For a brief period of time, the future of this latest incarnation of ‘Dune’ looked uncertain. Shortly after ‘Dune’ was released in cinemas way back in 2021, the greenlight was given for ‘Dune: Part Two’, and thank God it was. I can’t imagine us not getting to revisit the lush world building that director Denis Villeneuve cultivated in the first film. It’s not an exaggeration to say that ‘Dune: Part Two’ is one of the best sequels ever made and one of the most breathtakingly beautiful and ambitious science fiction stories ever put to film. A complete success from start to finish, we finally get a faithful and just adaptation of Frank Herbert’s fabled story.
Having now joined up with the Fremen in order to learn their ways, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) looks to seek the knowledge and skills needed to fight the incoming onslaught from House Harkonnen. Stilgar (Javier Bardem) still believes that Paul is the chosen one to save his people as prophesied. With Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) unhappy with Beast Rabban (Dave Bautista) and his inability to capture Atreides, his cruel and ambitious nephew Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler) enters the fray and begins the hunt for Paul, Chani (Zendaya) and Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson).
The ensemble of ‘Dune: Part Two’ is a wishlist of the best talent working in Hollywood today. A staggering cast full of style and substance, this is epic filmmaking like they used to achieve back in the day. Timothée Chalamet has really come of age in front of our very eyes, making him absolutely perfect for the role of Paul Atreides. This is his film, and he leads with authority and a level of maturity that we’ve not seen from the young actor before. His chemistry with Zendaya’s Chani is also perfectly pitched, with their blossoming romance an easy alliance to champion.
Rebecca Ferguson leads her story very well as Jessica, pregnant but still fighting on the frontline, who must take on a new role if she is to survive. Javier Bardem’s Stilgar is arguably the MVP of ‘Dune: Part Two’ who manages to instil a healthy level of humour into this narrative – no mean feat when you consider this film is essentially an out-and-out war movie. It’s always a pleasure to see Josh Brolin turn up in a film, returning as fan-favourite Gurney Halleck.
Austin Butler steals his scenes as the blood-thirsty Feyd-Rautha (infamously played by Sting in the original 1984 film), giving the movie a true villain to revel in. His dynamic with Dave Bautista’s increasingly frustrated Beast Rabban and Stellan Skarsgård’s dark, menacing Baron Harkonnen is a mesmerising joy to watch. Christopher Walken as the Emperor, with Florence Pugh as his daughter Princess Irulan inject an interesting element that complicates Paul Atreides journey, and Charlotte Rampling as the witch-like Reverend Mother Mohiam is always a welcome sight.
The film delivers sensational set-pieces, each with their own creative flourish that distinguishes itself from the others. The film runtime is 2hrs 46mins long but it never drags, keeps you on the edge of your seat and grips you like a vice throughout. With Denis Villeneuve’s keen direction, his amazing skills co-scripting with Jon Spaihts adapting the ‘unadaptable’ Frank Herbert book, and with jaw-dropping cinematography from Greig Fraser, ‘Dune: Part Two’ delivers on every promise the first film laid out. It expands the scope and reach of its story, upping the stakes considerably on every front, giving the film a very real sense of danger and immediacy that captivates the viewer. The set-pieces are the stuff of big screen legend, fully utilising its broad canvas with grandeur and an attention to detail that’s simply staggering to see unfold.
IMAX has always been my favourite way to experience big scale cinema. The spectacle of ‘Dune: Part Two’ demands you see this masterpiece on as big a screen as you can find. The largest IMAX screen in the UK resides at the BFI, in London’s Waterloo. It’s no surprise that this film has been booked out for weeks – it’s a truly stunning way to experience Denis Villeneuve’s superlative sequel in the best possible way. From the visual depth of grain to the audio echo of tremor, ‘Dune: Part Two’ is exactly what IMAX was made for. It’s a transformative experience witnessing this film in a way the filmmakers envisaged. If you can afford the price uplift, IMAX is simply the best way to enjoy this film.
From breathtaking spectacle to immersive sight and sound, ‘Dune: Part Two’ is a classic cinematic event movie. It’s why we continue to go to theatres to be entertained. A truly wonderful and complex story brought lividly to life, doing true justice to the source material and giving science fiction its next legacy masterpiece that will stand the test of time. With a cast this astonishing and a visionary auteur director that has fully cemented himself as one of the greatest of all time, ‘Dune: Part Two’ is the first unmissable blockbuster of the year, and easily a contender for film of the year. Do not miss this one.
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Souheila Yacoub Director: Denis Villeneuve Writer: Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts Certificate: 12A Duration: 166 mins Released by: Warner Bros Release date: 1st March 2024
