DALLAS — If your idea of swashbuckling adventure is riding a giant sand worm, this one's for you! The scene featuring Timothée Chalamet is about the only invigorating moment in the first hour of this epic slog in the sand.
The movie picks up where Part 1 left off. Chalamet's 'Paul Atreidis' and his mom, played by Rebecca Ferguson, are left for dead - where else - in the desert. But the indigenous tribe, the Fremen, come to the rescue, and we finally get to see a lot of Zendaya's character, 'Chani,' - who Paul will call the 'love of his life.' First things first, taking down Baron Harkonnen, the big blob played by Stellen Skarsgard, who'd annihilated the planet Arrakis. Will Paul live out the prophecy to lead the way? Hey, he can harness a sand worm! His mom, drafted to become one of those creepy she-priests, has his back. Javier Bardem as the Freman 'Stilgar' all but guarantees it. And thank God for him! With Jason Mamoa's character out of the picture (literally), he provides the very few moments of levity.
If I sound down on the film, at this point, well, I was until about an hour and 15 minutes in when Austin Butler shows up! He's the nephew of the evil Baron, and as far from 'Elvis' as you can get. Hairless and menacing, he begins his campaign to lead the house of Harkonnen in a gladiator arena, and the entire movie picks up. He becomes the fierce foe to protagonist Paul, who eventually gets the surprise of a lifetime that sure seems to have inspired "Star Wars." I'll leave it at that.
Director Denis Villeneuve clearly knows how to create on a grand scale. "Dune: Part 2" is a visual feast. It can be fun to play in his sandbox. And I haven't even mentioned the additional star power of Christopher Walken and Florence Pugh. That said, the title's short, but the film is not. It's even longer than the first one. The ending signals a follow-up. And Villeneuve says a third one is in the works, with the screenplay almost finished. But don't hold your breath. He says it will take a little time. Good things do, even if they can use a kickstart off the top.
(Warner Bros. Rated PG-13. Running Time 2 hrs. 46 mins. In Theaters Only)
