'Dune: Part 2' review: Epic sci-fi sequel in Abu Dhabi's Empty Quarter

Gulf News

Director Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 operatic and dense sci-fi spectacle ‘Dune’ was just scratching the sandy surface, or so you feel when you watch its sweeping second installment, out in UAE cinemas on February 29.  ‘Dune: Part 2’, shot partly in Abu Dhabi’s scenic Empty Quarter, is a stunning piece of sci-fi adventure and isn’t as meditative as its first part, opting for a more propulsive pace.   Read the full story here: https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/hollywood/film-review-dune-part-2-is-a-stunning-sci-fi-sequel-in-abu-dhabis-empty-quarter-with-zendaya-and-timothee-chalamet-in-top-form-1.1708526382671  See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km  Subscribe to Gulf News on YouTube and watch more of our videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/GulfNewsTV  #UAEnews #abudhabi #dune

Transcript

00:00I'm bowled over by one of the most marvelous sci-fi adventures that I've seen in my life.

00:06I'm talking about Dune Part 2.

00:11Good afternoon, this is Manjusha Radhakrishnan from Gulf News.

00:14I'm the entertainment editor and currently I'm bowled over by one of the most

00:20marvelous sci-fi adventures that I've seen in my life.

00:23I'm talking about Dune Part 2.

00:25It's directed by Denis Villeneuve.

00:27The first installment was rolled out in 2021 and let me tell you that was just scratching

00:33the surface.

00:34Dune Part 2 starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson.

00:41It's star-led.

00:42It's one of the most operatic and dense spectacles that I've seen in recent times.

00:48I know that the first part got around 10 Oscar nods out of which it won around six for

00:53cinematography, sound, music, etc.

00:56But Dune Part 2 really takes you into this world of intergalactic warfare.

01:02It's set in the futuristic times where Timothee Chalamet is this reluctant leader.

01:08His entire family gets massacred by the warring tribes and he is now on a quest for revenge.

01:16He joins with the desert people and the movie is all about the fight for spice.

01:23It's one of those rare chemicals that people are fighting over because that holds the key

01:28to perhaps global domination.

01:30This is one of the most interesting movies in terms of the visual spectacle.

01:34You have to watch this movie on an iMac screen.

01:37You watch it on your laptop or you watch it on a small screen, it's not going to work.

01:41It's just that you have to be immersed into that world and you have to surrender to Villeneuve's

01:46vision.

01:47He's easily one of the most impressive directors when it comes to scale and ambition.

01:52If you look at the music, you look at the acting, it's really amazing.

01:56Let me tell you, I'll be very honest with you.

01:58I'm not a fantasy nut.

02:00It's not like I perhaps, you know, I don't gravitate naturally towards sci-fi movies.

02:06But this movie had my heart and I'll tell you why.

02:09I think this is one of the movies where this movie is not just a sci-fi marvel about a

02:13very rare mineral called spice set in the desert, the scale, etc.

02:17It's also about the human bonds.

02:20I mean, you look at Timothee Chalamet, who was very subdued and a reluctant leader in

02:24the first part.

02:25He becomes, he comes into his own in the second part.

02:29He has this warrior tribe.

02:30He's far more skilled and he has a mission that he wants to take revenge against those

02:36who killed and massacred his family.

02:38His mother, Lady Jessica, played brilliantly by Rebecca Ferguson, also has special powers.

02:44What I loved about this movie is that this is based on a 1965 iconic novel, Frank Herbert's.

02:51Director Denis Villeneuve has beautifully distilled one of the most unfilmable books

02:57perhaps and distilled it into easy nuggets for us to consume.

03:01It's marvelous to look at.

03:02I mean, I remember this is nearly two hours and 44 minutes long.

03:07It's a long movie, but not even once did I look into my phone.

03:11It's because of how beautifully they've shot the film as well.

03:14The deserts in Abu Dhabi look just spectacular.

03:17Talking about what really spoke to me was the fact that this movie is about human relationships

03:23at its core.

03:24I mean, the overarching themes of, let's say, fate over free will, religion, etc.

03:29Of course, these are themes that you, there are subtext and sub layers.

03:33But what I loved about the movie is how Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, both young, it's full

03:39of hope, their relationship, the choices that Timothee Chalamet's character Paul makes

03:44in the movie, etc. speaks to you.

03:46At no point does director Denis Villeneuve compromise, perhaps scale over emotions.

03:54It's a great blend of both.

03:55And there are new additions to this movie as well that I thought was amazing.

04:00Austin Butler as the evil incarnate is brilliant as well.

04:04I remember in one of the interviews, Denis Villeneuve has had called him that he he's

04:08like this swordsman meets Mick Jagger.

04:11And I see that the way in which Austin Butler moves, the last scenes, the climactic showdown

04:17where Austin Butler is in true form, it's like watching Gladiator all over again, or

04:23Lord of the Rings, etc.

04:24This movie just impresses you by its sheer, marvellous scale.

04:28And this movie does not release this week.

04:30It releases in the UAE cinemas on Feb 29th.

04:33We get to watch it long before the other territories get to watch it, maybe perhaps

04:38because it was shot in Abu Dhabi and Jordan, etc.

04:41So there is a Middle East connect as well.

04:43So if you're looking for a marvellous and a staggeringly beautiful sci-fi adventure,

04:50then this movie is definitely for you.

04:52I've gone with four out of five.

04:54For my full review, go to gulfnews.com.

04:56It's already up there.

04:57And tell us what you think of the movie.

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