"Dune" is a perfect adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel. Director Danny Villeneuve perfectly presented his understanding of "Dune" until the end of the two movies. Nothing departs from his exquisite expression of thought.
In many ways, Villeneuve improved upon the original, making a strong case that the two films combined are far superior to the original.
I have watched the first part many times since its premiere in 2021, and my expectations for the second part are extremely high. Even after reading a lot of rave reviews online and revealing details beforehand, this movie still exceeded my expectations before I watched it.
If you plan to see Part 2, be prepared for a barrage of oohs and aahs, because as a Dune fan, this movie is amazing in almost every way: acting, characters, plot, themes, dialogue, Cinematography, action, special effects, music, costumes, world-building and more.
1
In terms of its impact on science fiction, Herbert's original novel "Dune" is often compared to having as profound an impact on fantasy literature as Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" did on fantasy literature.
The analogy applies to movies, too: Villeneuve's Dune, the most artful big-screen genre epic since Peter Jackson brought Middle-earth to the big screen two decades ago.
Like the " Lord of the Rings " series of movies, "Dune" creates a more immersive sense of the world through the combination of CGI and real-life special effects.
Through Villeneuve's unique artistic expression, he also demonstrates the superfluous complexity of most Hollywood blockbusters, whose budgets now routinely exceed $250 million.
By comparison, " Dune 2" cost $190 million, which is still a hefty budget, but looks better than any of its more expensive rivals.
2
Much like Jackson did with The Lord of the Rings, Villeneuve was able to make a beloved geeky subject steeped in complex lore accessible.
That's no mean feat for a story that revolves around prophecy, religion, genetic engineering, neo-feudal interstellar politics, planetary ecology and more.
In keeping with the immediacy of film as a visual medium, "Dune" simplifies Herbert's sometimes clunky narrative, jettisoning outdated or unnecessary elements and expanding on characters that often feel bland on the page.
's most notable example is Chani (Zendaya), who is given a more three-dimensional portrayal here, probably the biggest change from the original. Some people complain about this, saying that those who are unresponsive always complain that anything they don't like is "woke."
But for the rest of us, it's hard to see that Villeneuve's changes aren't a vast improvement on the source material. In the book, Chani is a one-dimensional character with little substance other than being a pointless "love interest."
In Dune 2, Chani is a major driving force in the story. Here, Chani has her own powers of action, has her own flashy action scenes, and constantly challenges Paul Atred (Timothée Chalamet)'s relationship with the Freemen, as well as the love interest played by Phenyl Guy. A prophecy passed down through the generations by the Serite Sisters that he might be the Messiah.
3
In a film with such a strong cast, all the actors gave excellent performances. Chalamet deserves special mention for how vividly he illustrates Paul's transformation from ignorant youth to charismatic and, when necessary, ruthless leader.
Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) was my favorite element of the first film, and her character's Machiavellian tendencies are accentuated even more in the second.
Meanwhile, Austin Butler's villainous Feder Lawther Harkonnen is the character I'm most looking forward to seeing. I've been a fan of his since his stellar performance in Elvis , and he certainly didn't disappoint.
Villeneuve delays Fede's introduction to a surprisingly late stage, when he debuts in a vivid arena battle shot in black and white. There's nothing Presley about Butler, just cold, cruel Feder.
Another great character is Florence Pugh's Princess Irulan, who exudes a noble wisdom. Stilgar (Javier Bardem), whose role was greatly expanded in the first film, provides some of the funniest moments in the movie. But most importantly, he embodied the belief that many Freemen had in Paul.
photography is stunning in its beauty, lighting and scene composition. Right from the start, we're treated to some pretty spectacular imagery, like the Harkonnen army moving silently through the desert, including one where they use anti-gravity boots to ascend the landscape.
Their confrontation with Paul, Chani and the Freemen was the first of many great action scenes, which also included the attack on the Harkonnen Spice Reapers and the much-hyped Paul vs. Feder relationship in the trailer. The climax of the knife fight. One of
's most memorable scenes is the moment when Paul learns to ride a sandworm, and Villeneuve puts us right in the middle of the action, allowing us to feel what it was like to be experiencing this moment with Paul.
The moment when the Freemen ride into battle on sandworms is also a jaw-dropping scene. This is the kind of movie that definitely makes you want to choose the biggest screen to watch.
4
Perhaps most impressive is Villeneuve's refusal to simplify things. The film contains many fascinating conversations about prophecy: some Freemen saw Paul as their liberator, while others viewed the concept of the Messiah as one that encouraged inaction and surrender to the oppressor.
Compared with " Star Wars ", "Dune" does not shy away from more intellectual questions. It fully explores Herbert's more dazzling concepts, respecting the audience's ability to understand and not forgetting to respond to their concerns.
This movie left so many impressions on people that I will watch it for the second or third time. When I reviewed the first movie, I gave it a 9/10 simply because it was only the first part of the story and left a lot to be desired. Now having watched both parts in their entirety, I can safely declare that both movies combined are a 10/10. Viewers who like
can watch the entire 5 hours and 20 minutes of the story at once. This is the highest level of epic movies, on par with "Lawrence of Arabia" and "The Lord of the Rings."
Villeneuve said that he is already working on his next work, an adaptation of "Dune Messiah", but for now, I recommend that viewers who like science fiction movies buy an IMAX movie ticket and watch it on the biggest screen In this movie, experience the epic adventure of Arrakis with the protagonist of the movie.
