Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve takes on the monstrous project of the film Dune. Making it his own, he adds a lot of interesting scenes and changes up the storyline somewhat from the original 1984 David Lynch scripted film with the same title. A lot better however, as his having the availability of modern technology, Villeneuve upgrades the special effects, adds CGI and costuming, making the movie more exotic. He also makes Dune more Disneyesque as the later part of the movie reminds me of the same feel I got from Disney’s Mandalorian. If you saw he original Dune, you have a lot more excitement instore for you with this edition.
Within the four planet system where spice is worth more than any other wealth, we find a young man, Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet). The son of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) and Lady Jessica Atreides (Rebecca Ferguson) after training, he holds power over the inhabitants of House Atreides. Among others, the family controls planet Arrakis where the valuable spice that gives life longevity to the powerful people who use it, is located.
On the Planet Arrakis an upheaval to overthrow the Emperor, who sits over the four worlds, begins. With special powers he has gained through training and the spice, Paul Atreides attempts to lead and army of a warrior race called the Fremen. Standing in his way is Fremen Chani (Zendaya) a female warrior and member of rag tag gang that have been living on Arrakis. While avoiding the sand worms, a vicious tubular that sucks up anyone on the sand dunes of the planet, Chani has committed herself to defend her planet with her life.
The film is about 3 and a half hours long and contains a lot of build up along with some very good exciting action and adventure. Director Denis Villeneuve, who brought the films Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 to the screen, ups the game with a fresh, more understandable and played out version of Dune. The film moves along nicely and captivates with each scene.
Knowing the background of the four planets and their ruling order would help those who have never been exposed to Dune. Both IMDb and Wikipedia are good websites that have excellent information on the film. For Dune followers, Villeneuve projects his film with enough information that will keep you glued to the screen and enjoying every moment. It’s like watching a new beginning of what’s to come with Dune’s vast number of stories. It’s like the beginning of other favorites like Star Wars and even Mandalorian.
The film’s cast is exciting to watch with incredible performances throughout. Timothee Chalamet surely got a break getting the part of Paul Atreides and he nails the character. His character development from the family child to a leader of the fight on the planet Arrakis is much like that of Luke Skywalker taking aim at the “Death Star” and finding a way to conquer the Emperor.
While there are experienced actors in the film, many of which are cameos, one of them impressed me most. I like how Zendaya took possession of the role of Chani the tough rogue member of fighters on Arrakis. As Chani she’s quick, strong and caring as her people wrestle the onslaught that wants to take control of her planet and the spice. Suspecting of Paul Atreides motives, it’s not until she sees him in action against common odds that she starts of trust him. Her performance in “Malcolm and Marie” is a good example how screen worthy she can be.
Dune has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images and suggestive material. My star rating for Dune fans and action adventure lovers is 4 out of 5. For those new to Dune, try to get as much exposure to the original Dune so you can follow the story better. IMPORTANT: See the film at the movie theater and only on HBO Max as a last resort. The movie’s available in most cities in IMAX, Dolby Atmos and other wide formats. (4 out of 5 Stars)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, Chang Chen, Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Stephan Henderson
Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images and suggestive material
Running Time: 2 hrs. 35 min.
Opening Date: October 22, 2021
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Released in: Theaters, HBO Max
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
