“Dune” is finally here. Well, that’s to say that “Dune” is half here. For anyone not paying attention, Denis Villeneuve’s sweeping sci-fi epic is a glorious sight to behold, and unquestionably one of the most game-changing science fiction films since the original “Star Wars.” But all that praise should be issued with an asterisk: it is, after all, merely part one.
For the uninitiated, “Dune” follows the House Atreides as they take control over the desert planet Arrakis from the House Harkonnen. There’s plenty of backstabbing, political intrigue, and worldbuilding that goes on from almost the immediate start of the film, but “Dune” is yet another showcase of Viilleneuve’s incredible ability to disclose large amounts of information in a brisk, interesting way. At no point does it feel like too much, like you’re being bombarded with over or under-explained science-fiction mumbo jumbo.
A large part of that success is due to a tight script from Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts (“Doctor Strange,” “Prometheus”), and Eric Roth (“Forrest Gump,” “Munich”). Villeneuve and Spaihts bring their knowledge of science-fiction scopes and Roth brings his experience with down-to-earth, human stories to create a tale that, despite the scale of everything, never loses sight of the fact that these are people dealing with both political and economic challenges, but also emotional struggles.
The cast also deserves heaps of praise for managing to wrangle characters of immense personality with names like Duncan Idaho into people you truly care about, regardless of the amount of time they’re on screen. Lead by Timothée Chalamet (“Lady Bird,” “Little Women”) as Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson (“The Greatest Showman,” “Doctor Sleep”) as Lady Jessica, the entire cast excels at delivering the right mixture of commitment to the seriousness of this sci-fi opera drama and also embracing the camp of it all. Oscar Isaac (“Inside Llewyn Davis,” “”Star Wars: The Last Jedi””) shines as Duke Leto Atreides, Paul’s father, and the supporting cast consisting of Josh Brolin (“The Goonies,” “No Country for Old Men”), Stellan Skarsgård (“The Hunt for the Red October,” “Mamma Mia!”), Dave Bautista (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Blade Runner 2049”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Lady Bird,” “LIncoln”), Zendaya (“euphoria,” “Spider-Man: Far From Home”), David Dastmalchian (“Ant-Man,” “The Suicide Squad”), Chang Chen (“Brotherhood of Blades,” “Love and Destiny”), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (“Bad Girls,” “EastEnders”), Charlotte Rampling (“The Damned,” “Georgy Girl”), Jason Momoa (“See,” “Aquaman”), and Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Skyfall”).
It's worth listing virtually the entire cast because, even down to the smallest roles, everyone here is bringing their A-game no matter their screen time. It feels like a group of people who all sat down and decided that, to make this movie and world as good as it can be, everyone has to work together and be as good as possible, billing order be damned. And that’s what they’ve done. While there are certainly standouts, it's an across the board excellent ensemble that makes this world and conflict feel truly believable from beginning to end.
Chalamet is excellent, with his extreme likability meshing perfectly with the rich outsider archetype Paul falls into. He never feels entitled, instead coming off as a scared kid being thrust into a world he’s not prepared to take charge of. Ferguson, meanwhile, absolutely steals the entire film. Her portrayal of Lady Jessica is a taught and memorable one, fluctuating between a comforting motherly figure and also a teacher and mystical trainer for Paul and showcasing the internal conflict involved with such differing roles. Isaac is also just so good as Duke Leto, showcasing his inherent charisma and ability to be a stern leader without losing his smirk and warmth.
Some supporting cast members do stand out more than others. McKinley Henderson continues to exude his unique kind of warm grandfatherly energy from every one of his roles thus far, Momoa is just as weird and has just as much wide-eyed charismatic star power as you’ve heard, Chen is remarkably understated and emotional in his brief screen time, Duncan-Brewster also makes a marked impact with less screen time than others, and Skarsgård is just having a ball coated in layers of prosthetic makeup and dipping himself in all manner of steam and goo. If you need any further proof of the overall excellence of this entire cast, look no further than the fact that the “standouts” make up about half of them.
Visually, “Dune” is absolutely stunning. While its marriage of practical and digital effects is nearly perfect, what’s more impressive is the commitment to the realism of this world. Like the cast, the crew seems to be determined to make Arrakis seem as real as humanly possible and, despite being mostly sand, there’s a remarkable amount of personality in each of the locations and landmarks featured throughout the film. Much has also been made of this film’s version of the iconic sand worms, and it's just yet another example of how far this crew is willing to go to make sure this is as honestly weird as possible, without tipping into parody.
Greig Fraser (“The Mandalorian,” “Zero Dark Thirty”) has shot this film with an eye for the large and small. Shots that cover sweeping vistas and encompass hundreds of people in just one frame are juxtaposed against ones that are mere inches away from one single character. It’s an eye for both detail, but also balance, as Fraser employs a variety of techniques to show contrast between the various parties at play, as well as the opulence of their homes and other locations and the barrenness of the desert planet itself.
Hans Zimmer’s (“The Lion King,” “The Dark Knight”) score is also an absolute knockout, delivering pulse pounding themes when the action requires, but also not content to reside in the background otherwise. There are chilling vocalizations and thumping beats that combine to send a shiver down your spine. Zimmer has arguably created a score that feels as alive as the planet itself.
Villeneuve’s first chapter in the tale of Frank Herbert’s Dune is massive for sure. Clocking in at two-and-a-half-hours, it's no small feat. However, nothing ever feels like it needs to be cut or sped up. At no point do you feel bored, thanks to the cast committing so hard to the overall vibe of the project. It doesn’t feel short by any means, but it also doesn’t feel as though it drags or is longer than it is. It’s one of the few films that feels exactly as long as it is and uses that time to great effect. Even if your movie is this long, it won’t feel it if you use that time wisely.
It might seem like hyperbole, but given the scale of everything and the excellent cast and world building, “Dune: Part One” has broken into the mainstream consciousness in a way arguably not seen since 1977 when Lucas first unleashed a galaxy far far away on us. It’s an almost perfect science fiction adventure, packed to the brim with an engaging world and plot, populated by charming characters you so easily fall in love with. If there’s anything to criticize, it's that this is merely half of a masterpiece as we’ll have to wait until October 2023 for “Part Two.” That being said, for a film with source material that was clearly cut in half, “Part One” ends in a surprisingly good way, establishing an arc for Paul for at least this first leg of their adventure.
“Dune: Part One” is a staggering film, very nearly a masterpiece or at the very least half of one. It’s cast and crew seem to have been hyper focused on creating one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made and they’ve absolutely succeeded. Packed with information and yet never feeling too dull or overblown, and lead by some truly charming and memorable characters and performances, you’ve never quite seen something like “Dune.” 5/5
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