The number of people who were crushed at the end of DUNE: Part One is astronomical. If you’ve never read the books, you had no idea that Denis Villeneuve couldn’t possibly complete more than a third of the first Dune saga in one movie. There were lamentations about storytelling, and arguments about whether the words “Part One” showed up on screen at all (they did). I giggled a lot because I am one of those perverse science fiction readers who enjoys watching moviegoers get hit in the head by the mercurial and magnificent madness that comes out of classic sci-fi novels.
Now, we are on the precipice of DUNE: Part Two and you’re wondering if you’ll get more than an introduction to the planet Arrakis and the life and times of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet). Take a deep breath—you won’t get hit in the head this time—the second movie kicks you in the face. Director Villeneuve and his team of creatives give new life to a sumptuous world of political machinations, messianic legend, and the nefarious grit of war-making. DUNE: Part Two is not only gorgeous filmmaking and storycraft, but its boots are on the necks of who humanity is now. I imagine that is what the original author, Frank Herbert, intended and Villeneuve gets it—he understands just how genius and twisted the chronicles of Arrakis are.
At the start, we return to the desert sands and the Fremen. Paul is there, in the midst of a vision, and so is Chani (Zendaya). Immediately we see what good fighters they are and what a good pair they make. This pairing is vital to what is to come. Denis Villeneuve told Vanity Fair the same, “I wanted to make a very human movie, very close to the characters, despite the scope of the film,” he says. “I kept saying to my crew, ‘The most important thing is that spark, that relationship between both of these characters.’ If we don’t capture that, if we don’t have that onscreen, there’s no movie. The epicenter of the story is this relationship.” With the help of Zendaya and Chalamet, the director pierces straight through the heart of the tale—Paul and Chani’s love is an oasis and pyre all at once.
All around them war is brewing as the Harkonnens work to wipe out all remaining signs of House Atreides. During this time the Fremen, led by Stilgar (Javier Bardem), are successfully sniping at the heels of Beast Rabban (Dave Bautista). Thus slowing down the production of spice. This is a problem as intergalactic travel requires “the spice must flow.” Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) is having fits because he knows what the emperor gives, the emperor can take away. So he devises a plan to protect the House of Harkonnen. That plan involves his nephew Feyd (Austin Butler). However, the players that both the baron and the emperor underestimate are the ever present sorcerer-nuns of the Bene Gesserit order, but even they have their problems. Reverend Mother Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) and Paul’s mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) have very different visions for the future. Back on his home world, Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken) is dealing with his own repercussions from the fall of House Atreides. That allows his daughter Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) to show off her diplomatic prowess—and Bene Gesserit training. Oh, and then there’s Alia. Daughter of the House of Atreides and one of the greatest ‘enfant terribles’ of all time.
Y’all, the plot is thick and this entire cast and creative team devoured this. Everyone is top-tier, no exceptions. When it comes to production design, costuming, sound, and cinematography, there is no need to wait for March 2025, back the Oscar truck up to their offices and let the gold flow like the spice. No hyperbole, the visuals and sound are that good. Villeneuve and Chalamet will be on the shortlists too. Of course Zendaya fully embodies every character she plays to the degree that we sometimes miss what a good actress she is, but if you don’t already know, check her range of microexpressions and you’ll get educated. Applause for the writing by Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts too. The dialogue is delicious, truly decadent on the tongue; at times it makes you sigh, at others giggle, and sometimes roar. The writing takes the intricacies of the plot and makes them relatable. Especially in underlining the tactics of colonialists and the use of enforced religion to rule indigenous populations—providing a clear throughline for all of us to connect.
Now that I’ve used pretty words, I’ll say: This movie is so gotdamn good.
One drawback is the portrayal of the Harkonnens. They are now a homogeneous group with bald heads, pronounced brow ridges, and bleached skin. I miss the red hair, marking them in the books, and their more sinister nature. Here they are mostly animalistic and outright cowardly. This flattens them out as one of the villainous factions, especially Feyd who is meant to be an early foil for Paul. Austin Butler doesn’t let that stop him, his Feyd is a poisonous snake who hisses loud enough to let you know he’s coming.
There are other wobbles, but that’s to be expected from a property this old (pre-Star Wars) and from one that hides its true themes until they converge at the end. When the first movie dropped I mentioned the following, “Second and more problematic are the dual poisoned swords of colonization (that bastard) and white saviorism (that bastard’s fictional twin). Dune has had these problems from its inception but when the Fremen are depicted closer to who they were meant to be, those issues come more sharply into focus. Villeneuve might’ve made choices to lessen or even fix these problems, he might still do it in the films to come, but he hasn’t yet.” What I couldn’t say then, but you will see foreshadowing of now, is it was done with intention. Dune is, after all, not a story about a chosen one but about the dangers of colonially instituted religion, megalomania, and the corruptive nature of power.
RIOTUS 