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Dune is out of this world

(Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.) Dune’s official release was delayed for over a year due to the pandemic
Amir Kazemi
Connector Staff

Director Denis Villeneuve has delivered the big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel “Dune”, which has been considered the greatest science fiction novel of all time. Villeneuve had a very steep hill to climb in making the film. “Dune” has been a notoriously difficult novel to adapt due to its expansive world-building and lore. In the 1970s, filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky attempted to adapt the novel and had such a devotion to the project that his unfinished work could be considered the greatest film never made. In 1984, David Lynch released his adaptation of the novel, which garnered mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike.

Villeneuve created an impressive, grand film which has a sense of majesty to it that is quite rare in films nowadays. “Dune” is a slower-paced epic that also manages to be introspective. Villeneuve has made a name for himself over the past decade, displaying his meticulous and purposeful directing. With “Dune”, we see him merge his arthouse style with grander awe-inspiring shots. The film presents many shots that impress audiences on a big screen, but at the same time it is not afraid to linger on the smaller, subtler shots that are equally meaningful.

“Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a talented young man of royal blood who is born into a mythic destiny far beyond his comprehension. His family must travel to the barren and dangerous planet of Arrakis, also known as Dune, to rule over the people and to harvest the planet’s indispensable resource, spice. The spice is vital to interstellar travel and extending human vitality, making the control of Arrakis a point of contention amongst the Great Houses in the Imperium.

The world-building in “Dune” is incredible. The planet Arrakis is a character in itself. As one can imagine, giving a barren, desert world any sort of personality is quite difficult. However, through the wildlife, weather and native people of the planet, Villeneuve brings a real liveliness to Arrakis.

The casting choices made for this film are perfect, leading to believable and strong performances across the board. Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides was the best choice that they could have made for the character. Chalamet gave a subdued performance that got very raw and emotional when necessary. He played the part so convincingly that it was like Chalamet was not even on screen, only Paul Atreides.

Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Paul’s mother, gave one of the strongest performances in the film. She plays a suffering and tortured character extremely well. The scenes where she struggles to contain her emotions are truly touching and impactful. Oscar Isaac plays Duke Leto Atreides, the leader of House Atreides and Paul’s father. Isaac, like Ferguson, gave a very powerful performance. His appearance, especially his beard, gave him a very regal aura.

Stellan Skarsgård plays the gluttonous Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, the leader of House Harkonnen. He had a very menacing presence throughout. Zendaya played the Arrakeen girl, Chani. She had fewer scenes than the aforementioned actors, but her character remains equally important to the film. Despite not having as large of a part, she leaves her mark. “Dune” also contains other wonderful actors like Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem and Sharon Duncan-Brewster who really give it their all. Momoa as the swordmaster, Duncan Idaho, specifically steals every scene he is in. 

The film’s visuals are absolutely breathtaking. From long expansive shots of the Atreides’ lush home-world of Caladan to the never-ending desert shots of Arrakis, Villeneuve and cinematographer Grieg Fraser give audiences a taste of the many worlds in the “Dune” universe. They get a nice mix of grand shots that show the massive armies and landscapes and smaller shots that focus on the finer details within the universe. The shots of the spaceships and vehicles throughout the film and across these worlds give viewers an out-of-world experience that they have never seen before. The ornithopters, dragonfly-like flying vehicles, on Dune are truly incredible. The details on these ships make them believable in the world, and they were a visual highlight throughout the film.

The visual effects are equally impressive. The architecture on the different planets are very distinct, leaving a well-defined and lived-in feel for the Castle Caladan and the Arrakeen Palace. The colossal, several hundred-meter-long sandworms in the film are horrifyingly huge and take up the entire screen with their presence. These creatures add to the world of Arrakis because they pose a real threat for those who come across them. On the other end, there are smaller, more innocent creatures like the desert kangaroo mouse that gives Arrakis a sense of a complete ecosystem.

Finally, sound design and score are other aspects that contribute to the overall film. The sound design in “Dune” is phenomenal. From sounds likes the clashing of swords to the flutter of the ornithopters’ wings, everything was spot-on. The way they produced The Voice was one of the highlights of the sound design. The Voice is the unique power of speaking to someone in a certain tone to go into their subconscious and take complete control over their minds and actions.

The score is composed by Oscar-winning composer, Hans Zimmer. This score is unique and other-worldly. Most space science-fiction films of recent memory have had very classical and orchestral based scores, not to say that this film did not have that at certain points as well, but Zimmer took an overall different approach. When imagining another world, one that is far different than our own, the instruments are probably not very similar. The only constant across worlds would be the use of the human voice in music. Zimmer uses a mix of vocals, drums and other instruments that audiences may have never heard before. The vocals were often rhythmic chants. These vocals heightened the experience in tension-filled and emotional moments. Zimmer composed and produced three separate soundtracks, the best of which was used in the film. Zimmer’s score complements Villeneuve’s film well.

“Dune” is a powerful and beautifully constructed science-fiction space epic that will leave viewers awestruck. By the end credits, you will fall in love with the world Villeneuve has created. The film is the first of a two-part adaptation of Herbert’s novel. This film begs to be watched on the biggest screen possible as the visual and auditory experience is not the same otherwise. Audiences will be left yearning for the sequel.

Grade: A