After a three-year wait, the sci-fi cinematic event from Denis Villeneuve is here! I’m a huge fan of Part One, which was my #1 film of 2021, so I couldn’t wait for Part Two. Because this is a continuation of the first, not a sequel per se, I knew I could safely expect the same kind of epic filmmaking and immersive theatrical experience as Part One, and thankfully, Villeneuve + Co. did NOT disappoint.

While Star Wars was the defining space opera fantasy of the 70s-80s, Dune is easily the sci-fi epic of this generation. The French-Canadian visionary filmmaker is an unabashed fan of Frank Herbert’s dense novel, and he’s been quoted as saying that ‘the first audience member I wanted to please was myself’ His passion and extensive knowledge of the book pays off in a big way as he clearly pours everything into the project he’d surely be remembered for in his illustrious career.

As I sat down in the IMAX theater earlier this week, I was giddy with anticipation, for once I’m actually glad Part Two is 2h 46m long, which went by really fast. I commended Villeneuve for how well-paced the first film was, and that’s the same with Part Two. The movie is immediately immersive as it opens with Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan voice-journaling that Paul Atreides might still be alive. Meanwhile, her Emperor father (Christopher Walken) is in a somber mood over the destruction of the House of Atreides.

The movie then picks up where the first one left off in the desert planet Arrakis where Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) with the Fremen, including Stilgar (Javier Bardem) and Chani (Zendaya). The sense of tension is palpable as Paul is hellbent on revenge on the House of Harkonnen for killing his beloved father, while there’s something quite sinister as Paul is touted as the messiah by the Fremen zealots such as Stilgar. As an unbeliever, Paul himself knows he’s NOT the savior that’s been [falsely] prophesied, but he’s willing to let himself be seen as one if it serves his purpose. Given the political climate we’re in today, that storyline is eerily familiar.

I prepared myself by watching a few recap videos of the first film as I didn’t get a chance to rewatch it before the promo screening. Shout out to Quinn’s Ideas YT channel, I find his deep-dive videos helpful as I haven’t read the book. The fact that I’m already familiar with the overarching story makes the second part much easier to follow. One key thing I gleaned from those videos is that Herbert’s DUNE novel isn’t so much about a hero’s journey, but a cautionary tale against charismatic leaders and messianic figures. The theme of hero worship and what it could mean to society is very much ingrained in the film. We see Paul’s transformation from a principled, reluctant leader to a ruthless, power-driven man consumed with ambition and power, even if his initial motive was to save others.

Bardem’s Stilgar becomes sort of a tragic character with his blind faith in Paul… the line ‘I don’t care what you believe, I BELIEVE!’ gives me chills, given that the messianic prophecies are planted by the secretive matriarchal order the Bene Gesserit. I have to say though, even amid all the heightened exchanges, Bardem becomes quite the comic relief I never expected. Josh Brolin‘s Gurney’s brashness is quite funny as well, and the humorous moments are a welcome respite as the whole movie is mostly solemn and ominous. Meanwhile, Chani remains skeptical of Paul, even as their romance blossom. I find the interaction between the two even more compelling here as the stakes are so high, especially for the Fremen people.

As for the Bene Gesserit, which some rightly call witches, it’s been established in the first film just how powerful they truly are. Somehow that notion didn’t quite sink in until part two, for me anyway. Let’s just say that Léa Seydoux’s Lady Margot conversation with Charlotte Rampling’s Reverend Mother following Margot’s encounter with Austen Butler‘s Feyd-Rautha drives that point so clearly that while the powerful houses in the DUNE universe are led by men, it’s the Bene Gesserit women who have the ultimate control.

The colossal scale of this film deserves a staggering top-notch cast that ought to be a shoo-in for SAG’s Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture award. If I ever had any doubt about Chalamet’s casting as Paul, he squashes it here as he really comes into his own as a conflicted anti-hero. All the returning cast are fantastic, but out of those actors, the clear MVPs are Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson. Chani’s journey is especially moving, as she clearly loves Paul but remains steadfastly defiant against all the manipulative machinations at the expense of her own people. Ferguson’s Lady Jessica is truly put in the wringer in this one, her physical performance takes my breath away, especially in the blue-liquid drinking scene. I’ve been a fan of the Swedish-born actress since seeing her in The White Queen miniseries, I hope to see her in more leading roles as she’s terrific in everything she’s in.

Out of the newbies, Butler proves that he’s no one-hit-wonder as he filmed Part Two right after Elvis. He’s got such a commanding presence as the psychotic Feyd-Rautha and he’s believably scary with a shaved head and brows. Feyd’s fight scene with imprisoned Atreides’ soldier (Roger Yuan) is reminiscent of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. It gives us a taste of the pivotal mano-a-mano knife fight between Feyd and Paul that’s exciting to watch.

On a technical level, DUNE simply can’t be beat. The experience of watching this is so visceral you can practically feel the desert heat on your skin and the sand in your hair. Costing a reported $190 million, it’s even more expensive than the first one ($165 mil) and you can see why. Phenomenal production designer Patrice Vermette already won an Oscar for Part One, but I think he deserves another nomination for Part Two. Same with cinematographer Greig Fraser and composer Hans Zimmer, both of whom have won Oscars for Part One but they could very well be nominated again for their astounding work here.

I love Zimmer’s mythical-sounding score which suits the desert terrain perfectly. I enjoy hearing the fictional language called Chakobsa, developed by Villeneuve and linguist David J. Peterson who also developed the Dothraki language used in Game of Thrones. Ferguson’s way of speaking Chakobsa is most impressive but most of the actors sound quite fluent after weeks of training.

Villeneuve promised a more action-packed second part and he made good on that front, as there are definitely more fight scenes, shoot-outs, aerial attacks, explosions, etc. to satisfy action fans. I mentioned in my Part One review how much I adore the Ornithopter, those four-winged, dragonfly-like chopper, I still enjoy watching those aerial scenes as the Ornitopher is constantly used by the Harkonnen’s army. One of the most memorable moments for me has got to be Paul’s sandworm-riding moment, it’s a glorious rite of passage to belong to the Fremen that’s so incredibly well-staged. It reminds me a bit of the iconic chariot scene in William Wyler’s 1959 Ben-Hur.

I’m glad that Villeneuve takes his time in making DUNE, allowing him and the crew to really immerse themselves in the story. It’s truly a masterclass in worldbuilding, every single detail is meticulously crafted to submerse us in its mythology. Villeneuve doubles down on illustrating Arrakis’ liquid scarcity—Stilgar practically drinks Lady Jessica’s tears, and Fremens insert siphon tubes on a dead body to ensure not a drop of precious fluid is wasted. The only other franchise with such painstaking attention to detail is Peter Jackson’s original trilogy of the Lord of The Rings.

I know it’s often a cliché to use the word epic or vast to describe a movie, but it’s no hyperbole for DUNE. I’m amazed just how tight the script is, written by Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts, as hardly any moment in the nearly 3-hour running time is wasted. I’m glad I got to see this in IMAX, the way it’s intended, and I find it even more glorious and mesmerizing than Part One. As with any well-written sci-fi, it’s an escapist entertainment in which the theme still resonates with what’s happening in the world today. That’s how I feel about DUNE and it’s Villeneuve’s pièce de résistance, his magnum opus he’ll be remembered for decades to come. I’m really hoping there’ll be DUNE 3 coming in the next few years!

Have you seen DUNE 2? I’d love to hear what you think!

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