Dune Movie Review: Epic, Brave, but Mightily Flawed

Dune — out now in cinemas and streaming on HBO Max — is a bold bet. It’s not anything like Star Wars, another epic sci-fi franchise that has defined and inspired the genre. There are no lightsabers, dogfights, or space battles here. The first big scale action comes near the halfway point (though after that, it doesn’t stop). Its characters don’t trade quips, or ping-pong across planets on a galactic adventure. Dune is set largely on one planet that gives the film its name. And there’s no humour on display here, it’s all self-serious. Dune is more akin to Game of Thrones, but in space, and, minus the sex and the humour. It serves up a whole lot of palace intrigue, hints at a questionable quasi-Biblical journey, and seemingly evokes Lawrence of Arabia at times.

But this is what we should have expected. After all, Dune comes from director Denis Villeneuve — he’s also co-writer with Jon Spaihts (Prometheus, Doctor Strange) and Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, A Star Is Born) — who has previously given us slow-moving self-serious sci-fi stories in Arrival, with Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, and Blade Runner 2049, with Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford. Villeneuve is now operating on a much grander scale with Dune, adapted from the first half (or so) of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel of the same name.

The film requires a lot of worldbuilding. The first non-action half of Dune is devoted to this, with Villeneuve doing his best to make it as interesting as possible. Still, there’s heavy servings of exposition, through a star-studded ensemble cast and talking encyclopaedias. Villeneuve crafts sequences of myriad lengths to explain the workings of the desert planet the film is set on. There’s one to talk about the “stillsuits” that allow humans to survive in the dunes. There’s a long one to set up what the planet’s gigantic sandworms are capable of. Everyone talks about the worms, but we rarely see them — it’s clever, like what Steven Spielberg did on Jurassic Park, but taken even further.

Dune benefits from the fact that Villeneuve understands scale. He can focus on the tiny just as well as he does on the big. Dune has mosquito-sized killer drones, but also city block-sized spaceships. It’s a vast spectrum, and Villeneuve handles it well, designing some memorable moments along the way. Here is a director who can finally realise the ambition of Herbert’s epic, which has long been considered “unfilmable” — a point proven by disappointing and forgettable attempts on both the big and small screens in the past.

All You Need to Know About Dune, the Next Sci-Fi Epic

But Villeneuve trips over himself in being faithful to the source material. He and his co-writers chopped and streamlined the story, but they retain its central elements. Set in a far-off future (the year is 10,191), Dune follows young white nobleman Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet who is appropriately skinny and lanky, though he’s clearly not the 15-year-old that Paul was at the start of the books. His mother is Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), part of conniving but mysterious Bene Gesserit order, who whisper into the Emperor’s ears and have considerable influence. That’s because their all-female members can see the future and wield a superpower called the Voice — think of it as mind control by way of talking. Jessica has been training Paul in the Voice, even though she was forbidden to, because he’s a boy, not the girl she was ordered to give birth to by her superiors.

Additionally, Paul has been having dreams — some of them feature Zendaya, whose character Chani exists more in Paul’s head than she does in the flesh — that might in fact be visions. The dreams give Dune an ethereal quality, like what you’re seeing is off kilter and supernatural, which it is. Dune’s writers also use them to hint at what’s to come in Dune: Part Two, a movie that may possibly never get made.

Although Paul was not initially a part of their plan, the Bene Gesserit believe that Paul could be a prophesised individual who can bend space and time. Given his potential Jesus Christ-type messiah status, they naturally want him protected. Though they also have ulterior motives that involve Paul’s father, Duke Leto Atriedes (Oscar Isaac), who has recently gotten a new posting from the Emperor.

House Atreides has been given stewardship of that desert planet, Arrakis — colloquially called Dune for the sand dunes that cover all of it. Arrakis is the only source for “spice” that makes space travel happen and grants superhuman powers. As such, spice is the most valuable substance in the universe. And those who control Arrakis are naturally going to mint money. But Arrakis is also home to the aforementioned gigantic sandworms which makes harvesting spice dangerous. And there’s an indigenous population known as the Fremen, who are hostile to any outsiders given the centuries of brutal and indifferent treatment they have witnessed at the hands of great and powerful houses.

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Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides in Dune
Photo Credit: Chiabella James/Warner Bros.

As you can tell, Dune has (intentional) parallels to Earth’s history of colonialism, and the atrocities that have been committed by white men, who were only interested in the resources and the associated monetary riches. Arrakis represents the Middle East, with spice an allegory for oil.

Forget the annoyance of yet another chosen one narrative — something Villeneuve was smart enough to upend on Blade Runner 2049 — there’s something uncomfortable about following a white boy when you’re telling a story that looks at the effects of imperialism. Though Dune kicks off by suggesting it’s interested in exploring that imperialist angle, the attempts at commentary are lost soon after.

