long last, “Dune: Part Two,” the second half of director Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s legendary sci-fi novel, is here.
To say that I was excited for this movie would be an understatement; in all honesty, the first film is one of my favorite movies of all time.
We had to wait a long time for “Part Two,” though, thanks to studio executives’ refusal to fairly compensate writers and actors for their work.
But it lived up to every last expectation I had. From beginning to end, I was blown away by Villeneuve’s direction, Greig Fraser’s cinematography, the entire cast’s performances and Hans Zimmer’s score.
If you are not familiar with “Dune,” it centers on Paul Atreides, played by Timothee Chalamet, a young boy who is the heir of the Atreides bloodline. The Atreides rule over Caladan, a water-covered planet, and are chosen by the Emperor — the ruler of the universe — to govern over Arrakis, a desert planet home to the most valuable resource in the world of “Dune”: “spice,” a powerful psychedelic drug. However, after the Atreides arrive on Arrakis, the planet is raided by the Harkonnens, the family’s sworn, centuries-long enemy.
That is, essentially, the plot of the first movie.
“Part Two” picks up after Atreides and his mother, Lady Jessica, join a group of Fremen, the native people of Arrakis. The film follows the Atreides as they learn the ways of the Fremen and, by extension, the ways of the desert. Paul Atreides forms a relationship with Chani, played by Zendaya, a Fremen girl who briefly appears at the end of the first movie. Their relationship becomes more and more complicated — and strained — as Atreides begins to resemble the Lisan al-Gaib, a prophet from the outer world referenced by the Fremen religion, more and more. Meanwhile, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, the family’s poster child, seeks to end the Atreides bloodline once and for all.
And that is just the beginning. The film is two hours and 40 minutes long; a lot happens. And its plot only gets harder and harder to explain the further and further you go into detail.
I will say, if you do not like “Star Wars,” if you do not like hard sci-fi, you probably will not like either of the “Dune” movies. The first film is definitely accessible, but the second gets a little bit “weirder.” And while I have not read any of the books, if Warner Bros. decides to adapt “Dune Messiah” or any of the later books, things are only going to get stranger and less accessible.
But if you are up for it, I would highly recommend both movies. And if you like the first film, I think you will love the second. If you do decide to seek it out, please go to a theater. I have had the chance to see it twice, once in IMAX and once in standard digital. Both were wonderful, but seeing it for the first time, in IMAX, was one of the best moviegoing experiences I have ever had.
I would not be surprised if I end up seeing this movie in theaters five-plus times. In my opinion, it is a masterpiece. As far as I can tell, it looks like Villeneuve is going to direct a third film, an adaptation of “Dune Messiah.” If he does, I will be there Day One.
