‘Dune: Part Two’ Review: Every Bit as Good as the First

Dune was one of my favorite films of 2021 and almost immediately as the credits started rolling I was counting down the days until Part Two. After multiple delays due to the writers/actors strike, the epic space sequel is finally here, and boy has it been worth the wait. Dune: Part Two builds upon what the first film established, expanding and improving this deeply rich and complex universe in nearly every aspect. The visuals are stunning, the sound design and score are booming, and the story dives deeper than ever before into faith and the prophecy surrounding Paul Atreides. It’s director Denis Villeneuve who is the film’s true messiah, however.

Dune: Part Two immediately continues from where the first film ended with Paul (Timothée Chalamet) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) joining the Fremen after winning a duel to the death against Jamis. Following in his late father’s advice, Paul seeks to harness the power of the Fremen to get revenge against the Harkonnens and return Arrakis to the people. Meanwhile Lady Jessica continues on the path of the Bene Gesserit and fans the rumors that Paul is the Lisan al-Gaib, a prophet of legend who will lead the Fremen to paradise. Paul is determined to not follow the path laid out by his mother and generations of Bene Gesserit which he has foreseen leading to a holy war and billions of deaths, but as his powers grow he finds himself headed there regardless. Despite his best efforts war seems inevitable.

Fans of Dune are without question going to love Dune: Part Two. After the success of the first film, Part Two is the result of everyone involved firing on all cylinders and delivering their best work. The story is vastly more complex and engaging as Paul comes to terms with the pressure of being this so-called prophet to the Fremen that the Bene Gesserit have laid out. He doesn’t want to be their savior because he has seen the future and the devastation that lies ahead should the prophecy come to pass.

And yet his decisions inevitably lead him towards the same fate. Paul is a good fighter and leader and as he gathers wins against the Harkonnen army his legend continues to grow among the Fremen people. They want to believe he is their prophet, both because of the propaganda implanted in their minds from the Bene Gesserit and because they simply yearn for a better life. Even as Paul blatantly rejects the prophecies, there is no changing in their faith because that is exactly how the Lisan al-Gaib would react.

Timothée Chalamet fully embraces Paul as well. You can see on his face the burden he carries as he sees the future that he continues to march towards regardless of his actions. He is controlled by fate, for better and worse. Even so, he is commanding as a leader as well. The passion and ferocity in his speeches is enough to make anyone believe he is their savior. Everyone except Chani that is. After what can be considered a brief cameo appearance in the first film, Zendaya delivers a strong performance as a lover, fighter, and unbeliever. As an outsider, Chani is hesitant to trust Paul initially but she sees that his intentions are good and the two quickly become lovers. Tensions rise as Paul becomes more and more in line with being the Fremen savior, however. Chani believes in herself and her people and not some lies told by those in power. She reluctantly follows because it is still the best option forward, but seeing those around her blindly put their trust in someone only puts more walls up between her and Paul. It’s the dynamic between Chalamet and Zendaya that drives Dune: Part Two.

Denis Villeneuve isn’t afraid to get weird with Dune: Part Two either. The film is massive in scale. Even though it only covers the second half of the novel and it nearly three hours long, you can help but feel how dense the story is. There are a ton a new characters in addition to all of the returning ones. Austin Butler’s pyschotic Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen is a definite standout. His introduction is absolutely stunning and takes place in an arena battle on the Harkonnen homeworld where everything is bathed by a sun so bright everything is shown in black and white. Villeneuve’s use of shadows and lines is gorgeous and hammers home how beautiful yet unsettling the Harkonnen’s can be. The rest of the film delivers with the same attention to detail as well. From the Fremen reclaiming water from fallen soldiers to the riding of sandworms, the world building of Dune: Part Two is some of the best I have ever seen.

It can honestly be a little overwhelming at times. There is so much content here that even as dense as the film is, it can feel rushed as well. I would have liked to see more of the Emperor and Princess Irulan. It’s also strange with Lady Jessica having conversations with her fetus even though it makes sense within the context of the film. There is so much lore involved that it can be confusing at times and easy to miss some things. Still, between the overarching story and the gorgeous cinematography, I will have no issue with watching this movie over and over again in order to soak up every last drop of detail.

Dune: Part Two is every bit as good as the first and in some parts even better. The new car smell might be gone, but the film more than makes up for it with a vastly superior story that entrances you with its beauty and world building and stellar performances from the entire cast. The spice is stronger than ever. Let’s hope that Denis Villeneuve gets the greenlight to do a third film because Dune has the potential to be one of the best trilogies of all time.