An epic continuation of the story in the first movie, Dune: Part Two is a bold blockbuster that dives right into the heart of the sci-fi world.
I know this might be too early and I’m a bit biased, but Dune: Part Two is right up there as my number one pick for movie of the year. Denis Villeneuve’s fictional universe of Dune is what 16-year-old me was fantasising about while reading Frank Herbert’s 1965 book during recess in the cold library at school.
Warning: spoilers ahead as we dive into Dune’s history, culture, and core. If you’re going to watch this, get as much popcorn and soda as you can, because this three-hour film is filled with jaw-dropping and spine-chilling scenes.
Dune: Part Two: A little backstory on the glorious visual masterpiece
Once the film starts, we dive right into the action from where we left off in Dune: Part One. To refresh your memory, by the end of the first movie, we saw the siege of Arrakis by their great enemy, The Harkonnens, with the Emperor’s elites, the Sardaukar, that left House Atreides in the dust.
In Part Two, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) are taken in by the Fremen tribe, Sietch Tabr. The group includes Chani Kynes (Zendaya) and their leader Naib Stilgar (Javier Bardem) who inhabit the desert planet Arrakis, also known as Dune.
Paul, who was born with prescient abilities, knows he has a little sister, Alia. Unlike the novel, she’s an embryo in the movie – Lady Jessica’s unborn child. Some Fremen have faith in them, believing in the prophecy that he could be the Lisan Al-Ghaib, a messiah prophesied to lead the Fremen to victory against the oppressors and bring water to the harsh terrain of Arrakis. This is a story of vengeance, love and power.
Mind-blowing and aesthetically amazing
Reading Dune was an eye-opener for a 16-year-old; my jaw dropped by the end of the third book. Dune is almost like Lawrence of Arabia in space – in terms of inspiration. But do you need to read the books before watching the movie?
In my opinion, Denis Villeneuve showcased in detail the beautiful and futuristic world of the book. From the planets and costume design to the inspiration from North African and Middle Eastern cultures to the impeccable sound, I could feel every chair in the cinema vibrating in awe.
With an amazing score yet again by Hans Zimmer and a top-notch performance from Timothée Chalamet (as he develops into the role of a messiah), the book truly comes to life. So you’re safe to watch the movie without the background of the books, though I highly recommend reading them if you want to dive into the deep lore of Dune, especially since the movie features slight changes such as Alia as an embryo, the disappearance of Thufir Hawat from the second film, and more.
One of the best baddie introductions
One of the key parts that got me geeking was seeing Giedi Prime, the home of the Harkonnens. With the black sun turning the whole planet black and white, visually it’s kind of like a Charlie Chaplin movie, but unnervingly menacing. From there, we’re introduced to the perfectly cruel, treacherous and cunning nephew of the Baron: Feyd-Rautha.
Austin Butler gives us one of the most memorable villain introductions of all time (sorry, Sting, your Feyd-Rautha in Dune from 1984 is still dear to me). Showcasing his fighting skills in a Harkonnen arena, Feyd-Rautha celebrates his birthday massacring prisoners like a gladiator in a coliseum. With light emanating from the black sun, you get a peek into the minds of those who inhabit House Harkonnen.
Three hours isn’t enough – yes, I said it
Even if you dislike the first movie because it was too long, Dune: Part Two will leave you begging for more. With more action-packed scenes and character-driven story developments, as well as the introduction of new characters into the fold, it keeps you at the edge of your seat the entire time.
Three hours wasn’t sufficient for a fan like me. Besides the short screen time of several actors and the cutting of key characters from the books, I felt certain scenes were too short – especially the battle between Muad’dib’s Fremen army and the Emperor’s Sardaukar. Although we get to see the return of Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), the Warmaster for House Atreides aiding Paul in the fight, the Sandworm riding through the Sardaukar, and Chani leading the other Fremen into battle, it still felt short given how epic the fight was between the two factions.
As a huge fan who binge-watched the 1984 Dune multiple times, I was initially sceptical of this remake. But my misgivings were laid to rest as both new Dune movies have turned out to be some of the most exciting sci-fi flicks of the 2020s. Every scene is so intense, with highlights like the relationship between Paul and Chani growing then falling to pieces, Paul’s rise as the new Emperor with Princess Irulan by his side, and the Fremen massacring every Great House. I confess I teared up by the end of the credits.
An epic trilogy in the making
I’ve got to give a standing ovation to every cast member: from Timothée showcasing the range of his talents to Zendaya’s fearless Chani to Florence Pugh’s stunning Princess Irulan. Seeing Paul become a messiah after drinking the Water of Life made me want to shout “Lisan Al-Ghaib!” – like how Stilgar did in a worshipful way every time Paul appeared in front of him.
Watching Paul fight Feyd-Rautha with no music – just the ambient sound and their daggers clashing – I almost didn’t want to blink. Overthrowing the Emperor, the man who assassinated his father and the Atreides, was a fulfilling moment for him. However, even though Paul becomes the new emperor, the Great Houses refuse to accept his ascendancy.
That’s when he utters the four chilling words: “Lead them to paradise.” It’s a cold-blooded declaration of war that left me mind-blown. The surprising split-second hero-turned-villain arc elicited a gasp from someone next to me. And the cherry on top was watching cinema-goers who didn’t read the books with their mouths wide open in shock.
To me, Dune is the 2020s answer to The Lord of the Rings from the 2000s. Both are full of vividly colourful descriptions, deep lore and grand-scale settings. They’re classics in the book realm; and now with Dune Messiah being teased by the filmmaker, I can’t wait to watch the trilogy play out. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this legendary line: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.”
