Movie Review: Dune

6/10

A visually arresting but emotionally cold sci-fi epic.

The critics raved about Denis Villeneuve‘s adaptation of Dune. As a fan of Blade Runner 2049, Sicario, and Arrival, I wanted to deem it a masterpiece. But I just couldn’t.

The latest Dune adaptation is faithful to the classic Frank Herbert novel. The cinematography is breathtaking, the performances are solid, and the narrative hits the same major points as the novel. Political games and conniving leaders vie for control of Arakis, and ultimately “the spice”, which we are told is a key material for space transport.

Ultimately, I just didn’t feel anything for any of the characters. The film felt like a 2.5 hour introduction to a story, which leads little room for arcs or a full sense of a “hero’s journey”. Villains are only glimpsed and romantic arcs are only hinted at. Maybe that’s the problem: I need to see the saga in its entirety to really make a judgment call.

Still, I didn’t find Paul Atreides to be particularly arresting as a protagonist. The film didn’t really give us a reason to want him to ultimately become a “Messiah” for the Fremen, the natives on Arakis who have long been tormented and repressed by exploitative colonialists. I just didn’t really care. Maybe it’s because Paul himself doesn’t really seem to care for most of the film.

And maybe that’s the point, that everyone in the film is a political pawn for someone else. Duke Atreides is tragically just a pawn for the emperor, just as Paul is a pawn for the Bene Gesserit and their creepy breeding program (they are experimentally breeding with powerful figures in hopes of creating some sort of “savior” for the universe). I find that interesting, but it still didn’t make me feel much for anyone in the movie.

I may change my opinion when I’ve seen the second half of Dune. It has been officially greenlit and is slated for a 2023 theatrical release. Until then, I have to be honest with my reaction to the film, as someone who already read the book and watched the 80’s version: cool visuals, but meh.