VENICE 2021: DUNE
Warner Bros
Denis Villeneuve's long gesturing passion project of bringing justice to the source material of Frank Herbert's undeniably detailed and philosophical Dune series has finally arrived. Debuting just shy of a month before international release, Villeneuve delivers not his full vision but merely part one of a two-part planned series, and while the accustomed conventions of the growing director are as spectacular and grandiose as can be imagined, that is not to say that Dune is another masterpiece. But this is not another Blade Runner or Sicario, Dune: Part One – it is another beast entirely and with that comes its own majestic powers of cinematic positives and issues.
To start, the aesthetic and production, as a whole, are incredible. Intoxicating and formidable in their creation and execution, the space operatic iconography that is consistently present – but never used in an indulgent or egotistical manner in either bravado or verbal digression – builds a world that not only feels authentic but immersive and runs with a heartbeat. If anything, Dune: Part One puts the perspective of Blade Runner: 2049 as a mere dress rehearsal in comparison to bringing Herbert's material to the screen for the second time. The juggling of production, themes, narratives, and characters all feel in complete preparation to throw everything Villeneuve has in his creative mindset and, presumably, heart and soul to do justice to this material. To that end, Dune: Part One does not fail.
At every single turn and in every single scene, Dune: Part One will take your breath away. Admirers of the source material, fans of science fiction are granted, but this film has such a sense of setting and place in the production design from Patrice Vermette, which looks spectacularly gargantuan with a perfected, surprisingly oxymoronic set design creation of simplicity yet teeming with life and history in the form Richard Roberts. Two small and unique sentiments that go along with crafting and build character.
Unlike something akin to Ghost in the Shell, in which the western remake ultimately comes out after the original anime influenced US audiences for two decades without much direct notice, Dune has served a similar influence within the science fiction world. Yet, Villeneuve and the art directors have still managed to bring a uniqueness and flair to the this indulging world. It is hard not to see casual audiences queuing up to see this as a reality in so much passion and monumental detail. On paper, it should have the same appeal as Avatar did back in 2009; it is a visual delight that changes the game, but unlike Cameron's features, of which in almost fifteen years have passed to form a franchise, it feels as if the plug has already been pulled on this as a franchise before it even starts – but more on that later.
With each flair Villeneuve brings forward in the cinematic department, he elevates each moment. The sheer bravado of the sound design and score are unbelievable to bare witness. The former is an incredible and monumentous creation of an audible character. It burns and cerates itself into the psyche with its use of instruments and power, almost to a point where it can dictate and detract from this film's visual beauty. Equally as effective and hypnotic is the score from composer Hans Zimmer. This is a notable departure from the famed composer's catalogue, with Dune: Part One given a defining piece of music to accompany such a rich monolith of depth and layers. It dances and weaves such colour and mood with a tapestry of momentum and richness that ultimately flower from its inclusion.
The plaudits do not stop here. Greig Fraser's cinematography with Villeneuve's direction often creates gorgeous and immersive sequences of composition that capture not only the texture of this world in utter perfection but inject a tremendous intoxication of sensual imagery that entrances upon the viewer like a trick or spice itself. Granted, Villeneuve chooses to depict colour in a restrained and purposeful way. Shades of black and grey mix with muted orange and yellows to craft merging parties and ideologies but adversely allows the colour of blue – for obvious reasons – to pop and infect the screen when utilised.
Thankfully, this is not just all style and zero substance, and while the context of Villeneuve only treading in one part of the building blocks of mythology being curated here, the writer-director with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth give great substance and material for the performances to have immersion but also an emotional connection. The loyalty and affection for each of these characters who intertwine within this family are brought to the screen in an infectious and emotive manner. This is undoubtedly why Jason Mamoa and Oscar Isaac, who directly interact with Timothée Chalamet's Paul, have the greatest affection brought out on screen. Equally as effective is that Mamoa is allowed to play against type, and like Baututista before him in Blade Runner, it feels as if changing his career trajectory is imminent. Isaac is allowed to take a step back and, instead of indulging in the apathetic fallacy of Star Wars, serves a delicate and tender performance of heart.
Time will still have the story to tell on the career of Timothée Chalamet ultimately, and from what has been achieved so far from the actor, the blocks of a foundation are evidently clear. While only on a few occasions within Dune: Part One, he summons the simplicity of one-dimensional angry teenager. The actor delivers an accomplished performance that divulges the actors' range and emotional depth, which in hand he delivers with a punch of emotional flowering. Yet, out of the bunch, the plaudits have to go to Rebecca Ferguson. The Mission: Impossible actor delivers the emotional pin that keeps this features emotional power together after a few slip-ups of late. To put it bluntly, Ferguson is outstanding. She is used to the utmost best of her ability in a visceral and physical depiction of internal torture that results in a fascinating depiction.
Understandably, Dune: Part One is not perfect, and this is where the sad reminder dripped in beforehand must raise its ugly hand. This is not an empty blockbuster: it has heart and soul with those who ponder and mediate in an emotive mood for past, present, and future. However, it is just the first part of a bigger story, and it easily comes across as such in the editing department and choice of narrative. Villeneuve still has to build for that second film. Yet he seemingly is not trying to find the third act for this feature. Dune: Part One two thirds of the way drops to a halt; it can not sustain any other narrative beat and must sustain itself into a slow dripping effect, finishing with an uneventful and anticlimatic climax, of which is drab, to say the least. Throughout, there are a multitude of flash-forwards and use of such to convey existential and expositional detail, some, it should be feared, may never come to fruition depending on this release.
While these are elements that may not hold much weight if, indeed, Part Two sees the light of the day, without such, Dune: Part One could – and can – look ridiculously narrow-minded and ultimately redundant with its narrative form. It is evidently clear that Villeneuve wants to bring a complete stop with a second film but somewhat filled with his ego uses an ellipsis with his feature this time around, and without bringing this entity to an independent close, runs the risk of alienating and destroying Dune: Part One to an incoherent and drastically disastrous creation. Until then, the jury is out, but it does leave a bitter taste that the life and world, depicted in such an awe-inspiring and visceral fashion in its monumentous scope and scale, is at birth already facing the prospect of death.
