DUNE: Part Two (2024) By Denis Villeneuve - Movie Review

Dune: Part Two  Director: Denis Villeneuve Writers: Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve (screenplay by) Frank Herbert (based on the novel Dune written by) Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Stellan Skarsgård, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Léa Seydoux, Charlotte Rampling, Anya Taylor-Joy, Souheila Yacoub, Babs Olusanmokun, Christopher Walken, Run Time: 166 min Rated: PG (Canada) G (Quebec) PG-13 (MPAA) for sequences of strong violence, some suggestive material and brief strong language.

Listen here for audio of radio interviews about films from a Christian perspective with Pastors Ted Giese and Todd Wilken on IssuesEtc.org where Christianity meets culture. (This review contains spoilers)

A Sublime yet Bleak Adaptation: Part Two

Focusing on the second half of Frank Herbert's 1965 science fiction novel, Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE: Part Two (2024) chronicles the rise to power of a young prince thought dead. This occurs after the tragic extermination of his father and people by their sworn enemies, House Harkonnen. The extermination took place shortly after House Atreides arrived to replace them as stewards on Arrakis, the planet that oversees the most lucrative and vital resource in the universe, the spice melange. The spice, found only on this desolate planet where it never rains, facilitates space travel, and extends consciousness and longevity.

At the end of Villeneuve’s DUNE (2021), young Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), the rightful heir to his father’s fiefdom, becomes embedded with his pregnant mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), among the indigenous Fremen – a semi-nomadic people hidden within the planet’s deep and harsh desert wilderness. Protected by his training in hand-to-hand combat and statecraft, Paul discovers his true protection rests more on something called the Missionaria Protectiva, a series of Bene Gesserit crafted prophecies sown on Arrakis like seeds over centuries, intended to appeal to the superstitions of credulous Fremen prone to fanaticism. Paul's mother uses this clandestine tool as a weapon to protect her son. Paul knows it’s a pious lie but eventually uses it himself. The key feature is a prophecy of a messianic figure, the Lisan al Gaib - the Voice of the Outer World, who will lead the Fremen out of the desert into a green paradise. The presumed death of Paul and his mother among the Noble Houses of the intergalactic Imperium is leveraged for surprise as Paul rises to power within the Fremen for the expressed purpose of gaining revenge on House Harkonnen and their secret benefactor, Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV (Christopher Walken).

If Villeneuve's DUNE focused more on world-building and setting the stage with political intrigue, economics, and ecological concerns, DUNE: Part Two shifts gears to focus more on the religious themes of Herbert's novel. The first film did present some of these religious themes, but they were less prominent. Herbert's novel is a product of its time, and the cynical view of the place of religion in personal and political spheres of life undergirds both the 1965 novel and Villeneuve's films. In contrast, an earlier Dune book-to-film release from director David Lynch in 1984 portrayed Paul Atreides as a quasi-divine messiah who could kill with a word and literally make it rain on Arrakis. This sidestepped Herbert's central point that people need to be wary of charismatic leaders and not imbue them with divine attributes or worship them. While in both Herbert's books and in Villeneuve's films, the character of Paul Atreides is exceptional, a superhuman being called the Kwisatz Haderach produced through centuries of genetic manipulation via a complex Bene Gesserit breeding programme, he is not intended to be understood as divine. Like the Missionaria Protectiva, the Kwisatz Haderach is meant to be used by the Bene Gesserit as a mechanism of political and societal control.

What can spiritual and religiously minded viewers make of these themes in Herbert's books and Villeneuve's films? First, it's good to consider the source: Herbert himself appears to have been agnostic, trending towards atheism. Both he and Villeneuve were raised observant Roman Catholics. Herbert’s view of his religious upbringing is more negative than Villeneuve’s, citing his personal disdain for his Jesuit education and the influence of his maternal aunts, who, as nuns, forced their religious views on him as a boy (they serve as his key inspiration for the Bene Gesserit sisterhood). Villeneuve considers himself a product of the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s in Quebec. While he maintains a fondness for some aspects of his early exposure to Roman Catholicism, his views on the relationship between church and state are thoroughly secular. In a February 2024 interview with the Montreal Gazette, Villeneuve commented that, “as a French-Canadian Catholic living in Quebec under the pressure of the Church,” he was preoccupied with the mix of religion and politics, stating that "the pressure of religion, the idea that you can use God as a tool to manipulate people, is something I think that’s very relevant today in certain parts of the world, including ours.” For Villeneuve, these themes in Herbert's books resonated with him, making him a good fit for conveying Herbert's ideas about the dangers of religion used as a tool of control in politics.

