The first film was a great success, one of the highest-grossing movies of 2021 and receiving numerous accolades, the sequel was delayed by the Hollywood strikes, but I hoped it was worth the wait, based on the book by Frank Herbert, directed by Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049). Basically, in the distant future, Princess Irulan Corrino (Florence Pugh) secretly records in her journal that Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) may still be alive, while her father, Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), is disheartened after the fall of House Atreides. On the barren desert planet of Arrakis, the Fremen troops of tribe leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem), along with Paul and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), prevail over an attack from a Harkonnen patrol. When Jessica and Paul reach Sietch Tabr, some Fremen suspect they are spies, while Stilgar and others believe a prophecy that a mother and son from the "Outer World" will bring prosperity to Arrakis. Stilgar tells Jessica that Reverend Mother Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) is dying and she must become her replacement by drinking the Water of Life, which is poisonous to males and the untrained. Jessica transmutes after drinking the fatal liquid, surviving and inheriting the memories of every female ancestor in her lineage. Jessica is pregnant with a child, and the liquid prematurely awakens the mind of the unborn daughter, Alia, allowing Jessica to communicate with her. They agree to focus on trying to convince the northern Fremen who are more sceptical of the prophecy. Young rebellious warrior Chani (Zendaya) and her friend Shishakli (Souheila Yacoub) believe the prophecy is a fabricated narrative made to manipulate the Fremen. When Paul delivers a speech to the Fremen people about not seeking power and only wanting to fight alongside them, Chani develops respect for him. Paul embraces the Fremen ways, learning their language, the dangerous act of riding sandworms, becoming a Fedaykin fighter and helping raid Harkonnen spice operations. Paul adopts the Fremen names "Usul" and "Muad'Dib", and he and Chani fall in love. Due to the devastating spice raids, House patriarch Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) replaces his brutish nephew Rabban aka "Beast" (Dave Bautista) as Arrakis' ruler with his psychotic, murderous younger nephew, Feyd-Rautha (Elvis's Austin Butler). Lady Margot Fenring (Léa Seydoux), a Bene Gesserit, is sent to evaluate Feyd's suitability as a prospective Kwisatz Haderach and to seduce him to secure his genes. Jessica travels south to unite with Fremen fundamentalists who believe in the prophecy. Paul has disturbing visions of a holy war that will occur if he goes south where he is believed to be a messiah. Paul stays north and reunites with Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin) who leads him to an atomic stockpile hidden by House Atreides. Feyd-Rautha attacks Sietch Tabr and kills Shishakli, forcing Paul and the surviving Fremen to journey south. After arriving, Paul drinks the Water of Life and falls into a coma. Chani, angered by his actions, helps to wake him up by mixing her tears with the liquid. Paul gains a clearer vision of the past and future, seeing an adult Alia on a future Arrakis with a supply of water. He also discovers that his mother is the Baron's daughter, making him both Atreides and Harkonnen. The southern Fremen leaders urge Paul to challenge Stilgar for leadership. But he refuses and instead spurs the fundamentalists by showing that he can read their innermost thoughts. He declares himself the Lisan al Gaib and sends a challenge to Emperor Shaddam, who arrives on Arrakis with Irulan, the Reverend Mother, and his Sardaukar troops. The Fremen launch a massive military strike against the emperor's forces using atomics and sandworms. They overpower the Sardaukar, while Paul kills the Baron and takes Shaddam and his entourage captive. Gurney intercepts Rabban trying to flee and kills him. Paul challenges Shaddam for the throne, demanding Irulan's hand in marriage. The Great Houses, who were summoned by the Baron, arrive in orbit. Paul threatens to destroy the spice fields with atomics if they interfere. Shaddam chooses Feyd-Rautha as his champion, he and Paul have a knife duel, which ends with Paul hilling his opponent. Irulan agrees to marry Paul on the condition that her father lives. Shaddam kneels and kisses Paul's signet ring. The Great Houses above Arrakis reject Paul's ascendancy, so Paul orders the Fremen to attack the fleet in orbit. As Stilgar leads the Fremen onto the captured Sardaukar ships, Jessica and Alia see this as the beginning of Muad'Dib's holy war. Chani refuses to bow to Paul and departs alone on a sandworm. Also starring Roger Yuan as Lanville, Babs Olusanmokun as Jamis, Alison Halstead as Maker Keeper, Giusi Merli as Reverend Mother Ramallo, Imola Gáspár as Watermaster, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia Atreides. I'm not going to pretend I understood everything going on, with all the stuff involving religion and politics, just the main plot that everyone wants the spice. Chalamet goes from a young steady hero to braver leading figure, Zendaya gets more screen time as his love interest, Skarsgård being nasty and grotesque and Bautista being aggressive and loud are equally good as the villains, and the all-star cast, including Brolin, Bardem, Rampling, and Walken all get their moments as well. The visuals and special effects remain fantastic, from the spaceships and alien creatures to the interior and exterior locations and large-scale battle scenes, so it doesn't matter if you don't understand it all, it is a great spectacle, and hopefully the third and presumably concluding part will be as exciting, a worthwhile epic science-fiction adventure. Very good!
Review of Dune: Part Two