Dune tries to smoothen out book-Paul’s edges, making him more sensitive, so his image as a saviour for Arrakis’ darker-skinned natives doesn’t feel egregious. But Dune needed to do a lot more.

Dune continuously borrows words, imagery, music and culture from the Middle East, just like Herbert did. The Emperor is the Padishah Emperor, Paul’s messianic name is Lisan al-Gaib, and Jessica’s ceremonial jewellery is characteristically of that region. Yet there isn’t a single main character who belongs to that place. It’s all about outsiders: Paul, Jessica, Leto, Duncan, Gurney. The first book is over 50 years old, so it’s natural that the text is wildly politically incorrect in parts and is lacking in representation. But Villeneuve’s attempts at diversity weirdly stop at casting African American actors. Dune’s failures in recognising the source’s blind spots are a grave mistake.

There’s also a bit of otherisation going on with the film’s villains. On Arrakis, House Atreides takes over from House Harkonnen who have built a considerable empire, having harvested spice for 80 years. Naturally, their chief Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) is mighty upset. Dune sets up the Harkonnens like a brutal zealot force out for blood. On the other hand, the Atreides are portrayed as noble, from Leto’s behaviour (he seeks an alliance with Fremen) to the way he talks (“no call we do not answer, no faith we betray”). But Dune never really wrangles with the idea that they are both villains for the Fremen. They believe it’s right to land on Arrakis and harvest its resources. The movie is never able (or again, willing) to dig beneath to expose the problematic worms within.

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Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho in Dune
Photo Credit: Chiabella James/Warner Bros.

Dune is two movies in one, though I’m not sure it works as either. Aside from the worldbuilding, the first half is a lot of political machinations with characters trying to out manoeuvre others, and cultural clashes with characters trying to understand one another. Villeneuve is once again trying to make thoughtful sci-fi fare, though Dune is also more mainstream than anything he has ever done. The second half is pure spectacle. Dune cinematographer Greig Fraser’s camera lingers on dragonfly-like spaceships, the explosions are both gorgeous and harrowing, and its characters battle sand and wind in a way that feels elemental. Hans Zimmer’s score isn’t always rousing, though it is when it needs to be. It finds a whole lot of other notes too, with the synth and vocalising giving Dune an otherworldly quality.

And it is definitely watchable moment to moment, given the murderers’ row of cast members. Isaac is a Star Wars veteran, Jason Momoa is Aquaman, Josh Brolin is Thanos and has been part of brilliant thriller films, and Zendaya is an Emmy-winning lead actress. I haven’t even gotten to the unrecognisable Skarsgård, and Ferguson who’s always fascinating in Mission: Impossible. Dune is filled with actors that would be lead stars elsewhere — but it’s not able to supply them with enough material. This is Chalamet’s movie after all, he’s virtually in every scene, though he is too vanilla for my taste here. It doesn’t help that Villeneuve require every character to treat every situation with the utmost gravity — Momoa the lone exception to the rule at times — which flattens the actors’ dynamism.

And going back to my opening argument, Dune is also a bold bet because it’s an incomplete tale. Titled onscreen as Dune: Part One, it covers about half of Herbert’s first book. You can tell that from the actors cast and their screen-time here — it’s clear they will have a much bigger role in the planned Dune: Part Two.

You can also tell it from the way it ends. Dune cuts out nary a resolution. It prompted me to go, “Wait, are we really going to stop here?” You might be forgiven for thinking that they couldn’t finish the film due to COVID or something. Even though it runs for 156 minutes (including credits), Dune is just half a movie. Or maybe a third, if Villeneuve gets his trilogy.

Spreading Dune (the book) over two movies (for now) does have its benefits. Villeneuve can take his time with the story, with its supporting roster of characters getting more time than they otherwise would. It also helps the worldbuilding. By the time Dune wraps up, you know enough of Arrakis and its evolving parts, that you will be intrigued enough to be craving for more.

Except the sequel might be years away, if it comes at all, because Warner Bros. has said that it will only greenlight one if Dune performs well on HBO Max.

Zendaya as Chani, Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in Dune
Photo Credit: Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros.

Maybe Dune: Part Two will improve on the first film’s socio-political failings too. Fremen will be a bigger part of Dune: Part Two, with Zendaya being the protagonist on the sequel, as Villeneuve has revealed. Given the focus on Paul, it seems unlikely that it will get very far in that regard. On the other hand, since it will complete the first book’s story, it could reflect well on Dune: Part One as the audience will have additional context and details.

Dune can’t be judged as a whole because its second part doesn’t exist (and may never will). For now, Dune must be evaluated on the basis of what we have. We are left with a very odd movie, one that contains a relatively straightforward tale, and is portentous by the scale it’s adopted on, and how it takes time in building its world. But if you’re telling Dune’s story in 2021, you need to recognise the dated-ness of the original body of work and do better.

