Dune: Part Two

DUNE: PART TWO
2024 | Dir. Denis Villeneuve | 166 Minutes

"Lead them to Paradise."


Paul Atreides and Lady Jessica, the last survivors of House Atreides, join the Fremen resistance against their sworn enemies, the ruthless House Harkonnen. Through his resourcefulness in combat, his willingness to learn, and his seemingly supernatural talent, Paul quickly earns the respect of the Fremen and finds love with the fierce warrior Chani. However, as the war against the oppressors reaches a key turning point, forces beyond Paul's control force him to choose between assured victory and his own humanity.

Completing his ambitious adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel, writer/director Denis Villeneuve delivers a powerful tragedy that works remarkably well as both an intimate drama and a sprawling space opera with romance, thrilling action, and awesome spectacle. Dune: Part Two chronicles the end of Paul's journey as he accepts his destiny despite his rational reservations. It's incredibly exciting to see him become a Fremen warrior, fighting back against those who decimated his family, but it's equally upsetting to see him ultimately embrace his role as a religious leader, a part he never wanted to play but he must in the interest of protecting the ones he love. The depiction of Paul and Chani's relationship, the earnest heart of the picture, is exceptionally well-written, well-acted, and well-paced, making the inevitable change in Paul all the more heartbreaking, giving the film a level of poignancy that few big budget blockbusters possess. Dune: Part Two is a superb film with a highly engaging narrative, and Villeneuve's Dune as a whole, in combination with his first part, is a monumental cinematic achievement, bringing a famously complex novel to the screen as an emotionally gripping and easily accessible saga.

The aesthetic of Dune: Part Two is simply stunning starting with the visually striking opening gravity-defying skirmish in the Arrakian desert. Several set pieces feature instantly iconic imagery, particularly the astounding feat of visual effects storytelling that is Paul's first worm ride, and the introduction of Feyd-Rautha on Giedi Prime presented eerie disquieting monochrome filmed on infrared cameras. The explosive battle sequences are impressive, but on a smaller scale, the fight choreography for the knife duel sequences is also incredibly inventive. Perfectly complementing every scene is Hans Zimmer's incredible musical score, his stirring love theme for Paul and Chani is arguably the prolific composer's best work to date.

Timothée Chalamet demonstrates the depth he brings to the role of Paul Atreides more prominently in this film than in the first installment, convincingly conveying affection, anguish, and ultimately a terrifying detachment. Zendaya delivers an equally strong performance as Chani, able to communicate deep admiration with a warm smile and stark disapproval with a soul-piercing glance. Standing out among the massive supporting cast is Austin Butler as the sadistic Feyd-Rauth, taking what is essentially an exaggerated impression of Stellan Skarsgård and giving it a fascinating life of its own. Javier Bardem also provides a surprisingly moving performance as the Fremen leader Stilgar, playing up the humor of the man's devoted reverence for Paul until it transforms entirely into a devastating illustration of blind faith.

Dune: Part Two is, in one word, epic. Satisfyingly paying off every narrative thread established in first installment to complete a magnificent thematically rich five-hour sci-fi picture charting the subtle descent of a reluctant hero, this second half absolutely delivers on every level. The acting, the writing, the production design, the set pieces, the visual effects, the musical score, all aspects of the picture across the board set a new standard for big budget genre filmmaking.


FRAGMENTS
- Timothée Chalamet also stars in 2025 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee A Complete Unknown

- Hans Zimmer's score for Dune: Part Two is even better than his Oscar-winning score for Villeneuve's first Dune film, but it is puzzlingly ineligible for an Oscar nomination due to the Academy's questionable rule against soundtracks for sequels and franchises featuring more than 20% of pre-existing music

- Stephen McKinley Henderson's Thufir Hawat is sorely missed, the scenes he shot for Dune: Part Two did not make it into the final cut

- Geidi Prime, the black sunbathed homeworld of the House Harkonnen, looks like a dark, cold, vaguely sexually suggestive H.R. Giger paradise -- even their fireworks look disgusting


007 CONNECTIONS
- Javier Bardem (Raoul Silva in Skyfall)

- Léa Seydoux (Madeleine Swan in Spectre and No Time To Die)

- Dave Bautista (Mr. Hinx in Spectre)


MCU CONNECTIONS

- Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova in Black Widow)
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