This post was updated March 3 at 7:38 p.m.

Warning: spoilers ahead.

Brilliantly continuing a blazing chronicle, “Dune: Part Two” nearly eclipses the shine of its predecessor.

Thundering into its highly anticipated theatrical release this Friday, the follow-up to director Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 “Dune” furthers the saga of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his planetary struggle against calculating and ruthless socio-political forces. Completing his cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 eponymous novel, Villeneuve, employing the heart of a formidable cast and the minds of technical virtuosi, is finally able to deliver the complex and monumental themes of his source material to audiences on the silver screen.

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“Dune: Part Two” picks up almost exactly where the first installment leaves off. After narrowly surviving a massacre by his family’s historical rivals, the Harkonnens, the noble prince of a fallen house, Paul, and his mother Lady Jessica Atreides (Rebecca Ferguson) find safety among the Indigenous people of the valuable planet, Arrakis, their family once controlled. Now, grappling with the murder of his father and the mystical, prophetic visions in his dreams, Paul must quickly learn the ways of the Fremen and orchestrate his crusade to free the planet from the tyrannical Harkonnen occupation.

At the unmissable core of this grandiose plotline lies its powerhouse ensemble cast. Among the ranks of the Fremen are Stilgar (Javier Bardem), a nomadic leader, and Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), another surviving member of the slaughtered Atreides clan. Taking center stage following their successful political trap are the cunning Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) and his henchman Rabban (Dave Bautista), with the latter providing unintentional comedic relief from the often rigid and overly serious setting.

The film also introduces two fresh, buzzy faces to the franchise. The sadistic Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), appointed by his uncle, the Baron, sets out to eliminate the growing resistance led by Paul, while Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) investigates an underlying political conspiracy. It is these performances, particularly Butler’s, that captivate the audience. Butler’s chilling and serpentine performance as the power-hungry prince, contrasted by Pugh’s pensive and cerebral performance – featuring her trademark quivering frown – work against a common criticism of the first film: characters no longer tend to suffocate under the dense plot.

However, the most notable performance comes from Zendaya as Chani, a resilient and passionate Fremen warrior who instructs Paul in the ways of her people. Over the course of the film, the relationship between the two evolves from mentorship to romance and ends in an unexpected betrayal. Zendaya, whose only screen time in the first installment occurred during the closing 20 minutes, is finally at the forefront, delivering a ferocious, multifaceted performance throughout – arguably exceeding those of her castmates.

If Villeneuve’s cast brings the story to life, then it is his crew that so vividly conjures the world. Returning for work on the sequel are cinematographer Greig Fraser and legendary composer Hans Zimmer, who won Academy Awards in their respective categories for their contributions to the first film. Fraser, known for his work in the sci-fi genre, captures dazzling, rich shots of the Arrakis landscape. From the backdrop of crimson sunsets, majestically setting behind dunes, to textured close-ups of sweat and dirt on Fremen warriors, render Villeneuve’s world into a visual spectacle. On the other hand, Zimmer’s score oscillates between inspiring and menacing, sweeping and subdued. Blending electric guitar, thundering percussion and specially devised experimental instruments, Zimmer emulates the tonal desert soundscape in tandem with an operatic, rock-sounding score.

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Thanks to this high-caliber acting and technical prowess, as well as Villeneuve’s loyal adaptation, the saga’s themes can finally flourish to great avail. Soon after Paul joins the Fremen, he establishes himself as a figure of morality and constancy, pledging to simply learn how to survive in the desert and fight against the mutual enemy. However, as the film progresses, Paul begins to succumb to powerful prophecies as well as his own desire for revenge and justice, culminating in his assuming of a Messiah-like role and ultimately leading the Fremen to victory against the Harkonnens in an epic, sandworm-led assault. The story of Paul Atreides crescendos into one of power and conquest, prophecy and fate. Although understated in the first installment, Herbert’s thematic hand has finally been revealed.

These themes reach their climax when, after killing the Baron and triumphing over Feyd-Rautha in a bloody duel, Paul demands the princess’ hand in marriage and then incites a Holy War against other space clans, effectively betraying his love for Chani, as well as his once steadfast desire to rule peacefully. Effectively, Villeneuve leaves the door open for a third installment, one that would ostensibly conclude Paul’s saga by adapting the novel “Dune: Messiah.” Villeneuve also simply ends the story on a solemn yet realistic note: that the desire for power and control can easily snowball into something far worse than anticipated.

With its all-star cast and technical excellence, “Dune: Part Two” provides a satisfying yet tentative end to Villeneuve’s epic space opera.