Set in the far-flung future Dune is about an Empire filled with bizarre and intriguing characters. Where Great Houses vie for control and if you fall to the political machinations of your rivals you will die. Enter House Atreides who have recently been put in charge of Arrakis.
This planet is dangerous, inhospitable and is filled to the brim with spice, an invaluable item that allows space travel. By being given this duty House Atreides is given incredible responsibility, however, something is rotten in the state of Denmark or should I say Arrakis.
Fear is the mind-killer
To go any further into the plot of Dune means I would likely fall into a psychedelic rabbit hole filled with terrifying sandworms and unnerving Bene Gesserit witches.
Dune is a phenomenal film. Its bizarre, outlandish ideas are matched by the stellar cast that is a part of this. From Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides who is the unsure hero thrust into action to Stellan Skarsgard’s otherworldly shadow that looms heavy over Dune, there are no unnecessary characters. Everyone is on top form. I was intrigued by both the story and the characters within it.
The absurdity of the world and the sciences and magics that run it are brilliant. I couldn’t take it all in fast enough. That might be Dune’s biggest problem. There is a lot going on and audiences may not want this from a modern blockbuster. It feels like the epics from decades ago that had so many ideas they just didn’t have the budget to see them all the way through to their execution.
Let the spice flow
The visuals are outstanding, mind-blowing even. They have to be seen on the big screen. One particular scene involving one of the terrifying sandworms I spoke of earlier gave me genuine goosebumps. I loved it. Even the smaller scenes are spectacular. An intense scene involving Jason Momoa’s Duncan Idaho (what a name) is so well shot that it has stayed with me after several hours away from screening. This is all thanks to Villeneuve and his cinematographer Greig Fraser. You might know Fraser’s work from The Mandalorian and his upcoming work on The Batman.
On top of that, you have the meister himself Hans Zimmer scoring Dune. He brings that signature gravitas that accompanies all his work. He adds that extra oomph that gives the film such intensity.
Dune is a one of a kind film. It’s absolutely brilliant and will be one of those films that will be talked about for a long time regardless of people enjoying it or not. I think that is what makes fascinating films.
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