Dune: Part One- A Journey Into A Visual Odyssey

Dune (also known as Dune: Part One) is an epic sci-fi film from 2021. It was directed and co-produced by Denis Villeneuve, who worked on the screenplay with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth. The movie is based on the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert. Boasting of a brilliant cast of popular actors ,the movie features Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.

Set in a distant future where the Imperium reigns over the galaxy, the storyline  of the film focuses on the heir to the House of Atreides, Paul Atreides(Timothee Chalamet ), the son of Duke Leto Atreides ( Oscar Isaac).
When House of  Atreides is betrayed by the House of Harkonnen, it sets off a chain of events that thrusts Paul on an extraordinary journey. He finds himself in a battle against the evil Baron Harkonnen(Stellan Skarsgård)
and must fight for his life on the treacherous planet of Arrakis, with its massive sand worms. The film  kicks off with Paul and his family relocating  to Arrakis to oversee the mining of the highly coveted substance called melange or spice. This unique drug not only extends life and enhances consciousness but also enables faster-than-light space travel.

Much of the film’s plot is advanced through elements of mind reading and mind control, . As with so many of  Dennis Villeneuve’s films especially  blade runner 2049. The films strength largely  relies on incredibly stunning visuals, state of the art CGI, production design, and top notch cinematography that captures the sandy  landscape of the  desertic planet in a breath taking way , mesmerising the imagination of viewers. Some scenes where  also shot darker than expected but overall, it doesn’t take away from the film’s perfection.

The action sequences are so well choreographed and the intensity of the war and fight scenes is just awesome.   Denis Villeneuve and his team did an incredible job bringing the sandworms to life in their own unique way. The  scary appearance of the sandworms adds to the overall immersive experience of the movie. The creatures are colossal sized with gigantic teeth on them . They are submerged in the desert waiting to feed on their preys. The size of these creatures are alone to cause fear when they emerge from the sands. It’s amazing how they were able to create a distinctive look for the sandworms that sets them apart from previous versions.

The storytelling of the film  feels stale and a bit slow paced sometimes with inaudible dialogues and souless acting from few of the casts. The film leaves no room for the background and character depth that’s really needed for a proper epic flick.

Timothee Chalamet however was absolutely amazing as Paul Atreides. His performance brought out the emotions of the character. Zendaya, even with limited screen time, was simply elegant in every scene she appeared in. Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, and Jason Momoa, did an incredible job. They all brought their A-game and made the movie even more captivating.

The sound design and score, particularly by Hans Zimmer, are lauded for complementing  the film’s atmosphere and  enhancing the tension with his scores.

In terms of source material originality,  the first Dune film (1984)  actually got closer to the mind-bending strangeness of Herbert’s novel than this did. It had a touch of visionary madness that this modernized  version could use a little more of. If  you’re not a sci-fi/fantasy fan, ‘Dune’ will not appeal to you due to its complex nature.

There’s no denying that Villeneuve’s “Dune” has raised the bar for epic, intelligent, and mature science fiction films. It’s a true masterpiece that caters to audiences with its glorius visuals. Villeneuve has truly crafted something special that sets a new standard in the genre. It’s a must-see for any sci-fi fan!

Written by: Jonathan Quartey