Dune: Part Two Review – A Powerful Saga of Epic Proportions!

Dune by Frank Herbert from the year 1965, has always been one of the most influential science fiction stories since its publication in 1965. In 1984 David Lynch created the first film adaptation followed by Denis Villenueve’s vision of the story in 2021 with Dune: Part One.

Without harboring too much on Dune’s first installment, it struggled majorly with developing a standalone film that was able to capture the thematic depth, emotional weight, and character appeal that it was going for. As a result, walking into Dune: Part Two felt like a bit of a gamble, however Denis Villenueve (Sicario and Blade Runner 2049 fame) built majorly on the first installment where the epicness of its script and cinematic scope came to fruition the way it was intended.

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Last time we saw Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Furguson), they escaped from the hand of the Harkonnen and found refuge with the Fremen people, which includes Chani, the Freman girl Paul had visions of in Dune: Part One. The Fremen of the South still believe in an ancient prophecy revealing that a Messiah will one day free their people and lead them to a version of Paradise.

One of the leading Fremen Stilgar (Javier Bardem) believes that Paul is the chosen prophet and his presence is written to lead his people and step into this destined role. With the Harkonnens still waging war against the Fremen and what is left of House Atreides, Paul and the Fremen must protect planet Arrakis. Introducing new characters including Princess Irulan, the Emperor’s daughter (Florence Pugh), Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen’s youngest nephew (Austin Butler), and the face of the Emperor finally being revealed (Christopher Walken), this movie elevates its script from its predecessor.

Dune: Part Two does an excellent job of expanding its themes and story with various intriguing character arcs and relationships that play out steadily over its two hour and 46 minute runtime. The special effects of the film are fabulous and anyone who loves science fiction and grand scope filmmaking will love Dune: Part Two. However, what Villenueve succeeds at is taking his time to develop the story and thematic principles to create a deeper story of power and faith that coincide with intense action and special effects. The story unfolds slower than other cinematic epics but not in a way that sacrifices immersion in its entire work.

Dune: Part Two allows everything to come together that was only given to us in breadcrumbs in the first film. Its focus on the dangers of false prophets and blind faith is examined in the characters of Paul and Stilgar. Villenueve’s ability to not turn a blind eye to how scary it is for stories of hope to blind individuals in order to essentially “enslave them,” as Chani states, is a bold concept for a film in today’s climate.

Although is is not necessarily a surprise how various characters from the first film change in their ideologies and actions (given that House Atreides always had the intent of controlling Arakkis one way or another rather than leaving it to its rightful people) audiences rarely see its main figures go from rooting for their success to becoming a danger to themselves and others. It emphasizes the risk of obtaining too much power regardless of previous “good” intentions.

Dune: Part Two’s young cast perpetuates the idea of creating a better world and how power can alter even the most “well minded” people. Concept of how bloodline and familial ascension in power are revealed through Villenueve’s vision of the story. The focus on the Bene Gesserit and the prophecy they created with the ability to enslave the minds of the Freman by then fulfilling their own prophecy is so frightening.

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And the film’s ability to create parallels between our own reality and this fictional world take the story of Dune to an entirely different level. Denis Villenueve outdid himself with this new chapter and between the cinematography by Greig Fraser and the effects, while never losing sight of a powerful story at hand is what makes this movie a major success.

‘Dune: Part Two’ Rating – 4.5/5

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