Frank Herberts' Dune dates back to 1965 and has already been filmed once. The film adaptation dates back to 1984, when director David Lynch made an attempt to make the epic film. The result was very mediocre, because although the film managed to excel in terms of landscapes and cinematography, it stopped there. In 2021, director Denis Villeneuve came up with his version of Dune and immediately managed to impress. Where the 1984 version tapped a total playing time of two hours and seventeen minutes, only the first part of Villeneuve's version had been tapping for two hours and thirty-five minutes and then you're only halfway. This second part even taps two hours and forty-six minutes, so it's a bit to be hoped that it's not going to be a repetition of moves, because although the first part was very strong, the film could have been a lot shorter. Anyone familiar with Dune's whole story knows what will ultimately await him and the film certainly does not disappoint in this. Whether the hype that currently reigns around Dune is right, you will have to see and judge for yourself. In any case, what is certain is that the film contains much more action than the first part.
The film runs seamlessly and we continue the story with Paul and the division among the Fremen where the northerners do not want to accept Paul as 'The One'. Meanwhile, Baron Harkonnen performs his atrocities on the planet and when his nephew Feyd-Rauta appears, Beast Rabban is soon expelled. Feyd-Rauta is portrayed in a very strong way by Austin Butler. So a lot is happening, so the pace is a lot higher than in the first part. What's more striking is the fact that this movie is even easy to follow if you wouldn't even have seen the first part. There is a great explanation about how and what and although the first film does show the beginning, it feels completely unnecessary after seeing this second part. Well, completely superfluous may be a bit exaggerated, but the fact remains that even without that film this second part is like a house and the story will be easy for everyone to follow. If in the end Paul indicates that he does not want to reach for power, Stilgar is convinced that Paul is 'The One', but there is still doubt within the Fremen group that Paul and Jessica are spies.
The film is grotesque, with a bombastic soundtrack and eye-catching locations and slick special effects. Although the soundtrack is really fine, it is not composer Hans Zimmer's most unforgettable work and this (for me then) is not a soundtrack that will stay with me for a very long time. Although the pace is really a lot higher than in the first part, certain pieces still feel too long and this is often a thing from director Villeneuve. As far as I'm concerned, he often knows how to put down films that are sublimely put together, such as Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival, but often goes into the matter too deep, making the films really feel much too long. Perhaps this does not have much to do with going too deep into the matter, but more with the slowness with which this happens. Especially Arrival suffered from that in my eyes, a rock-solid film with a well-thought-out plot, but it's almost great to make a film that is under two hours feel like four hours. Fortunately, that's not too bad in Dune: Part Two and we get to see a movie full of action and adventure. The setup to the third part is made, although I wonder if three parts won't be a bit of a good thing, but we're going to experience it.
Dune: Part Two has become a strong sequel, where the film is still easy to follow even if you haven't seen the first part. The film is grotesque, contains great camera work that manages to create a lot of atmosphere with many yellowish filters. The soundtrack is good and bombastic, but it's not a soundtrack that will stay with you for a long time. It is mainly Austin Butler who, as far as I'm concerned, manages to steal the show as Baron Harkonnen's cruel nephew, Feyd-Rauta. Although the film manages to tick for a good two hours and 45 minutes, whereby that sometimes really felt like a long-paced struggle in the first Dune- film, the pace in this second part is pleasant. Here and there the pace might have been a little higher, but honestly that didn't bother me for a meter. The hype created around the film may be a bit exaggerated, but the movie is definitely worth seeing in the cinema, if you have the chance do it in IMAX.
The film runs seamlessly and we continue the story with Paul and the division among the Fremen where the northerners do not want to accept Paul as 'The One'. Meanwhile, Baron Harkonnen performs his atrocities on the planet and when his nephew Feyd-Rauta appears, Beast Rabban is soon expelled. Feyd-Rauta is portrayed in a very strong way by Austin Butler. So a lot is happening, so the pace is a lot higher than in the first part. What's more striking is the fact that this movie is even easy to follow if you wouldn't even have seen the first part. There is a great explanation about how and what and although the first film does show the beginning, it feels completely unnecessary after seeing this second part. Well, completely superfluous may be a bit exaggerated, but the fact remains that even without that film this second part is like a house and the story will be easy for everyone to follow. If in the end Paul indicates that he does not want to reach for power, Stilgar is convinced that Paul is 'The One', but there is still doubt within the Fremen group that Paul and Jessica are spies.
The film is grotesque, with a bombastic soundtrack and eye-catching locations and slick special effects. Although the soundtrack is really fine, it is not composer Hans Zimmer's most unforgettable work and this (for me then) is not a soundtrack that will stay with me for a very long time. Although the pace is really a lot higher than in the first part, certain pieces still feel too long and this is often a thing from director Villeneuve. As far as I'm concerned, he often knows how to put down films that are sublimely put together, such as Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival, but often goes into the matter too deep, making the films really feel much too long. Perhaps this does not have much to do with going too deep into the matter, but more with the slowness with which this happens. Especially Arrival suffered from that in my eyes, a rock-solid film with a well-thought-out plot, but it's almost great to make a film that is under two hours feel like four hours. Fortunately, that's not too bad in Dune: Part Two and we get to see a movie full of action and adventure. The setup to the third part is made, although I wonder if three parts won't be a bit of a good thing, but we're going to experience it.
Dune: Part Two has become a strong sequel, where the film is still easy to follow even if you haven't seen the first part. The film is grotesque, contains great camera work that manages to create a lot of atmosphere with many yellowish filters. The soundtrack is good and bombastic, but it's not a soundtrack that will stay with you for a long time. It is mainly Austin Butler who, as far as I'm concerned, manages to steal the show as Baron Harkonnen's cruel nephew, Feyd-Rauta. Although the film manages to tick for a good two hours and 45 minutes, whereby that sometimes really felt like a long-paced struggle in the first Dune- film, the pace in this second part is pleasant. Here and there the pace might have been a little higher, but honestly that didn't bother me for a meter. The hype created around the film may be a bit exaggerated, but the movie is definitely worth seeing in the cinema, if you have the chance do it in IMAX.