DUNE Review; "Feels More Like The Prologue To A Must-See Second Half Than A Perfect Film In Its Own Right"

DUNE Review; "Feels More Like The Prologue To A Must-See Second Half Than A Perfect Film In Its Own Right"

Dune arrives in theaters and on HBO Max later this week, but is the positive buzz warranted? While this is certainly a very special movie, it's also one that blatantly feels like a "Part One" story...

Review Opinion
By JoshWilding - Oct 18, 2021 12:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Dune

Hindsight is 20/20, and you have to believe Warner Bros. would have held off on making its entire 2021 slate available on HBO Max the same day movies arrive in theaters had they predicted the domestic box office’s recent revival. With some titles, that dual release really doesn’t matter, but for Dune - which is billed as "Part One" mere minutes in - that revenue is crucial in order to give director Denis Villeneuve the opportunity to complete his vision and tell this story in its entirety. Why are we already talking about a sequel? Well, make no mistake about it; Dune is half of a much bigger movie, and while there’s plenty to love about this sweeping epic, it doesn’t necessarily make for the most satisfying viewing experience regardless of how big the screen you watch it on is. 

Villeneuve, who penned the screenplay alongside Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth, doesn’t give much thought to those unfamiliar with Frank Herbert’s novel (or previous adaptations), making Dune a far cry from the commercially friendly blockbuster Warner Bros. has promoted it as. There’s a lot to unpack here with the complicated mythology, and despite a 155-minute runtime, not much of that is devoted to providing backstory and explanations for some of the stranger aspects of this world. It’s lucky then that Dune is so compelling from the very start; it certainly requires multiple viewings to be fully appreciated, but as the action intensifies, you’ll find yourself full drawn into the warring clans, Arrakis and, crucially, the story of Paul Atreides. 

Timothée Chalamet is a talent, but puts himself on the map in a big way here with a performance that will draw you in and keep you invested from start to finish. Balancing being the ducal heir of House Atreides and the emergence of abilities that could change everything about the world he knows, Paul is a complex character who required an actor capable of delivering a layered, enthralling performance. Chalamet proves himself perfect for that. Far from a traditional action hero, but still very much the lead protagonist a movie like Dune needs, this is some of his best work to date. Rebecca Ferguson is equally as captivating as Lady Jessica, though it feels like the best is yet to come from her. The same could be said of the other performers clearly being saved for bigger roles in the sequel (we won’t spoil who they are), but you’ll walk away suitably impressed by the stellar work of actors like Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, and Javier Bardem. 
 


It’s unfortunate that neither Zendaya nor Dave Bautista receives more screentime because both impress here; once again, that’s a result of this basically being half a movie. It’s just lucky the rest of the ensemble is so damn incredible because these two being what some will perceive as "wasted" is easy enough to forgive. Still, it's a shame. 

Visually, Dune is impressive, but there are a handful of times the visual effects let down everything else that’s playing out around them. It’s hard not to be left in awe at the scale of the worlds we visit, while character and costume design is also undeniably impressive. However, some locations and ships do look like they’ve just been placed on top of a real location and blatantly look like they’ve originated from inside a computer. That doesn’t necessarily hurt how immersive the story is, but this is by no means some sort of visually stunning masterpiece that will leave you awed. Greig Fraser’s cinematography, however, will, and the movie is often at its best in the quieter, intimate moments. Still, as with Blade Runner 2049, Villeneuve proves himself more than capable of delivering blockbuster action, and if that’s solely what you’re looking for, you won’t ever be bored. Engrossing, thrilling, and monumental in equal measure, the movie is a little humourless, but is exciting and captivating enough to make up for a lack of laughs. 

Dune is a very good movie and, if that "Part Two" ever materialises, it will likely be elevated into a great one. Unlike other "Part Ones" that were clearly meant to have a sequel - Star Wars, Avengers: Infinity War, and even Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows all spring to mind - this isn’t necessarily a wholly satisfying experience as a standalone feature. The entire movie is spent getting us to a point that sets the stage for what promises to be an even better sequel, and while we can certainly appreciate what a well-crafted, wonderfully acted sci-fi epic this is, it does feel like something that would have worked better as TV series. If nothing else, knowing the sequel had been shot or was on the way would make this a somewhat less frustrating experience, but as things stand, it feels like the best is still yet to come...hopefully. 

Dune is every bit as magnificent as you’ve been led to believe, but feels more like the prologue to a must-see second half (that may or may not happen) than a perfect film in its own right. Aside from that, though, it rarely disappoints. 

