Though Dune has been (mostly) well-received by critics and fans alike (it currently sits at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes with a 94% audience score), the end of the movie has proved to be somewhat divisive. Even knowing that the film is "Part 1" going in, the conclusion of this first installment is being perceived as anticlimactic by some.
It's easy enough to understand why: there are no big battles, no resolutions to any major plotlines, and things are very much left up in the air for pretty much all of the surviving characters. However, the final scenes of the movie are more important than many seem to realize.
After narrowly escaping the Emperor's Sardaukar soldiers in the aftermath of a Harkonnen-planned attack that resulted in the deaths of several loved ones, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Fergusson) find themselves at the mercy of the desert and seeking aid from the notoriously inhospitable Fremen. Stilgar (Javier Bardem) agrees to take them under his protection after being bested by Jessica, but Jamis (Babs Olusanmokun) demands that they prove themselves in combat first, and Paul agrees to face the Fremen warrior.
Jamis severely underestimates the well-trained teenager, and while Paul is reluctant to take a life, he is forced to land a killing blow. The movie ends with Paul and Jessica being accepted into the tribe and led deeper into Fremen territory where they will attempt to harness "desert power" and strike back at the Harkonnens.
Without getting too far into (potential) spoilers for Part 2, Paul choosing to kill Jamis is an event which will ultimately shape his destiny and set him on a path that leads to... well, if you've read the books you'll know what happens, but let's just say there are big hints in some of the prophetic visions we glimpse throughout the movie.
What did you guys make of the ending? Are you excited to see a sequel? Drop us a comment down below, and check out our review if you're still on the fence about seeing Dune on the big screen.
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.