for the characters introduced in “Part Two”, there are three that stand out, primarily due to casting. We meet Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), the Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe, who comes across as in over his hand, frail, and tired – but, could that be because the veteran actor is miscast the role? I think so.
The Emperor’s daughter, Princess Irulan (a welcome Florence Pugh), is an intriguing character, who uncovers an injustice and a revelation. No doubt, we’ll see more of her in the expected “Part Three”, but Pugh is quite captivating in her limited screen time here. We also meet Lady Margot Fenring (Léa Seydoux), a younger member of the Bene Gesserit (a sisterhood with powerful religious, political, and social ties) who is assigned by Gaius Helen Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) to seduce Feyd-Rautha to gain control over the Harkonnens. Each of these characters expands the Dune world that Villeneuve has created, adding more complexities for young Paul and Chani to contend with and tying into a climactic showdown and heart-wrenching decision that greatly impacts the couple and quite possibly the universe (which will no doubt be determined in the next chapter).
The scale and depth are grander in “Part Two” with noticeable visual achievements at the forefront of the production. The story here delves deeper into the mechanizations at play in this game of power, while touching on the influence that authority and religion have on many of the characters we follow.
Most curious in “Dune: Part Two” is the division among the Fremen, something Paul observes during his leadership journey. Some of them are warriors while others are zealots who rely more on century-old prophecy. Paul has to figure out what he aligns with and whether or not he can influence both sides. Chani is grouped with the warriors and Stilgar clings to the prophecy, yet Paul respects both of them. The screenplay could’ve benefitted from a clearer understanding of the philosophical differences between the Fremen, especially those of the North and the South. I was left with a vague (or “good enough”) understanding of it all since it seemed like that was all that would be offered. Alas, the same could be said for any details involving the Water of Life.
While the chemistry between Chalamet and Zendaya is believable, not enough time is given for the two characters to share with each other who they are and what they want. What they have is more of an unspoken connection – communicated with the use of many shots of furrowed brows – and mileage may vary on that approach for some viewers. At least they are more convincing than Anakin and Padme were in “Attack of the Clones”, that’s for sure.
Villeneuve and Fraser’s decision to introduce Butler’s Feyd-Rautha in an extended all-black-and-white sequence is effective. It’s a cool monochromatic break from the colorful palette the rest of the movie offers, and it also provides more Harkonnen screen time than the previous movie. But, the downside is how one-dimensional all these pasty-white ragers are. It’s comical how the Harkonnens with the most screentime are Baron and his nephews, who communicate with a guttural mumble or scream at the top of their lungs. The only in-between is the knife-licking Butler, who is at his best when the camera strictly observes his physique and his stone-cold stares.
Still, I don’t expect to have a better understanding of the Harkonnens from any movie adaptation of Herbert’s work. After all, the strength of the material comes through based on how it is visually presented. For those disappointed in the ending of the last movie, you may feel a little of that again with “Part Two”. Granted, there’s a bit more closure here, making the last movie and this movie simply feel like one movie (which it really is) and the next one being the true “Part Two”, but whatever.
I watched “Dune: Part Two” with my 17-year-old daughter, the same person I watched the last one with. At the end of “Part Two”, she said aloud, “See now this is my Star Wars”, which makes total sense. Granted, she’s a die-hard Chalamet fan, but she was definitely enthralled by the story here. I was grateful to have that shared experience with her and found myself aligned with her. No doubt the exceptional visuals, spot-on costumes and set designs, along with the stellar cast, more than make up for anything I found lacking in the storytelling.
RATING: ***1/2