The three main Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - all have prophetic texts involving a messiah. For Judaism and Islam, their messianic figure has not yet arrived. Within Christianity, the prophesied Messiah has arrived in the person of Jesus the Christ. Because Herbert wrote the character of Paul Atreides as a cautionary figure who is not divine, viewers, especially Christians, need to be careful not to identify Paul with Jesus or consider him a Christ figure. While some people calling out “Hosanna” (“Save us Now”) as Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday at the beginning of that first Holy Week in the 1st Century Roman Province of Judea likely desired to have Jesus set Himself up as their political leader and seek revenge for them as indigenous people under the thumb of a distant emperor and a counterfeit political system as Paul does in DUNE this is not what Jesus did (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19). The character of Paul Atreides, unlike the person of Jesus, is determined to pursue revenge and this is advantageous to some while problematic for others. When confronted over this by his mother, Lady Jessica, criticises Paul saying “Your father didn’t believe in revenge,” he responds “I do,” a response that shows him as a man more after the heart of his grandfather than his father; a sentiment and motivation that clearly set the character of Paul apart from the person of Jesus Christ the Christian Messiah.   

Herbert draws strongly from Islamic religious ideas. A large part of his fascination comes from Lesley Blanch’s book The Sabres of Paradise (1960), which details the conflict between Imam Shāmil of Dagestan and Imperial Tsarist Russia. Those interested in Herbert’s influences should seek out Blanch’s book; it’s a fascinating read. Muslims consider Jesus a prophet but not the Messiah or divine. They teach that Jesus did not die on the cross but only “swooned” and appeared dead. Christians, on the other hand, consider this teaching heretical and maintain that Jesus died and was resurrected three days later.

The importance of these religious differences becomes relevant in Villeneuve's DUNE: Part Two (2024). In both the book and film, Paul’s transformation into the Kwisatz Haderach is triggered by consuming “The Water of Life,” a spice rich substance extracted from the bile of young sandworms. Normally, only the exclusively female Bene Gesserit take this water as part of a ritual to become Reverend Mothers. It is considered poisonous for men. When Paul consumes it to induce a metamorphosis, he falls into a deep coma and appears dead. After a Sleeping Beauty like awakening with the help of Chani’s tears, Stilgar (Javier Bardem) a fanatical Fremen leader, sees this as incontrovertible proof that Paul is the Lisan al Gaib—the Voice of the Outer World their Messiah. Herbert and by extension Villeneuve present this metamorphosis as clever biological manipulation rather than a miracle, reflecting a materialistic view of the universe that dismisses the supernatural out of hand as a superstitious misinterpretation of the natural world. It also plays into the Muslim narrative that Jesus only swooned and didn’t truly die from His crucifixion.

This theme of modernist materialism runs throughout the novel and is also hinted at in Villeneuve's films. For example, the giant sandworms of Arrakis, which complicate spice harvesting due to their defence of the spice, are worship by the Fremen as gods. The Fremen even make knives out of their teeth and incorporate this into their mystery religion. However from another more scientific standpoint these massive animals, essential for producing the spice and maintaining the desert ecology, are simply biological and have no supernatural or mystical qualities. Herbert sees mystery and miracles as unexplained natural phenomena which can be exploited to enslave the naive who are ignorant of these purely biological processes. For Herbert this is accomplished sometimes by the blind leading the blind and sometimes by knowing deception as a means to an end. Villeneuve's films lean into this theme from Herbert’s novel.

Paul initially hesitates to deceive the Fremen, knowing that his spice induced prescience reveals a future filled with bloodshed if they follow him as their Messiah. The Fremen view every action or inaction by Paul as a confirmation of his Messiah status. Though not comedic, this parallels the themes of Terry Jones’ Monty Python film Life of Brian (1979) in which a man born in the stable next door to Jesus spends his life mistaken for a Messiah. Followers of Judaism and Islam believe that this is what has happened with Christians regarding Jesus, mistaking Him for the Messiah when He wasn’t. As a result, Herbert and Villeneuve tap into cynical historical critiques of the Messiah figure, challenging the very idea of a chosen one. Lynch’s prior adaptation did not depict Paul in this manner concluding with him becoming “The Hand of God” proclaiming, “Where there was war, Muad'dib would now bring peace. Where there was hatred, Muad'dib would bring love. To lead the people to true freedom, and to change the face of Arrakis.”

