After three years the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part One has arrived. The director is critically acclaimed for his “stunning visuals,” which I had criticized in my review of the first part. I said he occasionally indulged in CGI spectacle, meaning it was unnecessary flash and flare. Dune: Part Two fixes that shortcoming.
Recall from the first film that the emperor (Christopher Walken) perceived the Atreides family as a political threat, so he devised a plan for the Harkonnens to wipe them out. However, Paul and his mother, Jessica (Timothee Chalamet and Rebecca Furgeson, respectively), escaped to the desert where they live with the indigenous Fremen. In part two, Paul learns the Fremen way of life. He also helps them battle the occupying Harkonnen forces. Some Fremen come to believe Paul is a prophesied messiah. The flames of this religion are fanned by Jessica, who sees the opportunity for her son to seize power. After some debate, Paul does take that power and leads the Fremen in a holy war against the empire.
Dune: Part Two is a visual masterpiece that, unlike its predecessor, has nothing gratuitous, out of place or over-the-top. Rather than using visual effects to dazzle the eyes, Villeneuve instead uses them to create wonder and, in some cases, fear. Two scenes are representative. First is the home word of the Harkonnens. Under its “black sun” all colors are washed out by blinding white that bursts out in a stunning array. The second is Paul’s first ride on a sandworm. The point of view shots are terrifying, as one would imagine riding a giant monster through sand dunes.
Yet, the film is more than just a visual spectacle. There is heart and soul, as well. The story is anchored in the characters, their relationships, desires and struggles. The machinations of Jessica, which are increasingly more sinister, adds disconcerting texture to a character who was previously a doting mother. Stilgar (Javier Bardem), meanwhile, becomes a surrogate father to Paul, and is the primary driving force for his inclusion in the Fremen culture. Of course, the most important relationship is between Paul and Chani (Zendaya). Their growing affection is touching, as it was in the book, although the admitted recharacterization of Chani is cause for some concern.
As I watched the movie, I recalled Chani being a more likable character in the novel. I also seem to remember her being more supportive of Paul, but my memory of the text is fuzzy. So, I looked it up, and my suspicions were confirmed in this AV Club article. Villeneuve said (as quoted in the article):
Chani, in the second part of the book, kind of disappeared in Paul’s shadows. The character becomes less interesting. But I thought there was a strong opportunity there to create a character there who would give us a new perspective on Paul, in order to get closer to Frank Herbert’s intentions.
That statement could be rewritten as, I’m going to change your character to be more in line with your vision. It’s an exceedingly arrogant thing to say. But Villeneuve justifies it:
When Frank Herbert wrote Dune and when the book came out, he felt that the readers misunderstood him … People saw Dune as a celebration of Paul Atreides, but for him he wanted the book to be a warning regarding messianic figures … In order to correct that perception, [Herbert] wrote Dune: Messiah that is almost like an epilogue.
I guess I am one of those who misunderstood. Regardless, Villeneuve takes it upon himself to use Chani as a vehicle for correcting Herbert’s mistake to the detriment of the character, in my opinion. Others, like YouTube film critic The Critical Drinker, may disagree.
Despite this one irksome change to a character, Dune: Part Two is a superb movie that outdoes its predecessor in every way, namely, better characters and more effective use of visuals. There is a lot more action, too; the 166 minutes fly by like an ornithopter.