Barrett Brief Movie Review – Dune Part 1, The Longest Setup Ever

Barrett Brief Movie Review – Dune Part 1, The Longest Setup Ever 

Summary: Feature adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel, about the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama 

Dune. One of Hollywood’s seemingly white whales. This project, based on the 1965 science-fiction novel by American author Frank Herbert has always been rumored to adapted or is in development to BE adapted. I have never read the book or seen the other attempts at putting this project to film, so I went in with a clean slate. This wouldn’t be the first time I went into a film that was based on a wildly popular piece of fiction that had struggled to be adapted before. I have never read Lord Of The Rings (I know) back when I went to see it in 2001, but I was hooked from the first frame on. Sadly, I cannot say the same for Dune: Part 1. While I certainly didn’t hate the film, when the end credits came up, it felt nothing. Of course people will say I have to wait for part 2 to tie up the loose ends, but if you read my Halloween Kills review last week, that is not an acceptable answer. Director Denis Villeneuve does a masterful job bringing the world to life. However, whether it was weighed down by its lore or the reliance on part 2, Dune: Part 1 is very much like the world of Arrakis, visually stunning but otherwise empty.  

SoundCastles In The Sand 

Sand. Lots and lots of sand. The is what you are introduced to in the beginning and you get a whole lot of it during the film. The bleakness of the planet hovers over the film. It is another character that our principles have to deal with. This contrast the other world that our universe is made up of. Different factions, 5 that could at least keep count of during the film. I love good political thrillers, but the different “House” and who was angry and who and why was not well fleshed out. If you are going to use that as a storytelling device, you have to commit all the way. Don’t just spend a couple of minutes on different worlds having exposition dialogue thrown at the audience. It’s boring and hard to keep track of if you have not read the books (right here). The story between the different factions gets sacrificed for the good of the story (supposedly – this film is 2 hrs and 38 minutes). 

 The Cast

The cast is stacked, to say the least. Timothée Chalamet (Paul Atreides) is fine as the protagonist. Yeah he is a pretty boy, but his youth is an advantage to the story and he doesn’t ever seem overwhelmed. Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica Atreides) is his mother and a witch. She spends a lot of the movie mumbling things that I could barely understand. Overall she is solid and her relationship with Timothée works. Oscar Isaac (Duke Leto Atreides) was a standout for me. Regal, wise, compassionate and tough, Issac effortlessly moves through these traits as the noble father and leader of his people. Jason Momoa (Duncan Idaho) is Jason Mom in space, which if you are ok with that you will be fine with his performance. Stellan Skarsgård (Baron Vladimir Harkonnen) brings the creepy and menacing vibes needed for the villain of the film. Josh Brolin (Gurney Halleck) is always solid, and it is no different here. Javier Bardem (Stilgar) is barely in this film, but when he is, he is Javier Bardem. Which means he brings his A game. Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Dr. Liet Kynes) is fine in her role. Dave Bautista (Beast Rabban Harkonnen) does Dave Bautista things, running, grunting, yelling. Zendaya (Chani) is also barely in this film. But don’t worry, when she is she sports nothing but a scowl the whole time. 

Plot & Pacing

The plot is condensed but still very broad (I will do my best). A new noble house takes over stewardship of the planet Arrakis, which makes this macguffin called “spice” that does awesome stuff. However, the previous house plots to retake the planet with the help of the emperor. Meanwhile Paul Atreides, the son of the lord who takes over stewardship, is apparently a chosen one due to his witch mother deciding to train him in the dark arts. After being attacked and forced into the desert, Paul seeks the help of the Fremen, the natives of the planet. The film ends with the Fremen taking Paul and his mother to their kingdom. There is A LOT more that happened, but I A) don’t remember and B) don’t want to waste y’all’s time. 

The pace is nonexistent for the first 35 minutes of the film. Until we get to Arrakis, it is all dreams and meetings and politics and filler. Once we get to the planet the pace does quicken a bit as the plot is allowed to unfold. There are many shots of the landscape and of just the actor sitting and staring. You could have cut maybe 20 minutes off of the runtime and I think it would have been better for it. 

Technical notes

Beautiful. Denis Villeneuve has the eye for gorgeous visual framing. However, he seems to get lost in his own shots. 

Overall

The film was intriguing with the different political factions and the overall concept, but in the end Dune Part 1 is a much like the desert, beautiful but empty 

Score:

2 out 4 briefcases