Film: Dune

 

GENRE: Drama, Adventure
RATING: PG-13 for violence and some suggestive material
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 35 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Timothy Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name, Little Women)
Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible 5&6); Jason Momoa (Aquaman)
DIRECTOR: Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Sicaro, Blade Runner 2049)
WRITERS: Jon Spaihts (Prometheus), Denis Villeneuve (newcomer)
Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, Munich, Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
PLOT: The son of a noble family is entrusted with one of the most vital elements in the galaxy.  

FULL DISCLOSURE: I haven’t read the book.

STORY STUFF: This was way better than the 1984 version. It was less confusing than I thought it would be. There are still some motivations that aren’t clear to me but I think I got most of the plot. The pacing is okay but keep in mind this is only Part One. I think one of the things that keep a film like this out of the Star Wars realm is its lack of humour. They take themselves way too seriously. Sure, the film deals with attempted genocide but I still wish there were some more lighter moments. Give me a breather.   

ACTING STUFF: Lots of serious acting. The cast brings it. I particularly enjoyed the repartee between Chalamet’s Paul and Momoa’s Duncan but that’s also shown in the trailer. I wish there was more. Zendaya (Greatest Showman, Spider-man) doesn’t have much to do in this part. I’m assuming she has more in Part Two.   

ARTISTIC STUFF: The set design and cinematography is phenomenal. They’ll definitely be getting a bunch of Oscar nominations. The impressively large sets juxtaposed with the actors is awesome as well as the great use of light in a tight corridor. Villeneuve knows how to set a scene. It definitely deserves the big screen treatment. I enjoyed the style of the protective shields but found them quite ineffectual at times. I also really liked the design of the dragonfly ships, not sure if they were practical though. 

VERDICT: Three stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You like sand and serious acting and action
UPCOMING REVIEW: The French Dispatch