Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part One” has a fantastic ensemble cast and great visual effects, sound design and score, but its exposition-heavy narrative intended to set up the rest of the franchise makes it overrated on its own.
This science fiction action-adventure film was released in 2021. It has a runtime of 155 minutes and is rated PG-13. The cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Dave Bautista.
“Dune: Part One” mostly takes place on the planet Arrakis in the distant future. The indigenous people on Arrakis, Fremen, have been trying to fight off their Harkonnen rulers for years. The Harkonnens have become very rich by collecting spice, a psychogenic drug scattered throughout the desert planet. Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV issues the Harkonnens to leave the planet, ordering House Atreides to take their place as rulers. Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) of the planet Caladan believes Arrakis was awarded to House Atreides as a trap.
The emperor feels threatened by Leto’s political power and is planning to aid House Harkonnen in destroying the Atreides and retaking Arrakis. Leto hopes to form an alliance with the Fremen to fight back. Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), is Leto’s concubine. Jessica is also a member of a powerful religious order known as the Bene Gesserit. Its members possess special abilities, which Jessica tries to pass on to her son Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), who is thought to be the Kwisatz Haderach, the messiah prophesied by the Bene Gesserit.
House Atreides arrives on Arrakis but before long, the Harkonnens and the emperor’s Sardaukar troops launch an attack on them. Outnumbered and caught off guard, the Atreides’ forces are quickly defeated. Jessica and Paul flee into the desert with the hope of finding the Fremen and forming an alliance. Along the way, Paul has visions of the conflict spreading across the galaxy.
The film can seem overwhelming and confusing at times, but the screenplay written Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts helps simplify the otherwise complex Dune universe. “Dune: Part One” takes the necessary time to introduce the audience to its characters and setting. There’s a lot to unpack, but the screenplay does an excellent job of setting up the ensuing conflict.
The visual effects team led by Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles and Brian Connor, also created immersive battle scenes. During the Harkonnen attack, explosions light up the screen beautifully, and are further enhanced by Hans Zimmer’s score and the sound design. Throughout the film, Zimmer’s score perfectly expresses the emotions of each scene. In the Harkonnen attack specifically, the score helps the audience understand just how dire the situation is.
The same can be said for the sound design. Whether it’s the sound of sandworms slithering beneath the sand or fiery explosions, the sound design adds to the immersive experience. Other technical elements are executed well, including the cinematography, editing, production design and costume design, but the problems lie in the narrative itself.
Even in movie franchises, each film should have a conclusive story. “Dune: Part One” fails in this regard. As previously stated, the screenplay does an excellent job of setting up the story. After that, however, it does not give the film a satisfying ending. For all the buildup that occurs, the third act leaves the viewer wanting more. Director Denis Villeneuve succeeds in building excitement for “Dune: Part Two,” but does not do part one justice. Its cliffhanger ending makes the entire film feel like exposition.
The screenplay was adapted from Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel of the same name. “Dune: Part One” has a runtime of over two hours, and it only covers around half of Herbert’s book. It’s understandable that the film cannot cover everything, but it should still have its own complete story arc.
“Dune: Part One” is still a good movie, and the technical elements alone make it a unique cinematic experience worth watching. With that said, its unsatisfying conclusion and incomplete narrative makes “Dune: Part One” a placeholder for its sequel and an overrated film.
