Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
The people of House Atreides have been wiped out on the spice mining planet of Arrakis. Survivors Paul (Timothée Chalamet) and his pregnant Mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) are now living amongst the native Fremen. Paul is intent on learning their ways and how they use the desert to their advantage, while also getting closer to the literal woman of his dreams, Chani (Zendaya). He is also looking for revenge against competing House Harkonnen and those involved in the deaths of his people.
This is the basis for DUNE: PART TWO, which picks up almost immediately from where its predecessor leaves off. The acclaim, hyperbole and hype have been off the charts for this second half of Canadian Co-Writer/Director Denis Villeneuve’s iteration of Frank Herbert’s legendary book, and I do not wish to feed into it.
But how else can I respond after watching this visually stunning piece of Cinema?
What Villeneuve and his creative team have crafted is nothing short of astounding. Everything you have heard is true and then some. The Film works both as a continuation and on its own, and is the kind of spectacle that hits on every single one of your senses (watching on an IMAX screen definitely helps, especially for the eextraordinary Sound Design). Every element working together makes for a uniquely sensuous feast. I was practically floored by the visual language and architecture Villeneuve uses alongside Cinematographer Grieg Fraser and the entirety of the Production Design and Visual Effects teams. Their level of precision and care is impeccable, creating some scenes that are instant all-timers and others that imbue the kind of artistry that belongs in a museum. Their use of such a wide and brilliantly expressive variety of bold, bright colours – or in one scene’s case, a stark monochromatic scheme – in a blockbuster like this is celebration worthy alone. Right from the jump, you know you are in the hands of visual geniuses and that feeling never dissipates.
And if you thought Hans Zimmer’s Oscar-winning Score from Part One was magnificent, prepare for this Score to blow it completely out of the water. The legendary composer has already earned his place amongst the best in the game, and his work here may be the finest of his entire career. It is almost as riveting and show stopping as the Film itself.
As for the lava hot Cast, they are all phenomenal. Everyone gets a chance to showcase their impeccable talents, no matter the length of their part. Chalamet is aces again as Paul, expertly conveying his ever shifting idealism and the sheer wonder behind his actions and discoveries. Zendaya delivers some of her most emotional and intimate work to date, really elevating Chani from a mysterious figure in a dream to a powerful warrior you would hesitate to cross even in your worst nightmare. The other key standout is Elvis himself, Austin Butler, who soars as the unhinged and monstrously maniacal Feyd-Rautha. He arrives nearly halfway through and leaves scorched earth (or scorched sand as it were) in his wake. Butler’s performance is terrifying and all-consuming, and if you had any doubts of whether he was the real deal or not, his vicious take on Feyd-Rautha should put them all to rest.
If I have any quibbles with DUNE: PART TWO, it is in some of the narrative choices in the second half. I have not read the Book yet can fully appreciate the mammoth undertaking Villeneuve and Co-Writer Jon Spaihts went through crafting the Film into a cohesive narrative that works, complements and continues from its first part. But in truncating some moments, adjusting and updating others, and excising even more, the pair end up removing some of the narrative tissue needed to make certain decisions feel fully formed. Instead, these moments feel baffling or worse, unearned and inexplicable. Some characters suffer because of simply needing to be there (removing one specific actor would have virtually no effect on the plot other than to speed things up), while others are frustratingly one note because they are undercut and underutilized. The relentless pacing leaves little time for introspection, and the deeper ideas revolving around the likes of religious fanaticism, faith, political ambition and war are only able to be given surface level depth.
Would my understanding of the characters, their ideals and many of their actions be improved had I read the book? Probably. Would I be a little annoyed by some of the drastic changes Villeneuve and Spaihts make if I was a major Herbert fan? Most likely. Does any of this affect what an incredible achievement DUNE: PART TWO is? Not really. It remains a stunning, monumental picture no matter which way you look at it; I just feel I could have enjoyed Paul’s journey even more if there was some additional narrative finessing.
All of that said, it is a real challenge to identify DUNE: PART TWO as anything less than an absolute masterwork and the first must-see film of 2024. It solidifies Villeneuve as one of our generation’s greatest Visual Artists and Storytellers, and sets an incredibly high bar for any and all science fiction/fantasy films to come. The pure visual splendour on display here is breathtaking, as are the top notch performances from Chalamet, Zendaya and Butler. Seeing the Film projected on an enormous IMAX screen is an experience I will not soon forget. I was riveted. I was left breathless. I could not even consider looking away. DUNE: PART TWO is the reason why we go to the movies.
So if you are considering a trip to Arakkis in your future, rest assured that you will not be disappointed. And if you are not, then adjust your plans immediately. This is the type of once-in-a-generation picture you cannot afford to miss.
Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release DUNE: PART TWO on Friday, March 1, 2024.
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com