Dune (2021) Review

Dune (2021) Review

Dir. Denis Villeneuve 

 

Sci-Fi brilliance proves that cinema is still alive.

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A movie that needs to be seen. I had never read Frank Hebert’s famous novel, I hadn’t even seen David Lynch’s experimental but failed attempt from the 80s, nor had I seen the forgotten miniseries. Dune was new to me, and now it feels as enchantingly fresh as a whole new world should.

 

Villeneuve has constructed an unrivalled epic cinematic experience. Long, sprawling, spectacle-driven and utterly compelling. Dune is the cinema equivalent of learning a whole new language. At first its daunting, you are slightly bewildered, confused and maybe even frustrated. You may find yourself struggling to adjust, but at one point or another it just falls into place. Suddenly you are in the world of Dune. Suddenly you know the good from the bad, the strong from the weak. Suddenly you are transported to an enchanting new opportunity, you've learnt a new language. 

 

The world building is on par with the greatest first chapters of movie franchises. Like visiting Hobbiton for the very first time, or hearing a young farmhand complain to his Aunt and Uncle, or seeing a coddled baby left on a doorstep. 

 

The fascinating part of World building isn’t the big expository dialogue dumps, or the necessary character interactions. It’s the random moments that establish things completely alien to the viewer without hesitation or pragmatism, and you are just left to accept it as reality. Odd, unusual things characters do that establish this is a culture much different to what you know. That’s the stuff that sticks with you.

This is a film driven by the concept of cultures; it has many parallels to real world culture divides, holy wars and long-running grudges. There’s relevance in these words decades later. The costumes, the characterisation, the casting all highlight the importance of the cultural theme, and also the underlying narrative of imperialism and colonialism. Its a story about entering a world that doesn’t belong to you, meeting a people that are hostile, manoeuvring the long gap between two very different societies. 

 

How a movie as unconventional and un-blockbuster-y as Dune got made in today’s market is surprising to me. As we see the blockbuster dominate more and more, and the post-pandemic box office recovery threatens to wipe out the low-budget, the experimental, the artistic, Dune proves that the right combination of visionary auteur, marketable IP and a big of a hefty budget can still make for viewing of substance. More films like this please.

 

Dune is perfectly cast, and had me wondering if maybe its time for an Oscar category for best casting. The star power of the names is not distracting; as each actor is perfectly suited to their roles, some making the book’s characters completely their own. Standouts include a terrifying Stellan Skarsgard as Baron Harkonnen, an instantly likeable and brotherly Jason Mamoa as Duncan Idaho and an underrated but entirely vital performance from Britain’s own Sharon Duncan-Brewster who offers a new version of Dune’s Dr Kynes.

 

Villeneuve’s special effects combined with the scale and craft of the scenery, added to Hans Zimmer’s compelling and cultured score help bring the once unfilmable world of Dune to life. 

 

It will definitely not be everyone’s cup of tea. This film is driven by characters and story. Not by explosions and chases. Some may think its been mismarketed, but that’s natural. The pacing may sometimes threaten to lag, but you’re always too intrigued and too interested to ever find yourself bored or tired. 

 

Go and watch this movie, give it your time, give it a chance, live through the polarising shock of entering a completely alienating new world, and what results is a rewarding experience that pushes the boundaries of the form. 

 

Dune is the movie of the year. 

 

 

9/10 

Review by Elliott Thomas Griffiths