'Dune: Part Two' is made for the big screens: Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve

Is there something romantic about the desert? Actor Dave Bautista certainly thinks so.

He was in the UAE recently, along with his Dune cast mate Josh Brolin and filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, the man responsible for bringing one of the best sci-fi works on the big screens.

City Times caught up with the three at a resort on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi (Dune vibes just got real!) ahead of Dune: Part Two's release on February 29 in the UAE.

The film, an adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel of the same name, follows Paul Atreides on his journey to becoming a messiah of the local desert tribe of Fremens and stand up to evil conspired by the Emperor and the Harkonnen family in the fictional land of Arrakis.

Dune: Part Two picks up right after the events of Part One, and the film in general is a cinematic masterpiece. In our review, we've called it a visual spectacle for the new age.

And rightly so because watching the movie on the big screens made us realise, in a way, the serene beauty of the desert. (Maybe we do agree with Bautista romanticising the desert afterall).

All credit goes to Denis, for whom it was "important to be in the real environment while shooting," he says, "to be able to feel the power of the desert."

"You cannot recreate that on stage or in a studio," Denis added about the massive desert sequences in the film, which is partly shot in the dunes of Abu Dhabi, the Liwa desert in particular. According to the director, the books which the film is based on, set out to capture the impact of the environment on the human beings, and that's exactly how he wanted to show the true power of the desert. "We feel blessed to come and shoot in Abu Dhabi."

Cast and characters

Dune: Part Two features an extensive cast, which in addition to the above actors, also include Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and others.

And while most of these characters held little to no relevance in Part One, their involvement is key to the plot in the upcoming film. One of the characters is Gurney Halleck, the War Master of House Atreides, played by the charming Josh.

For the actor, who's worked with Denis in the past (Sicario), "panic" was the first thought when the character was put in front of him. "And a little bit of fear," he says, to which Dave bursts out with laughter. "Because I am trying to figure out how I am going to play this role, and why does he (Denis) see me in this role."

Although after a while, shooting in several locations resulted in a visceral experience for him. "About the time we were done shooting, we had become one of Frank Herbert and Denis Villeneuve's creations," he added. "You feel you're inside of it, and not outside any more."

Dave's Rabban Harkonen, however, is more of a brute. But behind that monstrous build, is a person filled with insecurity and fear. At least that's what you make of the Harkonnen man who's put in charge to extinguish the remaining members of House Atreides. And Dave agrees; "The core of Rabban is that he is a coward," he said. "All his anger and rage stem from insecurity and fear. If you understand that about him, you almost feel sorry for him because he is pathetic."

Favourite moments

• 'Dune: Part Two' Review — A visual spectacle for the new age