Dune: Part Two (2024)
Riding sandworms into a satisfying sunset.
Presentation:
This film solidifies Denis Villenueve as one of the storytelling masters of sci-fi, let alone any genre. I was a bit disappointed to see trailers of this film, which indicated they opted for spherical as opposed to anamorphic, but in the end the big IMAX screen was worth it. The film still looks beautiful shot on Arri, with abundant naturally lit scenes. As an appreciator of natural light, there are sunset scenes that were filmed over 4-5 days to provide the same continuity of light. I now see the use of spherical was optimal for the abundant action in this sequel and to properly showcase the gargantuanism of the sand worms. However, I still think I preferred some of the lush, long, cinematic expositions of Dune: Part One, time should tell. Shallow depth spherical is also a wise choice to complement the intimate conversations necessary to hone in the emotional aspect of a more action paced sequel. The film surprisingly takes place immediately after Dune: Part One with immediate action, which appears inspired by Nolan's The Dark Knight. However, the pacing isn't as masterfully edited, which lagging and skipping in rhythm. Arrakis, Geidi Prime and the Emperor's worlds all feel different, either through color grade, infrared cameras, or swirly bokeh.
Story:
The film is much faster pace, seemingly rushing to reenact scene after scene. Villenueve sacrifices some small details for the greater good. Chani's confusing character feels overly naggy in this second part, this can be seen from the fact that her scowl and eyebrows were altered in with AI to present a more skeptical attitude toward Paul. This makes sense when you understand what is coming in Part 3 but from a chronolgical perspective should not be founded nor clearly understood unless Chani can also see the future. Austin Butler wonderfully executes Feyd's character as a proficient villain. The story succeeds in illustrating how formidable he is with the limited amount of time through descriptive dialogue and senseless murders. Some of these are a bit unrealistic - you're telling me high ranking experienced military leaders will meekly defy the badass Feyd? Regardless the juxtaposition to make him seem relatively powerful was successful, which betrays the audience when you see how easily the Harkonens and Emperor were steamrolled by the Fremen. During the middle of the film i was worried there needed to be a part 3 just for the end of this chapter as there wouldn't be enough time to conclude the Arrakis conflict. It was finished but rushed compared to the engaging pace of the first half. It simply wasn't very rewarding to prop up the super competent enemies only to be belitted and annihilated in the span of 7 minutes. Nevertheless, forgiven due to a satisfying climatic final fight.
Conclusion:
Whereas Dune: Part One is an enticing appetizer, Part Two is a substantial entree providing a satisfying meal. One of the top sci-fi films of our time, visually stunning and epic storytelling. Overall, an immersive blockbuster experience worthy of increasing ticket prices, unmatched quality with a few hiccups that don't stop this film from reaching greatness.
Recommendations
Riding sandworms into a satisfying sunset.