Dune (2021)

Adapted from the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, Hollywood has tried and tried again at bringing Dune to the silver screen but without much success making many wonder if this was too big for one film. So director, Denis Villeneuve, has taken the bold decision to split the book almost in half to develop its story and characters with the hope this will find success where its predecessors failed and his producers will greenlight a sequel. It was a huge gamble with a lot of money but thankfully part two has been approved otherwise this film would have joined the graveyard of failed trilogies, franchises and expanded universes. 

I went into this film almost blind, not knowing anything about the book or the previous films, with just a few trailers to give me some idea of what to expect, and if you're in the same position then I think that is the best way to approach this so I will avoid spoilers. Dune stars Timothée Chalamet as the son of a noble family who now control a planet with the most valuable asset in the galaxy having taken over from a cruel dictator of sorts but the alliance between the families is fragile as is the relation with the planet's native population. 

Dune is definitely a true epic in every sense of the word with jaw dropping visuals, a powerful score by Hans Zimmer and Villeneuve's ever-reliable direction all make for an engaging cinematic experience that really is best seen in the cinema. The cast are also terrific with the likes of Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgård, Josh Brolin and Jason Mamoa all on top form. For me, this was one of Mamoa's best performances bringing charm, levity and charisma to a much smaller role than the likes of Aquaman but it was truly needed in a film as intense as this. 

Yet as much as I enjoyed immersing myself in the story of this film, I do feel many newcomers will find the first half to be somewhat heavy on the exposition, which will surely come as a delight to fans of the book as we learn of this universe. I personally found it to be a lot to absorb and am sure many details flew over my head but it didn't stand in the way of my enjoyment and I can't wait to watch this again. 

Villeneuve is one of a few directors working today who can make a films as big and as bold as this, and I'm very happy to hear we will get to see him adapt the entire book with a sequel set for 2023. Dune is also something of a rarity today as the sci-fi genre becomes watered down in mainstream cinema so to have an ambitious sci-fi epic like this today should be treasured and is well worth watching but is best seen in the cinema. It might not convert those who aren't interested in the genre but for everyone else, Christmas came early.