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★★★★★
It’s been three years since the cinematic universe of Dune swept through audiences and enchanted critics alike. Based on the works of legendary Sci-Fi novelist Frank Herbert, Dune in my opinion is something of an anomalous property. While incredibly creative, ground-breaking, and celebrated in their own rights, I must admit to being somewhat surprised at the level of fanfare inspired in the general public by the stories told in these books. With the release of Denis Villeneuve's Dune Part 2, worm-frenzy has reached fever pitch; deftly taking on the mantle of this generation's Star Wars in surprisingly efficient fashion (which is in itself ironic, given how much Star Wars shamelessly lifts from Herbert’s works).
Perhaps I was (admittedly) naïve to the lengths and breadths of the fanbase of Dune; maybe I underestimated the sheer engine of the star power of lead performers Timothy Chalamet and Zendaya. Or simply that, with the crushing disappointment of what the latest Star Wars films are offering, in combination with the omnipresent suffocation of Marvel fatigue, there was simply a massive demand for a big concept blockbuster like Dune. Either way, Dune released to rave reviews and immediate clamours for a sequel. Everyone loved it.
Weeeeeell. Not everyone. I’m ashamed to say that I thought Dune was incredibly mid. While finding the spectacle of the film incredibly engrossing, with some absolutely awesome production and sound design, I thought it was just really…boring. Flat as a pancake characters, wooden performances, and a shambling screenplay that seemed to shuffle forwards out of obligation, rather than via any kind of narrative thrust. It was, to me at least, a dull film with nothing new to offer in the story department, and one that I actively found to be quite the frustrating watch. So it goes without saying that I sat down with my friend to watch Dune Part 2 with some trepidation.
It’s great. It’s really, really good. So good in fact, with so many of the issues I had with the first film completely swept aside, that I’m convinced now more than ever that the first film had some kind of mass psychosis effect on the population. I have no goddamned idea why anyone would want to go back and watch the first film, when the second part slaps in such a specific and obviously superior manner. But I digress.
Dune Part 2 picks up immediately where the first left off; with Timothy Chalamet’s Paul Atriedes and his mother Lady Jessica (played by Rebecca Ferguson) trapped amongst the Fremen. To give a briefer than normal synopsis of the film, we see Paul slowly falling in love with the Fremen (and Zendaya’s Chani in particular) while being gently and slowly lauded as the fabled messiah of the Fremen people, destined to lead them to greatness (a role that Paul will come to struggle with greatly throughout the movie, and one that will ultimately consume him).
Meanwhile, we are introduced to a whole host of new characters, such as Christopher Walken’s emperor, his daughter Princess Irulan (played by Florence Pugh), the sensually sociopathic Feyd-Rautha of House Harkonnen (played by Austin Butler), and many more; all of with their own narrative threads to follow, unique goals, interesting personalities, and great performances too.
That has to be my first point when comparing parts 1 and 2; to put it simply, the difference between both the quality of the characters, and the pacing of the story, is night and day. Every single one of the new characters in this film are so much more interesting and fun to watch - across the board. Whether it’s Javier Bardem’s gruffly charming Stilgar of the Fremen, Austin Butler’s sadistic Feyd Rautha, Lea Seydoux’s icy Lady Fenring, or Christopher Walken’s worn down and casually evil emperor. There is so much more bite, humour, personality, and layers to be explored in the characters of Dune 2. And when you have a huge cast of interesting characters interacting with each other, what do you know? You have a much more interesting narrative.
I also feel as though my own personal misgivings with Part 1 have been directly addressed. Dune Part 2 has humour, it has action set pieces with emotional weight, it has follow-through on the stakes of the story and the narrative. While the first film was far too dry and cold for my liking as a viewer, Part 2 has a ton more heart and soul behind it, with far more believable character relationships, way more likeable and human characters, and way better pacing throughout. The inclusion of comic relief through characters like Stilgar, and a simple romance subplot alone make such a vast difference to how watchable the movie is. Sure, the plot is going to be better by nature because it's building on top of all the worldbuilding and exposition that part 1 had to set up. But I think all of these additions are just as important in making part 2 by far the superior film. They even showcase by far the most interesting aspect of Dune's world far more; the colossal sand worms that populate the deserts of Arrakis. It's just so much more of a genuine crowd pleaser, and a real joy to watch from all angles - especially in comparison to the first film.
It’s not just the new characters, either. Paul Atriedes (as I even theorised he would be in my review of Dune) is infinitely more watchable this time around. Chalamet is excellent in his portrayal of a more well-meaning every-man, slowly being tempted towards megalomania. Where Dune 1’s Paul was stiff, wooden, and bland, Dune 2’s Paul is fiery, string-willed, and complex. Zendaya’s Chani may as well be a new character, too. Her characterisation in the first film was essentially “It’s Zendaya”. Here, though, we have a character that many are saying is an improvement on the source material even. Dune 2’s Chani is brave, principled, and stubborn - with a simple, strong chemistry with Paul and a standout performance by Zendaya. And arguably the best character in the entire film is Rebecca Ferguson’s Lady Jessica. Ranging from likeable, humble, and good-natured, to ominous, downright creepy, intimidating, and malicious, Lady Jessica for me is the standout performance, best character, and even perhaps the lynchpin of the entire narrative.
