All weekend after seeing Dune Part 2, I was trying to put my finger on exactly how watching it made me feel, and I think I've finally found the right words:
Dune Part 2 is the epic blockbuster that every other franchise film seems to think they are, certainly the one they would all like to be.
Much like its predecessor, Dune Part 2 is truly epic, and I don't mean in the dumb internet way, or the "oh man look at these two cgi characters fight really badly" way (yeah I'm looking directly at you, DC and Marvel), but TRULY epic. There were scenes in this movie, even scenes I was expecting thanks to the trailers, that had me sitting in the theater with my mouth agape, blown away by what I was seeing. It felt like watching 'Return of the King' for the first time in theaters, the kind of spectacle I was starting to think I'd never see again. In a sea of low-effort, un-special, cgi disasters, Dune stands out as one of the coolest movies I've seen in years.
It should come as no surprise to those who saw part 1 that every actor here is giving 100%, to the point where it's almost hard to pick a standout, and yet special mention has to go to Timothee Chalamet and Austin Butler, who absolutely rule the screen whenever they're front and center. Chalamet is given the opportunity to explore new depths to his character in this film as Paul comes into his own as a leader, struggling with the weight of his destiny, and Butler plays certified lunatic Feyd Rautha with such infectious joy it left me wishing we saw even more of the character.
This doesn't mean the other actors are slacking, of course. Rebecca Ferguson is alarmingly sinister in this updated take on Lady Jessica, Zendaya is excellent as the Fremen's resident skeptic Chani (a bold, refreshing take on a character who was, let's face it, lacking agency in the book), and despite now being the victim of internet memes, I found Javier Bardem's Stilgar to be a welcome source of earnestness and levity in the film that really helped to humanize the Fremen (and to show the unyielding strength of their faith).
Actually, I think I should take a moment to vocalize my appreciation for how well Denis fabricates the fictional societies of Dune. You truly get a sense of the values that all of these disparate societies possess, without the movie having to grind to a halt and beat you over the head with them. Less than ten minutes on Geidi Prime is all we need to get a pretty thorough understanding of what Harkkonen life is like, a few scenes with the Fremen and we understand exactly who they are and what they value. It's incredible how efficiently this movie zips through expository information without spoon feeding it to the audience or obliterating the films pacing.
Hans Zimmer once again turns in an incredible soundtrack, proving as always that he's capable of composing pieces that aren't just audibly pleasing or exciting to listen to, but that also complement the intended atmosphere of a given scene so well that, instead of feeling separate or phoned in like too many soundtracks nowadays, the score feels like an organic part of every scene. I'm also a sucker for a score that has so many excellent and unique examples of leitmotif (a great accomplishment in a world where Madame Webb exists and seems to have composed its main theme using a sliced up version of the theme from the recent Spiderman Videogame...).
As with the previous Dune, one of the main draws of this movie will without a doubt be the visuals. As I stated above, there were scenes that had me sitting with my jaw on the floor. The gorgeous practical sets, top-notch CGI (which is composited so well you'd be forgiven for thinking some shots are all miniatures), and Greig Fraser's incredible cinematography blend together to create something that looks so fresh, it's breathtaking. I compared it 'Return of the King' earlier, and the comparison is the most apt I think I can make; If you saw the charge of the Rohirrim in theaters, you know the feeling I'm talking about. This film has the kind of epic scenes that make your chest tighten, your eyes water, and your heart race.
Where this film differs the most from the previous is in its pacing, largely because the majority of the necessary world-building is accomplished in the first film. While the story is not as clearly structured as the previous film, I never for one moment felt lost or bored; even when the film was taking a break from its massive set pieces, I was completely invested in what was happening, and the action scenes are made all the better because the slower scenes use their time to make us care about these characters and their struggles, and give us a clear idea of the state of affairs at any given moment. These moments of calm were also very welcome, as this film is absolutely BRIMMING with set pieces and excellent action sequences. One such sequence towards the end had me actively gripping my chest with tension, despite knowing how the scene played out, and this showcases Villeneuve's true mastery of his art; this man creates movies and scenes so enthralling, you aren't thinking about how a character can't possibly die in this scene, you're completely wrapped up in that moment.
I have one, single solitary complaint about the film, and it's one that I did not expect to be making; Christopher Walken was miscast as the Emperor. He's not bad, he doesn't give a bad performance, but something about seeing Walken with his crazy hair and his regular Walken voice set in these serious scenes and surrounded by these well made-up actors just felt so off. Nothing that made the experience worse, it was just something that stood out as odd. But then, maybe that was the point? Maybe we're supposed to see the Emperor as this old, raggedy, regular guy who's clearly just a figurehead for the Benet Gesserit? Or maybe I'm reading too much into it, who knows.
Dune Part 2 is a landmark film for the science fiction genre, the kind of movie, hell the kind of trilogy (oh yes, it will be a trilogy), that comes along once every 10-20 years and totally changes the game. A well acted, beautifully constructed, visually stunning series of films on par with the original 'Star Wars' movies, or the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, and I recommend seeing it on the biggest screen you possibly can.
5/5, low effort cgi nonsense is dead, long live the new king of modern blockbuster filmmaking.
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