Dune Part Two
“DUNE: PART TWO” (Denis Villeneuve, 2024) (Minor Spoilers)
As the great Martin Scorsese once said, “This is Cinema” These were the words I was exclaiming in the theater as the end credits for this film started to run, well that and the many phrases that Paul Atreides shouts in the native fremen language. This. Is. What. Films. Should. Be. Like. A dynamic, thought-out story with well-crafted characters and production. I know I’ve stated this on several occasions, but the truth is, this is what people want. They want the visuals, they want the soundtrack, they want the experience.
Stilgar portrayed by Javier Bardem
Believe it or not, this was one of the first films that I’ve seen while having read the book beforehand. So going in, I was beyond hyped. I’ve heard from a few people that they were displeased with some of the changes that were made for this movie. This mainly revolved around character portrayals in the book, particularly Paul’s younger sister, Alia. In case you haven’t read the book or seen the movie, Alia is a newborn child with omnipotent prescience capable of speaking full articulated sentences. You’re thinking, “What the hell?” right? Is it strange? Absolutely. In the 1984 adaptation of Dune, Alia was portrayed by Nine-Year old Alicia Witt who gives a decent performance. However, when watching her scenes, you can’t help but giggle at how ridiculous it is. Denis pulls this off by simply changing how Alia is used in this story. Instead of a toddler ominously telling characters they’re going to die we instead see her intelligence and tactics through her mother while she is still pregnant. This was a very smart choice, with the result giving audiences a glimpse into her character’s potential while also shifting Jessica’s character simultaneously. Denis, you are a god.
Paul Atriedes portrayed by Timothée Chalamet
This movie truly is a remarkable piece of media. Everything about this movie is meticulously crafted so well that you can’t help but get goosebumps while watching it. If I had to pick the three best aspects of this movie they would be as follows: First, the writing. Denis Villeneuve delivers a creative yet professional script that emphasizes the many impactful beats of Frank Miller’s novel, even going as far as having around a good quarter of the movie be fully in the native fremen language, Chakobsa. This plays hand in hand with actors Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem all delivering these Chakobsa lines fluently and with passion. Second, the score. All my life I have been a Hans Zimmer fan. I grew up listening to The Lion King, The Dark Knight, and Inception all on repeat. Hans truly understands how music amplifies a movie, and with Dune, the music feels like a character. Whenever something happens in this movie, Hans is right there supplying drums, synths, and women shouting. It is phenomenally well done, and you can bet your ass he’s getting another Oscar for this. Speaking of potential Oscars, let’s give the last shout out to cinematographer Greig Fraser for his excellent work behind the camera. Every shot of this movie is stunning. I especially appreciate that much of this film was shot on location with the full cast and crew.
Everything about this film is perfect, and again this is the result when you have a full cast, crew, and production company that all believe in the project at hand. When you get to this level of production, you get masterpieces.
9.5/10, 97%, A+
