Dune (2021) Review

 

Dune (2021)

Dune follows Paul Atreides, heir to the throne of House Atreides, who, after the Emperor grants the Atreides’ rule over the spice planet Arrakis, is left reeling after rival House Harkonnen ambushes his family and takes control of the planet, leaving him and his mother to seek out the Arraken natives, the Fremen. 

This has found itself to be one of the most difficult reviews I’ve ever had to put to paper because few movies leave you speechless like Dune has left me. Widely considered an unadaptable book, Denis Villeneuve finally put that thought to rest, as not only does he adapt it (and stunningly) but he brings it to life with such unbelievable scale and imagination, making this, genuinely, one of the most impressive feats ever in the history of cinema. The pacing, the booming score, the visuals (God, the visuals), it all comes together like the most magnificent puzzle you’ve ever seen. It’s impact is akin to A New Hope’s impact on science fiction, blending real life deserts and sprawling mountains with enormous special effects that quite literally pop of the screen. 

In addition to giving us a downright visual spectacle of the eyes, Dune also boasts an impressive story that thankfully will split the story into 2 parts (possibly even 3). In splitting it up, we get time to understand Paul and his preconceived worries of his possible shortcomings in the thought of his father’s passing, which ultimately come to fruition. And while most everyone of note from House Atreides falls in Part 1, their characterizations never falter either, making us fall in love with these characters in their brief time on screen. There’s also such a excellent blend of enormous action, small, meaningful moments, and tense, nerve-racking situations that keep the story flowing, so as not to slow down the plot but also let it all sink in enough to mean something. 

And I can’t forget the brilliant score from Hans Zimmer that is so subtle in it’s basement but unbelievably grandiose and mesmerizing at it’s ceiling, making this already epic film feel larger than life. 

We also get a jam-packed cast, starring Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Josh Brolin, Jason Mamoa, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, and Timothée Chalamet. While I think Chalamet is great and really understands the nuances of Paul, the smaller performances from Mamoa and Isaac were by far my favorite, adding a much needed depth and motivation that only inspire Chalamet’s performance to be better, paying off in strides. 

Based on the legendary novel by Frank Herbert, Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is a film of massive, mind blowing scale that is as captivating as it is intriguing, masterfully setting up the world of Dune, while still feeling like it’s own separate entity, even with the announcement of a part 2. 

9.6/10