It is always quite worrisome for popcorn-movie lovers when art-house directors sign up to direct fantasy franchises.
It is feared that in trying to give a deeper meaning to science fiction or fantasy materials, they might take away the fun, and quite frankly, the “eye-candy” quality inherent in such works of fiction.
It’s a good thing then that Dune: Part Two, was a homerun for Quebec’s own Denis Villeneuve.
This is all the more impressive since the first installment in the franchise, quite successful commercially and critically, raised the bar and expectations from the first adaptation of Frank Herbert’s beloved book series.
With a runtime closing in on three hours, part two is indeed an epic both in terms of scale and subject matter, and it should absolutely be experienced on the big screen.
The movie benefits from an ensemble case and the chemistry between the male and female leads of the movie – Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya is intense and undeniable.
The adventures of Paul Atreides (played by Chalamet) in his journey of self-discovery and meaning, continue. Having lost the majority of his clan and supporters, Paul has to find a new home in a harsh and unforgiving new planet, called Arrakis. It is here where The Fremen, the natives, believe him to be Lisan al Gaib, the savior, who has been promised them in ancient prophecies.
Even though the apocalyptic theme and the presence of a savior could have slowed down the pace of the movie, the film has managed to accurately portray the expectations of believers of a prophecy, in the midst of all the excitement and frenzy of the fight scenes and the thirst for vengeance.
Denis Villeneuve has mentioned on several occasions that he is willing to write and direct a third installment in the franchise to render Dune a trilogy. However, much depends on the success of this movie at the box office to convince the studio to carry on with the Dune saga.
It seems that the fans will have the final say in this matter as their support of the movie could in effect guarantee a continuation of the franchise.
