Usually, when audiences visit movie theaters, they know what to expect. Major studios tend to predict what the American public wants, resulting in most released films fitting a certain formula for decades at a time. Of course, there are exceptions. “Dune: Part Two” is one that stands out from its action film counterparts.
The prequel to “Dune: Part Two,” Director Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film “Dune,” builds the world of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), son of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) and his concubine Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson). House Atreides — one of many “Great Houses” in the film’s futuristic universe — takes over the desert planet Arrakis only to be subsequently massacred by the Imperial troops and House Harkonnen, the film’s main villains.
“Dune: Part Two” begins where its prequel left off. After the destruction of House Atreides, Paul and Lady Jessica join the Fremen, the indigenous population of Arrakis. The reason for their integration with the tribe is twofold. The pair is still being hunted by the violent and explosive House Harkonnen, all while the Bene-Gesserit — a group of all-powerful women who advise the empire and its planets — are planting seeds that Paul is the Lisan Al-Gaib or Mahdi, an overpowered, foreseeing messiah of Fremen mythology.
Villeneuve masters the push and pull between these two plot points. Over the film’s near three-hour runtime, frantic and brutal Rabban Harkonnen (Dave Bautista), believing Paul to be dead, begins to hunt for the Mahdi (who, unbeknownst to him, is also Paul). This rivalry between the houses brings out some great performances, including Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Harkonnen and Léa Seydoux as Margot Fenring. But Austin Butler outshines them all as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, nephew of Baron Harkonnen and heir to the Harkonnen throne. Completely hairless and clad in stark black armor, Butler’s Feyd-Rautha is terrifying, to put it lightly. While Butler’s screen time is limited, every single second was carefully crafted.
This practice of using every minute wisely is something Villeneuve has mastered over the course of his career. Stellar costume design and visual effects fully immerse audiences into Arrakis, yet the film never feels overloaded. There’s no need to over-explain or emphasize: The film’s action, emotion and performances speak for themselves.
Thematically, “Dune: Part Two” excels in its warnings of fanaticism. Frank Herbert’s original novel was a self-proclaimed warning against charismatic leaders. Paul can technically see the future, but ultimately, he is just a man. The “Dune” novel lends itself to interiority, and as a result, is at times saturated with Paul’s guilt over the war he is about to wage. Villeneuve’s sequel simply turns this portrayal outward. At every sign, Fremen leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem) insists Paul is the Lisan Al-Gaib. The timing is intentionally comedic: Every time Paul does anything — really, anything — the camera turns to Stilgar, sitting silently in awe before yelling “Lisan Al-Gaib!” While the move is funny at first, the film builds up to its climactic moments and Villeneuve makes good on Herbert’s original warning.
Even with a strong moral backbone, many films of such scale get lost in their epic battles, but Zendaya’s Chani brings the action back down to Earth. In the most important moments of the film, a fierce look and a tearful quiver show all of what Chani wants to say. Zendaya’s silent performance, similar in excellence to Butler’s outlandish one, emphasizes the film’s best features. As enormous ships and sandworms glide past, the film’s focus remains on the relationships and heart behind its fantasy.
Gabriella is a junior from Los Angeles, concentrating in English, Modern Culture and Media, and Literary Arts. If she’s not at the movies, you can find her coaching the Dodgers from her dorm, plotting her future Big Brother win, or perfecting her chocolate chip cookie recipe.
