Despite the memorable giant worms and seemingly never-ending desert setting, “Dune: Part Two” exceeds the already-high expectations set by the first film in the franchise. With daring visuals, a haunting soundtrack and a talented cast of characters, the film is nothing short of the highest possible sand dune’s peak.
Frank Herbert’s “Dune” was thought to be unadaptable. With its extensive worldbuilding, eccentric sci-fi qualities and real-world political commentary, it was hard to imagine how these things would translate into a major motion picture.
That is not to say there were zero attempts at the task; Alejandro Jodorowsky tried with his own script paired with an extremely intricate visual storyboard, yet the high anticipated budget and the desired 10 to 12-hour runtime buried that dream in the dirt.
David Lynch was actually successful in making a “Dune” adaptation that was filmed and distributed. However, it is considered the weakest in Lynch’s filmography and, to some, possibly the worst film ever made.
Denis Villeneuve proved these failed attempts and long-held assumptions wrong with his “Dune” films. Although, knowing the director has “Arrival” and “Prisoners” under his belt, I had little doubt in his capabilities in telling the story of Paul Atreides.
I love Villeneuve’s “Dune” films, and I am nothing less than excited for “Dune: Part Three,” which is coming this December. After Timothée Chalamet’s internet controversy of him speaking on ballet and opera, the public quickly flocked back in his favor after the film’s character posters and teaser trailer release.
No matter how well-adapted a story is from page to screen, it is best that there are changes from the source material to fit the silver screen format. I will point out my favorite aspects from the book and then describe what I love about them as they are shown in “Dune: Part Two.”
Stunning visuals, world-changing music and appropriate story adjustments establish it as one of the strongest projects in Villeneuve’s work, as well as what I think should be the performance that Chalamet wins for Best Actor.
Terrors from the future through vision
A crucial scene that highlights the film’s advanced appearance is Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen’s birthday, a gladiator-like arena scene occurring on his homeworld of Giedi Prime. Played by Austin Butler, Feyd-Rautha is cemented as one of the demented main villains of the film. With his animalistic yelling and growling, his performance strengthens his presence.
The black-and-white filter chosen as Giedi Prime’s appearance is what makes it the most alien; it pushes the audience toward a feeling of unfamiliarity. The arena may resemble countless fight scenes across action movies and period pieces, but it is made clear that Feyd-Rautha does not fight on Earth as a simple human man with this cinematic, worldbuilding coloring choice.
The color not only accentuates the visuals of the fighting pit and the world of Giedi Prime, but also Feyd-Rautha’s monstrous character design. His extremely pale skin, black teeth and lack of hair are not at all alike to the more innocent look of Paul Atreides. As Feyd-Rautha is shown far from humanity through his brutality and thirst for blood, his filtered look only heightens said traits.
The visuality also furthers along the storylines of the infamous Bene Gesserit agenda.
Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot Fenring acts within a cunning, observatory manner that measures the Bene Gesserit’s plans within plans as she watches the fight from the stands above. The black-and-white coloring pictures Lady Margot’s eyes as looming clouds painted gray and black, holding a raging storm ready to deliver thunderous future prospects back to her Reverend Mothers.
A slight change from the book with Lady Margot’s introduction is that her husband, Count Fenring, is not with her. I think this is more suitable for the scene because it places more weight on Lady Margot as a character who holds herself well on her own. It also offers more clarification on why she is on the planet in the first place.
One last visually pleasing aspect of the scene that I love is the fireworks for the birthday celebration. Instead of traditional bursts of eye-catching colors, they are shown as tiny explosions of black, similar to a liquid substance expanding within the air.
This feature strengthens the claim that the Harkonnens are detached from their humanity with the likes of their world.
Demanding memory as it takes the form of sound
Before Lady Jessica drinks the death-bringing Water of Life to take on the role as the Fremen’s Reverend Mother, the movie makes it clear how there is less build up to this moment. I do see this is as productive to the overall story because a film’s runtime can only go on for so long.
Rebecca Ferguson’s portrayal as Jessica is nothing short of extraordinary. Once she drinks the water and begins to choke, Ferguson moves her body so violently that the audience can become uncomfortable just at the sight of her, now able to understand what is happening inside of her: a flood of beauty and horror.
As Jessica’s body shakes on the ground while taking and transmuting the poison water, Hans Zimmer’s artistry of soundtrack scoring is brought in by full force. With an eerie sound of high vocals and a heartbeat-like, water-sounding drumming, the music truly carries the weight of the scene’s purpose.
Since Jessica is pregnant with Alia, Paul’s sister, she also takes in the contents of the Water of Life. This means she then becomes fully conscious with all of the memories of the past Reverend Mothers while still developing in Jessica’s womb, and she is also aware of what’s happening in the outside world.
To show this transformation, the audience sees the blue liquid surrounding the fetus, and as it happens, the score becomes louder, as if drowning out all other possibilities of Alia having a normal development. We then see a singular blue eye on the center of the screen, and it shows Alia as now fully aware due to the actions of her mother and the manufactured prophecy of the Bene Gesserit.
For the sequence, I couldn’t imagine it any other way because Villeneuve made it perfectly digestible for individuals who did not read the book. It is a perfect sequence that captures Alia’s transition into an abomination.
Becoming an abomination as she experiences life before birth
While I do love the film, there is a major change I wish to point out. Throughout the majority of the film, Alia is only able to speak to Jessica, as she still resides in her womb. However, in the book, there is a time jump that allows for Alia to appear as a fully-conscious toddler who is able to walk and talk just as adults do.
I would have liked for Villeneuve to follow in Lynch’s footsteps and cast a four-year-old to play the abomination. I do understand why the change was made, though, because it is more effective in showing Jessica’s insanity as she speaks to her fetus daughter. It also shows more of her obsession with protecting Paul by spreading the messianic prophecy.
I do also think it conveys how much Alia is really not just herself but also her mother due to the circumstances created by the Water of Life. Therefore, the audience can understand just how crazy “Dune”’s events are by building layers upon layers within its characters.
Again, we do not get to see a toddler version of Alia, but we do see her through the eyes of Paul as he drinks the Water of Life to fulfill his destiny as the Kwisatz Haderach. Once we see her, we notice how she is a fully-grown adult, and she is played by the great Anya Taylor-Joy. I think it was a beautiful way to announce a casting because it then lays down the groundwork for “Dune: Part Three.”
No matter what other changes will be made to the story in the third installment of “Dune,” I will be glued to the theater seat the entire time. I hold this story near and dear to my heart as a powerful work of fiction that transcends decades through its longstanding influence and grandeur.
