Dune (2021)

[Cmasterclay]

Really enjoyed it for 90 percent of the runtime and was more impressed than even I expected. Thought it falls off after Duncan Idaho gets killed and it moves from an urgent focus on politics/religion/family dynamics into a straight hero's journey.

[filmlover]

It's not perfect but overall I quite dug this. The book is definitely a very tricky beast in terms of adapting to the screen properly, but Denis Villeneuve does a much better job of capturing its essence than David Lynch's campy '84 movie did. Villeneuve has quickly established himself as a reliable creative voice in delivering brainy science fiction, and he succeeds again here. Arrakis is a world full of astounding visuals that are breathtaking on an IMAX screen, and I can't claim I was ever bored during the 155-minute running time. It really helps that the director has gathered an absolutely stellar roster of actors to fill this ensemble led by the always-magnetic Timothee Chalamet, who makes for a highly appealing Paul Atreides. The others don't have as much screen time in comparison but are solid across the board nonetheless, and the fact so many of them have made themselves very much at home in sci-fi/blockbuster fare of this sort gives off a sense that we know their roles better than we really do. The main issue plaguing this movie, and will continue to do so until the second half is made, is that it stops literally at the halfway point. And as others have said, it proves slightly less compelling when it moves into the more generic Chosen One narrative. Once Villeneuve makes Part Two and both can be viewed together as one long epic, I imagine this will be something really special. Until then, this is a well-crafted and certainly epic (watching this for the first time on a small screen would be doing it a disservice) adventure that falls short of greatness due to its incompleteness. A-

Edited October 31, 2021 by filmlover

[Avatree]

This was really impressive to watch  on a visual level, some of it is breathtakingly beautiful, and the world feels alive. All the creature, costume, location, structure/vehicle design is fantastic. You really feel transported to this world. The action setpieces are really well done. I saw it in IMAX and very glad that I did.

 

But aside from the central character of Paul, and I guess his father, I really struggled to understand the character motivations, and the faction drama. Why does Dave Bautista's gang hate the Atriedes? And why does the emperor want to kill them off?

 

The first 2/3s of the film I was really super engaged but have to admit the last half hour really slogged for me and I was getting bored and restless.

 

As someone who is not familiar with the material, I think the film will make more sense to me once the second half is made. It's a shame that is probably a long way away (although I am glad this isn't flopping like I thought it would, so it will at least get made). As a standalone film I don't really think this works as a complete film... whereas I think Deathly Hallows part 1 or Fellowship of the Ring absolutely do stand on their own.

So atm I will hold off judgement until I've seen the second part.

[Daxtreme]

loved it

 

splendid worldbuilding

 

9/10

[The Panda]

On 10/14/2021 at 3:18 PM, Plain Old Tele said:

I greatly enjoyed it but the ending is deflating if for no other reason than the second part isn’t even greenlit, let alone in production. If DUNE PART 2 was already slated for an Oct/holiday release next year, it’d sit with me better. As it stands right now, it feels incomplete. 
 

Very few quibbles other than that, except of course to say there’s lots of stuff I’d like to see more or (or that was cut entirely). But what’s there on screen is pretty much great and the tech aspects are sensational. 
 

I’m not sure how it’ll play for the uninitiated — I think they’ll like most of it but it does end on a quieter, more leisurely note and I don’t know how they’ll feel about that. (It’s much better than the non-endings in MATRIX RELOADED and DH1, but those also had the benefit of the conclusion already being lined up for release).

 

The sooner WB greenlights PART 2, the better. 

These are my thoughts, it’s an incredible first half to a two part story that is absolutely mesmerizing to watch. My main issue is that we are left hanging for who knows how long to get the rest of the story.

[Eric is Quiet]

On 10/14/2021 at 4:18 PM, Plain Old Tele said:

I greatly enjoyed it but the ending is deflating if for no other reason than the second part isn’t even greenlit, let alone in production. If DUNE PART 2 was already slated for an Oct/holiday release next year, it’d sit with me better. As it stands right now, it feels incomplete. 
 

