review: dune 2

There are many impressive elements in Dune 2, the second part of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi novel. 

For starters, there’s the scale of the thing. Villeneuve has vocally expressed his love of visuals over dialogue, and he pours everything into the aesthetics of his world building. Planets, industrial compounds, desert landscapes and imperial palaces are all delivered with a sense of scale and grandeur that’s reminiscent of the epic movies of David Lean. On the big screen especially, these lingering landscapes and interiors are gorgeous and intimidating. 

Secondly, the sound design. Every vehicle and weather system has a rich, layered acoustic presence, and it really helps with the immersive nature of the movie. The dragonfly-like ‘Ornicopters’ buzz and purr and groan as if they are organic creatures. 

It’s a huge universe, with lots to cover, and we won’t get into a detailed plot summary as it could take all week. Suffice to say, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) is a Christ-like figure, prophesied to lead the indigenous people of Arrakis (the Freman) to freedom. A race called The Harkonnens do the violent, oppressive dirty work for the shadowy Emperor (Christopher Walken) as they seek to control the planet’s resource: Spice. There’s also the influence of Paul’s mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), part of the occult Bene Gesserit sisterhood.

Dune (2023) set all of this up, and Dune 2 focuses on Paul taking up the mantle of savior. Like any good hero in their monomyth, he has to train himself in new disciplines, wrangle his magical powers and win over his disciples. We get a series of training montages where he learns to ride the huge sandworms and the special way to walk in the sand to avoid these massive predators. 

All of this time, the enemy plot, and we see the ascendance of the psychopathic Feyd-Rautha, played by Austin Butler. He is the Harkonnen Baron’s nephew, and we meet him at his birthday celebrations, where he slaughters gladiators in a huge arena. This is one of the best scenes, the stadium cast in monochrome thanks to their black sun, the countless hordes cheering from their seats. 

Suffice to say that there’s a lot of plot to cover - this is even before we get to the love interest of Chani (Zendaya) and the increasing religious fervor of warrior Stilgar (Javier Bardem). At over two and a half hours long, some of the pacing takes a hit, but if you’re happy just to let the visuals flow over you, then it’s not too arduous. 

You do feel that Villeneuve is fighting against exposition (tricky with just so much of it necessary) so that he can focus on the striking visual flourishes, and maybe slightly more judicious editing could keep things moving. It’s hard to be too bored with such glorious renderings, though, and the fight and action scenes jolt you back into the thick of things with stirring regularity. 

At this point, if you’re invested, you’re invested. If, like me, you missed the first chapter and streamed it before going to the sequel, you’ll rue not making it to the cinema in the first instance. Films like this are what big screens are for, and not many directors working today understand that as well as Villeneuve. 
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Dune 2 is showing at AMC Theaters and at The Prytania Canal Place

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