Dune 2, connecting to the first one at a flawless seam, is an intense coming of age story where the lead is faced with a difficult choice that determines the entire outcome of his life. Keeping people on their toes for the entire duration of the movie and incorporating many epic battle scenes, Dune 2 turns the book into reality with advanced cinematography, a well selected soundtrack provided by the well renowned composer Hans Zimmer, and a cast that makes the audience feel every emotion with them. There is no doubt that Dennis Villeneuve delivered another visually stunning, well crafted sci-fi movie with a fitting conclusion to the first Dune novel.
Dune 2 centers around a boy named Paul Atreides who escaped an assassination plotted by the House of Harkonnen, or the opposing force to the Atreides family. Paul and his mother, Jessica, land on a planet called Arrakis, covered in sand and inhabited by the Fremens. Soon after they settle in, he embraces the Fremens’ cultures, proving his qualities as a leader and their so-called messiah sent to free them of their control. But as the story progresses, he is forced to make a choice between his true love, or the fate of the universe.
There are many positive things that can be said about this movie, such as its astounding soundtrack, but what stands out the most are the visuals. All the plots aside, the director produced visually striking scenes and landscapes that stick with the audience even after leaving the theater. Anyone could take a screenshot from any scene in the movie and turn it into a wallpaper. A wide range of colors are used throughout the movie, a scene towards the beginning of the movie for example, is set in a bright dune with shades of yellow and orange, with Fremens riding the sandworms (Native inhabitants of Arrakis). However in later parts of the movie, the scene changes to a monochromatic world of black and white to convey the dark nature of the enemies to the Fremens.
Continuing on, the cast of Dune 2 features both returning actors from Part one, such as Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya and newcomers like Austin Butler and Florence Pugh. Returning actors promote consistency and allow the audience to remember who each person is based on their role in the previous movie. The entire cast as a whole had very great performances, with the leading actor Timothee Chalamet perfectly executing his role as Paul Atreides. Many believed he was the perfect role for Part one’s timid, shy version of Paul, but not the 2nd part where he was required to act out a ruthless, vengeful messiah who leads Fremens to their freedom. But to everyone’s surprise, he pulled the role off flawlessly, proving himself as a great actor in a wide range of movie genres and roles.
Grabbing the attention of millions worldwide and earning a whopping 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, Dune 2 has proven itself in the world of science fiction through its beautiful cinematography, phenomenal acting, and fitting soundtrack. The only issues surrounding this movie have to do with the length, and the slow pacing. But other than that, Dune 2 exhibits many key moments from the original novel, and should be deemed an instant classic.
