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cassipedia · 8 months ago

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Review of Dune: Part One

Hey, Cassipedia, what're you watching?

Recently I re-watched Dune: Part One which is based on the first half of the sci-fi novel Dune by Frank Herbert from 1965. It is referred to as a sci-fi ‘epic’ because of the length and scope of the story, at the center of which is Paul Atreides, the son of a duke of a ruling family that was recently granted ownership of a dangerous desert planet called Arrakis in order to mine ‘Spice,’ a material necessary for space travel, the mining for which has caused unrest among the people of the Fremen who live there already. As jealous former rulers of the planet close in from above, and unfathomably massive sandworms lurk below, all the while a centuries-old plot lies within in veins—his bloodline—this first movie centers around Paul learning to understand what it means to ‘answer the call.’

Do you recommend watching it?

Absolutely. This is an unforgettable experience of a movie, and it’s honestly a bit hard to explain why. It feels like stepping into an alien planet, where there is much that is unfamiliar and that you don’t understand, but the more that you venture in, the more you start to find and compare things to what you do recognize. There is also a straight-forward story at the heart of it, of a young man being thrust into a dangerous world, trying to figure out his purpose and what exactly he’s surviving for, but it connects to these larger questions and uses such unforgettable, almost dream-like visuals that might be possible in the far-future, all accompanied by haunting music and actors who took their roles seriously.

What's the story like?

The two words I would use to describe this movie are these “dignity” and “majesty.” There is size and weight to everything, and the sense that all that is unfolding in the movie is the result of many centuries, far beyond our time and on the edge of our understanding. It takes place in the inconceivably distant future and centers around a dangerous desert planet known as Arrakis, as control of the planet is fought for due to its highly valuable Spice that is used in space travel. The ruling family put in charge by the Emperor of the Imperium to control the Arrakis is House Atreides must fend off the jealous former rulers of the planet, the Harkonnens, all the while simply trying to survive the planet’s killing heat and massive sandworms. The natives to the planet, the Fremen, who’ve been oppressed by the Harkonnens, watch the struggle, waiting to see whether or not House Atreides is the same as their cruel, former-rulers or if the desert will swallow them whole. At the center of it all is the son of the Duke of House Atreides, Paul, whom is uncertain if he will be able to take up the responsibility of eventually taking over for his father. He also carries the burden of a second legacy through his mother, who originates from a secretive order known as the Bene Gesserit, and through Paul, there is an ancient plot to create “a mind that can bridge time and space” to attempt to create a man-made messiah to bring hope to all. He has dreams and visions of the future, and he may have the potential to not only befriend the elusive and mysterious Fremen, but also make way for their improbable dream of turning the deadly Arrakis into a place with flourish plants and water. This may sound complicated, but the story essentially boils down to Paul trying to answer the question of, why does he want to survive? At the core of this story, past all the layers of history and characters struggling against one another, this movie and its story encapsulates the awe-inspiring and humbling situation that is living in an unforgiving environment. I remember watching the short film Nanook of the North as Eskimos staved off the threat of starvation and killing cold and wondering, why are they still living there in such a dangerous place? Is it because it is where they were born? Is it pride? Or something much more than that? I see the Fremen on Arrakis in a very similar way, a people whom have made a home of a deathtrap of a landscape and are doing more than just surviving; they thrive. Just as I asked these questions of Nanook, Paul asks these questions of the Fremen. And in a strange way, when all safety and the comforts and certainties of the old life is stripped away and left with few resources in a nightmarish desert, that seems to be when the true value of life can be best seen.

How are the actors and actresses?

In order for a movie like this to even work, every aspect of it needs to be of its upmost quality. Dune is not an easy story to adapt and its characters are just as heavy with history and layers as its world. I am thrilled to say then that I admire how well the actors portrayed these characters. I think it says something that I did not recognize most of these actors and actresses upon my first viewing, and I only afterwards started to note familiar faces after my viewings of the film afterwards. It is evidence to me that the characters came first before the actors behind the faces ever did. But that isn’t to say that the actors and actresses weren’t fitting for their roles.

