A sadistic villain is going on a killing spree in an arena to celebrate his birthday. The arena was surrounded by a blob, rendering the whole scene black and white. After the fight, said villain kissed his uncle on the lips. This scene illustrates Dune: Part 2 best. It is a very weird movie with a slick, cinematic look.
Dune: Part 2, was released March 1, 2024, and stars Timothee Chalamet as the lead role, and also includes a very strong supporting cast. Some of the notable names include Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Oscar winner Javier Bardem, who’s nestled away playing a minor role.
Dune: Part 2 is the follow-up to Dune: Part One, which was released in 2021. In the first movie, the protagonist Paul Atriedes’s father is killed and his community is raised to the ground. This was all done for the control of a resource called spice, that inhabited the sand dunes of the planet they were on, Arrakis. He narrowly escaped and at the beginning of the second movie his enemies think he is dead. In the second movie, with the help of the Fremen, the natives of the region, he seeks revenge.
The second movie starts slow; this can be both a good and bad thing. The positives are that it allows you to focus more on all the effort that went into set designs, special effects, and costumes. The first Dune movie had one of the most cutting-edge, clean production values of the 21 century, and Dune: Part 2 somehow one-ups that. Everything looks amazing from the still suits, specialized suits that hold water, to the ferocious sandworms. Dune: Part 2 is worth watching just to appreciate the artistry of the world and all the effort that went into making it.
However, on the negative side, the start of the movie is hampered by poor pacing. It seems like the creators are more excited about the later parts of the movie, but they know they need to introduce new characters, plot points, and relationships for the later more exciting parts to make sense. This results in the first third of the movie feeling choppy, almost like a montage. There is a pattern of expository dialogue, dramatic music, cut to different scenes, and repeat with a couple of fight scenes parsed out in between. Not only that, but some stuff in the beginning doesn’t make sense. I think it’s better that way, and don’t know a way that Villeneuve could fully explain everything, without adding a couple hours and a significant level of boredom. At the same time, I was sick the day after watching it, and my fever dreams barely made more sense than some of the scenes in the movie, especially the ones surrounding Lady Jessica, the mother of Paul Atreides.
The villains fortunately save the day. When they came in, the movie hit its stride and immediately got more entertaining. I would not go so far as to call the villains charming; they’re terrifying murderous creeps. They are a lot of fun though. The people who are playing them are clearly having a blast with everything, from the voices to the mannerisms. One performer who stood out to me was Austin Butler, who played a particularly violent villain. Not to mention, whoever was in charge of costume and set design in the villain scenes deserves a raise. It was the best in the movie.
On the heroes side the acting was great. No single performance stood out to me but I think that’s for the best. A highly dramatized performance would’ve taken too much attention from the world and the story. The acting for the heroes was a team effort, a series of realistic performances that helped sell the movie, not distract you from it.
If you didn’t like the 2021 Dune movie, then don’t expect to like the second one. However, if you even just mildly enjoyed Dune: Part 1 I’d highly recommend giving Dune: Part 2 a watch. From its insane special effects, evil villains, and dramatic musical score, Dune: Part 2 is incredibly entertaining. During the entire last half of the movie, I kept wondering “When will this be done?” not because I wanted to finish the movie but because I dreaded finishing it. If a three-hour movie could make you feel that then it is truly something special.
