“Usul, strength of the base of a pillar”
FAMILY ATOMICS BABY LETS GO!! I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!!
Save me Dune Double feature, save me! My brain is still processing the almighty 6 hours and 2 back to back movies that was the incredible Dune Double feature. While I can’t say I picked up on anything new in Part 1, seeing the 2 movies give life to each other was a completely transcendent experience for Part 2. We’ve got to give it to Denis Villeneuve, this man is the Messiah, he deeply connects with and understands the source material on a far greater level than ever expected. 

Immediately, you are thrown into life as a fremen and I wanted to get up and them on that sand dune. Something I have struggled to explain about Denis’ Dune adaption as a whole, is that he manages to encapsulate the entirety of the message while taking detours along the way that were not necessarily explained the same way in book. 
The book can be hard to digest, Denis however, through highly skilled writing and planning managed to orchestrate the retelling and reworking of a deeply personal story and make it something meaningful on screen. Dune needed both Part 1 and 2 to be grand in their own right for this to all work and paint the over arching story successfully, I wasn’t sure if we could get here but I probably now trust Villeneuve with my life. 

Ahhh the Bene Gesserit, my girls, what a beautiful retelling of the sisterhood and their wicked schemes. Plans within plans within plans. I wish we got more 1 on 1 with Lady Fenring and Feyd because my god Lea’s presence in that scene was holy. Wasn’t sure if they’d go as far to have Margot carry Feyd’s unborn child and announce she is a breeding mother but God, seeing this all on the big screen genuinely made me so happy, kicking and swirling my feet.. all that! No count Fenring shattered my heart, his conversation with Paul Muad’dib at the battle of Arrakeen is one of my favourites. I need Chapterhouse right tf now.. like right now please! 

While I was prepared for the heart ache between Sihaya and Usul, it still broke my heart none the less. I really like how Denis has handled this whole aspect of Chani’s commitment to Paul Muad’dib only through the connection of the Fremen, therefore isolating her further and not having Jessica or even really Stilgar there for her because of their own infatuating fanaticism. 
The moment where Chani explains the meaning of her ‘secret name’ to Paul made me cry a little bit, the seed planting and the added explanation from Chani herself makes this all the more harrowing later on. The whole desert spring tears situation is what got me. 
By the battle of Arrakeen she is almost entirely isolated from everyone. For this, I loveeeeeee that we saw Shishakli. The relationship her and Chani share seems very special and most definitely is unwritten. For those that know, I definitely felt hints of Harrah in her and seeing her ing was really really devastating. Denis paints a much needed light over Chani’s character and I believe it helps the audience understand what Paul’s going through from a perspective that isn’t his own. She is portrayed very differently to what I expected but this is not a bad thing, I’m surprised she wasn’t written into the story so strong willed when it came to her identity as a Fremen, by Frank in the first place. I feel like this is exactly how Chani always should’ve been known as. 

Oh how sad I felt for Paul, from the very first movie you see him battling with his birth right from both sides of his heritage. In the desert with Lady Jessica in part 1, Paul quietly swears to himself that he will not wear the inherited ducal signet ring until he can be sure he is doing the right thing. The moment in Part 2 when he finally adorns the signet ring again, sent chills through me. You see a much different side of Paul Muad’dib in part 2 and I would be lying if I said this isn’t my favourite adaption of Paul. I have seen all retellings of Dune, but somehow, Denis and Timothee are able to use subtle nuances over the 2 films to bring the character Paul Muad’dib to life in the best way possible. 

Leto? Baby Leto? What have they done with you? The erasure is so cruel I cannot even begin to comprehend it. Not including baby Leto or Alia made me consider the possibility that we might be getting the entirety of Paul’s story, we can get the preacher’s story and the completion of Paul’s without having Leto be necessary to the plot point. If this is to happen I think Leto and Alia will be merged into 1 unholy abomination and I’m just not entirely prepared for what’s to come. 

Javier Bardem was a joy to watch, he had me crying, laughing and completely stone cold serious at some moments. I love a diverse king. Lea Seydoux was incredible and stole the show whenever she was on screen, I really think this is my favourite Zendaya and Austin Butler performance too! Everyone absolutely gave it their all to Dune Part 2 and it does not go unnoticed. The complete perfect mix of writing and delivery of performance create one of the most perfect atmospheres across the WHOLE movie, it has been such a long time since we have gotten a perfect Sci-Fi movie. Technically, this movie is incredible and a triumphant moment for Dune fans everywhere. A cinematic marvel, a true gem of a movie. 

My dear, dear, Alia. I’ve left my thoughts about my favourite character ever put to paper, till last. I could’ve written the entirety of my review around her and still be this length, there is a huge amount to unpack when it comes to what Denis has done with her character. It goes without saying that Alia is one of the most complex characters ever written due to the nature of her being fully conscious at birth (and once Jessica becomes the fremen reverend mother). I always wondered how they would do this in movie, I was scared they would go the twilight route or even have a time jump and use a toddler instead of having baby Alia. Both of these would’ve made sense, that would’ve been far too easy for Denis Villeneuve though. Instead, he does something unique and unexpected with Lady Jessica and Alia and as much as I am grieving the loss of the human gom jabbar scene, I have to say that this introduction to Alia works. Don’t get me wrong, I’m genuinely heartbroken that we see her for less than 1 whole minute but I think seeing Jessica having this in utero experience, compliments and deepens the experience the woman of Dune have through Other Memory. I was shocked to see literal womb Alia though.. that was freaky and I just know Frank was happy with it. It looks like we will get the time jump going into Messiah and I’ll finally be gratified and further heartbroken then. I don’t really feel like her lack of attendance at the battle of Arrakeen was greatly lost in all honesty, this allowed Paul to get closure and revenge at the same time through killing the Baron himself, I really liked this. I am in mourning for her though, I was entirely prepared to see her kill the Baron, have Mohaim shaking from terror and equally toying with the Emperor. So if anyone from the Dune team is reading this.. you must include her battle sequence in Dune: Messiah… OR ELSE I WILL BE IN YOUR WALLS!