Paul Atreides is portrayed by Timothée Chalamet. From the start of the film, he is introduced as someone, though young and restless, is very aware of the responsibility of the burdens on his shoulders and is constantly inquiring and trying to understand, and over the course of the film, he increasingly realizes just how much bigger matters are than he thought. He is thoughtful and empathetic. Just before leaving his home planet into the dangerous unknown of Arrakis, while all the others prepare for the trip, Paul’s preparations are to sit in the grass and to place his hand the water from the beach, as if saying goodbye to simple sights that he may have taken for granted before and is now realizing he might not see again for a long, long time. His heart is in the right place, wanting to help others, but there is much he has yet to learn. This is evidenced when, after finally arriving at his family’s new home base on Arrakis, he talks with a groundskeeper who is watering palm trees and Paul asks if they should remove the trees so the spare water can be given to the people, to which the groundskeeper declines and states, “Old dream.” Paul senses this dream for a better future and he may even have the potential to bring it forth, but the question will be if he can truly bear the immense, crushing weight that is the hopes of an entire planet.

In the face of such a daunting task, one of Paul’s invaluable resources are the loving teachings of his father, Duke Leto Atreides, portrayed by Oscar Isaac. He is the head of House Atreides, and it is very clear from the moment that he first appears on screen that he is a man whom carries himself with dignity and honor, always putting first the wellbeing of others. He has no patience for unnecessary ceremony when it gets in the way of practicality, and he asks nothing of others that he wouldn’t do himself. It is clear that those he holds great expectation for Paul and wishes to see him succeed, Duke Leto remains proud of his son. Duke Leto creates a legacy of honor and grace for Paul to use, to take that next step to his destiny. There is another half to Paul’s resources, and that is through his mother, Lady Jessica, portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson. She is cautious and clever. Being trained by the order of the Bene Gesserit, she is able to command others through a mysterious and powerful technique called ‘The Voice,’ the techniques of which she trains Paul in, preparing him for a destiny of bringing a new hope to all through near unfathomable powers. But there is a clear struggle within her, as all that she does is in the name of protecting her son, and yet, there is a question of if she’s truly given him the means to protect himself or if she’s accidentally given him a way to destroy himself and more, should he fail to rise to the call.

But Paul’s main challenges come from not just the deadly environment of Arrakis or even its inhabitants. The foil to the House of Atreides is that of the House of Harkonnen, under the rule of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård. Perhaps he was human a long, long time ago. He almost looks human, and a small part of him may still be. At first glance, he appears to simply be an overweight figure, so pale he looks like a corpse. But there is something unearthly monstrous about him, of how he appears to have some kind of cybernetic augmentation that lets his overweight body move like a serpent, and we never fully see the mechanics of it, so our imaginations are left to fill in the blanks. It would almost be less horrifying if he had been born a nightmare, if the way he moved were somehow natural, but it isn’t. There’s an implication that, whatever he did to twist his body into the thing that it is, it was a willing choice. His wants are simple; Arrakis once belonged to him and he wants it back. Whereas Duke Leto keeps every promise, the Baron breaks every promise he makes, always opting into his own self-interest. Though there are so many layers to the story, at the core of it, Dune: Part One is a simple story of good and evil. The moment when the Baron and Duke Leto finally come face-to-face in the film is my absolute favorite moment of the film. I dare not spoil it, but it demonstrates how, for all of the Baron’s hideous power, all it takes for Duke Leto to strike fear into him is but a single word, for while the Baron desperately and jealousy clings to his materialistic empire, Duke Leto is willing to destroy it all and give up everything to protect what is good.

