Denis Villeneuve's Dune has arrived and after watching the film multiple times already,
I think it's a modern masterpiece. While it's only the first part of a potential two-part story,
it's a film that on its own gets us excited about the Dune universe onscreen equally to
that of a successful film series like Lord of The Rings and Star Wars, and tells the story of
a boy who by the end of the film has begun to become what he saw in his dreams. It's a
cinematic spectacle of huge proportions, immersing us in the classic world of Frank Herbert's novel,
while at the same time it's a fantastic Denis Villeneuve film joining the already incredible
list of projects by the director. In this video, I'm going to be listing the reasons why I
think the film is a cinematic masterpiece for the ages, even though it is a part of a story
that has only just begun. This video essay will also contain spoilers, so if you do happen to be
someone who hasn't seen the film yet, then I would recommend watching this video after you've seen it
or you can check out my spoiler-free review on my channel, which I posted last week. But
if you want to keep up to date on any of my content surrounding Dune 2021,
then don't forget to support this video by giving it a like rating, subscribing to the channel and
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let's dive into my video essay on my I believe Dune is a classic for the ages.
So while Dune is only half of the story laid out by Frank Herbert’s seminal science fiction novel,
against all odds, Denis Villeneuve made a film that feels complete, even though it
leaves us and the film's crew salivating for Part Two as soon as the credits rolled.
For those unfamiliar with the books, Dune is set in the far, far future, when the known
universe is ruled by a feudal-like system of great houses. They are led by an all-powerful emperor
whose power depends on the spice melange. This enables everything from faster-than-light travel
to the prolonging of lives for the rich and powerful to extraordinary mental
powers for a select few. The only place in the universe this psychotropic spice is harvested
is the inhospitable planet Arrakis, where House Atreides has been sent under orders from
the Emperor to serve as the planet's stewards. Broadly, Dune follows Paul Atreides, heir to House
Atreides and son of Duke Leto, who sees his family attacked by treacherous enemies and is
forced to wander Arrakis in order to survive. The Fremen, indigenous inhabitants of Arrakis,
speak of an ancient prophecy waiting to be fulfilled, and Paul learns his destiny is
amid the planet’s unwelcoming, unforgiving sand dunes. As we see in the film he goes from Paul
Atreides to Paul Muadib, the prophesied leader of the Fremen people, and it is
told in all the grandeur yet intimacy that a novel as dense as this should be told like.
The best compliment I can give Dune is that it doesn't feel like a two-and-a-half-hour epic,
though it certainly looks like one. Villeneuve, whose visual sensibilities have been formidably
established by serious sci-fi epics like Arrival and Blade Runner 2049,
brings the same weight to this film’s pacing and visuals. Dune is a dense story with long stretches
of silence and myriad establishing shots of the desert and its story unfolds meticulously and
without speed. But such an approach is necessary to convey the grand sense of scale in Dune,
not to mention the intricate political, cultural, religious, ecological, and social systems
interconnecting within Herbert’s story. The unique tone of Dune serves another purpose too though,
as the film seeks to establish itself as a new franchise player in the crowded fantasy
sphere. As if to position the film as a new Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings,
Villeneuve spends much of the runtime enticing his audience to invest in this strange new world,
luxuriating in rich details and moving the story through cultures and locations that all
feel marvellously distinct from one another. Yet at the same time, at the end of this first film,
you feel like you understand the complete general sense and effort of what is going
on and that just shows how incredible of a filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is,
in that he can take the unadaptable and make it feel as relatable and impressive as this was.
To begin with, Denis Villeneuve and his large crew and cast combine many perfect areas of production
to bring this story to life in the modern era. With magnificent costumes and sets that follow
geometric designs in ways both futuristic and also ancient ways, Villeneuve’s Dune is
impressively unique in its world-building. There are war esque fighter jets in space,
the planets from Arrakis to Caladan to Giedi Prime, which informs everything about its
civilizations, and the architecture, colour palettes, and set design all showcase the
filmmaker's dazzling imagination. Giedi Prime appears as an industrial nightmare, while the
hellish deserts of Arrakis inform not only the kinds of vehicles and wardrobes used to survive
constant sand storms and scorching heat but also the ways its inhabitants behave and what customs
they follow. There is certainly something to be said about the way Dune in both the movie and
the book appropriates the cultures, history, and symbolism to tell the story of Paul,
who belongs to neither culture, but the film at least draws a clear, distinct line between how the
Fremen act and the nature of Arrakis itself, showcasing a crucial nuance within the worlds
on screen. This is of course all thanks to Frank Herbert and he wrote such an
excellent book but this adaptation also screams of the highest quality.
