Initially, I went into this “Dune” remake without any expectations – I was perfectly neutral!
I mean, I’ve seen the 1984 original “Dune,” the TV show, and vaguely remember reading the books in high school.
However, the world of Dune has been a cornerstone in the science fiction genre for decades and served as the inspiration for other epic film sagas like “Star Wars.”
So, naturally, when I heard that it was being remade and the sheer list of stellar actors cast, I made sure to put it on my radar for review.
While this movie covers only one-half of the book, I’m glad the director chose to break it up and take time to tell the story instead of trying to cram it all into one film.
Dune is an epic science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve with a screenplay by Jon Spaihts, Villeneuve, and Eric Roth.
It is the first of a planned two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, primarily covering the first half of the book.
The film stars an ensemble cast including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.
It’s also rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images and suggestive material and clocks in at 156 minutes long.
In 10191, Duke Leto I of House Atreides (Isaac), ruler of the ocean planet Caladan, is assigned by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV to serve as fief ruler of Arrakis, a harsh desert planet.
Arrakis is the only source of melange, or “spice”, a priceless substance that extends human vitality and is critical for interstellar travel.
House Atreides are to replace the House Harkonnen, who have withdrawn from Arrakis on Shaddam’s orders.
In reality, Shaddam intends to have House Harkonnen stage a coup to retake the planet with aid of the Emperor’s Sardaukar troops, eradicating House Atreides whose influence threatens Shaddam’s control.
Leto is apprehensive of the assignment but sees it as an opportunity to ally with Arrakis’ native population, the Fremen, as the first step toward peace among the Houses.
Leto’s concubine Lady Jessica (Ferguson) is an acolyte of the Bene Gesserit, an exclusive sisterhood that wields advanced physical and mental abilities.
Although Jessica was instructed to bear a daughter as part of the Gesserit’s breeding program to create the Kwisatz Haderach, a mythical superbeing, out of love for Leto she bore Paul.
Throughout his life, Paul is trained by Leto’s aides, Duncan Idaho (Momoa), Gurney Halleck (Brolin), and the Mentat Thufir Hawat (Henderson), while Jessica trains Paul in Bene Gesserit disciplines.
Paul is troubled by visions of the future, a fact he shares only with Jessica and Duncan.
Because of these visions, the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam (Ramplin) comes to Caladan and subjects Paul to the gom jabbar, a deadly test to assess its subject’s humanity, which he passes.
Afterwards, Mohiam instructs House patriarch Vladimir Harkonnen (Skarsgard) to spare Paul and Jessica during his coup, which he duplicitously agrees to.
So, basically, we’re looking at “Game of Thrones” but in outer space – more or less.
At least the graphics, special effects and cast are top notch – those are the few highlights I’ve found.
But, maybe when I get to see the second half of the story it might flow better for me.