Very few quibbles other than that, except of course to say there’s lots of stuff I’d like to see more or (or that was cut entirely). But what’s there on screen is pretty much great and the tech aspects are sensational. 
 

I’m not sure how it’ll play for the uninitiated — I think they’ll like most of it but it does end on a quieter, more leisurely note and I don’t know how they’ll feel about that. (It’s much better than the non-endings in MATRIX RELOADED and DH1, but those also had the benefit of the conclusion already being lined up for release).

 

The sooner WB greenlights PART 2, the better. 

So now you're saying Dune Part 1 is the greatest film ever created and that Timothee Chalamet is the most beautiful man in the world, correct?

[filmlover]

21 minutes ago, Eric Atreides said:

So now you're saying Dune Part 1 is the greatest film ever created and that Timothee Chalamet is the most beautiful man in the world, correct?

@Plain Old Tele all of a sudden:

 

[Dementeleus]

43 minutes ago, Eric Atreides said:

So now you're saying Dune Part 1 is the greatest film ever created and that Timothee Chalamet is the most beautiful man in the world, correct?

what no

[lilmac]

One of the greatest films of all time. Dune fires on all cylinders: Acting, cinematography, costumes, direction, soundtrack. 

 

The one minus is that the Zimmer score seemed overbearing at times. The film does run long even though it’s enjoyable. 
 

A+

Edited October 26, 2021 by lilmac

[The Panda]

On 10/26/2021 at 1:18 PM, Eric Atreides said:

So now you're saying Dune Part 1 is the greatest film ever created and that Timothee Chalamet is the most beautiful man in the world, correct?

Now that Dune: Part II has been confirmed, Dune: Part I is a perfect movie!

[filmlover]

This was even better on second viewing even without the overwhelming wonder of experiencing it the first time in IMAX. So much to appreciate here. Pretty certain once Part Two comes out in two years they will combine to become one of the influential sci-fi classics that everyone recognizes in pop culture.

[keysersoze123]

Technically outstanding and fairly well acted. It does very good job of world building but the movie is SLOW especially 1st half. That said I am excited for the sequel. Overall I will rate it A just for how brilliant it looked. I wish I had a True Imax screen around me. This is must watch on largest possible screen. 

[dudalb]

 A few flaws, but after 30 years and two failed atttmpets we finally have a good version of Dune on Film. (well the first half of the novel at tleast0.

Flaws mainly ins that I am not sure they made some things clear to people who have not read the novel. They should have emphasized more why Melange...the spice...it so damn important..more then the one line they gave it. They didnot even mention that computers are banned and that spice gives humand the ability to do the complicated math necessary for FTL travel. Mentats are mentioned once but their importance not explained. Still, as far a exposition goes, this is a hundred times better then the messed up expostion we got in the Lynch film.

Visually the film is stunning, definently one that should be seen on the big screen. And, of course, a couple of the shots are very much homages to shots in Lawrence Of Arabia...even some of the locations used are the same. No wonder a couple of wagsters have dubbed the film "Lawrence Of Arrakis".

And Zimmer's score is good, First time in a long time Zimmer has managed to do two good scroes in a row. And I like that Zimmer does pay tribute to Maruice Jarre's score for Lawrence, but in a very subtle way.

Acting is generally very good.

They made Harkonnen evil and slimy, but also very intelligent, whereas Harkonnen in the Lynch version was just a homicidal maniac.

Really looking forward to part 2.

[Joel M]

I really loved this and as someone who only knew 2 things about Dune (it's in space and there's a big worm), I found the whole setting extremely intriguing. The social hierarchy, the mysticism/religion, the character motivations were all a bit hard to follow at times but also very satisfying to try to piece together.

