Movie ReviewDune: Part TwoDirected by Denis Villeneuve
By Brontë H. Lacsamana, Reporter
A MYTHICAL prophecy heralding the dawn of a war of epic proportions consumes the big screen in the form of Dune: Part Two, looming larger than the average blockbuster. Frank Herbert’s desert planet-set tale has triumphed, even as it is split into parts.
This second half, enjoying a wide release around the world that the first one did not, has finally fulfilled a prophecy long expected by many — that of a quality sci-fi epic of a grand scale becoming an oasis amid a desert of its hollower Hollywood counterparts.
Made for fans of the space opera spectacle and the elaborate fictional world as much as it is made for readers of the books, director Denis Villeneuve does not hold back in making the film as solemn yet as heart-pumping as possible. The typical fast-paced action and quick, witty repartee that define movies of this genre today are absent, in favor of a visually ambitious filmmaking style.
Villeneuve makes sure that the eye is drawn to both the large (sandworms engulfing, spaceships collapsing) and the small (simple hand gesturing, legs standing strong). This carries over from some of his previous films of a similar genre, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, where the visuals go hand-in-hand with the narratives exploring people’s place in the grander scheme of things.
In tone, Dune: Part Two leans into the tragedy more than the first movie, with Timothée Chalamet as the conflicted Paul Atreides slowly falling into a dark destiny. It makes sense that Villeneuve chooses to isolate the parts this way, so as to focus this time on an arc of the inevitability of prophecy.
Chalk it up to personal preference, but Chalamet is serviceable in a role like this. He gets strong moments — where Paul must grapple with the question of willpower versus destiny — but the inner turmoil expected of his character just wasn’t there, instead conveyed by Villeneuve and cinematographer Roger Deakins’ powerfully composed shots. There was no reason for Paul to blend into the vastness of the dense world onscreen when predecessors like Amy Adams in Arrival and Ryan Gosling in Blade Runner 2049 managed to convey similarly heart-wrenching character arcs more effectively.
More impressive to behold is Rebecca Ferguson as his mother Jessica, an intimidating Bene Gesserit who pushes her son toward the destiny that he resists. She is genuinely frightening in the moments she transforms and makes use of the power that she has, both literal and figurative.
Zendaya as Chani is enthralling as a firm fighter for the Fremen, her dramatic scenes always full of impact, while Austin Butler as the violent, reptilian-looking Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Florence Pugh as the beautiful, cautious Princess Irulan Corrino leave viewers wanting more. Lea Seydoux’s small role as the smooth, scheming Lady Margot Fenring, while fleeting, was a personal favorite.
A common critique of Villeneuve’s take on Herbert’s works is the brutalist seriousness in its treatment, a contrast with David Lynch’s version decades ago. Perhaps it is a difference in generational tastes, with audiences now much more eager to dwell on the effects of the exploitation of faith and the construction of power rather than be mind blown by a colorful, campy sci-fi world stripped of real-world similarities to Islamic and Messianic stories of old.
Paul Atreides taking on a savior persona and perpetuating intergalactic jihad is a ludicrous storyline, surprisingly adapted with sincere artistry. Deakins’ cinematography is an example of this. Like how the tactile desert planet Arrakis shapes Fremens’ way of life, the Harkonnen planet, Giedi Prime, shot in blindingly harsh black and white highlights an authoritarian world.
The first time Paul rides a sandworm and effectively proves himself as one of the Fremen, the camera focuses on his legs standing on the worm’s back, bent at the knees and struggling to keep him up. When he finally finds his balance and manages to strengthen his stance, Hans Zimmer’s triumphant score kicks in, in triumph, as well as the cheers of the Fremen.
Dune: Part Two, in itself, evokes that moment of success. Here’s to hoping that the next part, following a boy — now messiah — reaching the violent outcome of his visions, delivers an equally awesome experience.
MTRCB Rating: PG
