TIFF 2021: Dune
Warner BrosDirector Denis Villeneuve has long proved himself as the purveyor of science fiction with his films Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, so he seemed to be the best choice for a Dune film. Long perceived as being impossible to adapt, Villeneuve proves this notion wrong, as Dune is truly the quintessential sci-fi epic. With its flawless cast, sweeping visuals and impeccable worldbuilding, Villeneuve’s Dune surpasses even the highest of expectations and seems in place to firmly cement itself into the popular culture, once its sequel is hopefully greenlit.
Frank Herbert’s Dune series is a sprawling epic; with so much to cover, Villeneuve decides for his film to be “Part One”, going so far as to show the words on the screen without Warner Brothers’ promise of a sequel. Though Villeneuve does pack quite a bit of world-building into this first installment, at its core, Dune tells the story of a feudal interstellar society set in the distant future. Governed by the Emperor, the rulers of the planet Caladan, House Atreides led by Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), are set to take over stewardship of the planet Arrakis from House Harkonnen. Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) plans a coup against House Atreides to eliminate them. Arrakis is largely desolated and inhabited by the indigenous Fremen people, and it is also the only known location of “the spice”, which is used for space navigation. Control of Arrakis is coveted and Duke Leto uses this new opportunity to groom his son Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) into taking over as Caladan’s leader. Paul is also pulled in another direction by his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), an acolyte of the Bene Gesserit, an all-female religious organisation working to bring about the Kwisatz Haderach, a Messiah-like figure.
It is a lot of plot to take in, but through the eyes of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides, Villeneuve skillfully takes the audience on the journey of Dune, explaining just enough for Paul and the audience to grasp at some understanding but ultimately leaving questions to be answered in future installments of the hopeful franchise. People will be able to grasp the recurring terms in Dune, as many are explained multiple times by the film’s wide cast of characters, but Film School Rejects published a glossary of terms for those who want to go above and beyond in comprehending the lore. Some viewers will be frustrated by this, but the amount of faith Denis Villeneuve puts into his Dune adaptation is what finally breaks the belief that Dune is unadaptable. Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth also contribute to Dune’s screenplay, but the multiple writers luckily do not take away from Villeneuve’s specific vision of Dune.
Villeneuve is helped along by his extraordinary ensemble cast. The likes of Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, and Dave Bautista each have more minor roles but also have necessary moments to establish the world and relationships of Dune. Stellan Skarsgard, in particular, is a standout as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen; it is clear he’s having a delightful time playing the enemy of House Atreides. Zendaya isn’t given that much to do in Dune but her character Chadi has a clear connection to Paul Atreides. Oscar Isaac is commanding in his role as Duke Leto Atreides, while Timothée Chalamet truly is the perfect Paul. But it is Rebecca Ferguson that shines best in Dune. Her Lady Jessica is torn as she has to cope with the instinct to protect her son, while also preparing him for a fate far greater than simply the next leader of House Atreides.
Technically, Dune is a marvel. The sweeping visuals of the planets of Dune cement the universe – Villeneuve and production designer Patrice Vermette build the perfect setting for the epic, while Greig Grasier’s cinematography ties it all together. Arrakis is the planet seen the most, its neverending desert beckons with its mysteries, while its Fremen people and sandworms further add to its spectacle. The design of the sandworms is incredibly well done, as they are especially fearsome when their maw leaps out of the sand. The score by Hans Zimmer is of no surprise to perfectly encapsulate the sci-fi epic that is Dune, though sometimes the sound mix isn’t as good as it should be, especially with such a dense film, as some of the conversations between characters can be rather unclear. The costuming is also very well done as it is used to separate the characters into their respective Houses and demonstrates their characteristics. The Atreides’ and the Harkonnens are often seen in full armour, the warring colonisers, while the Fremen are usually seen in linen-like clothing suited for Arrakis’ desert and showing them as a nomadic people. The editing of Dune by Joe Walker is of particular merit, as he ensures that the audience has enough time to grasp Dune’s story while leaving plenty of time to marvel at everything else.
The lore of Dune is rather dense and does not have the same impact on popular culture as other iconic sci-fi and fantasy franchises do. Many of the terms author Frank Herbet used in the Dune novels are taken from a wide variety of cultures on Earth. The Middle Eastern influences and Islamic undertones are the most prevalent throughout Dune, which makes sense as the planet Arrakis shares a similar desert environment. The Fremen are also seen as been similar to the Bedouin tribes of Arabia and Northern Africa due to their similar dress and customs. The Fremen use many phrases that are reminiscent of the Arabic language such as the word Mahdi which is taken straight from Islamic hadiths. The Mahdi, meaning “the rightly guided one”, is seen as the Messiah who will appear at the end of times to rid the world of evil and injustice. This Messiah prophecy is adopted into Dune as some characters – especially the Fremen – believe Paul Atreides to be the Mahdi. The Fremen also refer to the Messiah character as Lisan al Gaib meaning “the voice from off-world”, but the word comes from the Arabic words “Lisan” meaning “tongue” and “al Gaib” meaning “the hidden”. Because of how much Dune takes from Middle Eastern and Islamic culture, it’s a little unfortunate that there aren’t more Middle Eastern or Muslim performers in the cast list, except for David Dastmalchian who is of Iranian descent.
There is also a heavy Bronze Age Greece influence in Dune. While not mentioned in the film, House Atreides is descended from the Greek heroes Atreus and Agamemnon who are fictional characters in Greek epics, like The Iliad and The Oresteia. Bulls are a recurring symbol throughout Dune as well, again specifically for House Atreides. They have many bullheads and bull statues at their palace, and Paul and his father Duke Leto have a discussion where they mention that Paul’s grandfather used to enjoy fighting bulls. This can be seen as a reference to Spain’s bullfighting but due to the Greek influence of House Atreides, it is likely in actuality a reference to the ancient Minoan civilisation. The Minoans were known for bull-leaping, with many frescoes depicting the sport in ancient Cretan palaces. The Minoans viewed the bull as a subject of veneration and worship, but also saw it as a symbol of man having power over nature. With House Atreides being given the task of harvesting spice on Arrakis, they too are men trying to have power over nature. It’ll be interesting to see if this reference continues if Villeneuve does get his wish of a Dune sequel or sequels.
With adapting the Dune novels being a dream of Denis Villeneuve since he was thirteen years old, it’s obvious that he places much love and care into crafting this experience. Villeneuve has become the blueprint for science fiction and places another feather in his cap with his Dune. Dune is an epic in every sense of the word and there is so much left to explore, it has finally gotten the adaptation it deserves.