In the year 10191, House Atreides is assigned by the Empire to rule over the desert planet of Arrakis and harvest the resource known as Spice, unaware that it's an elaborate coup to eliminate the whole family and allow House Harkonnen to continue their iron-fisted rule over the planet. As Paul Atreides, the son of Duke Leto, starts to have mysterious dreams and visions about Arrakis and its people, Harkonnen attacks, causing Paul and his mother to escape and stranded in the hostile environment. Paul, and his growing power known as "the voice", seeks vengeance on House Harkonnen and the Empire by allying himself with the local populous known as the Fremen. The film only covers half of the acclaimed novel and it really shows. I won't go into much detail, but the ending feels abrupt, almost as if we just ended in the first act of a greater story. While that can be problematic for those wanting a more conclusive story, the film excel in its storytelling. Frank Hubert's novel is infamous for its complicated lore and narrative, but the film manages to make it as digestible as possible to those unfamiliar with the source material. It can be easily viewed as a straight-up sci-fi epic about good vs. evil and the chosen one archetype, while also incorporating various themes and allegories on religion, colonialism, politics, and historical resonance. While there's a bit of humour, it's a film that takes itself very seriously and is nowhere near the 80's cheese that can be found in the original 1984 adaptation.
The cast is enormous to try and condense for everyone and considering the part-one nature, not everyone is given much screen-time, but I will try my best to get the most important characters across. Timothee Chalamet as Paul is great at playing this distant, almost emotionless teen who is forced into a massive conflict and prophecy that he has to take part of. While some might say that his acting is wooden, that's just how the character is written from the novel. Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica is fitting as the mother of Paul who have a special bond due to her heritage as a Bene Gesserit. Oscar Issac as Duke Leto is very good as the noble lord who hopes to make peace with the Fremen unlike House Harkonnen. Lastly, Stellan Skarsgard is brillaint as the villainous Baron, a vicious, gluttonous lord who wants to keep control of Arrakis and the Spice harvest. The supporting cast is also well-cast, but are limited in their screen presence. Jason Momoa is fun as Duncan, a high-ranking soldier of House Atreides, Josh Brolin is perfect as Gurney, the serious weapons-master and mentor to Paul, Dave Bautista reeks of menace as Rabban, the nephew of the Baron, Zendaya is fitting as Cheni, the Fremen love interest for Paul, and Javier Bardem steals whatever scene he's in as Stilgar, the leader of the Fremen. There are far more minor characters that I'm leaving out, but everyone here is doing a great job with their respective character, so much so that not one of them surpasses the other in regards to stealing the film for themselves. While not everyone is developed or characterized here, I will let it slide due to this being a part-one of a larger story.
Denis Villeneuve is quickly becoming one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of this generation and it's not hard to see why. Right away, Villeneuve perfectly brings the aesthetic of the source material to life. The technology and costumes are the right blend of timeless and modern to make a surreal-looking distant future. There's both a sense of grit and beauty to the film, which Villeneuve knows exactly how to balance akin to previous works in "Arrival" and "Blade Runner 2049." The cinematography by Greg Fraser is excellent with massive wide-shots that show off the scope of the world and extensive cast. Fraser's camerawork screams both prestige and cinematic experience by the calculative spacing and framing. The score by Hans Zimmer is one of his best efforts of his career with the use of choir, booming music, and feel of dread and epic-ness. Instead of sounding futuristic and modern, it has a more timeless and natural base. At times, it does get a bit too repetitive and even abrasive during scenes with no real action, but it's still a fantastic score. The visual effects, much like Villeneuve's previous films, are used effortlessly here that it feels real and expansive of the world, all thanks to the camerawork and direction that makes it feel more feasible then it really is. Lastly, there's the action, which the film lacks, but makes up for it with its execution and style. The use of sword-fighting has a raw, close-combat approach while incorporating a martial arts flair along with the imaginative designs and principles of the world-building. This is not a film for action fanatics, but it's one that is executed almost flawlessly by Villeneuve's involvement.
"Dune: Part One" may not be my favourite film from Villeneuve, but that's not saying much in regards to his resume. While the part-one structure and some underdeveloped side characters may dimmer the quality for the time being, this is still an excellent attempt at adapting what is widely regarded as one of the most impossible novels to adapt onscreen. From the digestible storytelling, various themes and allegories that can be interpreted, brilliant actors that perfectly fit their respective characters to the point of all being on the same level of talent, Fraser's camerawork sharing the grand scope, prestige and movie-going experience that this story demands, Zimmer's unique and timeless score, outstanding visual effects, great bits of action, and Villeneuve's direction and portrayal of Hubert's world and large sense of scope, scale, and lore that manages to feel tangible. "Blade Runner 2049" is still the best film he has made to date, but this is a close second for sure.
Verdict: 9/10. A sci-fi classic in the making. "Part Two" has a lot of pressure on its shoulders now after this debut.
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