On March 1, Denis Villeneuve’s film “Dune: Part Two” which featured popular actors such as Austin Butler, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh was released to theaters. The film is the sequel to “Dune: Part One,” where Paul Atreides (Chalamet) joins forces with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen seeking revenge against the Harkonnens. At the same time, Atreides is managing the pressure of some of the Fremen believing him to be the messiah – Muad'dib – who they think will lead them to paradise, while also trying to prevent his horrible but inevitable visions of a Holy War where millions die.
Since its release in Greencastle’s Ashley Cinema as well as in theaters worldwide, “Dune: Part Two” has racked up impressive statistics, according to Deadline’s International Box Office Editor/Senior Contributor, Nancy Tartaglione, with 8.9/10 on IMDb, 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and approaching $500 million in gross earnings for a movie with a $140 thousand dollar budget.
ManyDePauw students have shown their appreciation for the film. Luis Avila ‘24 and My Tang ‘27 spoke about their enjoyment of the music, special effects, and acting performances.
“I think it was really well done with great cinematography and storytelling, great visuals, and the score was just amazing. Definitely one of the best films of the year and one I highly recommend,” Avila said.
Meanwhile, Tang elaborated on the religious motifs behind the film. “I think my top two favorite things in [Dune: Part Two] are the color theory and the religious mythologies and vibes. The color really supports storytelling, specifically with the contradiction between the golden desert and [the] Harkonnen black and white [colors of House Harkonnen,] especially the fight scene! I also think that religion adds more depth and mystery to the plot besides the epic fighting scenes. Overall, [I] love the film, but the one thing I would warn [viewers] is that the film is pretty long,” Tang said.
With the film’s positive reception among DePauw students and film critics, it is safe to say that “Dune: Part Two” is another science fiction masterpiece that captivated audiences.