Dune: Part Two is directed by Denis Villeneuve and stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, and Christopher Walken. It continues the story of Paul Atreides in his quest for revenge for the death of his father against the Baron Harkonnen.
The second entry in the Dune franchise is once again replete with gorgeous wacky and weird visuals due to Denis Villeneuve working in his prime. While I found the cinematography less effective in this film than the previous one (for reasons which will be discussed later), the use of color and the unique landscapes it masterfully done to create a varied viewing experience. The black and white palette of Giedi Prime is brilliant and, although not as potent as the previous film, the portrayal of the desolate Arrakis with its harsh sun and endless dunes is still very immersive. The opening sequence on Arrakis particularly struck me with its extreme color grading (due to a solar eclipse) which gave it an otherworldly feel.
Given the high-caliber cast of actors working on the project, it is not surprising that the performances are excellent across the board. I am hesitant to criticize Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides as he does the best he possibly can do, but for me, the character is fundamentally miscast. Chalamet has a sort of laid back, unthreatening charisma which does not gel for a character like Paul. I was never convinced that Paul could be viewed as an effective leader as he just does not have the imposing presence required. Any attempt at acting as a strong-man leader felt forced and Chalamet’s skinny frame does not help matters. Zendaya as Chani was perfect casting in my opinion as she is able to convey the feisty personality of the character. Thankfully, she did not slip into the smug teenager persona that she has been known for in the past. Rebecca Ferguson also stood out to me in her role as Lady Jessica. She radiates a cold and calculating presence as she gains power and begins to push Paul further and further down the road, she and the Bene Gesserit planned for him. The performance is intriguing and brings out the religious themes of the film. Another notable actor is Austin Butler who is the most captivating of the whole cast in his portrayal of Feyd-Rautha. The manic and cruel energy that Butler gives off which is encapsulated in his psychopathic smile when as he fights keeps the viewers eyes glued to the screen. The rest of the famous cast all perform their roles well and most of the faults in the films acting lie more with the story and direction than anything on the individual thespians part.
Dune: Part Two incorporates a lot of interesting themes around religion, belief, and power but ultimately falls short of fully developing those themes. The first Dune movie is a slow-paced movie which revels in the exploring the rich cultural lore of Arrakis which some audiences found kind of boring. The second Dune is different in that it brings up a lot of interesting conundrums but never fully resolves or explores these ideas. It is full of material but that material never leaves a deeper impact. For example, there is a lot of time spent on the idea of how belief in a religious prophecy gives people hope versus disenfranchising them, and the morality of taking advantage of others’ beliefs for one’s own gain. But these themes are never fully explored as the movie rushes to finish the action-packed third act. Some of the characters and their relationships feel underutilized, like Feyd-Rautha, who plays a relatively small role despite his prominent featuring the trailers. The third act in particular feels like it goes by way too fast so that there is no time to feel the effects of the action. This could be remedied by a third film but if the first film took too much time to set up Arrakis, the second film could do with a little more time to breath.
Dune: Part Two is a spectacle of a film which has the depth and nuance of franchises like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. It is the best fantasy/sci-fi film I have seen in a long time and I would encourage everyone to go watch both movies on the biggest screen possible.