Dune: Part Two is an epic science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve, one of the greatest science fiction filmmakers of this century. Following the critical and commercial success of Dune (or Dune: Part One) in 2021, Villeneuve continues his efforts to adapt the remainder of Frank Herbert’s classic novel of the same name, once again bringing the story of Paul Atreides and the incredible landscapes of planet Arrakis to the silver screen.

The film opens with a narration by Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), catching the audience up to speed with the events of Dune: Part One. House Atreides has fallen due to a plot by a rival noble family, the House Harkonnen, secretly aided by the Padishah Emperor (Christopher Walken) himself. Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), saved by a native tribe of sand people known as the Fremen, decide to join the Fremen and learn their ways, determined to fulfil his father’s goal to bring peace to planet Arrakis by harnessing the power of the dessert.

An exclusive sisterhood, the Bene Gesserit, of which Lady Jessica is a member, is a religious group working behind the scenes for a greater and troubling purpose. Centuries ago, they fabricated a prophecy of a messiah liberating the Fremen from oppression. This prophecy has since divided the Fremen, more so as Paul and Jessica arrive at their doorstep due to their resemblance to the prophesied messianic figure and Paul’s triumph over a fellow Fremen in a duel. Meanwhile, following their obliteration of House Atreides from the planet, the Harkonnens are in tension as they struggle to take control of spice production on Arrakis as a result of Fremen raids. Political tension arises, as Paul navigates his way through a tapestry of betrayal, admiration, love, and deceit by different parties, rising in influence as the prophesied messiah to the adoration and horror of many.

Dune: Part Two is such a cinematic experience, and it is almost unbelievable that Denis Villeneuve has succeeded in delivering a powerful sequel that surpasses the original in scope, emotion, depth, and cinematic expression. It has always been believed that Frank Herbert’s epic novel is unadaptable due to the breadth of its content. From Jodorowsky’s failed attempt to adapt the book in the 1970s (which is the subject of a 2013 documentary film, Jodorowsky’s Dune) to David Lynch’s appalling film adaptation in 1984 which the director ended up disowning partly due to studio interference in his vision, the adaptation project switched hands over the years to similarly unfavourable results. In 2021, Villeneuve and his team achieved the long-unachievable and delivered a stunning piece of cinematic delight, capturing the breadth and scope of the worlds and political landscape without weighing the film down with incomprehensible exposition and questionable inner monologues like Lynch did, all while setting the foundations for a second film.

With most pieces set, Villeneuve is able to dive deep into the core themes and ideas of the story in Part Two, bringing to life its darker and arguably more interesting aspects. The sequel explores the hopes and dangers associated to messianic figures through characters like Chani (Zendaya) and Stilgar (Javier Bardem), who are Fremen, and Lady Jessica, who plays a role in the Bene Gesserit. The film also explores the fabrication of prophecies to control others and the fulfilment of a prophecy through pure coincidence, fate, or sheer human will.

This ties back to Herbert’s original intention for his novel to be a cautionary tale about messianic figures. When he realised his intentions were misread, Herbert followed up with a second book – Dune: Messiah. Lynch’s version largely ignores this aspect of the novel, playing right into the trope of ‘The Chosen One’ that is always prevalent in literature. Villeneuve, on the other hand, dissects the trope in his film, making it palatable to all audiences, while never losing sight of the urgency of the themes. The film, in a way, very nicely sets up the tone for a potential third film to be based on Herbert’s second book.

I have always been quite uncomfortable with the ‘Chosen One’ trope in films. The notion that a selected person has the power to save the world/universe/country alone and that they, and only they, are capable of doing so has always troubled me. To me, it reduces the role of the masses to victims and bystanders, waiting for someone to come rescue them from their plight. While I do enjoy films that heavily hinges on the trope like The Matrix trilogy, I never really enjoyed the showdowns where The Chosen One faces down the antagonist and side characters engage in fights that serve little purpose to their ultimate triumph when The Chosen One takes down the antagonist and all threats magically disappear.

While this creates a major dramatic drive for the protagonist and the film, when done poorly, it takes away realism and reduces characters besides The Chosen One to mere disposable tools. There are exceptions, of course, like Return of the Jedi, where the main characters are as equally important as the chosen hero. More recent films like The Hunger Games quadrilogy and Star Wars: The Last Jedi are films about the trope that I genuinely enjoy. They seem to play into the trope on first glance, while in reality they are subverting it, putting the power back into the hands of the common people while acknowledging the importance and symbol The One represents. Villeneuve’s film is, in a way, a continuation of the discourse around the boons and banes of the trope, and this is a major reason I enjoyed the film very much.

Dune: Part Two boasts a spectacular ensemble cast, led by the relatively young Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. Amidst the political and religious commentaries, at the heart of the film is a love story between the two main protagonists, and the emotional weight of the film lies heavily on both their shoulders. Chalamet and Zendaya are amazing in their roles, each delivering powerful performances alone but truly shine when they complement each other. I have always enjoyed Chalamet’s performances in the past, and this film brings out a different side of him, one of which I wish to see more in a future role as a fully-fledged villain. He commands the screen just as his character commands the Fremen – moving and blood-raising.

Rebecca Ferguson continues to dazzle and mystify as Lady Jessica, as her character’s true intentions show more fully in this film. There is a slew of smaller characters that are memorable as well despite their short screentime, thanks to their wonderful portrayals, such as the intelligent and calculating Princess Irulan portrayed by Florence Pugh, the psychotic and murderous Feyd-Rautha portrayed by an unrecognisable Austin Butler, and the mysterious Lady Flenning portrayed by Lea Seydoux.

With Hans Zimmer back on the helm for music, Dune: Part Two continues to amaze with its soaring soundtrack. Building on his Oscar-winning score for the first film, Zimmer created new themes for Part Two, adding to the already wonderful tapestry of sonic textures of the world of Dune. “A Time of Quiet Between the Storms”, in particular, is moving and soul-touching. Watching the scene in an IMAX theatre, my heart soared as the tune engulfs the audience and the camera pans across the spectacular dessert landscape of Arrakis.

Both sight and sound go hand in hand, with Greig Fraser and his team expanding the world of Dune with their dazzling cinematography and camera work to match the brilliance of Zimmer’s team. The black-and-white cinematography of the Harkonnen Arena, in particular, is hauntingly beautiful and continues to linger in my mind. The end result is a rare cinematic experience that can only be done justice by watching it on the silver screen. Kudos also to the effects and props departments for the titanically huge and real-looking sandworms, where it made me believed the characters are actually riding one on screen. If I have any quibble, however, there are moments that I felt were needlessly deafening, and the sound design could have been toned down for those sequences.

All in all, Dune: Part Two is a magnificent cinematic experience, and while it’s early in the year, it is already firmly in my top 10 films of the year. Villeneuve’s film, in my opinion, might just be the best science fiction film of the decade for now, and I believe will be remembered in the future alongside films like The Empire Strikes Back or The Godfather: Part Two as one of the rare breeds of sequels that surpassed its original. I highly recommend watching it in the cinemas and immersing yourself in the breathtaking world of Dune.

Author: Chia Jing Heng (andreusjh99)