As someone who has already watched the cinematic masterpiece that is “Dune” twice through, I can confidently say I will be watching the film a few more times before it leaves HBO Max. Denis Villeneuve’s newest sci-fi motion picture has already become one of the most popular releases of November and with good reason. Based on the 1965 novel by American author Frank Herbert, the movie will satisfy any science fiction enthusiast with a complex world that feels very real. “Dune” has quite a stellar cast with Oscar Issac, Jessica Ferguson, Zendaya and everyone’s favorite Timothée Chalamet.
The world of “Dune,” is quite intricate, with intertwining political conflicts and complex familial relationships. Without giving away any spoilers, the movie follows the House of Atreides as the regime moves to the planet Arrakis, or Dune, to take over as the overseers in harvesting a valuable resource called spice, only found on Dune. The movie tells the story of the Atreides family and the planetary move that sets off a series of political events that to war, forcing Chalamet’s character, Paul Atreides, to question his identity.
The film also touches on issues our world has been facing for hundreds of years. The native inhabitants of the planet Dune, called the Fremen, are in a constant battle for their planet, fighting with whoever harvests the Spice from their world. Villeneuve does a great job of showing the struggle and traditions of the Fremen and allows the audience to sympathize with their fight.
The film’s score was composed by Hans Zimmer, a decorated film score composer who scored movies such as “The Lion King,” “Inception,” Pirates of the Caribbean,” and “Interstellar.” The film’s music captures the emotions of the characters as well as the grandiose of the world that is Dune.
If Hans Zimmer isn’t enough to watch “Dune,” the cast should be. Oscar Isaac, who plays the father figure, Duke Leto Atreides, is a Golden Globe nominee with a wide acting range and the ability to immerse the audience in any character. Rebecca Ferguson plays Lady Jessica, the witch-like mother to Chalamet’s character Paul. Ferguson embodies the spirit of Lady Jessica, showing extreme power and control during the film’s more tense scenes. Zendaya is in the movie, but her role is quite small compared to her costars. Do not worry though; she will be a leading character in the next installment of the Dune film series. (That’s right, there’s more!) And of course, Timothée Chalamet playing Paul Atreides, the son of a duke who travels with his family to the desolate planet Arrakis. As his first more action-based movie,
Chalamet doesn’t skip a beat, personating Paul Atreides as a young warrior with silent courage.
Of course, we can’t forget my favorite character in the movie, the Shai-Halud, also known as sandworms. The special effects portraying the massive, thousand-foot-long sandworms felt so real that I will from now on be a little more cautious walking on beaches and deserts.
But don’t just take my word for it. Below are the reviews of a few students after watching “Dune”:
“The desert cinematography really elevated the fantasy world of Arrakis, while the technology depicted captures the futuristic perception of Dune. Most importantly, Timothée Chalamet’s performance of Paul Atreides was exceptional in his character development. I am definitely looking forward to the sequel,” Puja Mudam said.
“The score along with the cinematography beautifully compliments the world of Dune. The full emersion of this movie is something that directors have attempted to achieve but regularly fail. Villeneuve is able to turn a somewhat long storyline into jaw-dropping landscapes and action scenes that help the audience transport through this exposition effortlessly. Once on Arrakis, the story takes shape with Hans Zimmer proving his worth as a composer, using musical motifs at different points in the plotline to help the viewer understand the characters’ emotions without the cheesy internal dialogue of 1984 “Dune,”’ Lucas Suhre said.
“‘Dune’ is nothing short of an excellent movie. The cinematography is stunning and the scenery is beautiful. The end of the movie leaves you wanting more, and you could watch it a dozen times and still pick up on new subtleties and nuances. Overall, the movie is a masterpiece and I cannot wait to see more,” Conner Kuhn said.
I recommend doing some background research before watching the movie, so the plotline will make a little more sense. Or just watch it countless times like me. Either way, “Dune” is a beautifully made movie that will envelop you into another world and a definite must-see for 2021.