Denis Villeneuve has been making films since the 1990s, but it was right around the time he made Prisoners that the world started taking notice. Prisoners was a hit amongst audiences and when the filmmaker soon after directed Sicario, it was all but written in the stars that Villeneuve was destined to be one of the most in demand directors in the world. This was further evidenced with the decision to bring him in for Blade Runner 2049 and it seems that the trend has continued. For who could’ve possibly been a better choice than Villeneuve, to direct Dune?
Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel was going to need someone who could handle the massive scope of what would be required for a project like Dune.
Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel was going to need someone who could handle the massive scope of what would be required for a project like Dune. Villeneuve thus far has not disappointed. Dune delivers a plot that cannot be pegged down in just a few sentences. It’s a story that consists of so many things that are intertwined into one solid epic. Science, war, politics, and semi-religious implications make up the diegesis of Dune, so much so that making a filmed adaptation of the book runs a serious risk of being convoluted or overly complicated. Needless to say Denis Villeneuve must have known what he was signing up for. However, did he deliver?
Oh, in so many words. What can be expected, are what fans of his work have become accustomed too with his recent releases. He showcases stunning visuals, ridiculously life-like special FX, and a plot line that forces the audience to engage lest they be left behind and confused (though much of that has to do with the original novel). Herbert’s source material is anything but straightforward which is why someone like Villeneuve is necessary to helm it on the big screen. Apart from that, the casting choices are out of this world. Though this was a studio picture, the decision to stack the top billing with real “actors” was the best decision anyone involved could’ve made. Timothy Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem just to name a few, have all had to make their careers early on by appearing in performance heavy pieces; thus eventually leading them into massive budget movies such as this. Everyone shows up to work. Every performer handles the heightened language with proficiency and navigates through the complex plotline without missing a step. A solid director, with solid casting, it is difficult to condemn Dune with too much criticism.
The movie as a whole has a great deal of information packed into it. It’s anything but one dimensional, so know this going in. It’s not focused on one aspect of its story more than the rest and so for those who lack an attention span, this won’t be a cake walk to get through; and of course, fans of the novel are likely to have their gripes but that can’t be helped. Dune is still screening in some areas, but otherwise, it can be found on HBO subscription platforms.
