Part one of Denis Villenueve’s film adaptations of Dune was all about unlocking the potential of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), the heir to one of the great aristocratic houses in the universe. Throughout his life, he’s been constantly fed with prophecies and propaganda as a way to mold him for his eventual rise to power. Try as he might to fight it, the world and its political machinations force Paul down this fated path. Dune: Part Two, the sequel that’s superior in every way to the Oscar-winning 2021 film, finally sees his destiny fulfilled, going from the massacre of of his family to being the promised prophet of the Fremen, the native people of the desert planet Arrakis.

Dune: Part Two immediately picks up right where the first film left off, where Paul and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) join a group of Fremen in order to survive. Believing all of House Atreides destroyed, the Harkonnens, a rival house of hairless, macabre fascists, intensify their attack on the Fremen to achieve complete control of Arrakis. Denis Villenueve and his team deliver some skillfully crafted battle sequences between the Harkonnens and the Fremen, displaying the clear contrast between the two factions’ military combat techniques. As the Harkonnens utilize the military power of their ships and trained soldiers, the Fremen use the terrain to their advantage, often emerging from the ground to surprise their enemies. Almost the whole first hour is filled with these memorable setpieces.

While the first installment focused on exploring the political rift between the royal houses, much of the sequel is following Paul’s ascension into a messianic ruler. One of the joys of Dune: Part Two is seeing Paul assimilate into the Fremen world, learning their ways on how to survive the desert, ride gigantic sandworms that live underground, and eventually fall in love with a local Fremen woman Chani (Zendaya). He passes every test put in front of him by the Fremen, and tribal leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem) fully believes that Paul is the chosen one that will lead Arrakis into paradise. Meanwhile, Jessica takes on an almost villainous presence as she operates in the background to ensure Paul’s prophecy comes into fruition, manipulating non-believers in nefarious ways. It’s the complete opposite of her protective mother behavior in the previous film, and Ferguson’s performance definitely adds some flair to the role.

Villanueve and co-writer Jon Spaihts incorporate themes of religious fanaticism into the script. Javier Bardem’s playful portrayal of Stilgar as a true believer injects some humor into the film. But it’s Chani who functions as the beating heart of Dune: Part Two, and acts as a vessel for needed skepticism for Paul’s growing power. Paul and Chani’s relationship drives the emotional core of the film, and seeing her horror as she witnesses him gradually lose his humanity is heartbreaking. Zendaya perfectly displays Chani’s struggle with her romantic feelings for Paul and her terror of what he’s becoming. It’s her best performance that I’ve seen yet.

Joining the cast this time are newcomers Christopher Walken as the taciturn Emperor Shaddam IV, and Florence Pugh as her daughter Princess Irulan, who serves as kind of a narrator for the audience. She frequently dictates the political developments into a futuristic diary that’s doubles as light exposition for audiences to keep up with the plot. The finest new addition is Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, a dual-blade wielding sociopathic heir to House Harkonnen. Butler leans hard into the role, bringing a heavy amount of psychotic chaos that threatens Paul’s mission.

Just like in the first film, the greatest asset of Dune: Part Two is its craftmanship. Villenueve has a natural talent for creating immersive environments and perfectly conveying scale on the big screen. Greig Fraser returns after winning the Oscar for Best Cinematography for Dune, and outclasses his own work with breathtaking shots and brilliant use of color palettes. One notable example is the whole sequence on Geidi Prime, the homeworld of the Harkonnens. The planet’s black sun lights the whole world in harsh contrasts of black and white, rendering everything in greyscale. Even their fireworks pop like giant ink blots in the sky. It’s a planet so devoid of color it makes the warm, dry deserts of Arrakis seem like paradise. Hanz Zimmer’s score serves as a perfect backdrop that gives each world a distinct sound, and the film’s sound design elevates the incredible set pieces.

Dune: Part Two may seem like a traditional hero’s journey, with Paul overcoming the odds to exact revenge for the fall of his house, and most importantly, his father’s death. However, on the other side of it is Paul’s corruption of his humanity, turning him into a genocidal warlord. Villenueve’s epic follow-up is a grand success in storytelling, set and sound design, cinematography, and action choreography. I do not throw the word “masterpiece” around lightly, but I feel it’s the only appropriate word to describe what I had just witnessed as the credits started rolling. Dune: Part Two is a triumphant reminder that even studio blockbusters can be made with artistic filmmaking.

Rating:

Rating: 5 out of 5.