After three long years, the long-awaited sequel to 2021’s Dune is finally here with Dune Part Two. Denis Villeneuve is shaping up to be one of the best directors of this generation with a string of great science fiction movies under his belt such as 2016’s Arrival and 2017’s Blade Runner 2049. 2021’s Dune revitalized interest in more complex sci-fi adaptations, and we’ve already seen other recent great adaptations like Apple TV+’s Foundation TV series.

If 2021’s Dune was his ‘The Lord Of The Rings The Fellowship Of The Ring’, Dune Part Two is his ‘The Lord Of The Rings The Two Towers’. Dune Part Two is still based on the iconic 1965 novel series of the same name by Frank Herbert. David Lynch originally attempted to adapt the book into a feature film in 1984 but it wasn’t much of a success, perhaps due mostly to the limited technology of the time (the 80s) and fickle studio intervention (the director has since disowned that movie).

Lawrence Of Arrakis

The events in Dune Part Two picks up in the immediate aftermath of the end of 2021’s Dune, and the majority of the screentime in Dune Part Two is dedicated to Paul Atreides spending time with the Fremen, the native desert-living people of the planet Arrakis. In Dune Part Two, we also get glimpses of what happens on other planets to switch to Christopher Walken’s Emperor Shaddam IV and his daughter, Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan, and on the Harkonnen’s home planet for the movie’s introduction to Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha. However, these scenes are far and few in between; with almost 90 per cent of the movie focusing on Paul Atreides and the Fremen in the desert settings of Planet Arrakis, so there’s not much variety in terms of location or environments.

“You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

That’s the legendary Harvey Dent quote from 2008’s The Dark Knight and it applies to the story of Timothee Chalamet’s Paul Atreides in Dune Part Two. Dune Part Two explores several dark subject matter and themes that weren’t explored in the first movie. The main theme of Dune Part Two is the dangers of fundamentalism and blind faith, as well as the harmful effects of overzealous religious fervour and support. These are timely themes to explore, especially in light of the rising return to conservatism in today’s world. It just goes to show how forward-thinking and timeless Frank Herbert’s work was. It’s also rare and unique to see a protagonist grow from being the hero to becoming a complex character that can be said to be considered a ‘villain’ or still a ‘hero’, depending on your perspectives. Paul Atreides may seem like a hero in the traditional sense, but it’s compelling to see him turn into something less black-and-white and a more complicated figure. Paul Atreides’ journey and interactions with the Fremen also remind me of 1962’s Lawrence Of Arabia, even up to a similar setpiece to the iconic raid of the Ottoman train in that classic movie.

There are two big ways in which Dune Part Two improves on its 2021 predecessor. First and foremost, Dune Part Two has a more proper climactic third act. The second is that director Denis Villeneuve has also made sure to add a lot more action scenes and thrilling setpieces (several of the best moments in the movie come during a raid and another is during the introduction of Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha) in Dune Part Two. Both of these address previous issues in 2021’s Dune, which many viewers complained to be “boring” when “nothing much happens”, especially during the movie’s climax. All of this also means that the pacing in Dune Part Two is significantly improved over 2021’s Dune, despite being a bit longer at 2 hours and 47 minutes. That’s almost 3 hours long but you won’t feel like it is.

Visually, Dune Part Two is just as visually phenomenal as 2021’s Dune, if not even more. The cinematography is on an ambitious scale you don’t see in most movies anymore, thanks to cinematographer Greig Fraser (who is also responsible for recent cinematic-looking movies such as 2022’s The Batman, 2023’s The Creator and of course, 2021’s Dune). Dune Part Two is a marvel in terms of visuals and cinematography, and it would be a waste not to watch it on the biggest IMAX screen possible. The production value is out of this world; if this isn’t an experience meant to be experienced in a cinema, I don’t know what is. Watching Dune Part Two feels like you’re transported to an actual alien landscape. The production design, costumes, sound effects, music, score, VFX and ambience combine for an immersive experience. This includes long lingering shots of breathtaking sandy dunes to the dark interiors of alien architecture to the incredible designs of the suits and spaceships. This time around, there are more trippy visuals to behold, as several characters tend to get visions and those are always psychedelic.

All of that being said, Dune Part Two does suffer from a few problems. With a larger ensemble cast than 2021’s Dune, the sequel struggles to properly contain them all. Christopher Walken’s Emperor Shaddam IV and his daughter, Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan, get the short stick, as they only get barely a few scenes in the movie and that lessens the impact of the climax somewhat. The same also applies to Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha, but the young actor accomplishes much more in his little screen time, impressing with his animalistic cruelty. Oh, and to all those who complained about how little screen time Zendaya received as Chani in 2021’s Dune, her role in Dune Part Two makes up for that. As I previously mentioned, most of the screen time is devoted to Timothee Chalamet’s Paul Atreides and the other Fremen characters (such as Javier Bardem’s Stilgar), so they are the most fleshed out. The rest don’t get much development as a result. Another issue is that the story and narrative are forced to sacrifice worldbuilding, so you don’t see much of the galaxy at large. Small details like showing us the Great Houses or why the Emperor should be feared would have gone a long way to making the scale of the Dune universe feel larger.

Empire Of Sand

If you’re a fan of science fiction, Dune Part Two is a must-watch on the biggest IMAX screen you can find. It offers a cinematic experience and level of spectacle that is incredibly rare. This is a saga worth watching, so let’s hope that Denis Villeneuve hits the landing with the eventual third and possibly final movie (Dune Messiah, anyone?).

FINAL SCORE: 90/100

We attended a press screening of Dune Part Two courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Malaysia. Dune Part Two is now showing in Malaysian cinemas.