‘Dune’ was drier than a desert
Indigo Craane, Staff Writer
“Dune,” directed by Denis Villeneuve and released on Oct. 22, is one of the most highly-anticipated movies of the year, if not the millennia. The American science fiction story feels alive, being told in more ways than one.
“Dune” is set far into the future, the year 10191, amongst a feudal intergalactic empire. It follows the story of the brooding Paul Atreides, portrayed by Timothee Chalamet, heir to the noble House Atreides. The story is set in motion after the House of Atreides, who have ruled on the ocean planet Caladan, accepted the stewardship of the planet Arrakis to harvest the drug melange, also known as “spice.” Spice is the driving force in the world of “Dune.” While spice can extend life and mental capabilities, it is also integral to space travel because of its multidimensional qualities. Arrakis is an inhospitable desert wasteland with a sparse population, but it is the universe’s only source of spice and makes it one of the rarest commodities in this universe. This makes taking control of the planet a dangerous undertaking for the Atreides family, setting up the central conflict in this film.
Villeneuve has accomplished what was considered impossible in the film industry: to write and direct an adaptation faithful to the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert. Bringing an enthralling story to the cinematic world may be the hardest and greatest accomplishment the film industry can offer. The transition from novel to film is tricky and the genre of science fiction doesn’t always translate well between medias. This pushes filmmakers to captivate the audience with visuals rather than storytelling,
which “Dune” has done phenomenally.
The film is a visually gratifying experience, a marriage between spectacle and song. The costume design is exactly how you would imagine intergalactic fashion to look: out of this world. Hans Zimmer, the fim score composer for “Dune,” created a score that emanates the fantastical world of “Dune” perfectly, using female choir voices and electronic synthesizers to build the hallucinatory nature of the film. Built for function, each of the character’s clothing is directly tied to the planet they’re on. However, the storytelling is not for everyone.
Inferred by the onscreen title itself, “Dune: Part One,” the film is an incomplete story. At two hours and 35 minutes, “Dune: Part One” is just a set-up for the sequel. It is only the first part of a planned two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” delineating only the first two-thirds of the whole book, which is mainly just set-up. Villeneuve uses slow exposition to delicately fabricate the world, setting up the universe, the conflicts, and the characters. Just as the story needed to pick up its pace, there is an abrupt ending and leaves the audience with uniform disappointment. It is like a table set for a meal still waiting to be served, or a cast without a story. Whatever the metaphor, it’s an incomplete story that leaves the audience groaning at the unsatisfying ending.
All things considered, “Dune: Part One” is still a debut for the two-part story. Outperforming itself in the visuals but lacking in plot, the film falls a little short of a “great” First Act. However, that doesn’t define what could happen next. All the time Villeneuve had taken in the movie to set up the plot leaves a lot of room for an outstanding sequel.
