Dune: Part Two
To experience a tale so grand, visually, philosophically, cosmically insane, yet humanly grounded, was an epic tragedy to behold. A perfect continuation, an adaptation of the definitive sci-fi story that inspired all others. You believe in the characters, you fear the inevitability, as the dreams and messages from the deep in part one actualize into an unfathomable holy war of gargantuan, emotional scale.
From the intimacy of falling in love with the girl of his dreams, riding sandworms across widespread vistas of sandy dunes, or fighting the colonial, brutal force of his own future, we follow a teen thirsty for revenge for his father, discovering who he is, from the sand to the throne, born into a cruel world with corrupted intent.
The danger of prophets, leaders, and control is orchestrated with chest-resonating, chill-giving, sonic, visual blazing triumph, as the very material to see deeply and travel far is fought for by all.
Poor Chani is used by the prophecy and left with nothing, the audience begging to see more, with her borderline suicidal face-to-face with the Shai-Hulud worm of destiny, that poisoned who she loved with the ambition that destroyed her identity and culture. The film takes its time to build their relationship, to break it down when Paul accepts his mother's lies to become the messiah, marrying Princess Irulan to rule the throne.
"We're not the same as you. Your heritage comes from dukes and houses. Here, we are all the same, we are all equal," Paul replies, "I'd very much like to be equal to you." This somber, heartfelt exploration of the Fremen culture juxtaposes the cold, black and white, decadent lifestyle of the Harkonnens. When these lines are blurred through the spice, and The Baron is revealed to be Paul's grandfather, true unrestricted fate can be indulged.
The technicality of the Fremen designs, scaled rough water holders, tents, communal living areas, Islamically inspired prayer sessions, projected across a 70mm IMAX screen was a feat to see, perfectly juxtaposed by the aesthetics and philosophy of the Harkonnens, depraved hyper-industrial, metallic black and white design, Feyd Rautha the epitome of this.
A sick, psychotic warrior, to be controlled by the Bene Gesserit and claim the emperor's throne, the simultaneous stories of Paul and Feyd mirror each other in different ways. Both on a quest of ambition, Feyd killed his mother unlike Paul, described as the real villain of his story in the books; they both do whatever it takes to do right by their family. However, the families have been cross-bred and manipulated for centuries, this psychological Star Wars-adjacent family drama a result of the dangerous control of fate in a feudalist society.
The mirror ending of the duel in the films shows the great change Paul has experienced by following his "destiny." The great sadness is that by following the destiny written for him, he becomes that which he hates. An epic, truly.
Spice over power is power over all, and true power lies in the shadows. Unbelievable adaptation. Timothée Chalamet was great at portraying the pursuit of revenge into adulthood and power.
Just a powerful, metaphorically layered story, done perfectly. The book brought to life. This is Dune, definitively. Music hits you in the soul, visuals in the gut, story in the heart. I can't write words that serve it justice. Seeing Paul become a tyrant was devastating to see, and a construct of the vulnerable beings who are called to power when fear is killed by a totalitarian regime.
My only criticism is the grandfather reveal should have been done more visually in the dream; some Bene Gesserit shouts weren't that effective and slightly awkward, and Chani's pregnancy should have been foreshadowed more. But I can't not give this a five stars.