Dune: Part Two is a lot Dunier

The long awaited and much anticipated, DUNE: PART TWO is a few days away, hitting theaters March 1st. Writer/Director Denis Villeneuve again brings us a monumental production that has to be seen – and heard – on the biggest screen possible. It is filmed for Imax so see it there if you can!

Dune: Part One left us hanging on the edge of our Arrakian seats after the fall of House Atreides. Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother (Rebecca Ferguson) are left to survive in the desert with the aide of a few rebels. Part Two picks up pretty close to where Part One left off. It would be helpful to rewatch Part One to familiarize yourself with the characters and surroundings.

Part Two covers a lot of ground in both plot and Arrakis terrain. Many of the Fremen – the inhabitants of Arrakis – think that Paul is the Lisan al Gaib, or what modernly would be considered the Messiah. Paul has rejected this calling and is focused on joining the Fremen rebels to free their planet as well as avenging his Father’s death.

Even with a 2:46 run time it felt as if a lot of depth elements were skimmed over. We see Paul training in the desert then in the next instance he is fighting in a battle against House Harkonnen. Harkonnen were the vicious and initial rulers of Arrakis who over threw Atreides. Often the story line felt choppy. We are given enough info not to be lost, but what felt like big moments are glossed over quickly.

Some key elements to keep an eye on are: The relationship between Paul and Chani (Zendaya). Chani is a strong Fremen warrior who trusts Paul – a little. Their relationship grows a lot in part two for better or worse. Another important arc is the turmoil within House Harkonnen. We are introduced in this one to Feyd-Rautha, the savage, unhinged, nephew of Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård). The Baron enlists Feyd to take over the ground operations in place of Beast Rabban (Dave Bautista).

Feyd is played brilliantly by a nearly unrecognizable Austin Butler. Feyd is a character that you hate but can’t get enough of on screen. He brings a very Mad-Max vibe to him, and is a pivotal character in this one. Other favorite faces appear in Part Two including Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux.

Paul’s mother Jessica has a big role in this too as she pushes the Lisan al Gaib agenda. She is elevated to reverend mother status and uses it to her benefit. We get a little bit of the The Bene Gesserit in this one but not until later on. the crux of this story is getting Paul to the position of leader that the people need and want.

For Part Two to work we have to trust in Paul. Timothée Chalamet as a warrior might sound like a stretch. Surprisingly he is more than believable. He even yells a few times. It was actually loud and intimidating. We watch Paul transform into a powerful leader that both sides want to follow. There are some grand moments in this for sure.

The scene stealer and favorite character of this film hands down is Stilgar (Javier Bardem). We meet him in Part One, and here he is vital to Paul’s rise to power. Stilgar believes completely that Paul is the Lisan al Gaib. Bardem brings humor and off-balanced line dialogue that so often elevates what would be a simple conversation. No one can scare and encourage you in the same moment like Javier.

If you felt like the worms were under utilized in Part One fear not. They show up often and in big ways here. In fact much of the action uses the worms, sand, and Arrakis in wonderful ways. Denis Villeneuve and his team masterfully create beautiful shots and fantastic fight scenes. Who ever thought someone popping up out of the sand could be so cool? All of us now.

Is the film too long. Yes and no. As mentioned there felt like a lot was left out or had to be rushed through. At the same time some of what was left seemed easily removed. It might bog down a little in the middle but the last few acts are worth every second.

Fans of the Dune world outside the movie know there is more coming. If the remaining installments are as good as this one, we are all in for a spectacular ride.