“Consider what you are about to do.”
I first read Frank Herbert’s initial Dune book back in the mid 1970’s. I was introduced to one of the most complicated and extraordinary universes of literature I have still ever encountered. It’s a masterpiece followed by several more books over the years that have more completely brought this world to life. The material’s cinematic journey as been somewhat less captivating and quite a disappointment. The 1984 David Lynch film was a train wreck and quite possibly one of the greatest film failures in history. Since then a lot has changed. Today computer-generated images have progressed to the point that with enough money and artistic expertise a filmmaker can depict anything the mind can conceive. Images have become photorealistic, and the worlds of Herbert’s Dune universe can finally be brought to the silver screen with almost no limitations. But is that enough? In 2021 Denis Villeneuve gave us the first film in an expected trilogy. Would he be able to capture literature lightning in a bottle in the same way Peter Jackson brought to life the Middle Earth worlds of Tolkien? It was a bit of a strange time. The world was hit with a pandemic that brought our lives to a standstill, and people were finally looking to be coaxed back into the multiplexes … and they came. Dune delivered an exciting new experience, but it wasn’t quite up to par in my book. The film was far too involved in exposition. The characters talked a lot more than they did … anything. So I was a bit unimpressed even in the face of the technological marvel that the film certainly was. Now it’s Part II, and the chances of the trilogy getting a conclusion depends heavily on what happens here. So what does happen here?
The second film still tends to tell instead of show, and I still have an issue with a pace that challenges an audience’s ability to keep up. This time, however, the exposition is coupled with some truly compelling cinema. Everything about this franchise has finally fallen into place, and I feel like somewhere in the second act everyone involved hit their stride, and it was all a grand experience from that point forward. This film is quite compelling and more than makes up for the missteps of the first. The true test is still can an audience keep up, and will they come out in numbers enough to make the conclusion a reality? I can’t speak for that, but I think the film has the elements required to make that happen.
The film literally picks up where we left off two years ago. There has been a massacre, and now Duke Paul Atreides (Chalamet) must step up as a leader to his people. He is starting to bond with one of his own warriors, Chani (Zendaya). She has become somewhat his inspiration and helps him to pick up the pieces of his earlier defeat. It’s all about a prophecy that he appears to be fulfilling and a kind of fantastic destiny he must strive to make reality. Meanwhile the empire’s Baron Harkonnen (Skarsgard) has been leaning on Rabben (Bautista) to handle the rebellion, but that hasn’t been working out so well, and he cannot afford for the production of Spice to be interrupted. He brings in the most significant new character to this film in the person of his nephew Feyd-Rautha, played by Austin Butler, to try and change the fortunes of production. Meanwhile, Paul’s pregnant mother, Jessica (Ferguson) has been named the Reverend Mother, which gives her tremendous power over the spiritual and leadership world of Arrakis. The film mostly follows the evolution as Paul almost fights against his role in prophecy but begins to accept the role and become strong as he accepts his position. It’s a matter of power that increases along with confidence to the point that he brings the empire to its knees … literally. It all sets up a third film that will deal with the ultimate war as Paul ascends to even more power.
I have to say that the performances won me over more than the incredible visuals. I love it when an actor is able to truly sell a huge transition in his or her character. Timothee Chalamet does just that. You can really see his confidence and hence his leadership ability grow. A wonderful moment that highlights this evolution is when he calls the story’s famous giant worms and harnesses them as a knight would a great steed. It’s both a powerful visual and a compelling character moment, and for me my opinion of the franchise changes at this moment. You can feel that something has changed, and from there out I was completely on board. It is truly an unforgettable moment, and it’s the strength of the performance along with the computer magic that just comes together. Things won’t be the same from that moment onward. He is helped not insignificantly by a wonderful chemistry with Zendaya as Chani. No small portion of that growth in the film can be attributed to her performance. She acts as a wonderful inspiration to Paul, and the two of them really work well together.
I have to also give a nod to Austin Butler, who gave me a scare at first. His first dialog gave out just a hint of the Elvis twang that he did so well in that film. I’m not sure if it was my imagination, but other critics appeared to hear the same thing. It changed quickly, and he delivered a performance that was so unlike that of the King that my admiration of his skills has grown, and it wasn’t exactly low before this. The man’s got range, and he becomes quite a strong character. All of this serves to make this film so much more compelling than the first part. I’ve never had this much of a turnaround feeling between a film and its sequel. Dune Part II is superior to Dune Part I in every way possible.
The elements are in place, and I think this film outdoes Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Fans will understand what that means. The film franchise finally gives this young kid some hope that he might actually get to experience that written world of his childhood. Just maybe. You want to know how to save a film franchise? Check out Dune Part II. It’ll “show you the way”.
