Denis Villeneuve writes and directs Dune: Part 2. The film stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Léa Seydoux and Christopher Walken.
In 2021, Denis Villeneuve brought the first half of Frank Herbert’s beloved sci-fi novel Dune to the big screen in spectacular fashion, establishing a world and characters that captivated audiences and left them anticipating what was to come. As Herbert’s original novel is so dense in both size and scope, splitting the story into two parts seemed like an obvious choice and seeing where Dune: Part 2 goes with its narrative, it definitely feels like the right decision was made.
Part Two picks up almost immediately where the first film ends and continues a steady sense of momentum throughout its 2-hour 46-minute runtime. Even during the film’s quieter moments, there is still a sense of urgency in the background that ebbs and flows the more the film pushes forward. However, to complement the pacing, there is a greater emphasis on the characters and their interactions this time. Whether it’s Paul’s blossoming relationship with Chani or the intense power dynamic between Feyd-Rautha and Beast Rabban Harkonnen, the film always finds the time to let these characters breathe as they bounce off of each other, leading to some genuinely riveting results.
However, all of this wouldn’t be as effective if it wasn’t for the stellar cast assembled for this film. Timothée Chalamet relishes every scene he has and comes into his own during the film’s more dramatic scenes. Zendaya brings some much-needed depth to her portrayal of Chani. In contrast, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin add occasional humour to the film that never feels out of place and is, thankfully, never overplayed. With that being said, the standout of Dune: Part Two is Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, who brings just the right amount of intensity and menace to the role in a truly unsettling manner.
Just as it did in the first film, the cinematography and effects for Dune: Part Two are a sight to behold. Everything in this film, no matter how small or insignificant it may be, is made to look as larger than life as it can. Greig Fraser’s cinematography gives everything a grand yet lived-in feel that helps the worldbuilding of Dune in very subtle but necessary ways. This works hand in hand with Villeneuve’s precise direction that handles the bombastic action set pieces with just as much grace and purpose as the slower, reflective scenes.
Even Hans Zimmer’s score feels like a step up from his already transcendent offerings for the first film. The score grabs you by the shoulders and pulls you further into the experience from the moment the film starts to the end. Zimmer has always been a consistently great composer, supplying amazing scores in recent years for films such as Top Gun: Maverick, The Creator and No Time To Die, but his score for Dune: Part Two is arguably one of his best and most visceral efforts.
Dune: Part Two had one very simple job: to be just as good or possibly better than the first film. Thankfully, Part Two exceeds the original in every way. The storytelling, pacing, character work, worldbuilding, and action set pieces are all a massive improvement over what was already a near-perfect first film. Villeneuve has faithfully and respectfully brought Frank Herbert’s vision to life in a way that is as immersive and ambitious as a film can get.
