OUT NOW: Dune

A desert world is the heart of an intergalactic empire. It is also the site of a power play by the emperor to destroy potential rivals.

Newly installed as the planet’s governor, Duke Leo Atreidis (Oscar Isaac) is aware that broader forces are out to get him. 

He has a plan to build bridges with the planet’s indigenous population, the Fremen, and break the empire’s power.

Before he can enact this plan, his base camp is invaded and he is killed.

The final survivors of this battle - Paul (Timothee Chalamet) and his mother (Rebecca Ferguson) - flee into the desert.

Will they survive?

I need to watch more Denis Villeneuve movies. So far I have only watched Siccario and Blade Runner 2049.

He has a great sense of tone and atmosphere. He is good at creating an overwhelming sense of environment and mood. I am less sold on his ability to convey characterisation or build narrative momentum.

There are a lot of elements I like in this movie.

I found myself invested in the scope and the look of everything - it felt very tactile and lived-in - but emotionally detached. I was excited by the experience, but as a dramatic narrative, it left me unmoved.

Part of the reason may be that the movie ends in a weird place. There is an earlier sequence which feels like it is a natural cliffhanger, but then we keep going…

The film is also filled with elements of Middle Eastern language, history and culture - some I could pick out; my friend pointed out other examples. It feels like it is setting up to make some kind of greater point or allegory, but it always feels half-finished.

It might have something to do with the casting - most of the focus is on House Atreides, and the Fremen are played by a mixture of actors from different backgrounds, with the main entry point (Javier Bardem) played by a Spaniard. 

I do not know if that is necessarily the right choice but whenever the film tries to present an empathetic stance toward the indigenous culture it feels false.

I do like how stripped down the story is and how certain details (the latex-covered spider-woman) are not explained.

But when it came to Paul’s story, the movie is hollow. Every time the movie tries to align with his POV, I felt at a remove. The only times I felt something was when we were shown snippets of his visions of Chani (Zendaya). Those snippets created a sense of mystery and curiosity that did not exist elsewhere in the movie - it is a strong device and it is a little baffling when Paul starts describing visions we never see. Screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie likes to say that movies should be about emotion over exposition - this movie grinds to a halt every time something is explained.

The movie has such a strong sense of place, I remember wondering if the movie would work if there was no dialogue - it is not as leaden as something comparable, like Warcraft, but every time we had a dialogue sequence, I felt the air being let out of the movie. It might have been a little more baffling, but it might have added to the experience.

It is a relief when Jason Momoa shows up - he feels completely at ease in the world, but also interacting with the other characters and delivering the dialogue.

It is a feast for the senses - but I do not think the film amounts to much. It probably needs the second half of the book to make sense.

To contradict that last paragraph, because of that ellipsis, I am actually looking forward to seeing how it all resolved. That is not a good sign for this movie as a singular entity, which I find frustrating - but the movie won me over enough that I want to hold off on a final judgement.

I guess that is a qualified endorsement?

Happy holidays!

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