'Dune' Review
PG-13: Sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images and suggestive material
Runtime: 2 Hrs and 35 Minutes
Production Company: Legendary Pictures
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writer: Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem
Release Date: October 22, 2021
In Theaters and HBO MAX
Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence — a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential — only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
DUNE. It’s here. I did it. I saw that Dune! That dune dune dune dune dune. And I didn’t just see it once, but TWICE. This movie is so damn jam-packed that I had to watch it twice before sitting down to write a review. Also, it was the last movie I saw during TIFF last month, so by the time I finally got my long-awaited rest, it slipped away like a fever dream. With two viewings under my belt, it’s time to finally review one of the most highly-anticipated movies of 2021, DUNE!
Writer/director Denis Villeneuve has proven himself to be exemplary at bringing sci-fi worlds to life in a fully realized and meticulous fashion. And whenever he does so, he puts his personal signature on it in various ways. He explores themes of identity in some form and applies them to the lead character’s arc and/or hero’s journey. You’re not just getting Frank Herbert’s Dune, you’re also getting Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, whether you like it or not.
To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the film is an overwhelmingly gorgeous marvel. Villeneuve does a grade-A job at crafting Herbert’s worlds in such a grandiose manner that will make fans of the source material wet their pants. He is no stranger to toying with a scale that makes all the characters look like ants in the world they inhabit. Through his ambitious scope, you feel the weight and epicness of this adventure in every facet. Whether it’s the ocean planet Caladan or the desert planet Arrakis, Villeneuve immerses you with his crafty world-building. Due to the film being shot in Middle Eastern countries that the planets were inspired by, the authenticity of the settings is elevated thanks to the natural environments. You have a hot and talented cast who filmed in a real desert, going au naturel and you feel the weight of the dangers that lie outside of Shai-Hulud, the massive sandworm in their midst. The major action set pieces regarding massive crafts, creatures, and enemies of Atreides range in size and numbers; it keeps you gripped to the edge of your seat as Villeneuve confidently makes the pieces exciting and intense. The visual effects, done by the effects team at DNEG, are mind-blowing in both detail and design, delivering the absolute best VFX and CGI that I’ve seen this year.
Everybody in their respective department truly excels at making this futuristic world breathe in a realistic way that makes you wish you were there yourself. The production design is full to the brim with detail and style, bearing all of the cultural inspirations of the source while making each location stand out in tone, mood, and space. The set designs elevate the tension due to the emptiness and lighting of the spaces where some of the most powerful characters reside. Plenty of the interior settings are vacant as a few people fill the scene as a means to display just how intimidating, powerful, or feared they are. The wide shots display the vacancy of interiors and exteriors to show how small they are compared to this massive planet with one natural element.
Then, you have the costume design, which blends futuristic armored suits with culturally inspired elements to give the wardrobe a specific inventive feel. Even outside the powers the suits possess, they just look so darn cool to wear. The variety of outfits Paul wears throughout the film contributes to the arc where he starts off looking royal af but through his hero journey, he starts adopting the ways of the Freman, even down to the attire, in order to survive.
I was completely mesmerized because I haven’t felt this way towards a science fiction world in a very long time. Even the architecture of the environments and functionality of the suits and vehicles had me muttering, “Ugh, that’s so cool,” like a teenager again. Is this how people felt when James Cameron’s Avatar came out in 2009? I think I finally get y’all now. Even if you don't know shit about Dune (like me), the film does a great job of getting the general public on board without alienating anybody.
What really makes Dune astounding is how Denis Villeneuve stays completely true to his style and tone throughout the film. In a time where so many blockbusters suffer from major Marvel-fication or a straight-up silly factor to them, Dune plays as a straightforward space opera with brains. The film is a slow burner that balances being both story-driven and character-driven, focusing entirely on exploring this grand-scaled story of betrayal while providing a personalized character arc centered around identity. In the same vein as the recent Planet of the Apes trilogy, this is an anti-blockbuster, for it defies all norms and requires you to turn your brain on to enjoy this journey.
The screenplay penned by Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, and Eric Roth is contemplative without being overly serious and at times has natural levity. There are great dynamics between the characters, who are all significantly charming in their own right, that you feel the weight of their relationships without them having to reminisce of the past or show a flashback. With Paul’s arc, the writers cleverly develop and flesh out a theme of identity that’s multilayered. On my second viewing of the film, I found myself picking up more symbolic details that made this hero’s journey subversive and deep to an extent that gender never plays a role. It’s Paul’s birthright to be a duke like his father but he contains the powers of his mother and the Bene Gesserit, which only applies to women, so it’s up to him to search for his destiny. No wonder they hired Timothée. The androgyny is rich with the boy.
Speaking of, Timothée Chalamet delivers a spectacular performance that helps bring this iconic character to life in spades. He confidently carries the film with charm, power, and raw emotion like we’ve seen him do time and time again. The rest of the ensemble are fantastic in their designated roles. It’s nice to see that Dave Bautista has become Villeneuve’s muse. Oscar Issac who shifts his sci-fi franchise gears with a role that makes him the bonafide badass that he is. Rebecca Ferguson is a majorly hot witchy mom. Zendaya is doing the most with the little screen time she got. But Jason Momoa oftentimes steals the show as Duncan with his charisma, charm, and high energy. Whenever he appears onscreen and shouts “MY BOY!” to Paul, you clench your chest with joy.
Because Dune is such a dense book, you have to endure bountiful scenes of exposition for a good chunk of the first hour. It’s not unbearable, for it still relays back to the characters and sets up threads that will have their payoff later on. That being said, the film unloads so much exposition on the politics between houses and the importance of Arrakis’s spice that you will feel inclined to write notes just in case they quiz you later.
Some of the shot compositions in the action sequences are quite questionable. The set pieces regarding large-scale chaos are great, but it’s the action itself where the film falls short. The action is shown at really weird angles, especially during sequences of hand-to-hand combat and I hope the sequel improves on that.
Listen, the film features amazing costume design that mixes multiple cultures and influences, but… ooooh, that cultural appropriation is strong, especially when there are no MENA actors whatsoever. The ensemble is pretty diverse but seriously, when you got Rebecca Ferguson wearing an Indian-inspired nose chain, I’m like, “Please get that shit off of her, I am going to laugh.”
I’m gonna be blunt with y’all: I adore Dune. Hollywood, this is how you do a spectacle blockbuster with prestige and richness while letting the visionary filmmaker have full creative control. At the end of the day, this is Villeneuve’s baby that features all of his signature attributes in thematic storytelling and style. This shit was so nice, my ass had to watch it twice before I even sat down to write a review. I saw it once in IMAX during TIFF and once at NYFF. This film simply has to be seen in IMAX. Not to be that guy because I’m all for accessibility, but I now understand why Villeneuve was initially pissed at the HBO Max deal. This shit was made to be seen on the biggest screen imaginable. I saw this in a Cinesphere, which is a hell of a big screen, and the man I felt like I was in another realm while watching it. The sound design is immaculate, the scenes regarding Paul’s visions and the present shift in aspect ratio to elevate the immersive presentation of the story, and seeing these worlds come to life with modern feats of filmmaking is eye-popping. After two viewings, it’s safe to say Dune (part one) is a major sci-fi epic space opera, unlike anything I’ve seen in eons. It’s ambitious yet overwhelming in exposition, but when the film hooks you, you’re entranced for the ride and it leaves you wanting more. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ma pray to my one true God, the sandworm, in hopes that WB greenlights Part Two.
