David Lynch tried to adapt Frank Herbert’s famously “unadaptable” Dune to little success in 1984. But now Denis Villeneuve is having a crack at telling his version of events in perhaps the biggest film of the year, and certainly of this Venice film festival.
But the title card doesn’t read Dune, it boldly declares itself as “Dune: Part One”. And, from a narrative standpoint, it’s clear why Villeneuve decided to split his vision into two parts. Herbert’s novel is a heady sci-fi extravaganza and Lynch’s main issue was not giving things the room to breathe. Villeneuve, however, allows us to bask in his Arrakis – a grand, desolate desert where the people want to kill you as much as the creatures do. When Duke Leto of House Atreides (Oscar Isaac) moves his wife Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and son Paul (Timothee Chalamet) amidst a time of political unrest, they find their power being challenged which threatens to send the entire Imperium into a new war.
This does mean that Dune offers a more pensive approach to its world-building and storytelling. This is a moody space-opera that dares to be different by blending grand scale with slower, more thoughtful storytelling to create a blockbuster experience quite unlike anything out there. For many, it’s a refreshing change of pace to the more generic fare we see these days from the mainstream studios. But it does run the risk of alienating audiences. With a budget over $165 million, it’s hard to say what the box office returns will be like on an epic with arthouse sensibilities. It feels very much like a spiritual successor to Blade Runner 2049 in that sense, only this time it’s Villeneuve playing in a much bigger sandbox. This is very much a first-parter though that sets events into motion for the rest of the story so it’s heavily reliant on the sequels to embellish everything we’ve seen thus far.
Perhaps star-power will be a saving grace, packing a roster full of talent like Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgard, and Zendaya (to name just a few). But it’s the trio of Ferguson, Isaac, and Chalamet that are the heart of Dune; their dynamic is subliminally realised, with an emotional core that resonates as the film progresses. Villeneuve masterfully builds to those set-pieces that make them all the more investing to watch. Of course, the spectacle on display is nothing short of jaw-dropping too. Each scene is directed with such visceral energy that you feel like you’re right there fighting for your life with these folk.
“This is only the beginning,” teases Zendaya’s enigmatic Chani. One can only hope to God that she’s right. They don’t make blockbusters like this anymore. Villeneuve’s masterpiece is a sensory symphony of spectacle, booming sound (yet another terrific score from Hans Zimmer), and storytelling quite unlike you’ve ever seen. This is a cinematic odyssey and it’s every bit as visceral as it is epic.
Dune
Summary
Storytelling quite unlike you’ve ever seen. This is a cinematic odyssey and it’s every bit as visceral as it is epic.