The supporting cast are equally memorable as the main characters. I admired how the movie established the deep connection that Paul had with his weapons master and his father’s war master, Duncan Idaho, portrayed by Jason Momoa, and Gurney Halleck, portrayed by Josh Brolin. Duncan is a full-bred warrior who willingly leaps into danger and his willingness to adapt and never surrender was what made him best suited to try seeking out negotiations with the mysterious Fremen who were not keen on outsiders. He has an amazing scene that demonstrates his incredible fighting spirit, which is driven by his great love for House Atreides and especially Paul, whom he refers to as “my boy” throughout the film. Jason Momoa did an amazing job bring this character to life and channeling his energy into an honorable and relentless warrior. As a kind of foil to Duncan, Gurney Halleck is the loyal and unyielding sword to Duke Leto, hardened by horrific battles, yet he has devoted everything to House Atreides, which includes to Paul, whom is one of the few characters whom he smiles at. He is rigid and follows protocol somewhat to a fault as it makes it difficult for him to adapt to the strange ways of Arrakis and the Fremen, but his faith in his purpose is certain and he never gives less than all he has. The way that these characters feel like extended family members to Duke Leto and his actual family speaks volumes on what kind of rule that the duke has led and how it further contrasts with the detached Harkonnens.

There are many other notable characters and factions, but the one most important to mention is of course the Fremen. People of the desert of Arrakis, whom have become a part of it, and all that they do and how they think and act is shaped by the desert. They are hardened, not necessarily out of cruelty, but rather because they do not waste their energy on frivolous gestures, lest they use up the scarce water in their bodies. A good example of how the Fremen is through Stilgar, portrayed by Javier Bardem. He moves quickly and talks in few, straight-forward words, but each word is with a purpose, carefully and quickly chosen. He does not trust Duke Leto, yet he is willing to hear the man out to let him prove himself that he is different from the former oppressors of his planet. Admittedly, it was surprising how small a role that there was for the Fremen girl Chani, portrayed by Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman, in comparison to the others, but I think her role serves more as a teaser of what is to come for the sequel, as the story of Dune had been split in half between movies to fit it all in. And her narration over the opening scene was very well-done and incredibly haunting to me. But this film is at least able to get across the main idea behind the Fremen. They are survivors, completely and utterly. They may seem ruthless in comparison to those of House Atreides, but they are different from the Harkonnens that sacrifice others to save themselves; the Fremen test others, like pushing someone into a pool to make them learn to swim, for in a harsh place like Arrakis, if one is not willing to learn quickly and adapt, then their life is already forfeit. But they are not cold or heartless, they have dreams, dreams of a planet that is no longer a desert, and once their trust is properly earned, it is a bond that cannot ever be broken. Even with the actors and actresses that I haven’t mentioned here, there is no word wasted and no action taken without purpose.

What does the movie look like?

It is a vivid and continuous dream. It is not flashy; it is not marketable. It is taking our understanding of how we see the world and how we imagine the future and stretching it so far forward it starts to become something alien, near unrecognizable, yet, deep down, you know somewhere that it originated from something familiar long, long ago. I had a hard time telling the difference between practical effects and CGI. So many times, I stared at characters standing in elaborate outfits on intricate tiles all the while an abstract pillar of a spaceship casts its shadow, and I couldn’t fathom that what I was seeing doesn’t physically exist; it looked too real not to believe.

