Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), on his path toward revenge, joins the Fremen. As they move closer toward House Harkonnen, Paul is tasked with understanding a part of his past that he never knew existed. Dune: Part Two is the follow up to this 2021 smash hit Dune.
My biggest issue with Dune back in 2021 was that I was unable to get to the theater in order to see the beauty of what Writer-Director Denis Villeneuve was able to create. This time around I couldn’t wait to make my way to the theater, because this film, like the film that came before, was going to be stunningly beautiful. While the majority of the film is aesthetically appealing, the reality is that there were a series of opportunities that were squandered throughout the course of Dune: Part Two. Villennueve misses a series of opportunities to use color to tell the story, to make instances of the film more powerful. He misses a number of chances to heighten the drama and raise the stakes of the film–and it shows. Time and time again I rolled my eyes and huffed and puffed because of all that was left on the table. This aspect of the film could have been so much better, and the finished product, while superior in a lot of ways to its contemporaries, falters compared to Dune.
Furthermore, it was the special effects and the set design that set Dune apart from its 2021 counterparts, and there were even moments of failure in this regard during Dune: Part Two. There are times when it’s sickeningly obvious of the miniatures that appear before the audience. That makes the film feel small, almost like viewers are being cheated out of a genuine experience. We obviously know that Dune: Part Two is fiction, that none of this is true–but to provide us with something so disingenuous is almost maddening, and it makes it incredibly difficult to suspend our disbelief in those moments.
Dune was Star Wars before Star Wars existed–but the reality is that Dune is a much more convoluted tale, one that takes far more brain power to absorb and appreciate what is being said and done. It’s not that I’m incapable of understanding the things that occurred throughout the course of Dune: Part Two, but it often feels like there are additional layers to the narrative that don’t feel necessary and that make it more challenging than it needs to be.
I’ve knocked this film again and again, but the reality is that it is enjoyable. Sure, the film is nearly three hours long (and it certainly feels like it), but even with some additional, seemingly unnecessary content, Dune: Part Two is well told. Much of that comes from the performances of Chalamet and Zendaya (Chani), and the way in which Villeneuve and Director of Photography Greig Fraser are able to capture them. The characters are placed on a pedestal; most of the time this is figurative in nature, but there are many times in which the characters appear larger than life as a result of their placement. They become the lifeblood of Dune: Part Two, and then Villeneuve provides these characters the opportunity to shine in an emotional light. Two, bookending moments see the characters close to one another, spilling their guts and revealing all to each other and viewers–and in these moments Dune: Part Two peaks. My emotions began to boil over, and the beauty of the film was truly realized.
Dune: Part Two has received an incredible amount of praise–but I implore you to watch this film with more grounded expectations. It will flood the 2025 Academy Awards, and it will likely be one of those films that veritably sweeps the board. It’s a good film, don’t get me wrong, but it pales in comparison to its predecessor.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Written by Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts, & Frank Herbert.
Starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, etc.
7.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
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