I would die a happy man if Rebecca Ferguson spoke to me just once using the Voice. Then again, I can die a happy man having now seen the incredible Dune: Part Two twice in the span of a week.
Yes, Denis Villeneuve has done it: gifting audiences with a visceral, vibrant, and violent sci-fi epic, a superb follow-up that amps up the action, intrigue, and worm size. It’s a scorchingly beautiful film, one that delivers the beats of a blockbuster while remaining decidedly true to the semi-weird source material.
Though headlined by a stellar, A-list cast, the star is still undeniably Villeneuve, who continues his seemingly unbreakable streak of creating top-grade entertainment. Dune: Part Two is a mainstream blockbuster but it looks and feels different—a step or two above the rest.
There will be presumably be a third Dune (the movie wraps up the events in the original novel nicely but also sets the stage for what comes next), but this is a world I want to spend more time in. This is a testament to what Villeneuve has an achieved, while also serving as slight criticism. Even though it’s two hours and forty minutes long, there are times when Dune: Part Two feels rushed. Though a lot of the action is great, there are a few sequences that would have benefited from more breathing room, more build up; they feel clipped for time. The third act, with Paul’s inevitable rise to messiah, suffers some, as if Villeneuve was informed he shouldn’t dwell too long on key developments at the cost of getting to the fucking point. The details of Paul’s ascendancy, his complex relationship with Chani, and other elements could have used a bit more.
Out of necessity, Dune: Part Two introduces a slew of new characters too, even if Villeneuve doesn’t have the time to do enough with them. New baddie Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler) is wickedly fun to watch on screen but pretty one dimensional. Christopher Walken and Florence Pugh are nice additions, though neither are given much to do.
And yet, despite these faults, Dune: Part Two is an epic watch. Gorgeous, visceral, and pulsing with intelligence and energy, it’s a refreshing change of pace for the blockbuster genre (if there is such a thing). Rebecca Ferguson’s Voice commands you to see it.
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.