The movie talks to the viewer through its visuals, and it is up to the viewer to pay attention. There is no scrolling text or unnatural exposition of characters of things they have grown up with. The characters live their lives as normal and the world of the film exists as it has every day for the past thousands of years, so the deeper understanding of how it works must be visually understood. Allow me to describe an example. Several times throughout the movie, we are told that there is space travel between planets. We see a character announce that a character from another planet is on their way, then it cuts to a shot of a view of the planet from space, while a strange and almost ominous, massive tube floats in space with dozens of small shapes like gnats leaving it, and the following scene then shows a group of ships landing on the planet, indicating that space travel occurred. It wasn’t until the next time that this happened, with showing the same massive tube in outer space with slightly different smaller shapes coming out of it did I finally put together that, whatever that tube was, it was acting as the gateway through which space travel occurred. The film never gives this tube a name, and it never explains how space travel works through it aside from ‘Spice from Arrakis is necessary for space travel.’ A part of me wishes to know, but I realized that I don’t need to know, not that, since it still communicates so much more, such as just how much mining of Spice probably has occur to power that thing, if Spice works as a power source in the way that I assume it does. With only a few scenes and no words directly spoken to me, I find myself a little intimidated by the mystery of the space travel tube, but also in awe of its scope and itching to understand it. All of the machines and settings are like this, with abstract yet distinguishable shapes that visually communicate their purpose but explain little else, almost making them seem more like living beasts than anything.

With how the film explains the necessary minimum, colors are incredibly important in this movie. The soothing grey blue of Paul’s home planet of Caladan, the harsh and neon whites and blacks of the Harkonnen home planet, and the sun-drowned oranges and browns of Arrakis. You always know exactly where you are from simply the colors of the scenery. It further burns the image of everything into my mind, like a dream I can’t forget even after waking up. The scenery is alive. In every scene, there is something being visually communicated, some additional detail about the world to learn if you dig deeper. There is an abstract, futuristic regality to Caladan, like something so far in the future it has somehow reached around to a medieval majesty. In contrast, the planet of the Harkonnens is dark and only lit by colorless white, neon, where all is a more modern abstract, where everything feels expertly and artificially made, something barely human and pretending to be. But at the heart of it all, where these two conflicting visuals are pit against one another is in Arrakis. One of the main themes of the original story of Dune is the indomitable and inescapable presence of nature, where anyone who thinks they can conqueror the sands of Arrakis through brute force shall be another speck swallowed up in its dunes their bodies will never see the light of day, and it is only those whom recognize their powerlessness and accepts it, shall they be able to learn to listen and follow the flow of the sands. Arrakis dares those who dwell on it to learn its ways or risk death. Somehow, this film managed to capture this near-living creature of a planet.

Anything notable about the music?

It is largely ambient. There is a heavy emphasis on using a choir largely consisting of female voices that let out wails in a Persian scale that haunts and drowns out thoughts. There are rusted drums like something skittering across the sand. Orchestral instruments imitate the wails, just as intense but they sound like machines in comparison, getting under your skin in a more invasive way. When I researched the movie afterwards, there were apparently hybrid instruments specifically created for this movie to add to its surreal and otherworldly desert sounds.

If it’s based on a book, should I read that first?

Reading the book first isn’t required. I never heard of Dune prior to this film, and it was the movie that led me to grabbing the book. And it floored me just how much the movie was able to capture. The book of Dune is rich with details and nuance that are difficult to explain in normal conversation much like transfer to visual media in a coherent way. There had been many attempts to adapt the movie in the past. The 2021 version that I’ve been detailing in this review is the one that I was introduced to the series by, though I did afterwards check out the 1984 Dune movie directed by David Lynch, and I personally had trouble finishing the 1984 adaptation. In part, I think the 1984 version interpreted the book as more of a sci-fi psychedelic trip and it also attempted to fit in the dense entirety of the first book of Dune into one movie, which then meant not delving into the moments of the story much. The 2021 version instead only covers the first-half of the Dune first book, which is why the 2021 film is tilted Dune: Part One, and I think the film is much better for that. It is able to dwell and give each important moment the time it needs, though that it’s to say that Dune: Part One wastes any time. Each scene and word spoken offers something useful for the viewer, and it tried to touch upon all of the important elements and themes of the original novel. This film of course couldn’t capture everything from the book, but, considering the abstract nature of some parts, I felt it was understandable and their efforts were still admirable. A good example of changes was the death of the character Dr. Kynes. In the original story, he was a man whom died due to collapsing from exhaustion while a sand bubble of trapped water slowly expanded beneath him and would then explode with the force of dynamite, all the while he talks to an illusion of his deceased father about the ecology of Arrakis due to the hallucinogenic Spice he’s breathing in. In the film, Dr. Kynes was a woman who acted as a distraction for invading forces that were pursuing Paul and she ultimately sacrificed herself in the name of her dream for a better Arrakis. These are widely different in many senses, yet it still captured the heart of the character and scene, which was the character’s passion for ecology being rooted in a desire to see Arrakis no longer simply be a dune, but something greater, something that sounded impossible yet believing in it anyways. The actress Sharon Duncan-Brewster did well in bringing the core essence of the character to life and the scene of her character’s death is another memorable moment in the film. Though I watched the film before reading the book, after the fact, I feel that the movie was very respectful to the original source material and did all it could to bring the surreal majesty to life.

