When I read Frank Herbert’s “Dune” back in high school, I never thought that any movie could come close to adapting a narrative with such complex themes and such rich world building. The novel was labeled as “unadaptable” by many, but in 2021, Denis Villeneuve tried and delivered an incredible science fiction film the likes of which I had not seen before. It was one of the best films of that year and swept at the 2022 academy awards. Villeneuve accomplished a miracle and I was unsure, if not doubtful, that he could recapture that magic for a sequel. As it turns out though, my reservations were completely unfounded as “Dune Part 2” is one the best science fiction films ever made.
Immediately picking up where the first film left off, “Dune Part 2” follows Paul Atreides as he unites with the Fremen — the natives of the planet Arrakis — to seek revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. The first thing that any viewer will feel going into the film is the sheer sense of scale. The world Villeneuve created in the first movie and expands upon in this movie feels so well realized. There is so much depth and history behind everything — whether that be the characters or the locations. Every aspect of the world feels so lived in and rich, but despite the fact that the story is entrenched in complex lore, it all feels digestible and easy to follow. The film never stops to give the viewer large dumps of exposition; instead, the world building is so naturally built into the story telling.
The story of “Dune” is incredibly vast, full of nuance and so well plotted. Atreides goes on an incredibly transformative journey throughout the film, but every step of the way makes sense and feels completely earned. Despite the enormity of the scale, “Dune Part 2” excels in the smaller character moments. The story allows these characters to breathe and develop over time, which makes them feel much more three-dimensional. This approach allows the audience to become deeply invested in the characters and their motivations — and in turn — the overall conflict. There were several moments where the audience in my theater gasped out loud at the things that were happening on screening. And while the film does make some departures from the original source material, I think every change was necessary and amplified the overall film.
Another aspect that contributes to the viewers immersion is the sound. I saw this in an IMAX theater and I could still feel my bones vibrating from the immaculate soundscapes afterward. Everything from the large battle set pieces to the small character moments are amplified by the film's sound design. There are several moments where characters have to use a certain voice to manipulate people and the way that voice is presented gave me genuine goosebumps. Han Zimmer’s score is also unlike anything I have ever heard. It is euphoric and adds so much to the film's atmosphere and tone. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since I left the theater.
Visually the film is a feast for the eyes. In a world where so many movies spend so much money on lackluster visual effects, “Dune Part 2” delivers some of the most realistic depictions of space in a film in such a long time. Nothing in the film looks wonky or out of place and there are several shots that feel like giant renaissance paintings. So many shots in the film left me absolutely floored. There’s one in particular of a giant sandworm emerging behind Atreides in the third act that had my jaw on the ground. It doesn’t feel like any other filmmaker or studio takes as much care in the shot composition as Villeneuve and his team do.
What truly carries the movie though is the cast. I have always thought highly of Timothee Chalamet’s acting abilities, but he reaches heights in this movie that I didn’t think he was capable of. There is one scene near the end of act two where he gives a speech to the Fremen that gave me genuine chills. He is so commanding of the screen and is able to carry such a rich story on his shoulders. If you were upset that Zendaya barely had any screen time in part one, part two more than makes up for it. She is given a very substantial role in the film and her chemistry with Chalamet never felt cheesy or forced. Their relationship is the heart of the story and both parties make it come to life beautifully.
The supporting cast is also incredible. Austin Butler delivers a genuinely terrifying performance as the evil Feyd Rautha and is a welcome addition to the all-star cast. Rebecca Ferguson also gets more time to shine. Without giving too much away, her character goes through a transformation which gives her a much meatier role for her to sink her teeth into — and she rises to the occasion becoming a major standout. An actor that I haven’t seen get too much praise for this film is Dave Bautista, which is such a shame. This is probably his best work to date. Watching him try to desperately please the Baron, played brilliantly by Stellan Skarsgård, is weirdly entertaining. Bautista makes you feel sympathy for this character despite the fact that he does some pretty despicable things throughout the movie. He has come so far as an actor, especially in the last few years, and this role just feels like a culmination of all his hard work.
The main cast is rounded out by Javier Bardem who brings an amazingly deep, but necessary passion to the film; Florence Pugh, who gives an understated yet nuanced performance as the princess Irulan; Josh Brolin, who returns as the loyal yet vengeful Gurney Halleck; and Christopher Walken, who brings an incredible level of menace and personality to the Padishah Emperor.
In a film this grand and well put together, it was hard to find many flaws. The only one that sticks out is the lack of time spent with the side characters. Brolin’s character has a major vendetta against Bautista’s for the duration of the film, but Villeneuve never explores the origin of that vendetta despite it being an important part of the story. There are also some characters who were in the first film who are completely absent in this one, such as Thufir Hawat who was played quite excellently by Stephen McKinley Henderson. No explanation is given to what happens to his character following the events of “Dune Part 1,” despite him being a presence in the book.
Overall though, “Dune Part 2” is one of the best films I have seen in quite a long time. If films such as “Arrival”, “Blade Runner 2049” and “Dune Part 1” didn’t already cement Villeneuve as one of the best working filmmakers in Hollywood, this one certainly does. He delivers a film that is immensely rich in story and scale and full of some of the best performances of the decade. Every aspect — from the script, to the sound, to the visuals — work together to create one of the best cinematic experiences I’ve been lucky enough to sit through. I believe that it will stand the test of time as one of the best sequels and science fiction films of all time, and I genuinely loved every minute of it. It is the closest thing to a masterpiece we've gotten in a very long time.