The Wait Is Over
When Dune: Part Two ended in 2024, fans were left hanging. Paul Atreides had just become the Emperor, but the story was far from over. The third book in Frank Herbert’s series, Dune Messiah, is a darker, more political story. Could Denis Villeneuve pull it off? I’m happy to report that he did.
Dune: Part Three opens 12 years after the events of Part Two. Paul is now Emperor, but his rule is crumbling. The jihad he unleashed has killed billions. His wife, Princess Irulan, is plotting against him. And a conspiracy is forming among the Bene Gesserit, the Spacing Guild, and the Tleilaxu. Paul is trapped, and the question is whether he can escape his own destiny.
The movie is slower than the first two, but that’s intentional. It’s a philosophical thriller, not an action movie. There are long conversations about power, religion, and free will. But when the action comes, it’s breathtaking. The final battle on Arrakis is a masterclass in scale and tension.
The Performances
Timothée Chalamet is even better in this one. He plays Paul as a man haunted by his own choices. There’s a scene where he looks at a map of the universe and sees the bloodshed he’s caused. Chalamet’s face says it all. Zendaya as Chani is fierce and heartbreaking. She’s the moral center of the film, and she steals every scene.