Dune

The biggest problem of DUNE is that it is only part 1 of 2. In the age of endless self-quarantine and numb binge watching the idea of a film that consists of only introduction of a great story and doesn’t even get to resolve anything in particular is not only mind-blowing, but also (let’s face it) quite ridiculous. Oh, don’t get me wrong Villeneuve’s DUNE (Part 1) is everything hardcore fans wanted. It is meticulously directed, acted, filmed, scored, designed, edited, written analog of a book. But it is only Part 1, and film can’t do anything about it.

I enjoyed every second of this film and I am right. It bears such a semblance of what I had in mind while reading the book. I mean HOW can you show desert and make it look sexy? Ask Villeneuve, he will tell you. Sands of Arrakis are spicy. Witches of Bene Gesserit are psychedelic. Baron is mental. Paul is accessible and reliable. And sandworms are, well, digging.

My companion didn’t like the movie. She said it was too simple. “Made for teenagers” is exact quote. And she is also right. In essence, the story that Part 1 tells is only a mere setup for the events that will follow. And to be honest, the whole first book of Dune series is a mere setup and is in my opinion one of the weakest in the series.

So, to really enjoy DUNE, you must read DUNE. Otherwise, it will be another big budget epic star opera filmed in a very peculiar manner.