It’s the year 10,191. The Emperor of the Known Universe has ordered Duke Leto of House Atreides to take control of the desert world, Arrakis from House Harkonnen. Arrakis is the only planet in the universe where a substance calls Spice is found. Spice is the only substance in the universe that allows for faster than light travel. The Duke’s young son, Paul has horrible visions of a future filled with war and himself at the center of it all.
Without a word of a lie, Dune might be the best movie I've seen since District 9. It has the spectacle of Lawrence of Arabia, the world-building of Lord of the Rings, the character development of The Godfather. How long has it been since we have had a sci-fi epic for adults?
THE EDGE
There isn’t a ton of downside to Dune. It’s a great cast, has great production values and it lives up to the novel it's based on. However, if you haven’t read the book or if you know nothing about Dune or the Dune Universe it’s not that easy to catch on to the basic rules of the world. Dune is a 600-page novel with a glossary and appendix at the back describing the world. It's tough to put into a movie. Fortunately, this is only part 1.
Villeneuve’s Dune does tackle one subject that previous versions of Dune do not; Paul Atreides'
claim to be a prophet to the Fremen. Frank Herbert long maintained that the Dune series was a cautionary tale about the consequences of fanatical devotion to a charismatic leader. Lynch's version and the Sci-Fi Network series of the early 2000s both present Paul as the Kwisatz Haderach, the super being, destined to lead the Fremen to their salvation as a matter of fact. Villeneuve's Dune retains the skepticism and ambiguity of the novel.
When House Atreides lands on Arrakis they are met by a large crowd of Fremen. Upon seeing Paul, the Fremen chant "lisan al-gaib." When they fly from the airfield to the palace Paul asks Jessica, his mother:
Paul
"They were pointing at us, what were they saying?"
Jessica
"'Lise-an-al gahib', voice from the outer world. It's their word for messiah. That means the Bene Geserit have been at work here."
Paul
"Planting superstitions?"
Jessica
"Preparing the way, Paul. These people have waited for centuries for the lise-an-al-gahib, they see you...they see the signs"
Paul
"They see what they've been told to see"
Paul’s role on Dune is not providence, it was engineered long before House Atreides landed. He is not their saviour. He is taking advantage of the Fremen’s belief in a prophet that will deliver them to greater glory.
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and any subsequent movies/tv-shows will be made or broken by their ability to deconstruct and critique the concept of the white saviour.
THE LOWDOWN
I can't stress enough how difficult it is to work on a set. The hours are long the work can be tedious and arduous. But it can be rewarding and memorable, the type of work that makes for a great story to tell. Working on Dune would have been unbelievably hard. Working in the bone-chilling dampness of a Norwegian Fiord or the torrid heat and blowing sand of Wadi Rum, Jordan would have both presented extraordinary challenges to shooting. There are some saving graces, however. Villeneuve is a seasoned director and has a great reputation at this point in history. I've been on set with Mamoa before, he is a force of nature, and there is always something a little more special about the day when he's around. When a guy like Mamoa gets excited about working with a director it's pretty cool to be around.
Also, is it just me.....or is Dave Bautista one of the most interesting actors out there today?
THE JIST
Dune is the best Sci-fi movie since District 9. It's a challenge to follow but well worth your attention. And, like any good first installment. It leaves you excited for the next chapter. It's not a spoiler to mention that the movie ends about a third of the way through the first novel, so there is a lot to look forward to.....but what are we going to do til part 2 comes out?
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