Dune: Part Two

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As a big sci-fi/fantasy fan, I generally look forward to seeing new releases in this genre. However, when the first part of this story was released in 2021, I was sorely disappointed by this tedious, overlong slog that, despite its stunning visuals and cinematography, never really engaged me. Though, for all my disappointment with the initial installment, it can’t begin to compare to my reaction to “Part Two” – an even more tedious, unengaging, overly complicated offering that had me bored by 20 minutes in. I found myself not caring a whit about the characters or their story (which could have used a scorecard to help viewers sort out everything), and even the supposedly superior visuals of this iteration failed to capture my attention or interest. I can only conclude that I must be missing something, given the generally positive reactions and accolades this film and its predecessor have received, but I’m mystified that I haven’t yet figured out what. By all rights, the elements would appear to be in place here to make this picture succeed – a stellar cast, great special effects and the skillful directing of filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, who created such excellent works as “Arrival” (2016) and “Blade Runner 2049” (2017) – but “Part Two,” like its predecessor, just never grabbed me. To be honest, I’m truly surprised that I made it all the way through, considering the nearly constant temptation to want to fast-forward through the egregiously dull sequences (of there were many). From all this, I can only surmise that this film and the one that preceded it were created simply to milk as much box office money as possible out of the source material, despite the fact that the story isn’t captivating enough to live up to that challenge. Indeed, if you’re like me and found the first part boring, you’ll probably find this one even more tiresome and lackluster (I’m certainly glad that I waited for this one to come to streaming and didn’t waste my money on theater ticket prices). And now, as I understand it, another sequel, “Dune: Messiah,” is in pre-production to continue a story that has still yet to reach conclusion after more than five hours of screentime. Be aware that the “Dune” films are far from the quality of other lengthy trilogies like the “Lord of the Rings” and “Dark Knight” series, films that definitely hold viewer interest from start to finish. Instead, “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two” are more like such mind-numbing stand-alone offerings as “Heaven’s Gate” (1980), “Ishtar” (1987) and “Tenet” (2020) than anything of a genuinely epic nature. Treat the hype for this one with a hefty grain of salt, and don’t say you weren’t warned.

This is certainly a great looking film to see on a big screen with some really effective, almost industrially sounding, audio - but what happened to the story? It's wafer thin and really stretched out for 2¾ hours. We pick up with "Paul" (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother (Rebecca Ferguson) trying to convince the "Fremen" that they are worth the hassle. Fortunately, leader "Stilgar" (Javier Bardem) is convinced of the messianic state of the young refugee, whilst their own reverend mother is on her last legs which might give "Jessica" a chance to prove her own worth, and provide an opportunity to peddle some embellished mythology about her son's ascendant propheteering. All of this manoeuvring and politicking is having quite an impact on "Chani" (the under-used Zendaya) and on the relationship between her and the increasingly worshipped new Duke. Meantime, now fully reinvigorated and emerged from his bath of recuperative Guinness, the evil "Baron Harkonnen" (an almost Zeppelin-like Stellan Skarsgård) has recruited his lethal nephew "Feyd-Rautha" (Austin Butler) to get to grips with the rebellion on "Arrakis" that is bringing him into the gaze of an ill-satisfied emperor (Christopher Walken). Battle lines are drawn! Now whilst I did enjoy this, the rest of the film is a gloriously photographed but slowly paced hybrid of "Khartoum" (1966) and "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) with a bit of the "Phantom Menace" (1999) thrown in for good measure. The acting is adequate but the characterisations are all too routinely sacrificed at the altar of the stunning visuals and from about an hour to go, I was convinced this this was but part two of three (or maybe even more). Walken and Charlotte Rampling feature all too sparingly to make much difference, indeed even Zendaya's warrior-like tendencies seem to have been neutered rather and I though that Chalamet just tried far too hard to imbue his character with a strength that he was far more successful with first time round. That said, it does work well enough as a classy and well produced sci-fi adventure with plenty of action and mysticism but I needed more meat on it's bones. I still get distinctly squeamish when I watch what they do with the water, let alone where they get it from!!

#MovieReview #DunePart2 #DuneMovie "Dune" is a franchise that demands prior knowledge of the backstory and characters from either the book series or previous adaptations to fully appreciate the intricate narrative. While the film is long and dialogue-heavy, it manages to deliver a compelling story despite the limited action sequences. Timothée Chalamet shines in his role, though at times, his character may feel overshadowed by the ensemble cast. Florence Pugh's character, on the other hand, seems to lack a clear purpose, appearing intermittently throughout the film without a defined role. Rebecca Ferguson delivers a standout performance as the mother figure, commanding attention whenever she appears on screen. The dynamic between Josh Brolin and Dave Bautista offers a humorous nod to their previous roles, adding an entertaining element to the movie. Zendaya's character receives more screen time than in the previous installment, but her role remains secondary to the overarching plot. Austin Butler's portrayal, while intriguing, is hindered by sparse dialogue and an unusual vocal delivery reminiscent of an "evil Elvis." As a middle installment in a trilogy, "Dune Part 2" serves as a foundation for character development and plot progression. While it may not be as action-packed as some viewers expect, it sets the stage for the anticipated climax in the final film of the series. Overall, "Dune Part 2" is a worthwhile watch for those invested in the franchise, offering a rich and immersive cinematic experience. With the promise of a third installment on the horizon, the intricate world of "Dune" is poised to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the story.

I remember the first film, no not the first in this contemporary series but the first attempt to bring the books, to cinema. In terms of contextual cohesiveness and pacing I feel it did a better job, than its latter day counterpart. I believe with this effort they are going for sweeping epic but somehow it comes across as inexplicably pedestrian. Yes cinematography is remarkable, as are CGI effects but the pacing is slow and things happen that don't come together all that well or give the sense that they are contributing, meaningfully, to the overall story. Acting is competent but again, its not remarkable, which I think is in part down to a lack of depth, in characterisations. I know this review probably wont be popular or reflective of the mainstream but I sense they are trying to do too much and as a consequence, achieving too little. In summary, visually compelling but lacking in a certain intensity and depth. Feels contextually spare and at times redundant, if that makes sense. Still worth a look if you liked the books.

As anticipated, a thrilling watch! I enjoyed <em>'Dune'</em>, though remember thinking it was obviously a complete set-up to a sequel and that this would only improve upon its predecessor - and that's very much the case. <em>'Dune: Part Two'</em> is excellent! My interest did wane slightly at roughly the middle part, as was similarly the case with the first film in truth, but that was a feeling that only lasted for a relativiely short time. All in all, it's fantastic. The acting is top notch, the visuals are breathtaking <em>(those sandworms tho)</em> and the score is outstandingly hefty - you can always rely on the great Hans Zimmer! Timothée Chalamet stars yet again, as do the likes of Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Dave Bautista & Co. The person I actually enjoyed most on screen was Javier Bardem, who is truly brilliant throughout. Bring on <em>'Dune Messiah'</em>! On that note, happy to read that director Denis Villeneuve has noted that he won't be rushing that one out - and rightly so!