“Dune” closely follows the narrative structure of Herbert’s novel. The film introduces us to a distant future when almost all the planets in the universe are controlled by a feudal empire, with eminent houses receiving commissions to govern the planets as fiefs. The movie’s young hero, Paul (Timothée Chalamet), belongs to one of these houses, the House of Atreides. And when his father Leto (Oscar Isaac) receives the assignment from the Emperor to serve as fief rulers of a harsh planet, Paul immerses himself in learning about this planet, Arrakis.
This sandy planet (ergo ‘dune’) might have hostile living conditions, but it’s the only home to the ‘spice.’ This substance gives its users heightened strength and consciousness, while also being used for interstellar travel. So, one can only imagine how appealing dominion over Arrakis is, since the benefits outweigh its risks; which include giant sandworms that travel under the desert and swallow everything that vibrates from the ground where the spice is harvested.
Seeing their loss, the former rulers of Arrakis, House Harkonnen, oppose the Emperor’s edict, and secretly plan an ambush to wrest control of the planet. Its head, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård channeling his inner Col. Walter Kurtz), seeks to deplete the planet of spice for personal gain.
Messianic Dreams and the Film’s Religious Themes
As the chaos looms large, Paul undergoes training as the next in line to the house dukeship. Apart from his training with Leto’s aides Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) and Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), Paul also receives guidance from his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson). Herself a very important character in the novels, Lady Jessica belongs to a sisterhood known as the Bene Gesserit. They believe that from Lady Jessica’s lineage a male would rise, a messianic being who would herald a better future for humanity.
As Paul receives training, he has these recurring dreams of the Fremen, native inhabitants of Arrakis with piercing blue eyes. While this happens, the Fremen themselves speak of the “Lisan al-Gaib,” the Voice from the outer world who will lead them to paradise. Gradually, Paul’s dreams become more expansive; they now include intense premonitions, culminating in visions of a holy war spreading across the universe—with him front and center.
Could Paul be the Kwisatz Haderach who would bring peace to Arrakis? While some Fremen think so (“He will know his customs as if he was born with them”); others express their misgivings (“Do you really think he could be the Mahdi? He looks very young”).
A Visually Striking Worldbuilding from One of the Finest Directors of the Modern Era
Even before the film came out, Villeneuve had stated on multiple occasions that it covers just the first half of the book; a potential sequel is to cover the latter half. Needless to say, world-building, narratives, and arcs play important roles especially in movie installments. And seeing as the title card on-screen says “Dune: Part One,” the movie should have at least a satisfying close before the sequel arrives in a few years.
Unsurprisingly, the film feels unfinished. Once the credits start rolling, the audience might ask, “that’s it?” And that’d be a valid reaction. This is usually the case with world-building, since it goes hand-in-hand with exposition. The key, then, is to use exposition to introduce the world on-screen to the audiences, but not in a heavy-handed manner that feels forced. Naturally, the pacing suffers from this approach since such introduction needs patience—something a few audiences might not have.
Moreover, this approach usually requires sequels to continue the story. Thus there’s a tendency that, when not done the right way, some installments feel lighter and leaner, while others feel too busy or dialogue-heavy. And this is where exceptional direction comes in handy.
As one of the best directors working today, Denis Villeneuve deftly balances the ambition of this adaptation with emotional heft. His dexterity with world-building and exposition aside, the director injects heart in the film, giving the audience a viewing experience that’s massive in scale yet intimate in scope.
A Technical—and Emotional—Marvel from Start to Finish
To make the film work, Villeneuve would need the help of his cast and crew. And without missing a beat, having Joe Walker, Greig Fraser, and Hans Zimmer allows “Dune” to stand out as a technical marvel. Fraser’s cinematography shows the harsh conditions of Arrakis so well that you fear scorching your own flesh. Contrast this with a crucial scene where Paul and Lady Jessica are exiled in the desert at night. It’s a scene shot beautifully; you feel the cold creep up your skin.
Walker’s bravura editing deserves praise, too; “Dune” might’ve ended up a two-and-a-half hour snooze-fest had it not been for the confident pacing of the film. And then there’s Zimmer, the man whose deep love for the Herbert novel moved him to take this job—and put his working relationship with Christopher Nolan effectively on hold. Going more experimental than before (seriously, bagpipes playing alongside electric guitars and timpani are just earworms to me), Zimmer combines different instruments to create an unorthodox, otherworldly sound that’s among the musician’s best work ever.
Alongside Villeneuve’s direction, all these technical achievements (as well as sound editing and mixing) deserve Oscar glory.
