It’s not surprising to find out that author Frank Herbert spent over six years researching information for the Dune series of books he wrote. They are dense with characters and he succeeded in creating an imaginative world for them to exist in. There is also a large amount of subtext that remains true to form to this day.
Substitute oil for spice and the fiefdoms in the books are not that far thematically from the ones that dot the Middle East in current days. The military aggression in that part of the world to keep American cars filled with dead dinosaur juice is also somewhat of a parallel. Herbert who died in 1986 was on to something.
Adding Director Denis Villeneuve to the cinematic versions of the books was an astute choice. No one in Hollywood can create more arresting environments on screen. His hard-won clout also allows him to hand-pick a cast that is representative of the most high-profile actors of the current time. This adds a substantial amount of sizzle as the cast reads like a who’s who.
The action in Dune: Part Two is intense and somewhat impenetrable for those who haven’t seen the first instalment of the series or read one of Frank Herbert’s Dune books. The film also demands the biggest screen and best sound system in town to fully deliver the impact it’s capable of delivering. The sound design by Richard King, (who also works with Christopher Nolan) is spectacular. It’s a true epic but one that is enhanced by a small amount of preparation.
Rob Hudson
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