“Dune” by Frank Herbert is the most beloved and engaging work of sci-fi literature. The vast, evolving story of war, power and corruption is difficult to adapt to screen and is without a doubt the spiciest book and film I’ve covered to date (as in psychedelic spice).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The book<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere should be a science of discontent. People need hard times and oppression to develop psychic muscles.” Written in 1965, the novel covers the rise to power of Paul Atreides following the loss of his father’s empire by the schemes of fiendish and genius Baron Harkonen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Left with only his mother, Paul traverses the desert planet Arrakis, the source of the spice “Millange” which is the universe’s druglike currency. He encounters massive destructive sandworms and the Fremen, a throng of warriors who embrace Paul as their long-awaited messiah. Despite taking place on a desert planet devoid of water, the story is far less cut and dry than I made it sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The plot is describable but at the cost of its excellent presentation. To better describe the spice, Millage, I will turn to the definition by Paul upon being exposed and elevated by it. \u201cA poison, so subtle\u2026so irreversible. It won\u2019t\u2026 kill you unless you stop taking it. We can\u2019t leave Arrakis\u2026we take Arrakis with us,” representing darkness and mystery in this saga disguised as a novel. Chances are you\u2019ve noticed this novel\u2019s influence in other formats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
George Lucas took heavy inspiration from this book (desert planets, rebels battling evil empire) and a referential line in \u201cA New Hope\u201d (Luke: \u201cMy father didn\u2019t fight in the wars, he was a navigator on a spice freighter.\u201d), and the implementation of religious and spiritual themes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDune\u201d is everything you can get in a novel and more. It is vast and difficult to express, but endlessly intriguing. The driving action as well as the expository revelations are within the characters\u2019 internalizations and brilliant dialogue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDune\u201d is a story written in prose with a deep, methodical exploration of an empire\u2019s fall and a leader\u2019s rise, culminating in the inevitable corruption of a radical following.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Review: 4.5\/5<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The film<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya and featuring Charlotte Rampling who was once attached to play Paul\u2019s mother in the infamous 1970\u2018s aborted Alejandro Jodorowski’s “Dune” but left in disgust over a scripted mass defecation scene of 2,000 extras (I\u2019m not lying), this film covers the first half of the book. I would say this makes my job half the work, but this is ‘Dune’ we\u2019re talking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Dune” is a spectacle in every sense of the word. The production design is beautiful. The casting fits the actors\u2019 strengths and does not detract from the story (except for when Jason Momoa inexplicably shaved his beard halfway through. I almost didn’t recognize him). The direction is solid, and the musical score is tremendous, definitely Hans Zimmer’s best work in years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a work driven by filmmakers who love Frank Herbert’s novel. Therein lies its strength and weakness. Its strength is that it captures the worldbuilding and atmosphere brilliantly. Its weakness is that it does not fully stand alone as a film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The film’s pacing is a slow, slow burn which ends quite abruptly; I asked at the end “That’s it?” Imagine “Batman Begins” ending at the 30-minute mark after Bruce blew up the League of Shadows’ lair and returned with Alfred to Gotham. But even that example has a more satisfying rising action, climax and resolution than this film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This film is the first part of a planned franchise, which is a commendable risk on the filmmakers’ part since the box office determines a second, finishing part. This adaption is what happens when the filmmakers are themselves fans of the source material, and I\u2019m sorry to say that is a rare occurrence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In being so much an homage to the book, it sacrifices standing out as its own film. I left the theater not disappointed, just expecting more. Frank Herbert\u2019s “Dune” is what I consider an unadaptable book, but this film succeeded in being the best possible adaption we\u2019ll have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Review: 3.5\/5<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
My favorite line in the film was from Rampling\u2019s character, the Bene Gesserit witch regarding her assessment of Paul: \u201cSo much potential wasted in a male.” I can\u2019t be the only one who laughed out loud at this.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"