Dune: Part Two - Review
Rating: 9.5/10
DUNE: PART TWO is much darker in tone and a more ambitious story than its predecessor. DUNE was already a masterpiece but this sequel somehow elevates the epic scale, breathtaking action sequences, powerful themes and compelling characters even further and it’s capped off with a thunderously unforgettable conclusion. This film cements Denis Villeneuve as one of the greatest Sci-Fi directors of all time.
This captivating story is filled with political machinations and religious zealotry, and just like the previous instalment, this film brilliantly balances the jaw-dropping visuals and stellar action sequences with the more intimate character moments. The story also takes more risks than the previous film, which makes for a much more compelling story.
A shining example of this ambitious storytelling is the incredible and tragic character arc of the protagonist Paul Atreides. His transformation as a character by the end of this film is truly astonishing, especially considering where he started as a character in the previous film. Denis Villeneuve does a better job than the original novel’s author Frank Herbert of clearly communicating to the audience the true nature of Paul Atreides. Frank Herbert himself stated in old interviews that a lot his readers misread his thematic message for the novel and his true intentions with the character of Paul, which is why he wrote the follow-up novel Dune Messiah. Denis Villeneuve honors Frank Herbert’s true intentions and makes them very clear by the end of this film.
The entire ensemble cast give marvelous performances but the standouts for me are Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan. Zendaya as Chani has a much more prominent role in this film and Villeneuve makes more changes from the novel with her character, but the film is better for it as he adds more depth to Chani and makes her relationship with Paul more conflicting and therefore much more intriguing to follow.
My only 2 negatives for this film is that I felt Christopher Walken was miscast and underused as Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV and the resolution for Josh Brolin's character Gurney Halleck in the 3rd act was rushed and anticlimactic.
All the crafts and technical departments have outdone themselves yet again, but the biggest standout to me is cinematographer Greig Fraser. I’ve been a fan of his exceptional work for a while now, but he has truly transcended in his art as a cinematographer for this film. This is easily the best work of his career and rivals only Roger Deakins on BLADERUNNER 2049 for my favorite cinematography in a film.
The pacing is pretty good considering the long runtime of 2 hours and 46 minutes, but there were some scenes in the 1st act that dragged a bit for me. The story takes some time to get moving but it’s crucial to develop the relationship between Paul and Chani and to flesh out the culture of the Fremen. The 2nd half of the film more than makes up for it with its break-neck pace and incredible storytelling. Aside from the slow-burn in the 1st act, the film’s overall pacing is pretty good, especially since the 3rd act hits you like a freight train. The last 50 minutes are pure cinematic perfection.
DUNE: PART TWO is an audacious cautionary tale filled with stunning visuals, exquisite action, and emotionally resonant character arcs, and the powerful themes of blind faith, destiny and control interweaved throughout this epic make for an instant Sci-Fi classic.
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writer(s): Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts
Runtime: 2h 46m
Release Date: February 2024
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