Much More Digestible for the Audience
Dune long remained among the books deemed unfilmable. The magnum opus of writer Frank Herbert is so complex that it's virtually impossible to adequately retell it in less than three hours.
David Lynch already learned this, as his version of Dune was not successful. One of the main criticisms was significant changes to the story.
In 2000, Dune was released as a miniseries. While it stayed relatively true to the source material, its low budget still resulted in a very awkward and cheap-looking affair.
Only director Denis Villeneuve managed to handle the celebrated material correctly. He not only secured sufficient funding for the production but also decided to create two films right away. However, it was a risk. It was not at all certain that a sequel would ever be made.
The first part of Dune is indeed a damn attractive spectacle, but without the second part, it feels incomplete. Fortunately, we don't have to worry about that, as the second installment is here and certainly does not disgrace its older sibling, quite the contrary!
The first Dune had one fundamental disadvantage – it had to introduce a complex world and its main characters. Therefore, the film could seem boring to a wide range of viewers. However, the sequel does not suffer from this problem.
Villeneuve stepped on the gas a bit more, and his new addition to world cinema is therefore significantly more action-packed. Still, it's not any variation of Star Wars. Yet, it's definitely worth watching.
New Enemies on the Scene
In the new Dune, a lot happens right from the start, even though nothing explodes on the screen. Paul learns to be a Fremen, fights his dark visions, and still finds time to interact with Chani alias Zendaya.
All the while, he manages to disrupt spice deliveries with his desert comrades, which, of course, displeases the emperor. Without spice, civilization cannot function, so the eyes of the entire empire naturally focus directly on Arrakis.
Let's not say any more about the plot. Book lovers already know it, and newcomers would surely prefer to enjoy it in the cinema.
In the second part of Dune, we not only meet most of the familiar faces but can also look forward to new additions.
For instance, the emperor of the known universe, played by Christopher Walken, finally appears on the scene. His daughter Irulan, portrayed by Florence Pugh, and Baron Harkonnen's second nephew, Feyd-Rautha, are excellent additions.
Austin Butler's portrayal of Feyd-Rautha is incredibly repulsive, with strong psychopathic traits. However, he is not a defenseless weakling who can at most tear the wings off butterflies.
Feyd-Rautha is also an excellent fighter who enjoys spending his free time in combat arenas, killing one slave after another. Thus, he is the ideal opponent for Kwisatz Haderach.
Just like last time, all the actors are fantastic. Beyond the performances, the technical aspect of the film also dazzles the audience.
In many respects, it's unparalleled, and the new Dune will surely take home a few Oscars again. Hans Zimmer's music is also captivating.
