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After a three-year wait, we are returning to the Duniverse, as directed by Denis Villeneuve. In the first Dune film, the French-Canadian filmmaker took a risk by adapting only half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 science fiction novel. Part Two continues the story from where the first film ended, with Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, stuck on the desert planet Arrakis and trying to win the favor of the native Fremen. He carries the weight of the universe on his shoulders, according to prophecies.
Similar to the first part of the book, the latter half of this magnificent yet conflicting tale focuses on secretive manipulation, the impact of belief, the dangerous consequences of legendary fate, rebellious movements, nuclear arms, and imperial aggression. There are also gigantic sandworms, showcased in their full combat capabilities. The overly sensational trailers, combined with overwhelmingly positive reviews, high audience ratings, and a traditional media blitz featuring not just one but four rising movie stars, contributed to a successful box office for Dune: Part Two – $81.5 million in the US and a total of $178 million, making it the biggest opening weekend since Barbie.
It is challenging to provide spoilers for a book that is almost 60 years old. However, be warned that there is much suspense surrounding how Villeneuve would approach the second half of the book – how closely would he follow the original material? Were the sandworms as impressive as they were portrayed? How about Austin Butler’s performance? And what about the cliffhanger ending? Now that you have watched what could potentially be the biggest movie event of the year, let’s have a conversation about it.
Arrival
Before the infamous Warner Bros title card appears, a guttural proclamation can be heard, translated against a black screen: “Control over the spice means control over everything.” This sci-fi blockbuster is heavily influenced by the concept of oil in the Middle East and we are taken back to that world once again. The imperial Princess Irulan, portrayed by series newcomer Florence Pugh (who never fails to effortlessly fit into any century, country, or galaxy), gives a brief summary in just two minutes: House Atreides has been nearly wiped out on Arrakis, betrayed in the shadows through the devious actions of her father, the Emperor, and the blatantly villainous Harkonnens.
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The movie picks up where the previous one left off, with Paul and his mother Jessica (played by Rebecca Ferguson) in the desert, having recently joined a tribe of Fremen fighters led by Stilgar (portrayed by Javier Bardem). The director, Villeneuve, has condensed the timeline on the planet Arrakis from several years to mere months, resulting in a quicker pace for the story. As the group continues to carry the body of Jamis (played by Babs Olusanmokun), whom Paul killed in Part One, they encounter a group of Harkonnens who are searching for Paul, trying to eliminate the Fremen, or possibly both.
Opinions may vary regarding Villeneuve’s depiction (or lack thereof) of the Harkonnen foot soldiers and the Fremen, but the scene where the Harkonnens ascend a desert mountain and the Fremen attack a spice harvester is impressive. Each battle in the film is a spectacular display of visuals, and the depiction of the Fremen collecting water from Harkonnen bodies adds a disturbing element to the desert scenes.
Uterus with a perspective
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I will not go into great detail about the differences from the book – my colleague Tom Huddleston explained them here – but there are a few changes made for the sake of efficiency. Thufir Hawat (portrayed by Stephen McKinley Henderson in the first film) will not be appearing, nor will Leto II (thankfully) or Count Fenring (apologies to Tim Blake Nelson, who was supposedly cast in the role). One of the most significant changes is the portrayal of Alia, Paul’s younger sister. In the film, she remains in the womb throughout the story, with the exception of an adult cameo (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) in Paul’s hallucinations induced by worm venom. Despite this, she still plays a vital role as an unborn fetus, showcasing how Jessica’s consumption of the Water of Life (worm venom) gives her “pre-born” abilities and delving into her motives.
Ferguson gives a chilling and captivating performance as Jessica, who absorbs the deep-rooted traditions of the Fremen people. She admits to Alia that she uses the Lisan al-Ghaib prophecy, a long-standing creation of the secretive Bene Gesserit, to manipulate vulnerable individuals into becoming believers. Dune has always recognized the influential yet intangible soft power wielded by women. Jessica’s evolution into a Reverend Mother, using faith to further her own interests and controlling the cultural memory, is a disturbing portrayal of colonial violence. The fact that she communicates with her telepathic unborn child only adds to the eerie nature of it all.
Desert romance
Before Villeneuve must leave Arrakis and attend to other matters, he has approximately one hour to ensure that the audience believes in the love between Paul and Chani, the Fremen warrior portrayed by Zendaya. Fortunately, Zendaya and Chalamet have a genuine chemistry, and Villeneuve includes several scenes of playful banter between them during Paul’s various desert trials. This includes Chani teasing Paul about his clumsy sandwalking and teaching him how to construct wind traps.
In contrast to Christopher Nolan’s friend Villeneuve, who featured his first sex scene in “Oppenheimer” last year, the second part of “Dune” keeps it relatively mild: there is a brief kiss for the trailer, a few professions of love (Paul telling Chani, “I aspire to be your equal” is a sign of trouble ahead), and a conversation in a tent after intimacy that touches on common mother-in-law problems (Chani admits to causing issues, while Paul appears frustrated and resigned).
