“Dune: Part Two” is a extraordinary interstellar 2 hour 46 minute experience that picks up right after the end of “Dune: Part One,” Where Paul Atredes (Timothee Chalamet) meets up with the Fremen after the execution of his father Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) and the destruction of the Atreides household.
The plot of this film centers around Paul getting revenge on the Baron (Stellan Skarsgard) for the murder of his father and the destruction of his family name. The change in Paul from the first movie to the second not only makes Paul’s character different, but also changes each character around him by making the idea of Paul being the Lisan Al Gaib (which translates to off-world prophet in the Freman’s language) affect each character with a difference in beliefs from each person.
But there’s also a bit of controversy within this galactic empire due to the planned murder of the Atredes family with the Emperor (Christopher Walken) and Baron Vladimir Harkonen, with the Emperor trying to keep this planned murder and takeover a secret from the rest of the empire.
This film keeps a good pace with only a few scenes feeling like they drag on a bit too long. Between the writing and its direction from Dennis Villeneuve, the film takes twists and turns that feel needed and not dropped in just to keep the story moving.
This movie gives the first one a reason for the long scenes that certain people thought to be useless–they set the stage for this movie. Chani (Zendaya) is given more character development and has more scenes that give her a major role and a differentiating religious opinion then the rest of the Freman that sets up the end of this film.
The film also adds changes to prior characters that show growth from this film from the last. Stillgar (Javier Bardem) has a more comedic role and a more religious follower approach to his character. Paul is given way more to work with this time around adding a perfect level of edge to his character having an arc to his story that takes inspiration from the second book in the series setting up his role in a potential third movie during the final act of this film.
This film doesn’t just add changes to returning characters. Compared to the first movie, there are also new additions to the cast. Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) and Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler) are added to this film and both give a great performance. Butler stands out with his performance as Feyd-Rautha, the psychotic murderous nephew and heir of the Baron. Butler had previously played as Elvis in “Elvis” and had been given a new bit of fame from that film that he has fully washed away and now made a new name for himself in this giving all he has in his performance. He fully immerses himself into the character and takes the scene in every scene that he is in and adds a whole element of creepiness to the film.
The budget in this film is used very wisely with it being less than the budget for some of the most recent Marvel films. For example, “Ant-man and the Wasp: Quantumania” had a budget of $275 million. The budget for “Dune: Part Two” was $190 million, and the overall experience was much better. I think the reason that this movie’s quality is so good is because it has a great use of practical effects that only elevates the film.
Most of this film’s budget goes to its A-list cast, but another huge part of it goes into the set and costume design. With its Sci-Fi story, you expect great big futuristic set and costume designs and “Dune: Part Two” does not disappoint.
Jacqueline West designs the costumes in this film and perfectly shows the traits of each character through their designs. Pugh’s outfits show off her wealth and status in her world, while someone like Zendaya is given an outfit that shows that she is of a lower status and from a place where style isn’t a thing they worry about compared to the actual use of the suit.
The set of this film doesn’t take any steps back either. The film was shot in Wadi Rum in order to capture the great mass of sand and land needed to show the great dunes of Arrakis, but not all of the movie Is set on Arrakis.
During the beginning of the film you get to see Giedi Prime, the home planet of the Harkonnens. This part of the film is shot entirely in black in white film in order to show off the black sun of the planet just sinking you deeper into the story. This effect adds more to this already great film.
With the plot, characters, and set and costume design this movie is near perfection with only small issues that I feel are unavoidable when you make a film like this. I give “Dune: Part Two” a 9.5/10–a spectacular sequel to a great film.
