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A Tan and Sandy Violence

Editor's Note: "Dune" is the quintessential epic, and for the release of the second film in Denis Villenueve's series we're doing our part by bringing you two epic reviews from the BPBS writing staff. Enjoy Stuart's take, and then check out Will Bjarnar's thoughts here.

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Everyone loves to debate the best "Part Two" movies. Yes, I see you, "The Godfather, Part II" - you are the touchstone. But science fiction films love a sequel that builds upon or bests its forebear. Just consider the following: "The Empire Strikes Back," "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," "Terminator 2: Judgement Day," "Aliens" - the list of great Part 2s goes on and on. And now a new entry joins their ranks, as Denis Villeneuve has bested himself with "Dune: Part Two."

2021's "Dune" gave us a cliffhanger ending: House Atreides was annihilated, with Paul (Timothée Chalamet, "Wonka," "Don't Look Up") and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, "The Greatest Showman," "Men in Black: International") on the run from the Harkonnens. It left us all wanting more, with no clear sense if Villeneuve would get the chance to deliver his conclusion.

"Dune: Part 2" picks up right away and propels us towards a retribution against the Harkonnens, along with other galactic power players who contributed to the downfall of House Atreides. Paul and Jessica have joined Arrakis' native Fremen (who we met at the end of Part 1) and are seeking safety within their ranks. With help from Chani (Zendaya, "Spider-Man: No Way Home") Paul rises as a Fremen warrior, as he grapples with the prophecy that he is to lead them as the "Lisan al Gaib." His uncertainty is driven by troubling visions (caused by exposure to the Spice of Arrakis) of a blood-soaked jihad leaving billions dead. Jessica pursues a more oblique and menacing path to protect her son, setting the stage for him to assume the mantle of "Lisan Al Gaib" in pursuit of her belief of his ascendance to a superhuman existence.

The Harkonnens - here given rich attention and exploration - struggle to contain the Paul and the Fremen. Through their conflicts we meet or reencounter Rabban (Dave Bautista, "Guardians of the Galaxy"), Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård, "Hope"), and Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler, "Elvis"), then hurtle toward an action-packed finale that features a knetic knife fight, nuclear bombs, and a giant sand worm cavalry. Whew.

The acting performances are consistent across the ensemble. Chalamet was intriguing in the first film, and I found him quite believable as the prince turned refugee. He builds here upon his work in part one, as Paul grasps the higher stakes that fate has set out for him. Chalamet effectively uses his strange charisma, which converts to fervor and fury as he finally adopts the mantle seemingly laid out for him by the prophecy. Rebecca Ferguson makes a chilling transformation from nurturing mother protecting (and being protected by) Paul, to a manipulative Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother - still protecting Paul, but by vastly more sinister means. Javier Bardem ("mother!") shines as Stilgar, the local Fremen leader who allows Paul and Jessica into their ranks. Bardem imbues Stilgar with the driest humor on a desert planet, while simultaneously delivering a believable portrait of an utterly clear-eyed, yet plainly fanatical, fundamentalist true believer in the Lisan al Gaib. Stellan Skarsgård continues the excellence and terrifying menace of his performance from the first film, and Zendaya's work is textured and covers a fair range, as Chani plays a significant role as Paul's Fremen ally, love interest, and doubter of the prophecy.

Newcomer Austin Butler has the most interesting challenge in the film, as Feyd-Rautha; anyone who has ever seen 1984's "Dune" cannot shake Sting's manic and completely over the top portrayal of Feyd. However, Butler delivers a subdued and chilling performance that matches very well with how Villeneuve has brought the Harkonnens to life in this universe.

Unfortunately, the Imperial Characters new in Part 2 are simply less compelling. Christopher Walken (credits too numerous and far-reaching to pick just one to cite) as Emperor Shaddam IV is, despite his character being the architect of the conflict on Arrakis, is just not given that much to do. Florence Pugh's ("Oppenheimer") Princess Irulan plays something of an omniscient narrator while also serving as an interpreter for the audience in the various schemes of the Bene Gesserit. Pugh is understated and perfectly fine but, like Walken, is underutilized.

Villeneuve continues to dazzle with his ability to construct and deliver exceptionally-made sci-fi; truly little of this film's 2-hour and 45-minute runtime is wasted. Nothing feels particularly rushed or dragged out. Paul's scenes training in the Fremen ways have the feeling of a montage, but still manage to feel propulsive -especially the raids on Harkonnen spice production. The exposition-heavy galactic politics that were so deadly boring in the hands of George Lucas are trim and to the point. The world-building that was so effective in the first film, continues here to profound effect as we explore the depth of Fremen culture from multiple points of view. The Harkonnen home world of Giedi Prime is stunning, eerie, and brutal, and it is filmed beautifully using an IMAX camera specially modified for infrared. I fully expect this film to follow the first in winning awards for Visual Effects, Sound, Production Design, and Cinematography, and perhaps even to improve upon it with wins for Screenplay, Director, and possibly Best Picture? Time will tell.

There was considerable discussion about how the 2021 release of "Dune" cheated audiences out of the "BIG SCREEN" experience due to its simultaneous release in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day. "Dune: Part Two" is well worth a trip to your local cinema. It's arguably even worth the upgrade to a premium screen, such as IMAX. Just be sure you've seen the 2021 "Dune" first!

After seeing how well he has acquitted himself with "Dune" and "Dune: Part Two," one question is left on my mind: can Denis Villeneuve escape the "Part Three" curse? Again, time will tell.