Dune

Released: Oct 22, 2021

Directed by: Denis Villeneuve

Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya

Based on: 1965 novel by Frank Herbert

October 22nd was the release of the long-awaited movie adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel, Dune. This movie stars Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides, son of Lady Jessica, and Leto, the Head of The House of Atreides. Throughout the movie, Paul’s “great destiny” is constantly alluded to. We see the beginning of his journey to accepting his given path and fulfilling expectations. As the first part of a trilogy, this movie contained a lot of world-building and story setup. At times, there’s so much information being delivered through dialogue that it’s easy to feel lost or overwhelmed. Don’t let that discourage you! I would recommend to anyone to just keep watching, everything comes together near the end. This story has a lot in common with Star Wars, including advanced technology, impressive costumes, and underlying political themes. I would absolutely recommend this film to any Star Wars fans, and to sci-fi fans in general. Regardless of your opinions on sci-fi, this movie can be enjoyable for anyone. The quality of production helps to redeem any interest lost on the mildly confusing plot. Along with stunning visuals of the desert and forest planets, the dystopian architecture creates the perfect illusion of real futuristic space environments. Living up to its name, Dune takes place on the desert planet Arrakis, known for its priceless trade product, Spice, as well as its dangerous sandworms, which are revealed in a suspenseful scene in which Paul and the others race to collect Spice before the worms sense their movements and close in on them. The uncertainty of the desert and its residents provides the audience with a thrilling sense of suspense and unease; It’s easy to get drawn in by the dynamic characters and their individual perils.

This movie inspired a lot of debate even prior to its release. There was a lot of speculation about whether it would live up to the hype or fall flat. I’ve seen a lot of reviews saying it was too lengthy, was just an elaborate piece of story-building, or relied too heavily on a stacked cast. However, I’ve seen an overwhelming amount of great reviews praising the acting, the pacing, and the storytelling. My favorite description of the movie so far has been that it is “complete and tactile” so that it feels almost like watching a documentary. In my opinion, Dune is very well made, full of evoking acting and stunning visuals. It had me entirely captivated and I can’t wait to watch the second part, coming in 2023.