Dune – A Dazzling Prologue

Those waiting for the next epic franchise to gravitate towards had to wait for a year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but now that time has arrived. Dune, the latest adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic from the mind of Denis Villeneuve, is now upon us. The popularity of the book (it would probably be best to read up before watching) and its former adaptations along with the indisputable cred of Villeneuve as a director inside and outside of the sci-fi genre and a stellar cast put the film atop many filmgoers’ list of their most anticipated films of the last two years. Suffice it to say that all this hype left the film with a lot to live up to in terms of expectations. While the film will certainly live up to expectations for many viewers, it’s a hard film to judge individually when viewed through the lens of the story as a whole with this film serving as the first part of a two part story. Whether or not that second part is made remains to be seen though is likely, this film works better as the first part of a larger film than as a film itself. Maybe that will change after a viewing of the whole story. As it stands, Dune (or Dune Part 1) feels like an extended prologue for that inevitable second part.

As mentioned, Dune at times feels like a small film and others, a film that gets too big for its own good. Focused on exposition and world-building in order to create a new franchise, all these moving parts and heavy lifting kind of distracted from the main storyline which made it tough to connect with it on a deeper level as it seemingly kept audiences at arm’s length. That story follows Paul Atreides (Chalamet), a brilliant young man born into one of the most infamous ruling families in the universe who was forced to face his destiny and find his place when a trip to Arrakis, put the fate of his family and people in jeopardy. Already one of the most dangerous planets in the galaxy, House Atreides were tasked to maintain peace on the planet and reestablish its production of one of its most precious resources and one with powerful abilities known as spice. Things did not exactly go according to plan as Paul and the rest of House Atreides found themselves in the middle of feuding factions at war over spice.

All of these moving pieces and conflict took away from Paul’s coming-of-age story. That conflict was definitely a catalyst for that coming-of-age, however, it took the wind out of its sails. He was essentially a passenger in his own story which may or may not change in the future. For now, it was disappointing for the most part. Meanwhile, establishing all these moving parts sometimes came at the expense of its large cast for whom the film seemed to not always know how to handle. That being said, Dune was not without its moments albeit those that were more technically-driven than narratively-driven. With so much going on, the risk of losing some audiences is there but the spectacle of it all works. Though not quite as engaging on a narrative level, it unequivocally is on a technical level. That begins with the beautiful cinematography while the production design, visual effects, and costume work also add to the film’s stellar aesthetic. The sound design and score add to its epic nature. In the end, without a compelling enough narrative to tie it all together, they were not nearly as impactful as it could have been.

When it comes to the performances of Dune, they certainly did an admirable job at selling the story. Though there were far too many people to name, they were generally fine across the board but there were still a few standouts while others impressed in bits and pieces. Chalamet, leading his first big-budget blockbuster, shined as Paul with his indisputable charm and screen presence that made the most of his time here in spite of the film sometimes feeling too big for him and Paul. Ferguson as Paul’s mother Jessica was another highlight with a powerful performance which made for a compelling dynamic with Chalamet’s Paul that the film failed to tap into enough.

At the end of the day, Dune is a film that will surely dazzle a fair share of audiences but it will also leave others wanting more (or less). Though this may change once this story is viewed as a whole, more effort should have been made to have this installment stand out a little more on its own.

still courtesy of Warner Bros.

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.