Movie critics these last few weeks have been doing nothing but praising the recent sci-fi/ adventure film to hit the screens, “Dune: Part Two.”
“Dune: Part II” is the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 box office hit, “Dune: Part One,” which grossed over $402 million worldwide according to The Hollywood Reporter. So what is so special about these films that fans and critics alike seem to find so great?
“Dune” and “Dune: Part Two” are films based on the 1965 novel “Dune,” written by Frank Herbert. Both films together make up just the first book of Herbert’s 20-book sci-fi epic, a series continued after Herbert’s death by his son Brian Herbert. The story centers around Paul Atriedes, the son of a duke, who leaves his home planet and travels to the desert planet of Arrakis, which the natives of the planet, the Fremen, call Dune. Paul and his mother eventually get exiled after an attack by the Harkonnens, the Atreides’ sworn enemies. They wander further into the deserts of the planet, where they discover that Paul is prophesied to be the Fremen people’s savior.
The success of the films isn’t purely due to the fans of the book series. Canadian filmmaker and director Denis Villeneuve’s films prior to making “Dune,” such as 2016’s “Arrival” or 2017’s “Bladerunner 2049,” all share similar tones and cinematography strategies that really put the focus on the main character while also using wide-span shots of the setting, giving a very dramatic and foreboding mood to scenes. This approach works especially well for a film like “Dune,” set on a flat desert planet, allowing for the wide-pan shots to hit even harder and create an exciting and tense atmosphere.
No matter if the success of the series is due to diehard fans, cinematography, or even both, it is safe to say that the “Dune” sequel hit as hard, if not harder, than the first installment, with $81.5 million in its opening weekend according to CNN. “Dune’s” formula is going strong with “Dune: Part Two,” a successful film on all accounts. The film is an incredible display of what true cinema should be, with incredibly detailed world-building via set pieces, to actors like Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya boasting incredible performances, really putting the scale and importance of the movies events on display, something that Fans and critics alike are hungry for. There is promise for this series, and the future bodes well for “Dune: Part Two’s” success as its opening week comes to a close.