Nevertheless, Dune is a brave undertaking. Kudos to Warner Bros. for giving Villeneuve the creative freedom despite the box office disappointment of Blade Runner 2049 — I imagine this might find a slightly bigger audience, though thanks to COVID-19 and that HBO Max day-and-date release, who knows how it fares commercially.

Dune is a herculean effort, but it might also be in vain. And while this is the best attempt at a Dune adaptation yet, it also feels like some distance away from being what it should be. Maybe some epics are just better left on the page. Maybe Dune really is “unfilmable”, as much as I disagree with that philosophy.

Dune is out Friday, October 22 in cinemas and on HBO Max. In India, Dune is available in English and Hindi. It will release October 29 in Maharashtra.


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Ver reseña: ¿Vale la pena ver Game of Thrones Wannabe de Apple TV+?

El año pasado, mientras Apple preparaba la programación para su nuevo servicio de transmisión, Apple TV+, surgieron informes que afirmaban que sus ofertas de contenido serían en gran medida aptas para familias, evitando la sangre y la violencia sangrienta, diálogos cargados de blasfemias y temas orientados a adultos que han impulsado la mayoría de los dramas televisivos más grandes de todos los tiempos. Esencialmente, Apple iba a hacer un Disney. Pero la presentación de la pizarra inicial el mes pasado reveló que esos informes aparentemente carecían de fundamento. Deje a un lado los programas dirigidos a niños, los otros seis en el lanzamiento o próximamente: la fantasía postapocalíptica See, la ciencia ficción de historia alternativa For All Mankind, el drama de noticias The Morning Show, el thriller psicológico Servant, la comedia biográfica Dickinson y la verdad. drama criminal Truth Be Told: todos tienen la certificación “A” en India (TV-MA o TV-14 en los EE. UU.).

Ver es posiblemente el más adulto de todos, considerando que claramente está tratando de ser el nuevo Juego de Tronos. (Según los informes, Apple gastó $ 15 millones, alrededor de Rs. 106 millones de rupias, por episodio en See, equivalente a lo que hizo HBO para la última temporada de Thrones, lo cual es ridículo para un programa no probado sin una base de fans existente). El creador de Peaky Blinders, Steven Knight, está en el timón, que explica los cortes de garganta gráficos entre otras escenas brutales, de See, que se desarrolla siglos después de que un virus diezmara a la población humana y privara a los sobrevivientes de la capacidad de ver. Ahora, la visión existe solo como un mito y cualquiera que hable de ello es tildado de hereje. Para la serie de Apple, eso es simplemente una excusa para obligar a su mundo a regresar a la Edad Media, incluso antes del escenario equivalente de Game of Thrones de la Edad Media.

Pero las comparaciones con la exitosa serie de HBO son superficiales, como la inclusión de una posible relación incestuosa entre un sobrino y su tía. See no tiene nada que ofrecer más allá de su premisa superficial y su violencia: no tiene una trama apasionante, ni personajes interesantes, ni mensajes relevantes. Es una cáscara vacía de un espectáculo. Las únicas ideas que se abordan en los primeros tres episodios del total de ocho —a eso tuvieron acceso los críticos, incluidos nosotros— son la maternidad, los lazos familiares y la mentalidad de tribu, pero See no sabe cómo crear escenas emocionales o construirlos. (Francis Lawrence, detrás de tres de las cuatro películas de Los Juegos del Hambre, es el director). Además, la serie de Apple es seca, seria y sin sentido del humor, lo que hace que recuerde más a Britannia que a Juego de Tronos.

See comienza con una mujer llamada Maghra (Hera Hilmar) que da a luz a gemelos, un niño y una niña, en una cueva, con la ayuda de una misteriosa partera llamada Paris (Alfre Woodard). Mientras tanto, el esposo de Maghra, pero no el padre de sus hijos, Baba Voss (Jason Momoa), está en el frente con otros miembros de su tribu, los Alkenny. Él está tratando de frustrar un asalto de los Cazadores de Brujas liderados por Tamacti Jun (Christian Camargo), quien ha sido informado por un soplón de Alkenny llamado Gether Bax (Mojean Aria) que el padre de los bebés es Jerlamarel (Joshua Henry), un guerrero solitario que puede ver. Jun tiene la tarea de encontrarlo y capturarlo a instancias de la reina Kane (Sylvia Hoeks), y sus hijos también se convierten en objetivos principales después de que nacen con la vista.

