Ryan Shoots First: Dune: Part Two

Back to the sands of Arakis and fear is still the mind-killer. Back when the Dune: Part One came out a lot was made of the bold choices and freedom it would make. It would try to stick to the books, that it would be big and complex but also that it would not “Hollywood-fy” the series. It did that in some ways but Part One was a very short amount of even the first book in the series. You could say it was just the first act and most of the really bold choices were coming. Still, however there was a hint that the film series was going to go to places usually only reserved for TV series and not films. Part Two was always going to be the more controversial when it comes to what we expect from a Sci-Fi Fantasy Messiah series. Dune was always murky about who exactly the “Good Guys” were and the messiah was not always a blessing and not always with the most honorable motives. 

Dune: Part 2 goes there. It revels in the murky ways this whole prophecy came to be, the power religion and thus those controlling the religion have not only over their followers but the very trajectory of history. Still within all of that is a story of revenge and retribution and at its core a messiah fully aware of all of this but that it may be the best path forward for himself and those he cares about. It doesn’t feel like a movie we see gets made with this size of a budget and promotion. Typically this type of thought study and grey characters are reserved for an HBO series like Game of Thrones. Families, none of which are really truly “good” all waring and manipulating and playing the game. For some reason, we accept and celebrate that much more in a TV series than we do in our big-budget Hollywood films. Those we want a little more by the book. There are not many directors with the skill or the pedigree to pull something like this off and Dennis Villeneuve is up to the challenge. He is probably my favorite filmmaker out right now for his balance of substance and spectacle. He has such a style where every shot on screen is a masterpiece. He can do the big budget but is full of thought and nuance all told through the story. No reliance on heavy exposition, he doesn’t hold your hand and rewards a viewer willing to dive fully in. And it is a reward, Dune Part 1 is one of my favorite movies to just have on in the background. Any time you look over to catch a bit you are awestruck by the visuals, score, and sound design. Dune: Part Two takes it all further, for instance, the scenes taking place on Giedi Prime the home planet of the House Harkonnen, were breathtaking. The final act is shot after shot which will have your jaw on the floor. I’m sure there will be complaints that it is too confusing or boring until these scenes but again it’s the best combo of substance and spectacle only matched by the likes of Christopher Nolan. Personally, I’ll take Dennis. 

Much like Nolan, this film is a who’s who of some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Returning we have Timothy Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, and others but adding this this cast is Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, and Austin Butler. Each one really brings something to the film, joining a saga in the middle act can be challenging and not everyone can be Billy Dee Williams but each of these talented actors adds gravitas and merges well with the OG cast. I am just glad we’re getting more Sci-Fi Fantasy, for years no one wanted to touch it as Star Wars had the space stuff locked down. Whether it’s a TV series like The Expanse or a movie series like Dune, I am glad more stories are being told in the stars with some wild lore to dive into. 

So get back out to the theatres, buy your 2024 refillable popcorn buckets where available (don’t get me started on the Dune 2 AMC popcorn bucket), and enjoy what belongs on the big screen. Dune: Part One was during the pandemic and was one of those WB releases on Max, so it felt great to see this one in theatres. Long live the fighters.