Up there with Aliens, Terminator 2 and The Empire Strikes Back as the best sequel of all time
Iconic books are notoriously difficult to adapt for the screen. If you've read the book, you'll most likely be blaming the film for not matching the way you imagined things to be. If you haven't, some things might look bizarre or incomplete. Either way, the filmmakers will be to blame.
Well, today I can honestly say that I haven't read the Dune books, and that I'm not even bothered, for the film blew me away.
The anticlimactic first part did a great job at setting the stage and giving us a taste of a mysterious and unforgiving world. Many things didn't make much sense and were just left unexplained. Dune Part One is still very much an enjoyable film, and its atmosphere and characters definitely leave a lasting impression. But it did feel a bit like a slow cooker, with more than two hours of screen time only taking you to some battle scenes, a few half-pronounced conspiracies and the forbidden "I should call her" moment.
Yes, it was exciting. But only as a promise of a future climax. Now, two and a half years later, we can finally see what mighty brew that slow cooker has been mulling. And oh boy does that brew hit hard!
Things are now more simple and direct. It's not always clear whether they make sense, but it doesn't matter anymore. Spice must flow, and so does the story of our unlikely hero Paul Muad'dib Atreides. We knew he was destined for greatness, and now we can see how that's going to be achieved. There are still intrigues and mind games, but they leave the shadows and now unfold in plain sight. Which actually doesn't feel plain or boring, it feels just right. As it was written.
There's no point describing or alluding to what exactly this film shows, as that's why films are made - to be watched. What's important to mention is that, based on what I read online on various Dune wikis and fan sites, the underlying lore and book material seems to be hardcore nerd stuff, something so convoluted and massive that there might be an extremely long and complex PhD programme dedicated to studying history of the Dune universe.
So for the first time I'm actually grateful that the film takes its own path and does away with that extra complexity, focusing instead on a powerful main story and a few extra details to give it enough juice to keep even the most drowsy and sleepy of us on the edge of their seats. A potent mix of aesthetic excellence, fast-paced action and the visceral energy of the Chalamet/Zendaya duo, one roaring defiant speeches and the other furrowing equally defiant eyebrows, with the rest of the cast forming a solid and dynamic backdrop to their love dance, energises, captivates and may even cause visions of the future with the anticipation of Part Three in it.
But, regardless of what may lie or not lie ahead, Dune Part Two is not just a prologue to something else, even though an obvious announcement is made in the dying seconds of the film. It is utterly satisfying all in itself, to the point when I don't even care whether this franchise continues at all. A certain character once yelled to its audience, "Are you not entertained?", and when it comes to this film, I can just say that I am.
Well, today I can honestly say that I haven't read the Dune books, and that I'm not even bothered, for the film blew me away.
The anticlimactic first part did a great job at setting the stage and giving us a taste of a mysterious and unforgiving world. Many things didn't make much sense and were just left unexplained. Dune Part One is still very much an enjoyable film, and its atmosphere and characters definitely leave a lasting impression. But it did feel a bit like a slow cooker, with more than two hours of screen time only taking you to some battle scenes, a few half-pronounced conspiracies and the forbidden "I should call her" moment.
Yes, it was exciting. But only as a promise of a future climax. Now, two and a half years later, we can finally see what mighty brew that slow cooker has been mulling. And oh boy does that brew hit hard!
Things are now more simple and direct. It's not always clear whether they make sense, but it doesn't matter anymore. Spice must flow, and so does the story of our unlikely hero Paul Muad'dib Atreides. We knew he was destined for greatness, and now we can see how that's going to be achieved. There are still intrigues and mind games, but they leave the shadows and now unfold in plain sight. Which actually doesn't feel plain or boring, it feels just right. As it was written.
There's no point describing or alluding to what exactly this film shows, as that's why films are made - to be watched. What's important to mention is that, based on what I read online on various Dune wikis and fan sites, the underlying lore and book material seems to be hardcore nerd stuff, something so convoluted and massive that there might be an extremely long and complex PhD programme dedicated to studying history of the Dune universe.
So for the first time I'm actually grateful that the film takes its own path and does away with that extra complexity, focusing instead on a powerful main story and a few extra details to give it enough juice to keep even the most drowsy and sleepy of us on the edge of their seats. A potent mix of aesthetic excellence, fast-paced action and the visceral energy of the Chalamet/Zendaya duo, one roaring defiant speeches and the other furrowing equally defiant eyebrows, with the rest of the cast forming a solid and dynamic backdrop to their love dance, energises, captivates and may even cause visions of the future with the anticipation of Part Three in it.
But, regardless of what may lie or not lie ahead, Dune Part Two is not just a prologue to something else, even though an obvious announcement is made in the dying seconds of the film. It is utterly satisfying all in itself, to the point when I don't even care whether this franchise continues at all. A certain character once yelled to its audience, "Are you not entertained?", and when it comes to this film, I can just say that I am.
- Semisonic
- Apr 25, 2024