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From the King of Rock and Roll to the Merciless Baron:
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In Part Two, there was much curiosity regarding Austin Butler’s portrayal of the treacherous Baron Feyd-Rautha, especially since he is mostly recognized for his portrayal of Elvis. However, Butler’s embodiment of the character is remarkable, with his bald head and menacing appearance. Covered in black paint and exuding a dangerous aura, captured in monochrome with a stark contrast between his white skin and black teeth, Butler truly appears unstable. As Princess Irulan bluntly states, “Feyd-Rautha is unquestionably psychotic!”
He is also extremely fit and exudes a sense of danger. Butler has ditched his Elvis-like voice and now speaks with a unsettling, rougher version of Stellan Skarsgård’s menacing rasp. According to the Bene Gesserit, Feyd-Rautha is a highly intelligent sociopath who has committed matricide, has a desire for pain and humiliation, and is susceptible to sexual vulnerability. Therefore, to many, he is considered attractive. In a movie that is often serious, dutiful, and sterile, Butler’s portrayal of Feyd-Rautha adds a touch of psychosexual intensity. (It is no surprise that the brief scene with Léa Seydoux’s Bene Gesserit temptress Lady Fenring, where she manipulates him into taking the hand-in-the-box test from the previous film, has already become a popular meme.)
Is Christopher Walken a part of the cast in Dune?
Christopher Walken’s role as Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV in the Dune film was a surprise choice for many fans. The 80-year-old actor is not typically known for delivering lines with the weight and seriousness required for a blockbuster. Personally, I felt that this was one of the few missteps in the film. While Walken physically embodied an aging emperor burdened with hidden secrets, his voice seemed out of place for a character set 24,000 years into the future with a name like “Jessica”. Certain lines, such as “This Muad’Dib, some new Fremen prophet,” took on a different tone when delivered with Walken’s distinct and well-known accent, which has even been featured in a BMW Super Bowl commercial. However, when the scene demanded it – such as when the Emperor is wordlessly, fearfully forced to kiss the ring by Paul – Walken rose to the challenge.
Zendaya’s movie?
One of the main criticisms of the initial movie, particularly from those unfamiliar with its content, was that it heavily hinted at Zendaya’s role – aside from a few glimpses, she only appeared as Chani in the last 30 minutes. However, Part Two showcases her character more prominently and there could have been even more scenes featuring Zendaya as Chani, as the director has made significant changes to the source material to make her the moral center of the series. The Duniverse has always been doubtful of Paul’s fate and strength, questioning whether his path as the Chosen One was predetermined or artificially created – either way, it leads to immense devastation. In Villeneuve’s interpretation, Chani is refreshingly suspicious of Paul’s motives and the extremist Fremen prophecies from the very start – “you want to control people? Just tell them a messiah will come,” she declares. “Then they’ll wait – for centuries.”
Chani has a lot on her plate – she is expected to promote Paul’s romantic relationship, symbolize his connection to the Fremen people, convey the anti-colonialist message of the book, use humor to mock Stilgar’s extreme devotion, and challenge the traditional narrative of the Chosen One with some logical perspective. Despite this, Zendaya successfully portrays her as a relatable character – one who experiences heartbreak as Paul gains more power, leads the Fremen into further conflict, and proposes to Princess Irulan. This deserves recognition.
The Final Showdown
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I don’t have much to say about the final showdown in Arrakeen other than watching legions of warriors ride in on sandworms made me grin like a child. We are blessed to live in the age of big-canvas auteurs and CGI.
Sad boy rules
At the conclusion of the film, Chalamet’s appearance is altered to mirror the emotional atmosphere – Paul’s face appears pale, possibly conveying a sense of burden or betrayal. Chalamet’s portrayal is chilling, with his final words to the Baron being “you’ll die like an animal.” It is a notably ambiguous ending for Paul’s journey: he achieved his desire for revenge, but there is no sense of victory. He is wounded, stabbed twice, and appears lifeless, acknowledging his betrayal of his promises to Chani.
Given its subtext, one inescapable reading of Dune for me was as a great parable for mega-fame – what it means to be chosen, willingly or through great effort; what you lose to being known and cherished by millions, to having whole economies and livelihoods depend on an idea of you. Dune might be one of the few films left to refute the “death” of the movie star, but it looks taxing.
Are you attempting to provoke Warner Bros once more?
Villeneuve already made a huge gamble in adapting just half of Dune with the first film, despite not having a sequel greenlit – and he appears to be betting on himself again. The final shot of the film belongs not to Paul but to Chani, emotionally calling a sandworm to go her own way, a departure from the books. Villeneuve has been remarkably open about wanting to make a third installment based on Dune: Messiah that will, presumably, follow Chani’s lead. Given Part Two’s performance this weekend, I’m betting on more Dune.
Source: theguardian.com
