The case for Dune: Part Two
With the Academy failing to see science fiction as serious business too often, Denis Villeneuve's sequel should be recognised for a remarkable achievement that transcends genre
Warner Bros Pictures
- George White
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The Mahdi is too humble to say he is the Mahdi. And Denis Villeneuve is probably too humble to say he is the saviour of sci-fi. But for fans of the genre who have seen countless mind-blowing adventures into the outer depths of space ignored by awards bodies for so long, the Canadian is taking on that mantle whether he likes it or not.
Most of us who sat ourselves in a cinema for the much-anticipated finale to Paul Atreides’s (Timothée Chalamet) revenge arc back in March 2024 did so with the kind of wide-eyed awe that Javier Bardem brought to his character, Stilgar, whenever the prophet known as the "Lisan al-Gaib" did as little as breathed.
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Yet are there enough sci-fi fans on the Academy’s voting board to make this a winner? It seems unlikely. After all, if you count Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water as more of a fantasy, then Everything Everywhere All At Once is the only sci-fi film in history to win Best Picture at the Oscars, demonstrating just how hard it is for such stories to take home the biggest prize.
This is because, unfortunately, it appears many in the Academy fail to see sci-fi as serious business. Looking back through Best Picture winners both recent and historic, there’s often a focus on proper movies – cut-and-dry dramas with powerful performances, often inspired by a real-life person, real-life event – or both.
Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides duels with Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. Warner Bros
But should that always be the case? Should a masterpiece be overlooked simply because it has strange planets and spaceships? I would argue no, and add that if Dune: Part Two is not deemed worthy of the top accolade, then no out-and-out sci-fi ever will be.
From a purely science-fiction perspective, what Villeneuve achieved with this second outing to Arrakis was utterly remarkable. Creating varied worlds and characters who still feel real and authentic, the director made Dune: Part Two an example of everything that the genre was created for. It’s transportive, hypnotic, the kind of immersive experience that can only be fully appreciated on the biggest screen possible. If the Academy Awards exist for anything, is it not to celebrate such accomplishments? To spotlight works of art that make the most of the possibilities provided by this medium?
Chani and Lady Jessica in Dune: Part Two. Courtesy of Warner Bros
Yet looking at Dune: Part Two through a wider filmic lens, it’s a movie that goes far beyond the boundaries of its genre. Through adapting the epic tale laid out in Frank Herbert’s source novel, there is genuine drama in the storytelling, a Shakespearean battle for power that culminates in a truly shocking finale.
Said tale makes the most of its starry cast’s abilities, not least Chalamet in the lead role, who grows from loser to leader across 170 captivating minutes, as Paul reckons with his destiny and becomes the ruthless warrior he needs to be. While the New Yorker is nominated in the Best Actor category for A Complete Unknown this year, there’s an argument to suggest he puts in a much more layered, enthralling performance here.
Javier Bardem as Stilgar in Dune: Part Two. Warner Bros/Niko Tavernise
And through weaving his typical arthouse tendencies into traditional blockbuster filmmaking, Villeneuve creates a spectacle that is as accessible as it is eccentric. There’s a reason that this film and Part One smashed box-office expectations: these films captured a broad range of viewers’ imaginations like very little else in recent years, and have infiltrated pop culture to an extent that other frontrunners like Emilia Pérez and The Brutalist could only dream of.
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To overlook all of these achievements simply because it has sandworms and horn-wearing Harkonnens would be a real disservice to the craft of Villeneuve and his dedicated team. There are ample reasons why out-and-out sci-fi has been neglected by the Oscars in the past, whether this writer agrees with them or not, but this feels like a defining moment for the genre. If the Lisan al-Gaib of hard science fiction can’t take home the biggest prize, it’s hard to imagine that anyone ever will.
Authors
George WhiteSub-Editor
George White is a Sub-Editor for Radio Times. He was previously a reporter for the Derby Telegraph and was the editor of LeftLion magazine. As well as receiving an MA in Magazine Journalism, he completed a BA in Politics and International Relations.
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