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In 1984, David Lynch took Frank Herbert’s popular sci-fi epic, Dune, and adapted it into a film that, while not a critical favorite, became a cult classic. Now, Denis Villeneuve returns to the original source material for his own two-part take on this beloved futuristic sci-fi adventure.
Part One of Dune stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, heir to the powerful House Atreides. Paul’s father, the Duke (Oscar Isaac), is sent by the Emperor to oversee the gathering of an invaluable substance called “spice” on a distant planet known for its harsh environment and its deadly sandworms. As the Duke is settling into his new role, hoping to make peace with the native people, the Fremen, he comes under attack by enemy forces. Paul and his mother, Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), manage to escape into the desert, where Paul’s visions lead him to face new challenges.
Paul’s journey is one of intergalactic politics, eerie mysticism, and deadly trials in an inhospitable environment. It feels moody and dramatic—and it’s often monochromatic. But it’s also strikingly beautiful—a breathtaking visual spectacle.
As is typically the case with any sci-fi film, though, viewers have a lot of catching up to do as soon as the film begins. We’re traveling 8,000 years into the future to an unfamiliar empire with its own territories and alliances and history. If you haven’t read the novel, it can be a little overwhelming. But the filmmakers somehow manage to set up the story in a way that works, allowing viewers to put most of the pieces together as they go. And even when it gets a little confusing—when the adaptation seems to abbreviate some of the story and the development—it’s all mesmerizing enough to keep viewers captivated.
Still, the film feels every bit of its 155-minute runtime. There’s plenty of action and politics and drama to fill all two-and-a-half hours—but, after a while, the dark, gloomy tone starts to feel a little too heavy. The break at the half-way point of the story is definitely needed, though viewers may be frustrated to find that they’ve spent all this time watching the setup to the real action, only to have the film end when it feels like the story is just beginning.
For fans of Lynch’s Dune, Villeneuve’s version will feel very different. It’s definitely a different film for a different time. It’s visually stunning—but not as flashy. And there’s still much more to come.
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