Dune (2021)
Timothy Chalamet and Zendaya? Okay okay, you got me. Dune (2021) is a movie I have been waiting for since I heard about its production during the early days of the pandemic. Especially with Denis Villeneuve at the helm of the project. Villeneuve is the same man responsible for films like Blade Runner 2049 (2017) and Arrival (2016), proving he is a master of the SciFi genre.
Dune is the film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s book by the same title. Many people credit Herbert for key tropes present in the SciFi genre today because of Dune and its seismic impact. The first book centers on Paul Atreides as he discovers his power, “The Voice”, and overcomes his fiefdom’s annihilation. That’s the incredibly watered down summary of events that take place, but it would take me ten pages and a cigarette to fully summarize everything. And I don’t have a cigarette.
Timothy Chalamet and Zendaya do a beautiful job of making you believe they live on a desert planet named Arrakis and must fight to survive. Chalamet, who plays Paul Atreides, has been given a chance to show audiences that he can do action scenes and that he’s not just the indie film prince. Zendaya was a joy to watch as the Freman, Chani. I just wish she had been in more of the movie-- and I mean with more dialogue and not just in Paul’s hallucinations. Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides were dreamlike in their costuming and acting abilities.
Dune (2021) is a stunning movie; everything from the music, sets, costumes, landscapes, and cinematography feels congruent to the world being introduced and a vital part of convincing the audience that this world is massive. In part, I think the wide sweeping shots of open landscapes and planets assists in showing this to viewers. Dune is set in the future and yet AI is illegal, so society somehow feels ancient as a result. The actors are dressed in clothing more reminiscent of medieval lords and ladies rather than that of traditional cyberpunk characters. Additionally, the sets are almost like castles, complete with grey stone and absent of the futuristic flourishments we are used to seeing in SciFi. Yet, space travel is possible and invisible body shields are utilized.
I thoroughly enjoyed my viewing experience. As an avid fan of Game of Thrones (before season 7 + 8) my favorite part of the franchise was the deep lore and since its completion I haven’t been able to really find that depth anywhere else. That is...until Villeneuve decided to bring Dune to life on the big screen. I’m beyond excited for the sequel-- which was just greenlit! Do I recommend this film? Yes! Yes. Watch it. I would recommend watching it with subtitles, though, as it’s a lot to take in and without reading what you’re seeing you could easily get lost. Before I saw the movie I also made sure to read up on the history of the world just so I could fully enjoy what I was witnessing and not have to worry about being confused. Obviously, this method probably won’t work for you if you prefer to learn as you go. If that’s the case...good luck!