Here’s our review for “Dune: Part Two,” a sequel that actually surpasses the original in both scope and execution to create a modern sci-fi masterpiece….
By Damon Martin — Editor/Lead Writer
Adaptations of beloved source material can become both a blessing and a curse in the hands of certain filmmakers.
For several seasons, “Game of Thrones” was well on its way to becoming quite possibly the greatest television show in history but then the creators behind the series — David Benioff and Dan Weiss — surpassed the original material created by George R.R. Martin and suddenly decided to speed to the finish line, which created a jumbled mess with convoluted storylines that effectively crash landed and there were no survivors when it was over.
That show debuted 15 years after the original book in the series was released and there was already a rabid fanbase that held Martin’s words as gospel. So imagine taking a book series that originally launched in 1965 with a story that influenced almost every major sci-fi epic for the next 50 years (seriously read “Dune” and then go watch the “Star Wars” trilogy and tell me George Lucas didn’t borrow a lot from Frank Herbert) and attempting to adapt that into a feature film (or two).
It was a dream for Denis Villeneuve to take a stab at Herbert’s iconic “Dune” novels and it took his meticulous brand of filmmaking and the awesome scope required to create the definitive adaptation, which started with “Dune: Part One” and now continues in “Dune: Part Two.”
While David Lynch attempted to cram everything from the book into his “Dune” movie back in 1984, Villeneuve knew that his films would take a lot more time because he refused to rush through such a huge, sprawling story. The first film dealt with politics on a galactic scale between great houses all vying for power and control, which eventually led to a betrayal that effectively crushed one beloved family that appeared destined to rule.
The sequel deals with the aftermath and the consequences surrounding the actions taken in the first film with the last remnants of House Atreides barely surviving and then desperately clawing for a chance at revenge on all those who wronged them. Somehow, Villeneuve not only follows up the epic first chapter in his saga but he actually transcends that film it in many ways from the performances to the grand action sequences to the scale of the story.
It really is a cinematic achievement for a sequel to surpass the original and there’s hardly ever universal agreement on that subject.
As beloved as “The Godfather II” might be, there are still plenty of folks who refuse to believe that’s a better film than “The Godfather.” “The Empire Strikes Back” seems to be the favorite film for a majority of “Star Wars” fans but there’s a dedicated few that still love “A New Hope” a little bit more. James Cameron may have outdone himself with “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” but the gritty, dark reality that unravels in “The Terminator” still stands up on its own.
Just like all of those films, “Dune: Part One” absolutely deserves all the praise it receives. It was my favorite film in 2021 and that remains an all-time classic but what Villeneuve manages to do with “Dune: Part Two” is almost incomprehensible, especially given the bar set by the first movie.
“Dune: Part Two” is a modern sci-fi masterpiece that somehow feels grand in scale but more intimate than the first film. The character development in the sequel gets more in depth and we really start to understand what makes them tick while simultaneously introducing new pieces to the ever growing puzzle including standout additions from Austin Butler and Florence Pugh.
The film is nearly three-hours long but when the credits rolled, a small bit of sadness washed over me realizing that “Dune: Part Two” was really over when I gladly would have taken so much more. The film is that good.
With that said, let’s get to our full review for “Dune: Part Two” out in theaters on Friday…
PLOT
“Dune: Part Two” picks up almost exactly where “Dune: Part One” ends with Paul Atreides, his mother Jessica and the Fremen who rescued them from the desert are traveling back to the underground city that shields them from the harsh conditions on the surface of Arrakis when Harkonnen forces arrive trying to track them down.
It’s safe to say they escape — but that also begins a much longer journey towards Paul’s evolution as the future of House Atreides and a boy with a prophecy bestowed upon him that he never really wanted. Paul desperately wants to learn the ways of the Fremen but he’s viewed as an outsider who can’t be trusted and that requires him to undergo a series of tests to prove he really can be one of them.
Of course, along the way Paul draws closer to Chani — the girl he saw so frequently in his dreams after first arriving on Arrakis with his family. His mother Jessica also takes on a new role with the Fremen in an effort to not only protect her son but to give him the time needed to fulfill the prophecy that he could be the one true savior to rise up against the Harkonnens and the powerful Emperor that struck the blow that nearly ended House Atreides in the first place.
Meanwhile, the Harkonnens re-establish rule over Arrakis and mining the valuable spice that’s found on the planet’s surface. They soon discover that the iron grip they maintained over the planet is starting to slip thanks to the rebellious Fremen rising up against them more and more frequently.
