Dune (Villeneuve, 2021)
You may think you’re cool, but you’ll never be “Timothée Chalamet walking in slow motion along a rocky coast under floating spaceships to a Hans Zimmer score” cool.
Dune: Part 1 is, without question, one of the biggest films of the year. It boasts a star-studded cast, an elite director on the rise, and a historically great composer – while telling a story that has inspired science fiction movies like Star Wars, Star Trek, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Despite all of this, I went into the film knowing little beyond what I saw in its trailers. I certainly didn’t know it was a Part 1.
This futuristic tale focuses on a royal family that has been bestowed a planet that holds the most valuable resource in the universe – spice. They must earn the trust of the planet’s indigenous people while protecting their new home from outside invaders. Based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, Dune is a complex story that studies morality, religion, cultural differences, and of course, HUGE sandworms. Paul (Timothée Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name, Little Women) is the heir to the family throne and future entrustee of the valuable spice that makes his new homeworld the center of the galaxy. Along with his royal blood, Paul possesses superhuman abilities passed down by his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson – Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, The Greatest Showman). These abilities both empower and frighten Paul as he is thrust into his new and dangerous journey.
This film iteration of Dune uses very little exposition to tell its story. Rather, it immerses you into this fictional universe with expansive visuals, pulsating music, and deep reverberating sounds. Even though I was confused by the story, I was mesmerized by the experience. Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Sicario) takes his time directing this epic tale. He spends as much effort developing the environments as he does the characters themselves. This created a unique experience for me – both alluring and kind of boring. As intrigued as I was by this universe, I found myself looking at my watch quite a bit. The world-building is extensive, but character development is minimal – even though the actors do a sufficient job in their roles.
In our society, where Marvel rules the cinemas, many moviegoers are going to be bored by this film and disappointed by its incomplete ending. Remember – this is Part 1. Though I felt some of these negatives, I’m still thankful this movie exists. Even with its $165 million estimated budget, Dune feels like an independent film – unlike its superhero competitors. Those films feel as though they are produced by the studio rather than the singular vision of a director. Denis Villeneuve maintains his trademark, slow-building suspense that works so well in his smaller films like Sicario and Prisoners.
I’ll admit, I’m a bit on the fence on this movie, but that doesn’t diminish my curiosity for future installments, and I truly expect Dune to be an awards darling. I predict it will be nominated in many categories such as: Best Director, Cinematography, Costume Design, and Visual Effects; and I imagine it will be a favorite in the categories of Best Production Design, Sound, and Original Score. Hans Zimmer seems like a shoo in, but studios are increasingly including scores and songs as a point of emphasis in their end-of-year campaigns, so nothing is guaranteed.
Though I’m not “all in” with Dune, I appreciate its artistry and hope its mild success at the box office ensures Part 2 will happen, because Part 1, unfortunately, cannot stand on its own.
