After a long wait, Dune Part Two is finally hitting theaters. After being one of the many projects delayed due to last year’s SAG-AFTRA strike, the second part of the space epic is coming to theaters this weekend. But will it hold up to the expectations that fans have hoped for as they continued to wait? Is it as good as the first part, and can we expect more after this part of the story?
Even as a casual Sci-Fi fan, we could find the interest in Dune, even with its somewhat bloated screen time. Part Two has some of the same issues with an almost three-hour run-time, and some scenes of just dunes, that honestly could have been cut. But it almost seems like this chapter of the story was done better than the first and has better time management and storytelling – that doesn’t make it seem as long while you’re watching it. It also means that Part Two is a bit more entertaining for viewers if you’re deep into the world or just someone who is watching with a fan.
The movie picks up almost exactly where Dune left off, Paul Atreides has made his way to the Fremen and is slowly gaining their trust. While he trains with Stilgar to survive in the desert, he also has a budding relationship with Chani. Paul continues to train to fight alongside the Fremen as they are about to go to war with the powers that want to destroy them, and he seeks vengeance for the death of his father and the way of life.
The overall story is the typical chosen one trope finding themselves and coming into power, and that is the jist of Part Two. We see Paul come into himself, and start to come into his powers and fight for what he wants. We see him come right to the point of taking power and then Part Two ends there – because of course there is more to the story and we will see it play out in the next several chapters.
Timothée Chalamet once again brings the character of Paul to the screen alongside Zendaya’s depiction of Chani. And while Chalamet tends to get the majority of the accolades for his depiction there are still parts of it that seem harder to believe. Maybe that is the character arch they’re going for, he’s growing into the leader he’s meant to be. But contrasted with Zendaya’s performance Chalamet seems to be lacking some in the role. It isn’t until the last quarter of Part Two do we see him have any character development, while Chani has range and character arch throughout. While we do commend the change in the story (so far) to not make Chani just a simple concubine for Paul, it seems that Zendaya’s performance overall is stronger than even many of the veteran cast members in the film.
Dune Part Two is truly an experience for sci-fi fans and one that will be appreciated on the largest screen you can see it on. Yes, there are a lot of sweeping scenes of dunes and a lot of sand. But the action scenes, the fights, the sandworms, and even the more artistic scenes are worth seeing on the big screen.
It seems like the story of Paul almost becoming a god-like figure fully in this part of the story gave the filmmakers a more creative lean and allowed them to take some chances as the futuristic and artistic scenes in the movie. It honestly gives the movie a more interesting appeal than the original 1984 adaptation of the book, and even part one of the 2021 Part One. Even with the 2-hour and 46-minute run time, Dune Part Two doesn’t feel that long.
The long wait is over and Dune Part Two is in theaters everywhere this weekend.
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About Dune: Part Two
The saga continues as award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve embarks on “Dune: Part Two,” the next chapter of Frank Herbert’s celebrated novel Dune, with an expanded all-star international ensemble cast. The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s six-time Academy Award-winning “Dune.”
The big-screen epic continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller Dune with returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Wonka,” “Call Me by Your Name”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Malcolm & Marie,” “Euphoria”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”), Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Avengers: End Game,” “Milk”), Oscar nominee Austin Butler (“Elvis,” “Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood”), Oscar nominee Florence Pugh (“Black Widow,” “Little Women”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Thor: Love and Thunder”), Oscar winner Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter,” “Hairspray”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Léa Seydoux (the “James Bond” franchise and “Crimes of the Future”), with Stellan Skarsgård (the “Mamma Mia!” films, “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Being the Ricardos”).
“Dune: Part Two” will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Herbert’s novel. The film is produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe and Patrick McCormick. The executive producers are Josh Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, with Kevin J. Anderson serving as creative consultant.
Villeneuve is again collaborating with his “Dune” creatives: Oscar-winning director of photography Greig Fraser; Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermette; Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker; Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert; Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West. Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer is again on hand to create the score.