Everyone knows about this film, marketed and advertised to infinity. A blockbuster directed by Denis Villenueve and starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, the hype for this movie was unreal. Based on the science fiction novel of the same name, the trailers seemed to show a beautiful film with a great plot and lots of great acting. However, this movie did not quite live up to the lofty expectations given to it.
A young prince named Paul Atreides (Chalamet) has to grow accustomed to a new planet his father recently took control over to monopolize the spice trade, in turn saving their people. However, the planet is incredibly dangerous, and conflict soon arises. The plot of “Dune” is elaborate thanks to the wonderful storytelling of the author Frank Herbert.
Starting with the acting, it was top notch. Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Mamoa, and Zendaya all performed up to standard, although the disposition of Chalamet’s character is a type he often plays. Along with the acting, the cinematography, the sound effects, pretty much any special effect was fantastic. The world seemed very real, and watching the planet fall apart in front of my eyes made me sad, because it felt like a real place. The explosions especially felt real, and “Dune” really shows what modern films can do and show now, opposed to years before.
Now here is the difficult part: the plot. I can understand the director wanting to milk out the storyline, which is fascinating and beautiful. However, extending it to an almost 3-hour long movie and not even coming close to the end of the first book is a bit over the top. The movie ends around the middle of the book, which is the first in a SERIES. I understand that this is an elaborate book and that the screenwriter needs to fit a lot in for the audience to understand. But this movie lacked a plotline. It is a clear “First movie in a series” and does not try to hide it. Usually, I would be okay with this, especially with the beautiful graphics and acting this movie has. However, fact is that the movie felt like one big prequel or prologue. When “Dune” ended, I felt like barely anything happened in the 3 hours I was sitting there, and that is not a great feeling.
Rating: 7.8/10
“Reams and Reels,” written by Cade Smucker, dives into the intersection between books and movies. Reviewing books one week and movies the next, Sumcker analyzes the newest works of fiction on the market, telling you which are worth your time, and which are not.