By Henry St. John
4 out of 5 stars
Much like J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings transformed the fantasy scene, Frank Herbert’s Dune has continued to impact the sci-fi genre for decades since its original release in 1965. Now, like Peter Jackson with his early 2000’s movie trilogy based on Tolkien’s work, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptations will undoubtedly reinvent what it means to be a sci-fi epic.
One of the best things about Dune: Part Two was that it never felt confusing, which is a problem I think most people had with Dune (2021). The two fit together in that the first film established the ground rules from which Part Two builds off of, so that any new plot points or general information we get in this film has either already been explained or has been made easy to understand through clear storytelling in the last.
While it did have its slow moments, Dune: Part Two is an enthralling story carried by its absolutely jaw-dropping visuals. Villeneuve has long been praised for his visual storytelling, so when I tell you this is his best work yet, it should not be taken lightly. Even the most visually subdued moments are supported by incredible performances from the cast, most notably Austin Butler, who was so committed to his role as Feyd-Rautha that he stopped doing his Elvis impression. When the film does focus on visuals, we get one of the most insane final fight scenes of any movie I’ve watched.
Disclaimer: This piece was published as a student’s op-ed submission. The Quindecim is a space for all students within the Goucher community to express their views and beliefs. These pieces are released in the name of journalistic integrity and not in an attempt to antagonize or reflect the institution of Goucher as a whole.
