Contains Spoilers
“Dune: Part Two” is an incredibly well-done sequel with a fast-moving plot, impressive special effects, captivating costume designs and likable characters who keep the audience engaged.
The film follows main character Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, on his revengeful path to take down the Harkonnen family, who killed his father and took over the planet of Arrakis. Paul learns the ways of the Fremen—the people native to Arrakis—and promises to fight alongside them and not rule them, as the more naive and susceptible Fremen begin to view him as a messiah. The movie follows Paul’s love story with Chani, played by Zendaya, and his journey to seizing the throne. Paul’s dishonoring of his word is not received well by Chani, as Paul also takes the Baron’s daughter’s hand in marriage, causing Chani to flee as she refuses to bow to Paul and the new empire.
One of our favorite characters is Stilgar, played by Javier Bardem. Stilgar definitely added to the comedic value of the film, and his scenes and dialogue were some of the most entertaining. Stilgar is a part of the Fremen tribe, the native people of Arrakis. He is one of the people who strongly believe in the prophecy and Paul as the messiah. His blind and naive nature yields many oblivious and humorous comments by him. Another favorite is Chani, who is very important to the film. Zendaya’s lack of screen time in the first film was definitely made up for in “Part Two.” Her character is a symbol of independence and resilience despite the difficulties and burdens she faces. We also liked that Paul and Chani’s romantic relationship didn’t shadow Chani’s strong, independent-female character.
The film executes the costume design for the futuristic world very well. The Harkonnen families’ costumes are mainly dark, which reflect their families’ actions during the film. Princess Irulan, played by Florence Pugh, wore outfits with complex designs and amazing detail that showcased her femininity, while also showing the power that she holds. The suits worn by the Fremen have an intricate water system due to the heat and lack of water resources on the planet, which have a lot of detail. Pugh has the best costumes out of any of the characters in the film. Her outfits have a modern and accurate take that ties to the film very well and still fit her character and the dystopian feel of the movie.
Ultimately, we thought “Dune: Part Two” was especially engaging due to its fast-paced story and incredible special effects, which carry the movie and are the highlights of the film. The movie features large desert landscapes that make the planet of Arrakis look very believable and otherworldly. The CGI and cinematography in both Dune films is incredibly impressive, wowing viewers and critics. The movie had numerous shots of sand worms, storms, panoramas of people, large machines and varied action scenes that steal viewers’ attention.
One critique we have is that the simultaneous storyline detailing the Harkonnen Family isn’t executed very well. The introduction of Austin Butler’s character, Feyd-Rautha, feels really abrupt and doesn’t have much context. Similarly, the character of Glossu Rabban, played by Dave Bautista, feels irrelevant after he loses control over Arrakis. The plot switches to the Harkonnen family from when they are in Gedi Prime one day and the next in Arrakis, making for less smooth storytelling; this side plot could have been given more emphasis in order to be better understood.
Overall, “Dune: Part Two” is an action-packed, fast-paced film with impressive CGI and special effects, making for an even better experience than the first.