I don’t want to be misconstrued as only caring about the comparison of the two films, either. Dune 2 stands in its own two feet as a very impressive piece of blockbuster filmmaking, as one of the best films of the year, and undoubtedly earning the franchises mantle of “the next big thing”. All of the characters, the narrative, and the pacing now match the stellar quality of the set, costume, and production design. While I will always appreciate Villeneuve’s technical wizardry, it’s easier to love when you love what the rest of the film is doing; when you actually feel what the film wants you to. I bought in to Paul and Chani’s romance, I felt for the Fremen, I laughed with Stilgar, and I grew to fear Lady Jessica and the Bene Gesserit.
And when you’re buying into all of this, you really start to take notice of how special the world of Dune is. The dusty, dry, and cracked architecture of the Fremen and the desert tundra's of Arrakis. The cold, clinical, and sharp edges of the homeworld of House Harkonnen, which is always cloaked in a monochromatic light from the planets sun (the planet is essentially black and white, and it looks dope, avoiding coming across as a gimmick). Needless to say, Dune 2 exceeds Part 1’s impressive technical qualities, and marries them with a vastly-improved story to bring together a film that’s truly deserving of all the hype.
I do have a few smaller nit-picks and criticisms. It should be blatantly obvious by this point that I didn’t really like the first film; anyone who did will probably disagree with my take here. But personally, I still found all of the elements that directly carried over from Part 1 to be…lacking. House Harkonnen, for me, are still very bland, one-dimensional antagonists - almost comically “evil” in a way that doesn’t really suit the tone of the emperor, or the Bene Gesserit. They function much better in Part 2, as they are somewhat relegated to the role of grunts and foot-soldiers, as opposed to being the main antagonists. Physically-intimidating, brawny, pale meat sacks clad in black sci-fi armour - you can do a lot worse. I enjoy all of the battle scenes that feature the Harkonnen's, even if I’m still wholly unconvinced by the individual characters amongst their ranks. They almost serve as a microcosm of my issues with the first film; all style, with very little substance.
Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha is a very welcome addition, as I feel he perfectly encapsulates the role of the Harkonnen’s in the narrative. A sledgehammer in human form, to be wielded by those with actual power. Butler squeezes every drop of intrigue and charisma out of what could very easily be a flat character. Feyd-Rautha is a simple man with simple tastes, primarily a sadistic lust for power, violence, and killing. Even though he’s essentially a pawn of the Bene Gesserit, Butler is a complete scene-stealer, finally bringing to life a Harkonnen that’s actually interesting to watch.
Following on from this point, the worst character in the entire film by FAR, is the returning Gurney (played by Josh Brolin). I have nothing against Brolin, but Gurney is emblematic of everything I hated in Part 1. Much like Jason Mamoa's Duncan Idaho, or Oscar Isaac's Leto Atreides, Gurney is a dull-as-dishwater mentor figure to Paul, with whom he shares a supposed, brotherly/fatherly relationship. I call bullshit! Like all the character relationships in Part 1, Gurney was a stilted, awkward presence with nothing to him, and there was certainly nothing onscreen that could in any way be misconstrued as an interesting "relationship" (despite several rushed and unbelievable scenes insisting upon the audience the opposite).
So when this Marvel-ass dipshit shows up to grind proceedings to a halt, I was not impressed. Easily the worst part of Dune Part 2 is Gurney's reintroduction, leading to some inane, flat, lifeless, and boring scenes between him and the real characters. It's as though Brolin brings the stank of Dune Part 1's character failings with him, singlehandedly tanking the pacing and the tone that this film has spent so long rehabilitating. To go from the genuine romance of Paul and Chani, the warm-natured friendship of Paul and Stilgar, and the increasingly fractured relationship of Paul and Lady Jessica, to...this. It's very noticeable, and made even worse by the fact that Gurney doesn't really do anything to advance the narrative or the the themes of the film in a unique way. He essentially exists as a tool to push Paul towards bringing the Fremen to war, in direct contrast to Chani's wishes, and as a reminder of House Atreides. But pretty much every character around Paul, including Paul himself, is already doing this. He's basically a prop to introduce nukes to Paul's arsenal, and he's a very lame component to Part 2's pretty stellar roster of characters.
Other than this, though, Dune Part 2 is a delight. Thematically-rich, chock-full of diverse, interesting characters, and loaded with genuine, earned emotion - Dune Part 2 is a very welcome return to form for the Hollywood blockbuster. It well and truly earns the mantle of this generation's Star Wars, and is thoroughly worth the price of admission this Spring. As someone who legitimately did not enjoy Part 1 at ALL, I can't recommend Part 2 enough.
Also, they ride the worms. 5 stars.
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