DUNE (2021) – An audio visual sci-fi spectacle of IMAX proportion

I often heard it mentioned that Frank Herbert’s epic science fiction novel can never be filmed because of its complexity. To me, that is pure hogwash given that his novel has already been successfully adapted to a high profile motion picture by David Lynch in 1984, and a TV mini-series in 2000. Now with the latest big budget Hollywood adaptation from Warner Bros. Pictures, Dune quite possibly has the honour of being one of the most filmed science fiction story.

Denis Villeneuve takes on the monumental task of directing the new Dune. Denis is no stranger to the science fiction genre having directed Arrival and Blade Runner. Comparisons of this new movie with the David Lynch version is inevitable especially if you have seen the recent 4K restoration version of the 1984 movie. This is not necessarily a good thing as for me, I did find the urge to compare a bit distracting and unmerited since each movie should exist as an independent piece of work. Denis Villeneuve has the upper hand and advantage of today’s advanced technology to bring much of the other-worldly environment into life. He has also wisely chosen not to cover the entire story in the span of one movie hence what we have here is Part One of a two parts adaptation of the book. By doing so, he is able to cover the plot in a cohesive manner and pace without needing to rush through to the finale and sacrificing much of the book’s details.

I really wanted to be wowed by this new Dune having read so much about it, and a built up anticipation thanks to its release delay by over a year. However, I can only say that I liked it a lot but I did not love it a lot. There is plenty to appreciate in this new vision. The sets, costumes and designs were all outstanding without being outlandish. Denis also has the benefit of a cast to dream of including the likes of Jason Mamos, Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya! Timothee Chalamet (of Call Me by My Name), takes on the pivotal role as Paul the heir to House Atreides who has seemingly been having visions pointing him to a higher purpose as the prophesied messiah to the suppressed indigenous race in the planet Arrakis, the spice planet. The overall performance is acceptable although there weren’t any opportunities for anyone to standout. One thing that did stand out for me is the sound system that was booming in the IMAX hall, and the dominating and grand music score which was composed by Hans Zimmer. This Dune is without doubt an audio and visual fest to the senses, and needs to be experienced in an IMAX hall in order to get the full and intended impact.

What was less overwhelming was the overall tone of the movie and story. The whole thing was simply too serious and there were very little instances where one can describe as “fun” or “humorous”. I feel that a movie that falls under this genre and with such a high budget and scale should have some high spirited action or dialogue to help provide a balance with its main storyline which is rather profound. None of the characters have much time to smile or laugh, and there is simply a overall feeling of dread. Dune hence ends up less of a rollercoaster ride but more of a long space opera.