Of course, one cannot write about Dune and not mention its iconic sandworms too and this film
does them justice. These enormous beasts are treated more like the shark in Jaws,
used sparingly but effectively in order to heighten a sense of dread and tension. The
excellent sound design and cinematography also add to this, making small tremblings in the sand
reminiscent of cups of water rippling in Jurassic Park. Hans Zimmer of course delivers
yet another exquisite score that mixes grandeur and operatic sounds with a surprising rock style,
lending Dune a unique sonic palette to match its visuals. The spice harvester scene mixed with Paul
having future visions is a moment that sticks out for me as it combines the best of production with
visual storytelling. On one hand, you have a character and house demonstrating to Liet Kynes
that they are different from the Harkonenns and that they have a human quality to them by trying
to save those in a desperate situation. You also have from a character point of view with Paul,
the idea of him for the first time, being thrust into this dangerous climate as a young
adult all while dealing with prophetic visions and coming into his own. Combine that with huge
scaling vehicles and a sandworm that makes these characters look like ants and you are painting
a realistic picture of what a space spectacle of this scale would look like and what it should look
like in today's cinematic landscape. And speaking of what brings to life all these characters,
even with an ensemble cast as large and impressive as the one on display in this film, Dune finds the
time to give every character screen time, whether it's Oscar Isaac's stoic Duke, Stellan Skarsgård's
genuinely scary Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Jason Momoa’s fearless Duncan Idaho or Rebecca
Ferguson's enigmatic and remorseful Lady Jessica. Then at the centre of all of this is Timothée
Chalamet's soldiering Paul. He gives arguably the best performance of his young career as Paul
Atreides. Subtle and subdued, maintaining a stoic and regal demeanour before strangers but quietly
breaking down in front of those he trusts, this is a young man who understands the burden of being a
chosen one. He knows the path of his hero's journey will be paved in the blood of others.
Indeed, Dune interrogates the idea of a messiah in a way no other genre movie of this scale has,
focusing less on the actual person than on the concept of an anointed one and what belief in such
a figure can do to a group of people. Even though some of these characters have limited screen time,
every moment feels worth it to the story that is being told
and their characters are completely delivered on by the performances on display.
In my opinion, Denis Villeneuve has made a film that tells a complete story, but also
one that ends on a cliffhanger and can be taken as an invitation to Part Two. Of course, this
will all be based on if we do see that sequel. I will be going into the ending and this effect
in more detail in a separate video later this week, but as I'm alluding to, this ending is
one that down the line can satisfy the range of viewers. It tells us that we are going
on an extended journey through Zendaya's Chani literally communicating this at the end of the
film, but it also closes the chapter of Paul Atreides with him transitioning after into
Paul Muadib. The whole movie he is challenged by the idea of what he could become and how the
events going on around him will shape that person. The person who kills Jamis at the end of the film
is someone who is now about to take form. But again, the character of Paul Atreides
is dead along with most of the house that fought to keep him alive. It's a story of
tragedy but one that also influences the next chapter and meaningful character exploration.
Villeneuve chose to end this movie not on a huge climax or battle but rather, a critical
moment of character development. Now although things change and the character of Paul is
challenged even more so later on, the message of hope at the end is also revitalising and a great
point to end a story, even in this first part, nostalgic of the science fiction many of us saw
growing up. In fact, the film perfectly balances the new and the old, through examples in the
production like I mentioned before with the sets and costumes but also through its storytelling.
It's dense in details but it's also a very inviting and approachable story in the way
Villeneuve has told it. The central arc is Paul's and without overcrowding it
with many plot points and voiceovers, the audience is left to see what unfolds. It's
a perfect example of show, not tell and while other movies need more exposition, Dune could
have taken that stance. The director and his team didn't and I think it's all the better for it,
introducing a story, characters and locations that can be revisited and learned about even more
as we get more films. Dune feels more like The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,
a story that clearly has more to give but still delivered a satisfying conclusion to
its first chapter. We would be missing out on plenty if Part Two never comes to be,
but Part One is still a saga worth watching and rewatching over and over. More than anything,
Dune feels like the start of a story that will soon become a sci-fi filmmaking legend.
But that was my video discussing why I believe Denis Villeneuve's Dune is a modern masterpiece.
From the production to the characters to the storytelling, Dune is firing on all cylinders,
respectfully adapting what really needs to be in a film like this, and it's the
kind of project that will inspire many others years from now. It's pure cinema that demands
going to a theatre to watch it, not just because of the unbeatable visuals or cinematography but
because of its relatable, grounded and thematic story or events that can inspire you just like
2001: A Space Odyssey has over the decades since it's release. Yes, it leaves you wanting more
but there's no denying this first part is one that many will eat up and enjoy even though the
main course is still waiting to be served. It's my favourite science fiction film since Christopher
Nolan's Interstellar in 2014 and I can't wait to see how he brings the second half of Frank
Herbert's novel to life in Dune Part 2. I gave the movie a 9.25 out of 10 in my spoiler-free review
the other week, and I'm interested to see how the film will compare after many more rewatches
in the future. But let me know down below in the comments section what you thought of this latest
Dune adaptation alongside whether you agree with the points I have raised in this video. I will be
doing loads more breakdowns on the film including a video essay on the ending coming in the next few
days, so keep a lookout for whenever I post.
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