Dune (2021) Movie Review - DUUUUUUNNNEEEEE!
I loved it! That's all I have to say.
Story
Duke Leto of House Atreides, is assigned to rule a planet called Arrakis, a.k.a
Dune. It's a desert planet with limited water source and giant Sandworms. But it's the only world that has a rich source of "spice" which is a valuable resource used as a drug, commerce and
makes it possible for interstellar travel. Leto bring his family along with him
which includes, Lady Jessica, and their son, Paul. Paul tags
along with his father to overseer the spice mining facilities and to learn the inner workings of politics within his kingdom. However,
their enemy, the Harkonnens, takes over Arrakis and this forces Jessica and Paul to escape into the harsh
environment of Dune. They meet the Fremens, natives of Dune, and seeks
refuge with them.
Paul makes an alliance with the Fremen people who teaches Paul how to survive the desert and shows him the ways of their culture. The community has a belief that Paul is the Chosen One, who will lead their people to victory. As Paul slowly awakens his true powers, he is determine to return to his rightful place and take Arrakis back.
I can understand that this type of story might not be for everyone.
It's a very serious space opera drama and the themes can be heavy and complex. When
I first read the book (I only read the first novel), it was hard to understand what was going on. Because, there are many new vocabulary
words to learn and the world building is so dense. It has themes of
politics, religion, spiritualism, and environmentalism, all in one. But as I
got further into the story, it made more sense and I learned as I go through
the eyes of the characters.
I may not understand all of the themes, but I did find the ideas that Frank Herbert, the author, created are so fascinating. It must of have been mind blowing when this came out back in the 60s and made a huge impact for the modern sci-fi genre. Herbert led a very interesting life and I can see that he gets his ideas from his own life experiences. No wonder the Dune series has stood the test of time... ya, I see where George Lucas get his ideas from...
This movie is just part 1 of 2. Part 1 set ups the first half of the book as it introduces you the characters, and the world they live in. The pacing is a lot better here than in the book. In the book, it's a slow-burn read and it really drags out. You actually feel like you're on a long journey with Paul. At least in the movie, it didn't feel boring and it continues to move along smoothly onto the main points. Even if you are not familiar with the book, I think you'll easily understand what's going on. (maybe)
The only negative thing I can say about this movie is that I
wished we get to know more about the secondary characters, besides Paul's
family. Every character has a story and diverse personalities. I understand the movie
doesn't have time to explore them. Still, Paul experiences so many loses,
I wished it had a little more impact for the emotional parts.
This
movie gives me some hope. Because, Hollywood is declining and losing touch with reality. I'm
glad to see some people working in the entertainment industry care about making good art and
creating good stories. In this case, respecting the original source material. I hope
that it will be a successful franchise, especially in these difficult times. Right
now, we need some good entertainment.
Adaptation (Novel) DUNE by Frank Herbert
Released Oct.22.2021
Director Denis Villeneuve
Cast Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Zendaya, Stellan Skarsgård
Where Warner bros. / HBO Max
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