Dune: Part two – a masterpiece

The most anticipated movie of the year is currently in cinemas and if you are still waiting for a reason to watch it then stick around.

The movie picks up right after the events of the first one with an exiled Paul and his mother living amongst the desert dwelling Fremen. Paul wants to strike back at the Harkonens who wiped out his people (The House of Atreides). Gradually he starts to attract more followers to his cause with the help of Stilgar who truly believes that Paul is the promised Messiah that will lead them to paradise. The more time he spends with the Fremen the more they begin to believe that he might be the promised messiah. Their beliefs are encouraged by his mother who becomes a kind of religious cult leader for them. Meanwhile the Harkonens tighten their grip on Arakis (Home planet to the Fremen) brutally repressing the population even as the Fremen threaten to undermine their control. But will Paul risk everything to free the planet from their brutal regime, and if he does what will it mean for the future of the galaxy?

Unlike a lot of sci-fi films made today, most of Dune part two was filmed on physically built sets or in real life locations. For example, scenes where the characters were in a dessert were filmed in the deserts in Abu Dhabi. This decision meant that the film has a real sense of realism. The use of CGI was meant to help in rendering scenes that couldn’t be created in real world situations.

Add the amazing sound design and soundtrack by Hans Zimmer and it all amalgamates to a masterpiece.

With the abundance talent in the cast you would expect that performances from every actor would be exceptional, and you would be right. Timothee Chalamet plays the role of a boy who transitions to be a powerful leader among the Fremen and his performance does not miss a beat. The same goes for every other character. Austin Butler’s Feyd Rauther, is perhaps the most impressive performance.

You could say an endless number of positive things about this film. But if I had to say one thing that is slightly negative about the film, it was the casting of Christopher Walken – his performance felt out of place. That said the movie is probably one of the best you will see in a long while.