As Emperor Shaddam IV deals with the fallout from his decision to crush House Atreides, his daughter documents the volatile empire that her father now rules over and whether House Harkonnen really deserved the rewards bestowed upon them, especially as they face even more struggles with the rebel natives on Arrakis and rumors about a great savior who will lead them to salvation.
ACTING, DIRECTING AND SCRIPT
First off, Villeneuve will get a lot of praise for his direction in this film — as he should — but let’s not gloss over the fact that he also worked closely on the adaptation of the script with writer Jon Spaihts. That achievement alone deserves a standing ovation because as previously mentioned, adapting such dense and beloved material as Herbert’s books is nothing short of a Herculean task yet somehow Villeneuve and Spaihts manage to pull it off for the second time in a row.
When it comes to direction, Villeneuve proves that he’s among the very best in the world right now working behind the camera. Go ahead and etch his name in the Academy Award nominations for 2025 and truth be told, he’s set the stage for a potential win even with his film released so early in the year (Oscar bait films often drop right before the end of the year so those movies are fresh in voters’ minds when it comes time to hand out awards). Villeneuve handles the massive scale of “Dune: Part Two” with expertise that hasn’t been seen at this scale since Peter Jackson redefined the genre with his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
It’s really awe-inspiring to see what Villeneuve accomplished with this film, which manages to blow you away with jaw-dropping cinematography and unbelievable effects but never sacrifices the quiet and necessary moments required to tell this story the right way.
When it comes to the performances, everybody that returns from “Dune: Part One” continues to steal the show in the sequel with a particular nod to Timothée Chalamet, who really steps into the lead role this time around and he has a commanding presence on screen. We also get a lot more Zendaya in the sequel after an almost blink and you’d miss her performance in the first film. She’s an Emmy winner already and it’s tough to believe she won’t be shining an Oscar to put on her mantle in the near future.
But for the sake of this review, let’s focus on arguably the biggest addition to “Dune: Part Two” and that’s Austin Butler’s performance as the sociopathic Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen — nephew to Baron Harkonnen and the future of his House. It’s actually difficult to recognize Butler at first because his smoldering good looks are lost behind the makeup required to transform him into this ticking time bomb with murderous intentions behind every move he makes.
Butler is effectively the polar opposite to Paul Atreides — he’s cruel and unforgiving but both characters are single minded of purpose and relentless when going after what they want. That inevitably puts them on a collision course and Butler’s deliciously evil portrayal of Feyd-Rautha is the perfect counterpart to Chalamet’s Paul Atreides.
And not to keep returning to the Oscar conversation but if Butler doesn’t at least get nominated for his work on this film, what are we even doing this for?
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE MOVIE?
Let’s be clear about this category because if it hasn’t been made clear yet, “Dune: Part Two” is an utter masterpiece that will ultimately go down at worst as one of the best films of the year if not sitting at the top of the list when 2024 is over. That said, if forced to nitpick something regarding this film there would be two things worth pointing out.
First, “Dune: Part Two” takes careful consideration when telling this story over the nearly three-hour run time and it doesn’t feel like anything gets missed. That said, it feels like Villeneuve could have added another 60 minutes and still had a few things left on the cutting room floor. Trust me, nothing gets rushed in this movie but somehow you’ll still want more when it’s over.
And that leads to the second thing worth noting about “Dune: Part Two” — it’s rather obvious that Villeneuve is setting up plans for a third film in the series. That doesn’t make the sequel any less satisfying but without giving away any spoilers — and really that’s not possible because the book this movie is based upon has been out for over 50 years — but “Dune: Part Two” ends with a very obvious story arc that will lead to the trilogy.
That’s not a bad thing necessarily but there were some that complained when “Dune: Part One” was released that it wasn’t made clear that it was only the first chapter in a larger film universe. The same could be said for “Dune: Part Two” because there’s absolutely no way (unless this movie absolutely flops at the box office) that a third film won’t soon follow, especially after you see how this one ends.
FINAL VERDICT
The word perfect shouldn’t get tossed around much when critiquing a film because really opinions about movies are still subjective and there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to enjoying a piece of art. That said, “Dune: Part Two” is probably as close as you’ll ever get to a perfect film, at least if you enjoy a tremendous and inspiring sci-fi epic. This movie is everything you could possibly want out of a theater experience and there are more than a few moments that will leave you gasping for breath.
“Dune: Part Two” gets five out of five on the Skolnick Scale — and if there was a way to award six out of six, this movie would get it!
