House Atreides has fallen. Duke Leto and his army has been betrayed by the Emperor and destroyed by the Harkonnens, and everyone assumes his son Paul and his mother Jessica died in a sandstorm on Arrakis. Can Paul lead the Fremen against his enemies, get revenge on the Harkonnens and the Emperor, and seize power? Does he even want that?
Dune: Part 2 picks up where the first Denis Villeneuve film left off, almost exactly, in the aftermath of the Harkonnen conquest. It picks up where the outstanding first film left off in other ways as well. The epic scale of the film, the seamless special effects, and the pounding soundtrack gives viewers not just a smart and dramatic story but a film that practically demands to be seen in the cinema. It also picks up the moody musings of the nature of power and cults that the first film expiored but which become the central themes of the sequel.
Truly great science fiction always tells us something about the human condition, and Dune: Part 2 delivers perhaps more truth about the human condition than most. If people want to come for the action sequences or the special effects, they won’t be disappointed; those are all epic and spectacular, and tremendously entertaining. But Villeneuve aims for profundity and mainly finds it, especially in the torment of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul, Rebecca Ferguson’s Lady Jessica, and Zendaya’s Chani, whose story arc takes a more surprising turn.
In fact, for those who read the Frank Herbert novel or recall David Lynch’s Dune from 1984, Dune: Part 2 will hold some surprises. It is more complex and deliberate than Lynch’s film and perhaps even more contemplative than the novel, at least where Paul is concerned. Without giving too much away, we saw in the first film that Paul had been obedient in following Jessica’s training but had become increasingly cynical about her motives and those of her Bene Gesserit order. In this film, Paul gets a much clearer vision of their manipulations and where those will lead and refuses to cooperate, preferring to serve the Fremen rather than take the steps that will lead to a universal holy war — while Jessica pushes him toward it for reasons of her own.
Even after the first film, some moviegoers were as skeptical about Chalamet’s ability to transform from a moody prince to a powerful messiah. Dune: Part 2 should dispel those concerns, as Chalamet grips the role and the screen in delivering a powerful performance. Javier Bardem’s Stilgar didn’t have much development in the first film, but Bardem does an amazing job in this film as a leader desperately hoping for a miracle — and willing to read one into anything. Zendaya’s Chani is also richer and more complex than expected, and she is utterly convincing. Ferguson has more to work with in this film as the power behind the would-be throne.
These four are the true center of the film, but the film is filled with good performances. We already saw Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgard, and Charlotte Rampling in the first film, but Dune: Part 2 adds three more high-profile actors to the cast: Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Christopher Walken as the Emperor, and most critically Austin Butler (Elvis) as Feyd-Rautha. The malevolence from this psychopathic heir to the Harkonnens is palpable from Butler, who has more in common with Paul Muad-Dib Atreides than either man realizes. Pugh and Walken do well with what they have — Irulan has more to do here than in the book or the Lynch version — but Butler’s performance really drives the peril, especially in the latter half of the film.
If all of this sounds complicated, it is. Obviously, this is easier to follow if you’ve seen Villeneuve’s first Dune installment and especially if you’ve read the novel, although there are some divergences between this film and the book. Even if you’ve only seen Lynch’s 1984 version, you should be able to follow along. The complexity pays off, and it delivers an epic story on an epic scale that requires a large-scale venue to truly appreciate. Some films can be fully appreciated in home theaters, but Dune: Part 2 is among the small number of exceptions that not only require the big screen but are worthy of it as well.
And get ready for a sequel, likely from one of the Herbert series. The end makes it clear that Villeneuve has more to say and do in Herbert’s universe while exploring the consequences of power and manipulation.
On the Hot Air scale, Dune: Part 2 gets a 5:
- 5 – Full price ticket
- 4 – Matinee only
- 3 – Wait for Blu-Ray/DVD/PPV rental or purchase
- 2 – Watch it when it hits Netflix/cable
- 1 – Avoid at all costs
Dune: Part 2 is surprisingly rated PG-13 despite numerous violent action scenes. Teenagers should be able to handle those, but they will likely be too intense for younger children.