Christians confess Jesus as the prophesied Messiah of the Old Testament. Apart from Christ Jesus, the Christian Scriptures certainly counsels Christians to be wary of charismatic leaders who claim divinity or allow themselves to be considered gods. Here are some examples: In the Bible, when Saint Paul and Barnabas were the confused with the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes in Lystra after healing a crippled man and were about to be worshiped as gods, Paul addressed the crowd by saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them” (Acts 14:15). In an earlier instance, after Jesus was risen from the dead, Peter and John healed a man at the entrance of the temple in Jerusalem and preached about Jesus as God. They were brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin for reprimand and potential execution where they encountered “a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, [who], stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So, in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” (Acts 5:34–39). Regarding the question of Jesus’ divinity, Gamaliel was advising them to remember that not all who claim to be Messiahs or allow people to believe in their ‘divinity’ fulfill the criteria legitimately. Jesus Himself warns His disciples that “many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.” (Matthew 24:5). The Psalms teach people this bit of wisdom, “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.” (Psalm 146:3–4). The Christian Scriptures, therefore, contain warnings about political leaders and false messiahs—lessons worth considering regardless of one’s religious convictions. 

What about the quality of the film? Is it a good follow-up to Villeneuve’s DUNE (2021)? Yes, the film is a good continuation of Villeneuve’s first DUNE film. The quality of filmmaking and the cinematography by Greig Fraser, Villeneuve’s director of photography, is superb, with memorable visuals and impactful moments. The CGI is of high quality and helps audiences suspend their disbelief, making the world of DUNE feel realistic and immersive. Composer Hans Zimmer has once again produced an engaging score that surpasses his work in the first film. Particularly, his piece “A Time of Quiet Between the Storms” provides a much-needed tenderness to a film primarily focused on battles and conflicts. Despite these strengths, the film lacks overall energy, and its pacing is slow, meandering towards an abrupt conclusion. Conversely some of its most important moments pass too quickly. Lynch’s DUNE, with all its faults, had more energetic pacing and visually captivating moments. However, long time DUNE fans will likely be pleased with Villeneuve’s production design, especially regarding Baron Harkonnen’s (Stellan Skarsgård) home world of Giedi Prime with its black sun and striking infrared shot gladiator arena combat sequence and military parades reminiscent of Swiss artist H.R. Giger’s work (1940-2014), who was associated with DUNE's art direction stretching back to director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s 1970s failed film adaptation. This distinct setting serves to enhance the menace of the Baron’s scene stealing nephew Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler) one of Paul’s central antagonists.   

As is common in book-to-film adaptations, characters and storylines are sometimes dropped or altered. Villeneuve's DUNE: Part Two is no exception. One positive change is a narratively satisfying confrontation between “The Beast” Rabban Harkonnen (Dave Bautista) and the beleaguered Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin). On the other hand changes made to the character of Chani and her relationship with Paul, turning her from a true believer to an audience surrogate skeptic, garnered some criticism. Interestingly the fan favorite Atreides lieutenant Thufir Hawat, played by Stephen McKinley Henderson in the previous film, is completely absent. Villeneuve has commented that he wanted to focus more on the machinations of the Bene Gesserit characters and less on the intrigues of other characters from Herbert’s book. Thus, the Bene Gesserit sister Margot Fenring (Léa Seydoux) and her subplot are included, while Thufir Hawat and his subplot are omitted. So, while both Lynch and Villeneuve take some liberties with the details in their respective adaptations, not all of Villeneuve’s changes are negative.

Perhaps the most striking change is with the character of Paul’s sister, Alia Atreides, previously memorably portrayed by a young Alicia Witt in Lynch’s DUNE, and now played by Anya Taylor-Joy. In the book Alia is referred to as an abomination due to her having adult faculties and mannerisms while appearing as a small child resulting from her exposure to “The Water of Life” while the pregnant Jessica underwent the Fremen ritual to become a Reverend Mother. In DUNE: Part Two, Villeneuve condensed the events that took place over a couple of years in the book into about six months. This means that Lady Jessica, revealed to be pregnant in the previous film, didn't have enough time to bring the pregnancy to term and give birth to the child. Villeneuve’s solution to this narrative dilemma is interesting. By having Alia as a not yet born spooky telepathic baby Villeneuve on the one hand avoids the need for digital de-aging effects to make Taylor-Joy appear as an adult minded small child. On the other hand, perhaps inadvertently, Villeneuve reinforces the belief that life starts at conception through Alia's active participation in the film’s plot from within her mother’s womb.

Some people are drawing comparisons between Villeneuve’s films and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. They laud it as an example of what recent Star Wars films from Disney could have been like with a more mature and sophisticated storytelling approach, respecting source material. What people recognise is Villeneuve trying to value the minds of his audience while inviting them to dig down into Herbert’s ideas as opposed to churning out vapid content focused on profiting from an established intellectual property. Viewers passionately familiar with Herbert's books may find that Villeneuve’s film leans towards a Coles/Cliffs Notes interpretation, but they will also appreciate the setup for the announced DUNE: Part Three, which Villeneuve is set to direct. Of course, the success of DUNE: Part Two with viewers will determine the realization of these plans within plans.

This review is now available at the Canadian Lutheran online.