Not since his last film Blade Runner 2049 has there been sci-fi with such massive scope as Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal novel Dune. Truly epic in all aspects, the story of the planet Arrakis and the war between ancient houses for control of it is brought to life in stunning detail; a complex, layered story of political betrayal anchored by the classic hero’s journey of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul. A personal favourite of Villeneuve’s, you can feel his love for the material in every scene; making for one of the most engrossing, fully realised (except for the fact that this is only part one) stories in recent cinematic memory. Huge sci-fi that delivers huge results.
That isn’t to say Dune is immediately graspable. A behemoth in the sci-fi world, Herbert’s novels span six books and countless follow-up tales released since his death. Villeneuve’s film only seeks to tackle the very first of these, and only even a portion of that story, yet there is still plenty to unpack to justify the film’s immense runtime. On a high level the story centres around Paul (Chalamet), son of Leto (Oscar Isaac) and Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and heir to the great house Atreides. When the all-powerful Emperor (unseen in this film) calls for the Atreides’ to take control of the planet Arrakis – home to the Spice, the only substance able to sustain intergalactic travel – from rival house Harkonnen, events are set in motion that will test Paul and his people’s resolve as they are thrust into a complex web of political intrigue. As his situation becomes increasingly dire, Paul is forced to contemplate his destiny and the strange dreams he has experienced which push him to explore his place amongst the Fremen, the native people of Arrakis.
It’s a weighty story and Villeneuve takes his time unravelling it for the viewer, carefully setting the stage and characters before pivoting into the meat of the journey on Arrakis. Unlike a lot of larger scale blockbusters nowadays Dune never feels overly hand holding; constantly presenting new ideas, characters and places and expecting the audience to keep up. In that way it may not be accessible to everyone; the film demands your attention, but the end result is nothing short of spellbinding and it is impossible to not get swept up in Villeneuve’s always visually interesting approach to this tale. Key to that immersion is the sense of scale that he creates, often framing shots from far back to highlight just how insignificant characters look compared to starships or the fearsome sandworms that call Arrakis home. It’s a device that constantly creates jaw-dropping imagery whilst furthering the narrative and this attention to detail extends to everything from the aesthetics – each world is visually distinct from one another – to something as simple as the shields used in combat – vivid blue and red flashes easily conveying the outcomes of battles without having to sacrifice the scale of a wide shot.
The costumes and production designs are similarly stunning; a striking mixture of futuristic garb resembling armour and more traditional military inspired wardrobe. The evil Harkonnen Baron, played by Stellan Skarsgård, is a truly inspired combination of practical and visual effects; a hulking, obese lump of pale flesh who practically oozes evil before morphing into a towering, floating pillar of black cloak when provoked. Why is he like this? The film never offers any elucidation and that really is the defining strength of Dune: pulling you into entire galaxy of story without feeling the need to explain every bit of it. If you look hard enough, you can constantly uncover new layers but if you aren’t interested in that the story still works as a thrilling slice of sci-fi action; even if this film errs on the side of set-up.
Which is really is the only negative to be found here: the set-up. As only part one of the story – a ballsy move naming it so considering the sequel had yet to be greenlit on release – the film simply feels incomplete; the beginning of something much larger to come. Whilst that may be somewhat unsatisfying for today’s audience accustomed to instant gratification from Netflix binge sessions, there is enough here to warrant repeat viewings to unpack it all, from Christ allegories to deep themes of legacy and destiny. And let’s not forget the impossible task set upon Villeneuve in the first place; Dune is a positively massive story spanning thousands of years in its full, franchise-long scope. The fact that he has managed to capture the essence of the story (we haven’t even mentioned the more fantastical elements such as the witch-like Bene Gesserit) and turn it into such a rousing success as this proves the man is one of the best filmmakers working today. He has earned the right to take his time.
I’d be remiss not to mention the incredible score from Hans Zimmer; similarly epic in scope, it fluctuates between booming bass and bombastic choral pieces that further emphasise the different cultures and perspectives at play within Dune. To ensure that the film remains grounded in the characters that populate its many worlds Villeneuve has enlisted a smorgasbord of acting talent, led by Chalamet. He’s a suitably arrogant Paul, a trait borne of his nobility that doesn’t necessarily make him an unlikeable character but rather speaks to the shift he undergoes as the life he knows is drastically altered. A litany of terrific supporting players surround him, from Sharon Duncan-Brewster’s allegedly impartial judge overseeing the shift in Arrakis’ leadership to Josh Brolin’s steely military chief; a disgruntled warrior who has clearly been affected by his bloody past. Yet it is Jason Momoa who stands out amongst them, delivering his best performance yet as the heroic soldier Duncan Idaho, a personal friend to Paul and advisor to the Duke. What he lacks in his iconic beard he more than makes up for in heart and likeability, a shot of personality amongst the cold expanse of space and political strictness.
Dune is a film that has to accomplish a lot: adapting Frank Herbert’s dense text in a palatable way, making an entire galaxy come alive with personality and nuance, and most of all create an engaging, cinematic story. And Denis Villeneuve accomplishes it all in such a complete way that this really feels like the starting chapter in a new classic science fiction franchise, up there with the likes of Star Wars and Alien. Full of vibrant visuals, a luscious score from Hans Zimmer and production designs that totally immerse you in the experience, Dune is a truly unique film that is best experienced on the biggest screen you can find. If you haven’t sought it out already, what are you Dune?
Dune stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, Josh Brolin, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen & Javier Bardem – In cinemas now.