It’s not a prophecy, it’s a story.

When originally seeing 2021’s Dune: Part One in theatres, I left with feelings of confusion and disappointment. Not because it didn’t thrill visually, or that I didn’t care for the characters (I did), but because it seemed to solely build up what was to come for Part Two. Having the first film in a franchise settle for 95% exposition within a 2-and-a-half-hour runtime is a confident move to say the least, all the while still placing at number 13 in the 2021 box office. Thankfully I took the time to rewatch Part one before seeing Part Two, and interestingly enough it is a lot more enjoyable than I remember, exposition and all. Yet, the question still remained, would Part One’s build up successfully pay off in the sequel? Let’s find out on Gaber’s Two Cents.

Starting almost immediately where Part One left off, Part Two throws us directly into the conflict between Paul Atreides and the wretched Harkonens. After finally reaching the Fremen, the native population residing on the desert planet, Paul sets off to learn their ways, while simultaneously forming a relationship with Chani, a Fremen woman that continuously appears within Paul’s dreams.

I was never completely sold on Timothee Chalamet as Paul in the first film, maybe it’s because Chalamet’s Paul was regulated to providing context rather than having an actual arc. Despite this, Chalamet proves he was the correct choice in Part Two. By providing Paul with a charismatically intense portrayal audiences can sympathize with. This in turn leads followers to not know whether they should feel relief or fear in Paul’s presence. Chalamet’s turn from a hero with good intentions to a power-hungry sacrificial leader is fascinating to watch. Proving once again, Chalamet was just right for the ambitious role.

If I wasn’t sold on Chalamet at first, the opposite is true for Zendaya as Chani. Even with severely limited screentime in Part One, you could tell that this is the role Zendaya has been waiting for her entire career. Chani is a very capable woman inhabiting a very violent and dangerous world, which is why it was disappointing she was barely featured in the first film. Thankfully, we are shown several instances of her exemplifying her Fremen warrior ways, with one of the best action pieces in the film involving Chani fighting on the frontlines in the battle against the empire. It’s not just Zendaya’s action that’s impressive either, her constant questioning of the prophecy in which Paul is entrapped in, and her disgust of her people’s blind faith, allow Zendaya to make Chani a very realistic three-dimensional character. One can credit director Denis Villeneuve’s top tier writing chops, but it simply wouldn’t be the same if Chani was played by another actress.

Last but not least, Austin Butler’s performance as Feyd-Rautha is arguably one of the best villain turns I have seen in recent years. With twisted mannerisms and a devilish grin, Feyd elevates and already excellent film even further, once he is introduced in the movie’s latter half. Initially, I was worried with him not being included in Part One, and that it would lead to him being more of an afterthought in Part Two. Thankfully this isn’t the case, and his inclusion seems very well earned, rather than simply being used as a plot device. The final duel between Feyd and Paul in particular is my personal favorite action scene in the series so far. The stakes are extremely high, and it shows with Butler and Chalamet giving it their absolute best, in a showdown that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

What’s most impressive about Dune: Part Two is how little it seems to care if you remember the first film. While there are several nods to Part One throughout, one can enjoy Part Two just the same. Personally, I believe this is achievable due to the abundance of imagery in the film, which fills in most of the gaps. While dialogue is essential, Dune: Part Two doesn’t tell its larger story beats; it shows them.

With all that being said, there are occasional moments throughout the film (particularly the 30-40 minutes before the third act) that do drag a little bit more than I would like. Which is a shame, since it almost crosses the “perfect film’ threshold. Nevertheless, there is so much more going right than wrong for Dune: Part Two that it becomes pointless to nitpick the “calm before the storm” plot trope. Which explains why Dune Part Two received this particular, Cent Score.

Cent Score: 4 Cents

Not a masterpiece, but as close as one could get.

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