Timothee Chalamet stars in DUNE: PART 2 | WB Pictures (C) 2024
Cutting to the chase: bigger, better, bolder, and beautiful would be the best way – I think – to describe DUNE 2! Much will be said once this epic sequel is released, but the truth is Villeneuve’s innovative and ambitious eye toward this franchise has done more than dust off (no pun) a series that, for the most part, is turning out to REALLY look and feel like “STAR WARS for adults.” If you know the books (really wish I had read them), you know the narrative, and to visually endure it is a cinematic experience beyond anything past, present, and more than likely… future!
Ok, well… um… simply put, DUNE 2 continues the story of Paul Atreides (Challamet), a gifted man born into a great destiny who needs to venture to the most dangerous planet in the universe. Uniting with the locals on a rampage of vengeance against those responsible for destroying his family, Paul faces a convoluted choice between the love of his life and the state of the known universe, which he endeavors in preventing a harsh future he continually sees.
For starters, this film has a lot to digest. Don’t believe the lie of “not having to have seen the first, in order to see this.” Seriously, it’s mos def a cinematic homework assignments before attempting to endure this one. Not only that, there’s so much in this dense plot, even having seen the first (which I have twice), DUNE 2 may require additional viewings. That said, it’s hard to write or talk about this without talking about it. So, please brace yourselves, because this is a charming, chaotic journey full of build-up, intense angst, drama, outstanding battle scenes, love, etc. In case I didn’t make myself clear, in plain English, there’s a lot ot chew on – and it’s delicious!
On a technical aspect, DUNE 2 is a gem! Gritty, but gorgeous. An overall spectacle to watch and listen to. Visually, it’s hypnotic. There’s so much texture, tonality, interesting shades, color schemes, and sharpness. Scene after scene, the layout presented by Villeneuve is methodical. Losing yourself among a tense story-line, unique set-pieces, and a score that serves as its own character, the overall scope of the film is big and designed to hijack psyche and soul.
As far as the cast, it all works well. Everyone’s on point, serves purpose, and present themselves in a form where each of them shares a link of relevancy and importance to one another. They’re all Chess pieces (for lact of a better analogy) on a board of sanity and survival. Of course, lots has to do with the script – co-written by Villeneuve! While very wordy and perhaps a bit of “slow burn” at times, the purpose of it all is for good substance and structure – and that’s a huge part of the fun and fantasy with this film.
Rough, rugged, and raw… the fact is, as a whole, DUNE 2 is a must see. Reviews, reactions, trailers, etc. do It no justice. This is a ride one can only feel and enjoy once on it. A major reason for that is the strange and subtlty in how much relatability there is in this fantasy versus real life. That being said, much like all else, this film won’t go without some kind of ridicule. Everyone’s always “triggered” by something. You’ll see. However, trust me when I say this is one of the very best Sci-Fi’s thus far, and without doubt… one of the best films you’ll see in 2024. Oh, also, considering how this flim ends… oh, boy… there’s more where this came from.
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Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Adaptation | Rated: PG-13 | Run Time: 2:45
Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walkin
Directed by Dennis Villeneueve
