REVIEW: Dune is Visually Stunning But the Story Needs More Spice

Director Denis Villeneuve’s Dune finally arrives after nearly four years of production. Based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, this sci-fi adventure is the tale of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a young man filled with extreme power. The son to Leto (Oscar Isaac), Duke to the House of Atreides, and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Fergusen ), a member of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, Paul has powers even he doesn’t understand. Paul’s father is given control of the planet Arrakis and its extremely profitable melange, or “the spice,” a drug that not only extends life and enhances mental abilities, but is vital to space navigation.

Paul and his family then jet off to a place where they are not entirely welcome. The native people of Arrakis, the Fremen, are hesitant of their new leaders but Paul, his father, and other members of Atreides are set on creating an alliance with them. As things begin to turn in favor of Paul and his family the former stewards of the planet, House Harkonnen, deploy their diabolical plan to regain control forcing Paul to overcome his fears and embrace the powers he possesses to help save the ones he loves.

With such a star-studded cast and visuals to match, it’s disappointing to say that the plot, as convoluted as it is, isn’t ever fully fleshed out. The movie is part one of a two-part saga and this one does not do enough to lay the needed groundwork to set up the next film. There is minimal dialogue in the film resulting in an unfinished foundation. It can be difficult to understand what is going on and who half the characters are as they aren’t explained. Those who did read the books will likely have a better idea of what is going on and who the characters are; however, as someone unfamiliar with the novel I found myself having to Google quite a bit to understand exactly what happened on the screen.

With the film clocking in at a little over two and a half hours long, the story drags towards the middle of the film and never seems to find its footing after. Villeneuve and screenwriters Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth focused more on utilizing the visuals to create the world of Dune, instead of spending more time on dialogue to explain this visually stunning world. The visuals and the score, done by the legendary Hans Zimmer, were certainly meant to help tell the story but never quite succeed at doing so. The effects are amazing yet do nothing to help tell the story while Zimmer’s score is so overpowering at points viewers’ feel as though they are sitting in a car listening to heavy metal music with the bass turned all the way up.

Chalamet was a wonderful choice to play the film’s lead. The boyish charm he brings to the role is a healthy reminder that Paul is only a boy in this film. Paul is not a man nor a leader, like his father. His scenes alongside Fergusen and Isaac will remind you of this exact fact. Fergusen and Isaac are commanding presences in every scene they are in and are a joy to watch as these characters.
Zendaya, who plays Chani, a member of the Fremen clan, was not kidding when she said she was only in the film for a short time. Her moments are brief so I am excited to see what she brings to the character, and the story, in part two. Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgard, and Javier Bardem round out our cast and are fantastic in their roles. Skarsgard’s the Baron is the standout as he immerses himself so deeply into this role.

As Chani says to Paul towards the end of the film, “This is only the beginning”, and it really is. I highly recommend for those who have never read the book to either read it before seeing the film or plan to read it after. For those still wary about seeing films in theaters, catch this on HBO MAX. I understand it was shot specifically for IMAX screens, but I don’t think seeing it in a different format will change how you receive the film.

Grade: B