Con la ayuda de Jerlamarel, los Alkenny escapan de las garras de los Witchfinders y se establecen en una nueva tierra, donde Baba Voss los separa del resto del mundo para proteger a sus hijos, ahora llamados Kofun (Archie Madekwe) y Haniwa (Nesta Cooper). . Después de que Maghra, Baba y Paris descubren que los niños pueden ver, deciden ocultar la verdad al resto de su tribu, ya que algunos de ellos estaban dispuestos a entregar a los bebés para salvar su propio pellejo. Y eso fue antes de que Alkenny supiera que los niños eran “herejes”. Durante casi dos décadas, los niños crecen aislados y en secreto, usando su vista para ayudar a los demás y a sí mismos. Mientras tanto, Gether, que tiene mala voluntad hacia Baba y Paris por haber quemado a su madre en la hoguera, sigue intentando sabotear todo.

En tierras lejanas, la reina Kane, líder de la tribu Payan, está luchando contra las voces subordinadas disidentes y, por lo tanto, predica intencionalmente filosofías contrastantes para retener el poder. Públicamente, ella culpa a la visión de causar el apocalipsis en primer lugar, alegando que los hombres cometieron malas acciones porque podían ver. Palabras vacías considerando el dolor y la destrucción causados ​​por los Witchfinders. En privado, Kane revela que quiere encontrar a Jerlamarel para poder usarlo para traer más bebés con la vista al mundo, lo que la ayudaría a fortalecerse. Su palacio, que se encuentra dentro de una presa abandonada que genera hidroelectricidad, es uno de los pocos remanentes del pasado futurista en See, junto con un tocadiscos, la única pieza de tecnología en pantalla, propiedad de Kane.

El mayor problema con See es a nivel de guión, ya que la escritura prácticamente no nos da una idea de sus personajes, que aparentemente existen para hacer avanzar la narrativa. Olvídese de insinuar posibles arcos de personajes, apenas sabemos nada sobre la mayoría de los protagonistas y antagonistas después de los primeros tres episodios. Baba Voss, Queen Kane y Gether Bax son los más desarrollados de todos, y por la mayoría, queremos decir “muy poco”, mientras que nos dan casi nada para Paris y Maghra, a quienes se puede describir simplemente como la madre. Como prueba adicional de lo poco que tiene que decir, los personajes repiten lo mismo una y otra vez cuando se trata de su principal motivación o postura sobre un tema. Es casi como si See pensara que su audiencia no puede molestarse en concentrarse en lo que sucede en la pantalla.

Jason Momoa como Baba Voss en Ver
Crédito de la foto: Apple

Más allá de la escritura mediocre, See tampoco cumple con las secuencias de acción, que generalmente dependen de la estupidez de los villanos para permitir que los héroes salgan victoriosos. También delatan una falta de escala a veces, tanto más sorprendente si Apple realmente ha gastado la cifra reportada de $ 15 millones por episodio en See. Game of Thrones filmó sus temporadas iniciales con la mitad de ese presupuesto promedio, y el programa de HBO aún logró verse más impresionante. La lista de personajes de See también es mucho más pequeña que la de Thrones, donde había tantas familias que podía matar repetidamente a los personajes principales durante gran parte de su tiempo de ejecución sin paralizar la narrativa. Eso significa que también hay menos riesgos en su acción, ya que See no puede darse el lujo de matar a ninguno de sus personajes principales.

Además, el concepto central de See, un virus que mató a la mayoría y cegó al resto, se convierte en una broma de vez en cuando, ya que todos son un poco temerarios en la serie de Apple. Basándose en el respaldo científico de cómo perder un sentido reconfigura el cerebro y estimula otros, See esencialmente otorga superpoderes a sus personajes. Dado que todos en el programa son ciegos, eso significa que todos tienen una audición más aguda, con diferentes aplicaciones que van desde detectar mentiras, estimar el tamaño de una amenaza entrante y detectar el movimiento más allá del horizonte. (Otros pocos seleccionados tienen narices más equipadas que les permiten detectar cosas abstractas como el miedo, que no es tan útil, naturalmente). Pero la falta de variedad disminuye el atractivo.

Todo eso se une para conformar un espectáculo que claramente no tiene nada a su favor. Extrañamente, Apple ya renovó See para una segunda temporada antes de su lanzamiento, aunque un informe afirma que la serie verá “un cambio en la parte superior”, lo que significa que Knight o Lawrence, o ambos, están listos para dar paso. para alguien más. Sin embargo, es discutible si eso mejorará See, dado su estado actual como un intento desastroso y completamente olvidable de ser el próximo Game of Thrones. No hay escasez de contendientes en el espacio también, con Amazon, Netflix y HBO, todos tratando de llenar ese vacío. Pero para Apple la calidad de sus originales es primordial ya que no va a ofrecer nada más, a diferencia de otros. Claro, tiene dinero para gastar en TV+, pero See es una prueba de que sus clientes deberían pensarlo dos veces.

Mira los estrenos el 1 de noviembre en Apple TV+ en todo el mundo con tres episodios, seguidos de un episodio nuevo cada viernes.

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