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DannRamm113
DannRamm113 - 10/18/2021, 12:04 PM
Gonna try to go this Friday, have no fricken idea what Dune actually is about from the marketing (I'm not a built in audience, haven't read the book or old movie)

I feel like all my hype comes from people being like "this movie is gonna be amazing" rather than myself thinking it will be lol
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 10/18/2021, 12:05 PM
@DannRamm113 - "this movie is gonna be amazing"

That was definitely the case for me, because I didn't know a lot about the book either. And that honestly kinda doesn't work to it's advantage
marvel72
marvel72 - 10/18/2021, 12:07 PM
@DannRamm113 -

Worms

movie



Reality

regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 10/18/2021, 12:19 PM
@DannRamm113

I’d watch any of Denis V’s movies before going. Prisoners, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049 would all be good starting points. I’d probably start with either Arrival or BR2049 since they have more of a sci-fi bent to them.
MrDandy
MrDandy - 10/18/2021, 1:12 PM
@regularmovieguy - I would say Sacario and Arrival are usually seen as his most accessible of his films.
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 10/18/2021, 2:27 PM
@MrDandy

That’s a good call - I forget Sicario sometimes but it’s phenomenal.

Arrival blew me away and is very palatable.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 10/18/2021, 12:05 PM
I would still give it four stars (the atmosphere of the movie is just so great), but other than that this is pretty much how I feel about it too.
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 10/18/2021, 12:06 PM
Seeing this in a real IMAX (hopefully this weekend). Don’t want to see anyone watching this via piracy and then begging for a sequel. Theaters or HBOMAX if you’d prefer not to leave your home.
OmegaDaGrodd
OmegaDaGrodd - 10/18/2021, 12:06 PM
I get the impression Dune is going to be a great movie to look at and vibe out to. I feel like most of DV's movies I've seen have captured that feel of movies I grew up on that aren't always as narratively dense or all that evocative emotionally, but just have a really intentional atmosphere that makes viewing them unique. I think going in with that lens will help avoid any "set up-itis" or feeling disappointed if there isn't as much to chew on under the surface of the story
kylo0607
kylo0607 - 10/18/2021, 12:10 PM
Seeing this tonight in the UK.

Beyond hyped!
GhostDog
GhostDog - 10/18/2021, 12:11 PM
Going Thursday night.
Cap1
Cap1 - 10/18/2021, 12:13 PM
There’s an argument for whether theres much more to it than to just make you sit in awe, but I was quite delightfully awed so I didn’t mind. I can totally see the gripes with it being one half, it’s just such a dense half that again it didn’t bother me. It’s like a main course for an appetiser, which is fine by me
DoubleD
DoubleD - 10/18/2021, 12:16 PM
YAWN! Never been excited about Dune. I will check it out but I didn't like the previous movies.
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 10/18/2021, 12:17 PM
@DoubleD

Let’s hope it lives up to the high scores that VENOM and Suicide Squad (2016) earned with you.
Benjamitesandwich
Benjamitesandwich - 10/18/2021, 12:17 PM
I’m so excited for this. If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend you do. I’m also so happy this will be a two-parter rather than a single movie. I’ve seen people complain about this, but honestly, one movie can’t do it justice. There’s so much subtext to the story that can’t be fleshed out in 2 hours.
MrDandy
MrDandy - 10/18/2021, 12:19 PM
Super excited for this. I get people feeling that this is a build up missing the conclusion but that’s always a danger with splitting a single story in two. Love the book and can’t wait to catch this
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 10/18/2021, 12:26 PM
This movie looks like a feast for the eyes. Looking forward to it.
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 10/18/2021, 12:28 PM
@ModHaterSLADE - that it does, mayt. That it does.
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 10/18/2021, 12:36 PM
One last thing ..

It’s okay not to not get a 100% grasp on everything after you see a movie. Some of my favorite movies to watch have layers to them, layers that are initially somewhat insignificant on first viewing.

Feel like I felt this upon watching BR2049 in theaters. Having watched the original Blade Runner that same week there were still a ton of questions I had about the movie.

And this makes them all the more enjoyable upon rewatch.
WakandanQueen
WakandanQueen - 10/18/2021, 12:55 PM
This is the best film I've seen all year and I'm sure it will rank very high once the year is over. Absolutely one of the finest big budget studio films ever made. That score will be stuck in my head for a while. Rebecca Ferguson! Probably #2 in terms of Villeneuve, right under BR2049.
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 10/18/2021, 12:55 PM
I’ve never been so intrigued by a movie who’s trailer I’ve seen like 10 times and I still have no idea what the movie is about.
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