Of Casting High-Caliber Actors for the Roles
Finally, “Dune” boasts of a cast, the caliber of which rivals that of another star-studded film of 2021, “Don’t Look Up.” Nevertheless, I can say that “Dune” delivers better in overall quality, with almost all of the cast getting their characters fleshed out in the film.
Personally, Jason Momoa’s turn as Duncan Idaho is the best character in the movie; and it frustrates me how Momoa’s performance has been overlooked by award-giving bodies for a ‘Best Supporting Actor’ nomination. And while Zendaya’s Chani doesn’t have much screen time (and even fewer interactions with Paul), I’d argue that the filmmakers purposefully did so. This is considering how much mystery Chani has been to Paul as the lady in his recurring dreams.
All these lead back to Timothée Chalamet as Paul. If the central character doesn’t exude a delicate balance of gentleness, confidence, fear, and bravery, then the film as a whole won’t work. It’s a testament to Chalamet’s talents; portraying a messianic figure with sensitivity so well that viewers could easily latch onto him and relate to both his cockiness and his insecurity, his emotion and his reason, his fears and his resolve. We become witnesses to Paul’s character development; he moves from somewhat immature heir to the dukeship to a ‘made’ man, now with makings of a potential liberator.
On the Issue of Appropriation and Lack of Representation
One of the critical issues with adapting Herbert’s novels involves dealing with the Middle-Eastern and Islamic themes that heavily influenced the author’s source material. And that responsibility falls into the hands of Villeneuve, whose role was to toe the line between inspiration and appropriation. Indeed, it’s a fine line; some pundits noted the lack of casting of Middle Eastern or North African actors to play integral roles. And this is understandable, especially given the novel’s overt Islamic and Arabic undertones.
In the filmmakers’ defense, though, I’d like to think that the film aims to portray an acculturated future through integration; wherein characters can exhibit both Middle Eastern and Western influences at the same time.
Another issue is that, even with the best intentions, “Dune” sometimes traverses through the same waters where white savior narratives flow. And yes, Villeneuve counterpoints that this film is a critique of said narrative, and not a means to promote it. Still, Paul’s arc in the movie resembles that of the historical T. E. Lawrence; his life was portrayed in the acclaimed 1962 film “Lawrence of Arabia,” a classic that nonetheless courted controversy due to its white savior narrative. As a white British Army officer, Lawrence led the Arabs (i.e. desert-dwelling people) in a revolt against the Ottoman Empire.
Ultimately, these issues are valid talking points. After all, as a cinephile of Filipino descent, I’ve long yearned for proper representation in television and film. That’s why the critical scene in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and the theater scenes in “Drive My Car” are some of my favorite movie moments of 2021. Representation matters, and Villeneuve and the filmmakers could have easily addressed this from the get-go.
“Dune”: Of Adapting the [Erstwhile] Unfilmable Novel
Over the years, we’ve seen several attempts at adapting Herbert’s work, and the results were a mixed bag. There was David Lynch’s incomprehensible adaptation in 1984; the 2000 miniseries from John Harrison that marginally improved upon the 1984 misfire, and the legendary failed attempt by Alejandro Jodorowsky that spawned a critically acclaimed documentary detailing its ultimate shelving.
Because of these, I’ve always believed that “Dune” ranks among the best novels difficult to adapt on-screen. After all, science fiction and fantasy make for unfilmable work. And while Peter Jackson did the then-unthinkable by successfully adapting J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” on film, I still held “Dune” to a somewhat mythical status of unfilmability.
That’s why watching Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune”—and seeing the characters come to life—was such an almost-cathartic experience.
The “Dune” series has long been considered a landmark of science fiction. Fortunately, Denis Villeneuve’s astute direction in laying the right foundations only shows his respect for Frank Herbert’s work. And as he currently prepares for the second installment of what shapes up to be a massive world-building, fans and casual moviegoers can rest assured that—if “Dune: Part One” is any indication—the future is bright for this franchise, and there’s nothing to fear.
Because, in the words of our hero, “Fear is the mind killer.”
“Dune” has been temporarily removed from HBO Max; you can rent or buy the film from Prime Video, Google Play, iTunes, and other streaming platforms.
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2 Comments
glad we streamed it instead of paying theatre prices.
not good enough for a full-price ticket.
we will not read the book,
nor attend part 2.
‘ve just watched it and it really really does have an astounding visual ngl
The soundtrack, the visual, its just perfect!! I love the concept as well (I haven’t read the book & seen the prev movie so…)
I HIGHLY recommended to see it in the cinema (if it is possible) its such a beautiful experience