By Evan Baxter-Carr (he/him)
The term ‘blockbuster’ has lost almost all meaning in modern cinema. What once used to describe decade-defining epics like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings is now a word associated with creatively bankrupt reboots and glorified trailers desperate to start a franchise. But amongst all the soulless cash-grabs and budget-wasting flops, Dune and its sequel stand out as truly masterful cinema. Even more than its predecessor, Dune: Part Two that modern blockbusters can live up to their budgets, creating a world vast and vivid enough to call it the defining epic of the 2020s.
Based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, director Denis Villeneuve chose to cut Dune in half, dividing the tale of Paul Atreides into two gargantuan films. As a result, the first entry is sluggish at points, with long stretches of exposition and vague buildup leading to a strangely uneventful climax. Such an outcome was inevitable when Part One is quite literally half a story, but this makes Part Two all the more exciting.
Whereas the first film did all the heavy lifting to ease the viewer into the complex politics of Herbert’s imagination, Part Two pulls the audience straight into the action, made apparent by the tense opening sequence. In the middle of the open desert, Paul and his dune-dwelling friends slaughter a group of pale-faced Harkonnens, immediately setting apart the sequel from its predecessor with a newfound emphasis on war. While there are still flickers of levity here and there, for the majority of its runtime, Part Two is dedicated to violence, showcasing the brutality of its antagonists and protagonists alike.
Whether our heroes are burrowed in the in the sand waiting for enemies to approach or scuttling behind moving vehicles to avoid detection, no action scene feels derivative. Likewise, every cast member has their own unique presence, making even the most bizarre of characters compelling and believable. Perhaps the most severe example of this is Feyd-Rautha, the psychotic Harkonnen who won’t hesitate to slit the throat of anyone he’s grown bored of. Played by Austin Butler, the actor captures the subtle madness of Rautha perfectly, selling the character’s bloodlust without stepping into Jim Carrey levels of animated.
With how much Feyd-Rautha demands the viewer’s attention, I sat in the cinema wishing he had more of a presence after his introduction, but his appearances are invariably brief. Thankfully, however, the rest of the cast are just as engaging. Javier Bardem plays the pious Stilgar, a religious fanatic whose belief that Paul is the messiah grows more intense as the story progresses. Despite his faith being played for laughs, there is an unsettling edge to his development, watching as he becomes engulfed by his own beliefs, treating every event as a symbol of Paul’s greatness. Paul – played by the versatile Timothée Chalamet – carries an even more disturbing presence. Using his title as Lisan al-Gaib, messiah to the Fremen people, Chalamet transforms from a well-mannered boy to a towering cult leader, conveying all the rage and power necessary to truly make Paul feel like a demigod.
In every regard, Part Two is a masterclass in filmmaking. Hans Zimmer’s soaring score captures the epic scale of the story, adding triumph to every victory and tragedy to every loss. From the swirling sandstorms of Arrakis to the monochrome bloodshed in Giedi Prime, every location feels vast and real, complemented by the hundreds of extras who fill every scene.
Dune isn’t a CGI-fest of poorly rendered armies and green-screened backgrounds; it’s a cinematic odyssey that pulls the listener into another galaxy, truly bringing to life the genius of Frank Herbert’s writing. One of the most visually stunning and narratively enthralling films of the decade, Dune: Part Two is proof there is still hope for the modern blockbuster.
My name is Evan (he/him). I am currently studying English and journalism at Strathclyde University, and regularly host a show as part of the Fusion Radio society. Outside of Strath, I write novels and run Doombox Music, a music journalism website where I write weekly reviews and conduct interviews with up-and-coming musicians.
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