About three years after the first “Dune” movie was released, director Denis Villeneuve and his stellar cast of actors set out to make a highly anticipated sequel to the big hitting original film.
Released on March 8, 2024, “Dune: Part Two” continues the conflict of war between the Atreides and Harkonnen dynasties over the spice-enriched fields of Arrakis while also exploring the love story between Paul (Timothee Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya) through important stages in their lives.
(Warning: Spoilers Ahead)
To start off, the film wastes no time recapping the first movie. The viewers are transported into the world of Arrakis. We then see our first look at Paul, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), Chani and the Freman, natives of Arrakis, stalking the Harkonnen invasion. The scene then jumps into action-packed fighting filled with explosives, leaving the Harkonnens defeated this time.
The film slowly progresses forward with Chani and Paul growing a deeper connection, but also Paul learning the ways of the Fremen. While learning how to be one with the desert, Stilgar (Javier Bardem), a leader of the Fremen, is convinced that Paul is the chosen one that has been talked about among his people for generations.
On another planet, the Emperor, Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken) counsels his daughter Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) and the Reverend Mother (Charlotte Rampling) on the state of Arrakis. It is revealed that Shaddam was solely responsible for the demise of the House of Atreides, and is at the top of Paul’s revenge list. At the same time, Princess Irulan serves as the narrator for the family, which I really enjoyed because it helped the audience understand the plot.
After the consensus from the Emperor and his family that Paul could still be alive and is taking over the planet of Arrakis, they travel to the planet Giedi Prime, the land of the Harkonnens, to find Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), supposedly the only one who will stop Paul and the Fremen.
The scenes on Giedi Prime were by far my favorite because of the black and white planet. It really showed that this planet was not somewhere anyone wanted to go on compared to the visually appealing color everywhere else. All of the people on this planet are also black and white and it gives a stellar touch to the film that is expected in a sci-fi movie.
As the film progresses, Lady Jessica and the older Fremen work to spread the word of Paul being the Messiah, and while that is happening Paul, Chani and the younger Fremen defend their planet. I was happy with the amount of action, explosives and overall fighting this movie included. The first film could be described as boring, but I now realize it was used as background information for the detail this film has.
Gearing up for the Harkonenn’s final descent hoping to destroy the Fremen and the Arrakis, Paul, now leading the Fremen, is also ready for battle with hundreds of Fremen from all parts of Arrakis and the sandworms by his side. Riding in hot for the final battle, it is an intense last 30 minutes of the film. After destroying most of the Harkonnens’ ships, Paul and the Fremen meet face-to-face with the Feyd-Rautha, the Emperor and his family. As they try to sort out their differences, Paul and Fayd-Rautha hash out their people’s differences one-on-one.
This fight scene alone was the best part of the movie. It was unpredictable because of how good Feyd-Rautha was at fighting, and it was back and forth the whole way. The scene had no music and was just sounds of knives slashing through the air, and heavy grunting showing a hard battle. In the end, Paul is victorious and by default, takes leadership as the Messiah of Arrakis and Princess Irulian as his wife, setting up the third installment of the series
Overall, “Dune: Part Two” doesn’t miss in any aspect. Between the visual effects, defiant performances, and strong storyline, this movie sets itself apart from every other sci-fi movie and allows itself to be compared to the “Lord of the Rings” or even “Star Wars.” The film took a huge step from the first film and it even made it make more sense.
4.8/5