It's also very aesthetically pleasing from all angles. The performances, the production design, the oppresive score and the general vibe of it, judt doing a great job to trasport you into this universe.

But at the same time I can't really say I def love it yet, because it's so unfinished. Feels like Kill Bill Vol.1, Pirates Dead Man's Chest etc when the first movie just doesn't end but the next film is already shot and will be out in less than a year. But Dune part2 isn't shot yet and won't be out soon, and that's a bummer. Makes the current movie feels like just a set up movie but personally I'm already hooked. I can postpone watching the Lynch version another 2 years and going into part 2 as a blind as I went into this one. 

 

Would also like to single out Chalamet and Ferguson. They entirely carried this movie even though it was their first time headlining such a big project. I was really impressed by both of them.

[TomCruiseTop]

Really loved the visuals and the usual expectations from DV. However, the story felt like the first hour of Avatar dragged out to 2 hours instead, ending where Jake meets Neytiri. I understand the pacing is going to be off for something that's only the first part, but still a gripe none the less.

[Webslinger]

Since I've been crazy busy for the last couple months, and also since my first viewing came in a less than ideal setting (I was dealing with an allergy attack that made it hard to keep my eyes open in the presence of any bright imagery - which is kinda a problem when the setting is a desert), I decided to hold off on a full review until seeing this film a second time. So, even though the same pesky allergies struck *again* while I saw this film (and Eternals) today, I'm finally giving it a full review upon seeing it a second time:

 

Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune is overwhelming in the best sense of the word. An ambitious Part One that stops essentially in the midst of a much larger story, it is an extremely captivating film that has little trouble immersing its viewers in a big, exciting world. Despite a large number of characters, allegiances, and backstories to balance, Villeneuve succeeds in presenting a film that resonates equally well on technical, intellectual, and emotional levels. On a technical level, just about every single piece of craftwork is stunning, from the brilliant production design to the sumptuous cinematography. On an intellectual level, the film succeeds in exploring themes of coming-of-age, trusting one’s instincts, the unbreakable bonds of family, and the blurry distinctions between luck and fate, all within the parameters of its sci-fi/fantasy setting. And emotionally, the film resonates with strong character bonds that pay off in grand fashion in the final hour. The narrative admittedly loses just a little momentum as it nears a very loose ending, but the understandable sense of incompletion is one of precious few perceivable missteps – and one that might be easier to excuse with repeat viewings, especially now that a Part Two is officially on the way. In the service of his narrative, Villeneuve does characteristically terrific work with a remarkably star-studded cast. Though Timothee Chalamet obviously doesn’t match up with his career-best work in Call Me by Your Name, his take on Paul Atreides is a sensitive, well-formed performance that traces the stages of his arc in powerful, resonant fashion. However, as good as Chalamet is with his ample screen time, the cast standout is Rebecca Ferguson as his mother, Lady Jessica. In this role, Ferguson expertly balances motherly tenderness with fierce intellectual strength and cunning, utilizing facial expressions and nonverbal expressions in expert manner to enhance the already strong characterization provided on the page. The rest of the ensemble shines in their roles, no matter how relatively brief they may be in such a massive narrative. Among the other highlights are Oscar Isaac’s moments of warmth as Paul’s father, Charlotte Rampling’s intimidating presence as a leader of Lady Jessica’s order, Jason Momoa in his confidence and devotion as a fighter and mentor to Paul, Stellan Skarsgaard engaging in maximum creepiness under several layers of makeup as the main antagonist, Javier Bardem commanding the screen in a scant few scenes as a leader of a planetary tribe, and Zendaya as the enigmatic subject of many of Paul’s visions – a role that will undoubtedly be bigger in the next film. There’s so much to take in with Dune that it practically demands repeat viewings, and though it is still currently an incomplete vision of a much larger story, it stands as an extremely impressive piece of blockbuster filmmaking that engages the heart and mind just as much as the eyes and ears. 

 

A-