The film, adapted from Frank Herbert's epic novel, is an overflow of everything we see from the Canadian filmmaker. Slow tempo, sharp images that focus on aesthetics, and nuances that are both haunting and gripping.
The first mission is to convince the public to offer something new, at least it can make people forget the work of Dune (1984) which even Lynch did not consider.
Given its massive scale, this film must be made into a blockbuster considering that the production budget is definitely large. The target is to have a high income and this is another problem that Villeneuve has to deal with. Blade Runner 2049 failed in the market even though it was widely praised by critics.
Dune 's line-up is also massive, a mix of blockbuster actors like Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin and "method" actors like Oscar Isaac and Hollywood's brightest starlet, Timothée Chalamet. Dune Villeneuve was not only destined to be successful, it had to be successful, both financially and critically.
However, considering the magnitude of this film's burden, we also understand if this film fails at the box office like Blade Runner 2049 . At least, we will be entertained with good works that can be enjoyed for years like some of the previous Villeneuve films.
Although not absolute, we can see the freedom from Warner Bros. for the director to express his film as he pleases. However, that aside, there was also a bit of rush that didn't feel like Villeneuve's style.
In the first 30 minutes, it felt like there were some rushed edits, unusual scene shifts.
It was a little rushed at first, but there's no need to worry about the character introductions because there are just the right portions and strong acting by this star-studded cast. Chalamet seemed born to play Paul Atreides, Ferguson gave one of his best performances, Isaac's prowess was once again proven and Momoa was so charismatic.
Likewise Bardem, who only needs a scene or two to win the hearts of the audience.
The conflict of colonialism has always been the same throughout history, but its location in the desert reminds us of the conflict in the Middle East.
Villeneuve also reinforces this element, especially with his "haunting" style so that the superstitious element feels solid, not just a patch like most of Lynch 's Dune films or Star Wars and most other Hollywood science-fiction films. Paul Atreides' use of messianic calls such as Muad'Dib , Mahdi , and Shai-Hulud sounds slicker than, again, just a mere aging patch.
The surprising plus of the relevance of the conflict in the Middle East makes Dune richer. However, this wealth is indeed a precise construction of Villeneuve who pays attention to the little things and the selection of nuances that have become his forte.
This Dune is indeed Villeneuve's work, although at first it was rushed, the rest was told slowly with its own tension. In terms of tension, while most are successful, there are some that fail, especially one of the big scenes in the middle of the film. This failure is enough to hurt the film that was destined to be great.
Luckily, Paul's wanderings after this scene healed his wounds a bit, giving us an intense introduction to the main character.
Visual beauty is still the main attraction of this film like other Villeneuve films. The precise use of IMAX cameras from the Greig Fraser team provides precise depth, crisp to view with coloring with appropriate saturation reduction so that the dryness does not damage the eyes.
Of course, Dune must be seen on the widest screen. This first part has not shown or proved much. There are a few flaws, but plenty of great promise and a strong enough prefix that Villeneuve's Dune should be complete with its second part.
