Dune (Part 1) is a Cinematic Treat for the Eyes
Moviegoer Rating: ★★★★ ½
Dune (Part 1) is an epic sci-fi film directed by Denis Villeneuve and is based on the popular 1965 novel by Frank Herbert. It follows the journey of Paul Atreides (played by Timothee Chalamet), the scion of a house, as his family aims to take control of the desert planet Arrakis. The movie is set in the far future, where houses control different planets, all under the auspices of a Great Emperor. Karan Sampath and Suryansh Loya watched the film and sat down to discuss what they found so incredible about it:
Suryansh Loya: I just want to first mention how mind-blowing the cinematography was throughout every scene. It was a movie where you could pause it at every frame and admire the stunning, varied visuals in different settings across the whole film. Oscar-nominated Greig Fraser took Frank Herbert’s vision for the Dune universe and brought it to life with such beauty. You could watch it on mute and still enjoy it equally as much.
Karan Sampath: I definitely agree with that. I think that the atmosphere Denis Villeneuve builds around the pastel-like images enhances and personalizes the experience for the viewer. This was seen in the production and costume design, with highly detailed and stylized wear for each character and intricate design of the living quarters. I also loved how he brought Frank Herbert’s entirely fictional creations to life, like the sandworm and the ornithopter (an insect-like helicopter?). Each of them immediately feel realistic and personable – a herculean task in and of itself.
Suryansh Loya: I believe that is truly a testament to the universe that Frank Herbert created. The amount of detail that he goes into in his descriptions while world-building all the different planets and how they operate is extremely impressive. It culminated in the amazingly detailed and vivid universe that Production Designer Patrice Vermette replicated to create the distinctly epic look of Dune.
Karan Sampath: But more than just visual descriptions, I think the main contribution of Herbert is the emotion he infused into the text, something which was brought out best in the movie by the thundering Hans Zimmer music. In this film, Zimmer has pivoted from a more traditional music/sound design separation to closely working with the sound design team in creating a distinct sound and feel throughout. The result? An otherworldly experience that is perhaps the best testament to the relevance and importance of cinemas. I, for one, won’t be able to get the shuddering Sadurkar throat singing out of my mind for a while.
Suryansh Loya: Forget about what I said about watching the movie on mute, Hans Zimmer truly did knock it out of the park with the distinct style of music created for the Dune universe. Another thing I believe that needs to be brought up is the otherworldly acting performances that actors such as Chalamet, Jessica Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, and Stellan Skarsgård gave during the film. Their performances really helped to solidify the film and make the Dune universe convincing. Especially Chalamet and Ferguson, who really embody Paul and Jessica with their mother-son relationship and the multiple fascinating interactions that they have during the course of the film. Specifically, I think it is the transition in the relationship from primarily teacher-student to equal partners that is wonderful to observe. It shows a real depth and versatility in their acting prowess.
Karan Sampath: We need to talk more about Chalamet though. What an actor. He’s not only perfect casting, but his tour de force performance would have surprised even Herbert. To quote Villeneuve in an interview, “Timothee has a deep intelligence in his eyes, and he has a whole soul.” Al Pacino is one of the greatest because of his power to act with his eyes. Chalamet takes that and goes further, making us entirely believe in his transition from innocent son to powerful messiah. I only wish that there was more space for the surrounding characters to develop as well, but I think that would require a TV show format.
Suryansh Loya: All this talk about the movie made me SO excited to watch Dune Part II, with the increased role of Zendaya (playing Chani) and the introduction of new characters, including having the audience finally meet the Emperor! There was some controversy over the extensive use of Zendaya’s character in the marketing materials for the movie, so I’m also looking forward to that issue being resolved for Zendaya’s fans in Winter 2023.
Karan Sampath: I completely agree. Overall, Villeneuve does really well with the source material, making this movie almost fully understandable for an unfamiliar audience. I can’t wait to see where he takes this next.
Dune is currently playing in theatres and available to rent on Amazon PrimeVideo.
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