Dune 2 Review: A Sequel Better Than The Original
A spoiler-free Dune review! With a great soundtrack and special effects, despite my issues with the character portrayals, this movie was ultimately a fun watch.
I had mostly heard great reviews of the Dune films, and this movie lived up to my expectations… mostly. This film continues the epic journey set forth by its predecessor, diving deeper into the intricate world depicted in the books. With its stunning visuals, interesting storytelling, and amazing score, it has many positives. However, some of its character development and growth leaves something to be desired.
The storytelling in this film is ambitiously large scale. The narrative is very complicated, balancing political intrigue, philosophical musings, and intense action sequences. The film delves deeper into the political conflicts of the universe, exploring the power dynamics between the various factions vying for control of Arrakis. At the same time, it doesn’t shy away from the personal journeys of its characters, allowing for moments of introspection and emotional depth.
Speaking of characters, I enjoyed most of the characters and their developments. I loved the mother’s character and how she became more extremist as the film progressed. Paul Atreides was also an interesting character, although he tends to fall into the default sci-fi hero state of being incredibly good at everything he tries. The other characters didn’t feel well developed either, as the movie was very action driven. It does make some sense, with the length of the movie being nearly three hours, that there’s not much you can really add to the movie, but it would have been nice to have slightly better pacing.
One character I did have some issues with was that of Chani, Paul’s primary love interest. As someone who has not read the Dune series, I am not sure if her portrayal is accurate. However, I wasn’t a big fan of her characterization in the film. She is cut down to simply a love interest, with her primary role in the movie to simply save Paul from death by her tears (foretold by a prophecy). Her other role is to look concerned and vaguely heartbroken in her defense of her people. It feels a bit one-note and unoriginal for her whole story to be reduced to simply collateral damage in Paul’s larger-than-life story. Zendaya is a great actress, but felt very underutilized in this role, which is a shame.
On a more positive note, One of the standout aspects of Dune 2 is its score, composed by Hans Zimmer. The music perfectly complements the film’s tone and enhances its emotional impact, and is also incredibly well orchestrated. It’s definitely one of the best soundtracks for a blockbuster film I’ve heard in a while.
Ultimately, while Dune 2 has its flaws, I enjoyed the movie a lot. While it’s long, the pacing doesn’t feel too long-winded. I also liked the introduction of a variety of new characters, but I wish we had gone a bit more in depth into their characterizations. Ultimately, many of my criticisms might be addressed in the next movie in this series, and I hope the next installment continues in the trend of each new Dune movie being better than the last.