Dune

Dune has been a long time coming by this point, but, to be fair, we've "gotten" it before. 

But not quite like this...

Giving the Dune franchise (or potential franchise I should say) to a director as talented as Denis Villeneuve, was a smart move, even if he had expressed interest in it for many years. 

Villeneuve, in my eyes, is probably a Top 3 director in Hollywood right now and - if I'm being completely honest - probably competes with Nolan for the top spot. Sure, that ranking may ebb and flow, but at this point, Villeneuve is so proven with films like Sicario, Arrival, and Blade Runner 2049 (among others) that I trust in pretty much anything he's doing. 

Throw in a TON of star power and an iconic story and you've got the makings of a potential hit. As someone who read the book several years ago and likes but doesn't worship it (it's dense and sometimes hard to follow), I've been more excited for Villeneuve's next film than the adaptation itself. 

Adaptations, at their core, are often a blend of the source material - in this case Frank Herbert's "Dune" - and the director themselves. After seeing Dune (the film), it's clear that Villeneuve and his production team have just as many ideas to offer in expanding Herbert's world as the original author did, creating a rich, layered, and fully realized feel to everything in the film, down to the small details. And honestly? I was far more able to follow along with Dune (with all its recreations, additions, and evolutions of the source material) than I was with the novel. 

Almost obviously, one of Dune's biggest strengths is just how damn well made it is. This is the sort of thing I wanted from The Last Duel last week (even if it's still a great film you should see!) and I get it in spades here. Villeneuve clearly has an eye for sci-fi and his direction and inspiration here are probably unmatched. The film moves methodically - to less patient audiences they'll read that as "slowly" - with wonderful editing. Cinematographer Greig Fraser brings his A-game and makes a distinct impact on the film, while - of course - Hans Zimmer just demolishes the original score with one of his most unique and vibrant yet. It's boisterous and intense, just like we'd expect from Zimmer, and you can just tell he was like a kid in a candy store being able to make the music he wanted. Even the action - which I expected to be underwhelming - is a sci-fi spectacle of shields, unique weaponry, and massive explosions that hit the mark.  

Why is Timothee Chalamet always sulking?

In the film, the story comes across much clearer too. To be fair, I tend to lose track in novels that have too many characters because I don't have faces to put to names, which a film obviously helps with. But even still, the operatic family versus family plot is fairly clear here and it was easy to keep track of what was going on. The Bene Gesserit get a weird short end of the stick (at least in full explanation) when compared to the book, and there are WAY too many visions from Chalamet's Paul, but otherwise this is a engrossing, intriguing, and memorable story with a lot to like. It's true that this is "Part I" (it even says as much during the opening credits) so the film ends with a lot still left to happen in Part II, but I'm one who's willing to believe that as long as Villeneuve is at the helm - he very much still wants to be - Part II and even a Part III if there is one - will make a very complete and compelling trilogy/series. 

It helps then that the film - and original novelization - has a suite of great characters, complimented here by an impressively big cast. Chalamet is the obvious core figure and he's a solid Paul. We already know he's a good actor so this could likely turn into his "Frodo Baggins" performance if we get a couple more films. Dave Bautista and especially Stellan Skarsgard get to bring their brutality as the villains, with the latter being a disgusting, instantly iconic rendering of Baron Harkonnen. Oscar Issac and Josh Brolin are stoic in their father and father-figure roles to Paul, while Rebecca Ferguson (who gets a lot to do) is memorable as Paul's mother. For all the trailers, Zendaya is barely in the film so I'm sure we'll have a better verdict on her down the road. Jason Momoa, who plays the legendary fighter and pilot, Duncan Idaho, delivers some of his best work ever playing an endearing friend to Paul. All together, this is a cast that makes you think back to some of the biggest franchises we've received, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc. and realize that you've got a great selection here.

I feel like there's a sex joke somewhere here...

Villeneuve has made his mark on the Dune landscape like a giant sandworm. Silly metaphor aside, this is a sci-fi lover's dream marriage of [mostly] great source material and one of the best directors of this generation, a cast to die for, and a Hans Zimmer score. There's a lot to love here and we should be getting more of this in a Part II/III because it's fantastic. 

CONS

• Will matter less in future, but this is definitely "Part I"
• Feels somewhat aimless in a few spots - between big plot moments
• Ok, we get it. Paul has visions. 

PROS

• Villeneuve and his team have brought a lot of their own imagination to this classic story, delivering an insanely detailed and fully realized world that is a combination of Herbert's original story and their additional elements
• Story is captivating and easier to follow all the characters when compared to the dense novel
• Exquisite cast without a weak link. Some get more runtime than others, but this is a group of very talented people
• Incredible special effects - especially during action beats - complimented by stunning cinematography
• A Hans Zimmer score that goes bonkers in the best of ways
• Sci-fi done right and yet another "win" to add to Villeneuve's ridiculously impressive resume

Rath's Review Score | 9/10