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+++
title = "Dune: Part Two (2024)"
author = ["Michał Sapka"]
date = 2024-04-16T16:44:00+02:00
categories = ["reviews"]
draft = false
weight = 2013
reviewSection = ["Movies"]
image_dir = "reviews/screenshots"
image_max_width = 765
abstract = "My review of an adaptation of the second part of an amazing book"
aliases = ["/brain-rot/dune/part-two-2024", "brain-rot/american-scifi/dune/part-two-2024/"]
rating = 4.75
image = "reviews/covers/dune2.jpg"
related = ["Dune movies"]
relatedName = "Dune: Part Two (2024)"
+++
It's here, it's finally here.
_Dune_ joins the very small club of SciFi books with amazing adaptations.
When _Part One_ hit the screens, people were amazed that it was so good.
Now, with _Part Two_, we hear that it's even better than the first one!
But I was very skeptical.
The trailers seemed to indicate a train wreck.
They were full of explosions, angry screaming guys and the taglines about war.
Dune was never _about_ war.
War was in there, but it was never the point.
But cinema, SciFi especially, loves special effects, and big-booms are amongst the most used.
I dislike a lot of SciFi movies from the USA, as the (so called) spectacle is all there is[^fn:1].
But what the hell, I chose an IMAX experience nevertheless.
The first _Dune_ was breathtaking, so why not?
And then the movie started, and my worries were replaced with anger.
What the hell is this?
Soldier banter?
Puppy-eyes?
Joking?
It's a SciFi war movie.
There are preparing for the _specle_
_Dirty Fremen Dozen_!
_Independence Day of Arrakis_!
But, just as the action moved to Giedi Prime, the movie completely transformed.
What was mediocre, became absolutely marvelous!
Now, after seeing and rethinking the movie, it makes sense.
It's a not _sequel_ to _Dune_, but _part two_.
It doesn't start in act 1, as that was in the last movie.
The first chunk of this movie is a cool-down after the ending in of _Part One_.
Both _Dune_ movies should be treated as one long movie.
Much more than Kill Bill, as we have no clear _ending_ between the two.
_Part One_ ends with finishing of the Harkonen attack plot, which only ignites events of this movie.
And looking at it as one one big movie, I have to say: wow!
They made some changes to Herbert's text, but I like them.
Fremen are no longer a singular force that Paul uses.
The movie version of them is divided, having different cultures.
Maybe it's too black and white, but it's a nice change.
Similarly, Chani become a multidimensional character.
And while yes, Jessicas portrayal makes Chanis character shine much less, it's still a great change.
But the way Rebecca Ferguson plays Jessica is nothing short of wonder.
She starts scared, but loyal to both, Paul and Bene Gesserit.
After becoming the reverent mother however she becomes menacing.
With this comes another change - Alia is not born here.
She is talking with her mother telepathically, but at the end of the movie she is still to be born[^fn:2].
That's a dangerous change, but it works perfectly because the tone Jessica uses when talking with her - calm, silent, almost a whisper, yet still menacing.
I can not stress it enough - Rebecca is perfect here.
But the biggest change is the introduction of scenes from _Dune Messiah_.
You see, _Dune_ was often seen as a savior story.
Paul was to be the good guy, who comes and saves the day.
This is as far from what Frank Herbert envisioned as possible, so he wrote a short sequel book.
This movie vision introduces plot points and scenes taken directly from that book, so the meaning behing the story is much more obvious.
I think it's a good change, as we already see folks arguing against _Dune_ due to this misconception.
This way it defends itself.
{{< image class="centered" file="dune-part2-001.jpg" >}}
Arrakis 90210
{{< /image >}}
{{< image class="centered" file="dune-part2-002.jpg" >}}
Jessica in all of her glory
{{< /image >}}
Luckily, this movie is much weirder than _Part One_.
While last time Dennis omitted a lot, here he shows more _things_[^fn:3], but still there is no context.
We see the finger of the Baron, but we never learn what actually is there.
It comes as an Easter Egg for old time fans, which is nice as it takes nothing from the story.
But then there is Geidi Prime which is monochromatic, empty and cold - in the scariest way.
I'd love to see more of this side the world, but we got it spot on.
And Fayd?
Where Lynch gave us half-naked Sting, Austin Butler is a psychopath.
This is the Beast we all deserve!
This is the stuff nightmares are made of.
I am happy to report that this is not a war movie.
It's _Dune_ full of plots within plots, mysticism and (lastly) war.
Unfortunately, once again I am not happy with the music.
While most of the tracks are good (or great), the main theme is even worse than last time.
It's now layered over a lot more noise, making it this much more annoying.
It decreased my enjoyment of many of the greatest scenes.
Luckily, there is also new theme so this screaming woman may not follow us into the third movie.
So, _Dune Part II_ is an excellent movie, but _Dune_ the complete story is a marvel.
It's the greatest thing I've seen in American SciFi in a very long time.
It's what it should be.
While not flawless, it's as close to what I'd imagine as a _perfect_ _Dune_ as it comes.
The movie gets a 4.75 from me (same as the first one), but looking at both _Dunes_ as a single movie?
Then it goes to a 5.
I don't think we will get anywhere close to this level of quality anytime soon.
What _Baldurs Gate III_ made for cRPG, _Dune_ makes to _SciFi cinema_.
And, I love that Christofer Walken is once again in the Dune universe.
He warned us about the Worm years ago.
Fayd in all of his glory
\#+end_image
[^fn:1]: I still remember how bored I was when I watched _Iron Man 3_.
The last decade of the movie runtime was filled with a non-stop battle.
The movie stopped and all was left was CGI.
[^fn:2]: Kinda fitting.
_Arrival_ had a very similar take on what a human is.
[^fn:3]: No chairdogs though
|
