Spoilers!
Intro: I am going to be honest, I went into this movie without fully watching the first Dune movie that came out to both streaming services and theaters in 2021. I saw the beginning, and due to being a tad sleepy, I woke up in confusion to see the fall of House Atreides. However, even though I was missing some context, I felt as though this movie did a great job of easing me back into the universe in an easily digestible and very enjoyable way. This movie sets the standard of what a Hollywood Blockbuster should be. The main things I want to focus on are the Cinematography and the Action, so let’s dive in!
2 Things:
Cinematography: I honestly can say that there was not a shot in this movie that I did not like, and this movie is 2 hours and 46 minutes long. My favorite shot of the movie is a toss up between the shots of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he is walking alone through the wastelands of Arrakis, or the scene where Paul and Chani Kynes (Zendaya) are sitting alone atop a sand dune. There is a progression between these two scenes/shots, so they both will feed into each other. The shots of Paul walking alone showcase him walking the lone path of his unwanted destiny, and in these scenes he is typically walking toward the camera:
(Provided by Warner Bros. Pictures Youtube, Dune: Part Two | Official Trailer)
However, the shots of Paul and Chani show both of them looking out into the warm sands of Arrakis. This potentially showcases the idea of them looking to a future that is peaceful and better for the both of them:
(Provided by Warner Bros. Pictures Youtube, Dune: Part Two | Official Trailer)
The shot of Paul walking alone has a cold and distant feeling, while the shot of Paul and Chani together is warm and intimate. This subtly hints at how Paul changes over the duration of the film as he becomes closer and closer to becoming the chosen one of the Fremen people, the Lisan al Gaib. It is subtle but over the course of the movie you see Paul being alone more often the longer the movie goes on, and this ultimately builds up to Paul forfeiting his life with Chani so that he can forge an alliance to The Emperor (Christopher Walken) by marrying Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh). It is an interesting detour from the traditionally positive idea of making your own future, whereas all these characters fall into harsh predestined events naturally.
Action: There are several war scenes, high intensity action scenes or 1-on-1 action scenes through the duration of the film, and all were incredible. The main scene I want to focus on is the final duel between Paul and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler). The build up to this scene was done so well, and pays off excellently. The fight starts as the music is entirely cut out and all you hear is the actors grunts and the action folly, which is done perfectly. The choreography within the scene fit perfectly with both Paul and Feyd-Rautha’s personality. Paul was nimble and quick, looking for any open moment to strike. Feyd-Rautha was brutish and aggressive, not slow but each movement still being effective. I remember audibly gasping and routing for Paul when he pulled off a sideways aerial dodge. I knew that Paul would win as soon as the fight started, but when Feyd-Rautha actually stabbed Paul, I hate to admit that I had my doubts. Movies don’t often do this to me anymore! I’m so glad that they used that scene to further show how dedicated Paul is to the Fremen cause by using the closeness of being stabbed to his advantage.
Final Rating – 9.5/10
Overall Thoughts:
I was not the hugest Dune fan before I went to see this, and I thought that I would be a bit lost. However, I was not lost at all and I am now looking at Amazon for a copy of all the Dune books (there are a bunch!). I highly recommend watching this movie, and I also recommend for you to go see it yourself and see what you think! Support Local Business and support Local Theaters!!
