“Dune: Part Two” arguably remains the most anticipated sequel of the last three years. After the success of “Dune,” director Denis Villeneuve heads back into the world where his last film left off. The film continues the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen, seeking revenge against the people who upended his family.
This action-packed adventure clocks in at two hours and 46 minutes, giving audiences all the sandwormy goodness they craved. Yet the runtime leads into its biggest flaw: “Dune: Part Two,” while better paced than its predecessor, includes several moments that drag.
“Dune” as a book series engages readers at every turn and explores everything at its finest detail. In a film, however, this level of intensity fails to carry over and leaves audiences either confused or itching to leave their seats.
The narrative told in “Dune: Part Two” feels like the story lacks uniqueness and coherence. The movie does not feel hard to follow, but its overreliance on expertly crafted visuals and audio hinders the narrative from entertaining the masses. That’s not to say it appears unfaithful to the book as many of the story beats do make it into the film, but rather, the script makes no attempt to incorporate the book’s narrative effectively.
The film does include enjoyable scenes, such as Paul riding the sandworm or the fight sequences sprinkled throughout. The previous Daily Texan film columnist, Noah Levine, wrote in his “Dune” review in 2021 that watching the 2021 film felt like watching paint dry. Sadly, the same can be said about “Dune: Part Two.” For fans of the book, however, the abundance of detail provides a lot to sip on.
The quality of “Dune: Part Two’s” sound design, soundtrack, set design and fight choreography remains unmatched in modern cinema and make up for the average story and excruciating runtime. Audiences hear and feel every sandy footstep, stab, slash and gunshot. The team behind the soundtrack creates a beautiful score never heard in a sci-fi film until now. The set decorators and art department foster a lifelike set, offering a glimpse into a possible future of our world now. Lastly, the fight choreography may stand the test of time as some of the best-coordinated fight sequences in any film.
Without a doubt, Greig Fraser deserves an Oscar for his work as the cinematographer. Visuals sell the world more than anything else and every frame of this film feels like a painting that could be hung on a wall. The eye-catching shots will remain in audiences’ memories long past their time in the theater.
“Dune: Part Two” feels made for film critics and fans of the book series. While Denis Villeneuve showcases his talent with this film, the problem boils down to a runtime that overstays its welcome and a difficult, lore-driven narrative. If audiences are fans of “Dune” or its 2021 movie adaptation, they’ll find themselves obsessed with this film, but for those who disliked the prior entry or find themselves antsy with lore-driven stories, taper expectations.
3 questionably shaped popcorn buckets out of 5
