At a time when his family is called upon to protect the galaxy's most valuable resource; Spice - a material that can extend human life, makes interstellar travel possible, and is only found on the desert planet of Arrakis - Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) is trying to figure out if he's going to be the man everyone wants him to be. But with treachery closing in on House Atreides from all sides, and the Spice fields up for grabs, he's going to have to figure it out quick.
The man who brought us an epic sequel to Blade Runner has gone in search of an even bigger challenge, and the one he has set his heart on is Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic; Dune. This highly influential novel has in the past proven rather difficult to adapt for both the big and small screen. Not that that would deter someone like Denis Villeneuve, for whom making Dune has been a life-long ambition. Something that definitely shows in his recreation of this vast and rich universe. Everything is very grandiose; the ships, the houses, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (a rather disgusting and sinister looking Stellan Skarsgård) quite literally embodies the word with his great levitating mass, and lets not forget the famous sandworms. Even when you're out in the middle of the desert with the Fremen (Arrakis natives), you get a sense of how big the place is, and how small we are in comparison. The visuals alone are awe-inspiring, and when you add in Hans Zimmer's epic score and some striking sound design, as well as the masterful performances by a wonderfully diverse cast, this fascinating story is brought to life on the grand scale it deserves. Hopefully even hardcore fans of the franchise will be pleasantly surprised.
To say Dune isn't quite as straight forward as other sci-fi classics like Star Wars or Star Trek, would be an understatement. It quickly becomes apparent why the director chose to make this story in two parts. Part 1 involves a lot of world building. There's a lot to take in; with many factions desperately clinging to power, alliances and betrayals come and go on a regular basis. And that's before we get to the messianic tale at the heart of Dune. Now, inter-galactic politics proved a tad detrimental for the Star Wars prequel trilogy, possibly because it was a tad dry and we knew where it was all headed. But here Villeneuve cleverly interweaves the many layers of this rather heavy narrative in a way that's both intriguing and palatable - even if at times the uninitiated may feel like they need a guidebook. The thing that really draws you in however, is that it's difficult to know who to trust, especially with all the backhanded deals and betrayals, and the fact that the motives are not always clear. For some it's the usual - money and power - but there are others who tend to keep their cards closer to their chest, and caught in the middle of it all is a young Paul Atreides.
Most of what occurs throughout the movie is seen through Paul's eyes. Audiences learn the ways of Arrakis and its people along with him. Chalamet is incredible as Paul, he brings strength and vulnerability to this young man, plagued with visions and struggling with who he is and what is expected of him. On the one hand he is his father's heir, the future leader of House Atreides, but his mother is preparing him for something else entirely. Lady Jessica Atreides (Rebecca Ferguson) is a member of the Bene Gesserit - a cult-like sisterhood that has gained a massive influence over the galaxy and its inner workings - and she has trained her son in many of their ways. But even Lady Jessica isn't above suspicion. Ferguson brings a degree of mystery to the character, so much so that you're never really sure how genuine her love for Paul is, or if she's simply manipulating him to her own ends. The only thing that is clear is that there's a great sense of impending doom surrounding this family, and Villeneuve captures it in a way that you can almost feel it closing in on them.
Even with all the world building there is still more to Dune Part 1 than politics and talk. Much like Game of Thrones there is action and humour to be found here (without the nudity). There's an interesting meeting of the old and new ways when it comes to combat and self-defence in this universe. Thanks to some pretty cool personal defensive shields guns are useless, requiring combatants to get up close and personal with some rather sharp blades. All of the action is brilliantly choregraphed, with Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) and even Paul demonstrating their incredible skill with a sword on more than one occasion. Arrakis' giant mascots - the sandworms - also get to make a few appearances, everyone of which proves to be a rather tense affair, including an Ornithopter rescue of a Spice harvester crew. Seeing that massive machine disappear into the jaws of the sandworm is as incredible as it is terrifying. Thankfully Momoa's 'Duncan' can also be relied upon every now and then to break the tension with his cheeky sense of humour.
It's a shame that with all that's going on in this movie - and there is a lot - that some members of this magnificent cast (Dave Bautista, David Dastmalchian, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, Zendaya) don't get more than a bit part. But given that this represents about half of the book, there is definitely a chance for at least some of them to have their moment in part 2. Everything that happens is clearly building to a conflict of biblical, or should I say; "galactic" proportions. Denis Villeneuve has even promised that part 2 will be a lot more action-packed. And if it's anything like the incredible part 1, it will be a masterpiece in filmmaking. I for one hope we all get to see it.
The man who took on Blade Runner proved to be the perfect choice to tackle Dune - like there was any doubt. After several filmmakers tried and failed, Denis Villeneuve was able to turn Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic (the first half, anyway) into a cinematic masterpiece. It may still prove to be a little inaccessible for some - guidebooks may still be appropriate - but Dune was always going to be a marmite movie - you either love it or you hate it. So really there is only one last thing to be said; "Warner Bros. what are you waiting for? Green light Denis Villeneuve's Dune Part 2!!!"
10/10
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