By: Alex Kuhn @magaman28
Dune Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t seen Dune parts one and two yet, I recommend doing so before reading this review. Unlike recent sci-fi works, you won’t be disappointed.
Denis Villeneuve had already become something of a household name before Dune: Part Two was released in theaters. Most of his previous films, including Sicario and Blade Runner 2049, were critical hits with audiences everywhere. However, when he announced his decision to take on the Dune mythology, I, for one, was skeptical. David Lynch had already attempted to tackle Dune in the 80s and failed miserably. Personally, I struggle to make it past the first 30 minutes of that film. To my surprise, therefore, when Dune: Part One was released, I was blown away by how amazing it was.
That set the stage for my excitement when Dune: Part Two trailers began appearing on the internet. After seeing it last weekend, I can tell you it’s a treat, even a little better than Dune: Part One. The cinematography is jaw-dropping. The acting is top-tier, with Austin Butler doing a killer job in his role as Feyd-Rautha. The soundtrack, composed by the legendary Hans Zimmer, is gorgeous as he manages to weave passionate chords through every scene. A particularly poignant moment comes as Paul rides the sandworm for the first time, and the audience is pulled into Stilgar’s feeling of triumph through the music.
The plot of the movie picks up with Paul and his mother, Jessica, the only survivors of House Atreides after an attack by House Harkonnen in Part One, attempting to fit in with the Fremen on planet Arrakis, where they have fled, with Paul beginning to learn the ways of the Fremen, including how to sandwalk and ride sandworms. Meanwhile, the Fremen remember a prophecy from the seemingly magical Bene Gesserit sisterhood, which states that one day, a Messiah, the Lisan al Gaib, would come from an Outer World and bring prosperity to Arrakis. Fremen leader, Stilgar, is constantly in awe of Paul, but Chani, Paul’s love interest, takes more persuading. Though her initial reservations are overcome and the two fall in love, at the end of the movie, Chani is ditched by Paul in favor of the Emperor’s daughter. Though she is told Paul will always love her, Chani departs, riding on a sandworm.
Meanwhile, as Paul is learning to ride sandworms, the movie cuts over to Baron Harkonnen’s nephew, Feyd, who is being groomed to take over the throne of Arrakis from his idiotic brother. Feyd slays his opponents in the Harkonnen arena pretty easily, after which he is sent to Arrakis to get rid of Paul. Following Feyd’s arrival, Paul invites the Emperor to join their duel–and he brings with him one of the largest on-screen armies since Return of the King. This kicks off the epic and mesmerizing battle for Arrakis, with the Fremen masterfully utilizing the sandworms to easily kill their opponents. All of this leads to a well-choreographed sword fight between Feyd and Paul, with Paul eventually killing Feyd. Following his victory, he agrees to an arranged marriage with the Emperor’s daughter, Irulan, played by the remarkable Florence Pugh. After dumping Chani, he heads out to do battle with the other houses and claim his throne.
While Paul is initially against the idea of becoming the “Messiah” for the Fremen, Jessica seems to be at counter purposes with him, leading to an interesting subplot. After becoming a Reverend Mother with the Bene Gesserit, she actively uses her status to push the weaker-minded Fremen into believing that Paul is the Messiah. Eventually, she succeeds in her mission, and Paul takes on the role of Messiah after riding a sandworm and drinking the so-called “Water of Life,” a deathly blue liquid. Overall, the religious fervor in the movie is quite palpable.
Dune: Part Two gets a 10/10 for sheer spectacle alone. The only negative is Christopher Walken’s portrayal of the Emperor, who doesn’t really do much. Oddly enough, the fact that he isn’t wearing much makeup is quite distracting. I can only hope he doesn’t play a large role in the next installment, Dune Messiah.