The film is perfectly enjoyable without having read the book, though said book does also have a recommendation from me as well. It is also worth reading if you are wanting a deeper dive into the innerworkings of the world, though I must warn you, the book, similar to the movie, is not going to unnaturally explain things to you. It treats itself as a history book that was pulled from the far future, and it leaves it up to you to follow along.

Who would like this movie most?

I would say that this film may be best enjoyed by young adults and up, or, really for anyone whom would be interested in a movie that wants to challenge you in a meaningful way. It is not trying to market itself to you, but rather earn your respect and your attention. For those who enjoy science fiction, it is so unlike any other sci-fi film that I’ve seen that I would very much recommend it to those also interested in the genre. I think for those whom also enjoy war movies may find this film enjoyable as well since it poses very interesting questions regarding human life that gave me that same sensation that I’ve felt in films based on wartime. Most of all, if you have a passion for film, I very much recommend this because of all the care and effort that went into it, brimming to the seams with techniques to admire. Personally, I also think this film is best to watch with a friend or others, as it helps to have someone to converse about the movie with afterwards to sort your thoughts, and I’ve always had plenty to think and talk over after each viewing. Most lately, I had the pleasure of attending the theater with a friend while a group from the treatment and recovery center MN Adult and Teen Challenge watched the film too. It was mostly a group of adult men, whom kindly paid for my friend’s movie ticket, and, as we were all watching, it amazed me to witness how such an energetic and lively group suddenly became very hushed and focused on the movie, just as enraptured as we were.

Where can I watch it?

Since this film was released back in 2021, it is currently only available for either physical copies in DVD or Blue-ray, or through online streaming. I own a physical copy but lack a DVD player, so I had rewatched the film on Netflix, but it will likely be leaving Netflix soon as Dune: Part Two will be premiering this Thursday, Feb. 27 as of the time of writing this. The other places where the film can be seen are DIRECTV, and TNT, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu and Amazon Prime. In preparation of Part Two, Part One also had a brief re-release in theaters which is currently ended.

I had originally missed out on seeing Dune: Part One in theaters during the time of release, and I was introduced to the movie through Amazon Prime in the living room of my aunt and uncle’s home. I was glad to get the experience of seeing it in theaters, and I hope to attend the opening for Dune: Part Two. However, when comparing the experiences, I do think the film is very enjoyable, at home in a place where you are able to better control the noise. There are many quiet moments in this film and the silence is just as distinct as the soundtrack. If you are able to watch Part One at home and you find that you’ve enjoyed it, then I encourage getting to theaters to see Part Two, to determine if you would like that sequel at home as well.

Final thoughts?

This is a film that will stay with me for a long time and one that’s so rich with detail, I plan on watching it many more times just to soak everything in. This film had challenged me to really consider how I’m spending my time and what I’m applying myself to, to pursue a meaningful creativity and admiration for surviving in harsh conditions and living with purpose. I encourage you to venture out into these treacherous sands of Dune: Part One, and to see just what the you end up learning about yourself.

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