Director Steven Spielberg offers high praise for one of Dune: Part Two’s scenes. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two continues the story of Paul Atreides as he connects with the Fremen and falls in love with Chani. Dune: Part Two is getting rave reviews and continues to succeed in theaters.
Speaking on The Director’s Cut podcast, Spielberg speaks incredibly highly of Dune: Part Two’s surfing the sandworms scene. Leading up to his praise, Spielberg praised Villeneuve for making the sand appear almost like an ocean. He said that “the sandworms were like sea serpents.” He then went on to call the scene with the sandworm surfing “one of the greatest things [he has] ever seen. Ever.” Check out the full quote from Spielberg below:
Hearing Spielberg talk about Dune: Part Two is fascinating. His likening of the sand in Dune to a water-like effect, where the sand’s physics appear similar to that of water, is an alternative way to conceptualize the landscape of Arrakis. From a VFX standpoint, these physics make sense, for the granular level of detail with which one has to CGI grains of sand is similar to that of water molecules. The effect this has on the Dune: Part Two special effects is noticeable.
Spielberg is also right to call out the sandworm scene. While there are a number of notable visual beats in Dune: Part Two — including the black-and-white Harkonnen planet — riding the sandworms is the most grandiose moment in the film. It is one that has been highlighted in the Dune trailers, and it is a scene that will likely go down as one of the best in modern sci-fi.
Part of what makes Dune: Part Two’s sandworm surfing scene so notable is how closely tied in it is with character arcs. Through the film, Paul has had to learn to master the ways of the Fremen, including walking through Arrakis, summoning the sandworm, mounting them, and riding them. In the climactic surfing scene, two forces now have control: Paul as the soon-to-be Lisan al Gaib and Villeneuve as a sci-fi auteur directing a scene to perfection.
Source: The Director’s Cut Podcast