The Emperor was not seen in the first “Dune,” but we learned there that he gave the O.K. for the villainous Harkonnens to attack and slaughter the Atreides briefly after giving the Atreides control of the desert planet Arrakis. “Dune: Part Two” eventually allows the Emperor to explain why he did what he did, but before it gets there, it gives us scenes of Walken sitting and contemplating while his worried, suspicious daughter (Florence Pugh) looks on. On the surface, there’s not a whole lot going on in these scenes, and yet Walken brings with him so much weight as a performer that we’re transfixed.
Walken gets a bigger moment during the huge, action-packed climax of the film, where he arrives on Arrakis after being summoned by Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), who has become the Fremen messiah/freedom fighter known as Muad’Dib. This gives Walken a chance to sit on a big throne and look threatening. Eventually, Paul infiltrates the Emperor’s inner sanctum and confronts him about the betrayal that resulted in the death of Paul’s father, Duke Leto Atreides (played by Oscar Isaac in the first film).
Walken, as the Emperor, tries to command respect, demanding Paul kneel before him — but Paul refuses. The Emperor looks weak and ineffectual in front of this young man, but Walken plays the scene just right by maintaining an air of entitled indignation. He’s suddenly powerless but refuses to accept it. He cannot believe the insolence of this boy who dares to challenge him. “Your father was weak,” Walken says in a harsh whisper. It’s a chilling moment, and watching Walken command the scene is nothing short of remarkable. Timothée Chalamet is a good actor, but watching him act against Walken just underscores Walken’s talents. He runs away with the scene.