Notable Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson,
Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Sharon
Duncan-Brewster, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Chang Chen, Charlotte
Rampling, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, David Dastmalchian
Although Denis Villeneuve states that Dune was always
a dream project for him, it’s fascinating to see how his career has been
building up to this film. Whether it's the political and cultural conflicts at
the heart of Sicario or the stylistic leap into Sci-Fi IP with Blade
Runner 2049, his filmography reads like a road map building up skills to
create the world of a successful cinematic Dune adaption.
And quite frankly, it led him to thrive in the film he will be remembered for
as an auteur blockbuster director, Dune: Part One.
Well, he might be remembered for the two films and not just
this one part, as Dune: Part Two finally sees the light of day some
three years later, but as the first half of his massive science fiction opera
epic, Dune: Part One is an impressive feat of tone, storytelling,
visuals, and finding balance. It’s the kind of totemic film that defines a
career in a positive way, judging by the success of this film both commercially
and in awards circles. Justifiably so. Dune: Part One is CINEMA in most
of the best ways, and its blend of commercial appeal and auteur-driven style is
impeccable, to say the least.
Perhaps that is Dune: Part One’s greatest strength is
finding balance. Denis Villeneuve strikes a remarkable navigation model of
knowing when the film needs to be bombastic and when it needs to be subtle. Its
plot might feel even more “on the nose” now with its narrative that tables themes
around oppression, colonialism, political divides, resource domination,
religious devotion (and deviation), and the dangers of charismatic leaders.
Still, Villeneuve manages to thread the needle, never making it feel as
politically and culturally toothy as it can be interpreted.
Most of this is because Dune: Part One is a film that
feels complete already. Not only do the production designs and brilliant visual
effects have that “lived-in” quality to define the world in ways that are both
spectacular and just flawed enough to feel real, but the narrative never feels as
though it's holding its viewers' hand as it introduces them to the world. The
opening voice-over that sets the stage feels less like exposition, and more
like the confessional diary entry of its character, Chani played with striking
potency by Zendaya. Even as the political stage is being set in its first half,
Dune: Part One smartly pops its dialogue in a way that feels grounded
and human, versus feeling like a vomitous series of sci-fi gobbildy gook.
How the story unfolds retains such a human heart that so
many visuals and artistic designs feel complimentary to the characters rather
than defining them. Although Villeneuve has always been known for the iconic
look of his films, both in their gorgeously shot cinematography and in his
seamless use of visual effects (particularly in his later films), it is the
subtle character-building and strong performances all around that carry so much
of the weight of this film. Timothée Chalamet gets to carry the largest
character arc that drives so many of the film’s themes with remarkable ease as
the core to the ‘chosen one’ narrative for Paul Atreides. Still, he’s
surrounded by an impeccable cast powering up layered performances that build
this intriguing family dynamic around him. Oscar Isaac, as his father, gets to
deliver cool, capable dad energy smoothly, both Josh Brolin and Jason Momoa
give loving, hard-ass uncle vibes, and Rebecca Ferguson gets to steal the show
with her neurotic, torn mother performance where she must balance her love for
her family with her dedication to her religious affiliation with the Bene
Gesserit - aka the space witch cult that adds in the religious theming.
Even when Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, or Chang
Chen show up for a couple of scenes to build out the world and lay the
groundwork for an upcoming sequel, they pop off the screen and perform their
duties while remaining memorable to give the expanding world of Dune
some well-needed energy for its extensive run time. So much of what’s happening
with their performances feels superfluous, but it's necessary for its theming
and narrative weight for them to work.
Where Dune: Part One could have easily gone off the
mark in its action. So many science fiction epics lean into the fantasy of
their action set pieces, but Dune smartly leans into realism. Even when
the film is moving towards its fantastical elements, particularly around Paul’s
visions or through the use of the giant sandworms, the Shai Hulud, that mark
some of the more memorable moments of the latter half of the film, Villeneuve
sinks into more realistic aspects to keep the film grounded. The fighting feels
like a war movie, the weapons rarely feel like pew-pew guns, and there are
human stakes in each action set piece - particularly in the dire bleakness of the
final act. As with the rest of the film, it’s a choice to ground Dune: Part
One, which makes everything work better and elevates its genre material to
impressive levels.
Granted, I’m writing this review some three years after the film's release in
theaters, but as I rewatched the film in preparation for a Dune: Part Two
show, I felt compelled to write this down for that upcoming review of the
sequel. Multiple rewatches only deepens the experience of Dune: Part One,
and while I have always been a fan of Villeneuve’s films and their overall
nihilistic tendencies in criticizing humanity while maintaining the heart of
humanity’s complex experience, Dune: Part One might be one of his best.
It’s epic in its nature, complex in its characterizations, and bold in its
choices to adapt the source material. The film might be about the sandiest
place in the universe, but this film certainly goes down smoothly.
Let’s see if Dune: Part Two can live up to the
setup.
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