By Logan Wofford
When Star Wars hit the big screen in 1977 audiences were amazed as they were carried off to a galaxy far, far away. Cinema had never hit such a big high and George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars would go on to make numerous sequels. It was safe to say that Star Wars was a big hit, so big that the same may never be replicated; little did audiences know that this would just be the beginning of the sci-fi epic.
Lucas famously took lots of inspiration from the popular sci-fi epic book Dune and its numerous sequels. Dune would even get its own movie in 1984, directed by David Lynch, but sadly it never saw nearly as much fame as the colossal Star Wars. After the film’s failure, Dune would fall into relative obscurity, being called unadaptable along with other things. Dune would be in this state for nearly 40 years up until Dune: Part One was unveiled to the world.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve Dune: Part One is a sci-fi epic just like the book that follows a young Duke as his house has been called upon to manage the most important planet Arrakis, a desert world full of the most precious material in the galaxy, spice. Dune: Part One as implied by the title is primarily just a set-up movie and introduces the viewer to this new Star Wars-esque world. This isn’t a review for the first movie, but I would generally say that it’s a good watch, but a tad bit boring. Dune: Part Two it’s a sequel; however, greatly builds off the first movie and then some.
Dune: Part Two begins right where the last movie ends off. Paul, Duke of House Atreides, played by Timothee Chalamet, and his mother Lady Jessica played by Rebecca Ferguson are stranded in the desert with the Fremen right after the earlier fight between Paul and a Fremen (Fremen are the native people of Arrakis). For winning the fight Paul is accepted to join the Fremen along with his mom. A major factor in their friendship is the shared hate of House Harkonnen, the house that killed off all of House Atreides in the last film. Another reason why the Fremen let Paul in is the belief that he is the chosen one known as Lisan Al Gaib who will carry the Fremen to victory over their oppressors. The film follows Paul as he becomes more and more like this Lisan Al Gaib figure as he continues helping the Fremen against the Harkonnen.
Sci-fi epics are often known to have tremendously beautiful and unique landscapes paired with great cinematography, and Dune: Part Two is no different. From its unique ships to the effortlessly serene yet dreadful feel of the open deserts, the film is able to easily pull you in. In one of the best scenes taking place on the homeworld of House Harkonnen the entirety of the city is in black and white. The monotone colors reflect greatly on the Harkonnen as vile and full of hate. Also, notably the movie makes use of the sand worms to further complement the desert environment. The worms themselves have a terrific design that inspires both fear and wonder as they swim under the sand at record speed. I mean, the worms are in fact so popular they’re even featured on the Dune: Part Two popcorn bucket for AMC theaters.
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Dune: Part Two is much better than its predecessor in many ways, and one of the most prevalent is in its main villain. While Dune: Part One had Vladamir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) and his son, Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista) who were adequate, Dune: Part Two has Feyod-Rautha (Austin Butler) who represents the worst of the Harkonnen, the lust to kill.
Austin Butler’s performance really brings the character to life as he feels horrifyingly real. The best part of Butler’s performance is the weird faces he makes when he plays the character because of their dual sense of comedy and horror. On the other hand, the “heroic” characters also have great acting. Of course, there’s Timothee Chalamet as Paul who gives a charismatic approach to the character which makes what happens later in the film hit much harder. There’s also Zendaya as Chani, a Fremen girl whom Paul had seen in his dreams in the first film. Chani is a great complement to Paul’s character and even has her own spunk. Sadly, Chani is quite underused in the grand scheme of things, but what screen time she has is memorable.
Being a sci-fi epic, Dune: Part Two of course features a complicated plot. This should not be seen as a major shocker as Dune is just the first book of many. To complement the already confusing plot are the confusing names given to everyone and everything (except Duncan Idaho, the absolute funniest name in the whole series). The overall plot is primarily about a galactic empire with its multiple houses all competing for power, but the movie finds itself to be much more grounded and has little to do with this more grand scenario. Focusing on the grounded plot of the Fremen along with Paul fighting against their oppressors is great and where the movie shines the brightest. If you want a grander plot, then you’re in luck as it seems the next movie will be much more so.
Overall Dune: Part Two is a much-needed improvement over the first and will definitely stake its way as one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time. What is there not to love: epic fight scenes, beautiful landscapes, top-notch acting, and a story that needs to be told? Don’t rob yourself of one of the greatest movies of the decade and go see Dune: Part Two in theaters now (of course after watching the first one that is).