A Reel Review: DUNE

In 1965, author Frank Herbert published his epic novel, DUNE; the first book in his massive saga that would set the groundwork for modern science fiction. The book was adapted to the big screen in 1984 with mixed results by David Lynch, and here in 2021, we get another shot at it. 

 

In the year 10191, the Emperor assigns Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac), to the desert planet of Arrakis; the one and only source in the known universe of the spice…a coveted essential element. Leto is joined by his wife Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), and his son Paul (Timothee Chalamet)…who is believed to the messiah to the native people of Arakkis. 

 

Directed by Denis Villeneuve and covering the first-half of Herbert’s book, DUNE is a layered story of galactic politics, betrayal, commerce, and extra-sensory mysticism. At the center of it all is young Paul, who, because of his non-traditional birth circumstances, is believed to be the messiah of the native people of Arakkis, known as Fremen, who are fighting for their right to their homeworld. Paul’s father is dealing with his own issues on a larger scale, which includes spice-mining rights demanded by the war-like Harkonnen (led by a grotesque Stellan Skarsgaard), which eventually leads to all-out war and backstabbing. There is a lot going on but Villeneuve balances it all well. 

 

The many plot-lines turn DUNE into a slow-burner, and the film feels every bit of it’s 156 minutes. But making up for that is the technical masterpiece that Villeneuve has put on the screen. Visuals are breathtaking, and the many extreme-wide shots paint a massive scale that is hard to take in all at once, and the intimate shots are all paintings. Sound-design is another miracle as it nearly becomes a character itself, and Hans Zimmer’s score adds to the foreboding and huge atmosphere. 

 

Acting is excellent as the entire cast fits their roles very well. Timothee Chalamet puts in his best performance as a young man saddled with great destiny that he doesn’t fully understand. Oscar Isaac and Rebecca Ferguson are nicely matched, and the supporting cast of Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgaard, Dave Bautista, Javier Bardem, and Zendaya are all excellent. 

 

As the film only covers the first-half of the book, DUNE does feel incomplete…but what we do get here is a masterstroke in visual storytelling and world building on a layered and expansive scale. There are complicated parts of the book that could have been fleshed out better for the un-informed, but it doesn’t derail this universal stunner that deserves a conclusion. This is required big-screen viewing. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it