Dune (2021): A modern science fiction masterpiece
With Dune: Part Two (2024) hitting theaters in a few weeks, what better time to revisit the world of Arrakis? For those unfamiliar, Dune is a film series based on the six Dune novels written by the late Frank Herbert. To complement this man’s creative genius, the film series is directed by visual genius Denis Villeneuve, a modern master of science fiction with previous works including Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Arrival (2016), and Enemy (2013). Though it may not have been clear to people going into the first film of this series, Villeneuve blew audiences away with his prowess on screen and crafted a visual recreation of the works which even the late Herbert would be impressed by; you can tell each shot had meticulous effort put into it.
The plot of the first film begins with an introduction to the world our characters call home, Arrakis. It is a visually beautiful, desert-ridden planet littered with death. On top of this, the planet is controlled by the Harkonnens—a brutal and ruthless military empire—who rule over Arrakis while its people search for the spice, a hallucinogenic found within the planet’s sandy dunes that is crucial to interstellar ship travel.
Soon after, we are acquainted with our protagonist, Paul Atreides of House Atreides, on the distant planet Caladan. We soon learn that the Harkonnens are leaving Arrakis and will be handing over the facilities to Duke Leto Atreides and his house, but a more sinister conspiracy may be at play. Amidst all the disarray, Paul often has premonitions and dreams of events that may soon unfold on Arrakis, but these dreams are never taken seriously.
If things couldn’t get more crazy, Paul, along with being set to take the throne eventually, is also a son of Lady Jessica, a Bene Gesserit. This means Paul’s mother was part of a matriarchal order known to have unnatural abilities from the spice; skills which the young man inherited. Though this teaching was frowned upon due to Paul’s sex, he learned skills from his mother such as “the weirding way,” an ability focusing on complete control over one’s mind and body, which he will use throughout the series.
Although that is quite the amount of information thrown at the audience, it is done slowly and periodically, made sure not to overwhelm while intoxicating viewers with its expansive universe. Each character is given a proper introduction to the world, and we see it in all its unbridled glory. All of these finely woven storylines soon come crashing down, however, in a cynical plot by the Harkonnens to make House Atreides' demise all the more tragic.
The theme of someone living up to their destiny is at the center of this film and is very apparent with Paul. Paul is a character who walks impulsively headfirst into his destiny, pursuing it without thinking of how his choices will affect other decisions. This is all meant to feed into the “Chosen One,” subplot created for the character; Paul’s journey has always been this path, and he knows it, so rather than shy away from it, he pushes through the unknown eagerly to see what awaits him on the other side. I hope to see Villeneuve take an original dive on this subplot, as it is a bit played out at this point in the media.
This first film ends with a larger conflict in sight, and so much to look forward to unraveling ahead in the next film. Although this is the first part of a larger story, this film doesn't just work to set up a bigger story. Dune (2021) is also a self-contained marvel of science fiction! Hopefully, Dune: Part Two (2024) can match the magic of this film, but be the judge of that for yourself, and see this film in theaters starting March 1, 2024.
Be sure to check out next week’s issue for my review of Dune: Part Two!
Thumbnail Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons