With awards season well underway, there are some big-name films that you need to have on your radar. One of those films is the heavily touted Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Adapted from Frank Herbert’s famous sci-fi novel, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a gifted young man who’s destined to do great things beyond his understanding but struggles with dreams about the future and his role in it. After traveling to the most dangerous planet in the universe, a handful of triumphs and heartbreak take place that allows him to gradually piece together his destiny.
Son of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), the story starts off with Paul fitting the typical framework of a royal story: Child born into royalty, tries to find their way in life, befriends someone outside of their parents that they look up to, ultimately act against their parents’ will. The adult friend in this situation is Duncan (Jason Momoa), a soldier for Duke Leto and a trusted family friend. The Atreides clan end up on a desert planet that’s known for dangerous sandworms, but also, for an all-powerful element called “spice”. It’s on this planet that Duke Leto discovers that his colonizing plans won’t be taking shape as first thought.
In the trailers, Zendaya gets a lot of facetime, but you won’t get to see her for a while. The film does a good job of showing glimpses of the future (via Paul’s dreams) without getting too carried away. She plays an important role in the overall story but I’m glad they didn’t plaster her everywhere just for the sake of her being Zendaya.
The CGI and camerawork in the film are absolutely phenomenal. From the flying aircraft to the antagonist’s appearance and spaceship, the cinematography and set design went above and beyond anything I could’ve imagined. Rightfully so, Dune received Oscar nominations for the aforementioned areas plus original score, makeup and hairstyling, and a host of others.
Other familiar faces you’ll see in this Mad Max-esque desert flick include Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin, and Stellan Skarsgård.
I give Dune a 9 out of 10. The best way to watch was HBO Max but they stopped streaming last November. Now, it’s available to rent/buy on iTunes and Amazon. If you haven’t read any of the books, it’s going to take a minute to figure out what’s taking place. Thankfully, after a handful of events take place, you’ll be able to follow what’s happening and better appreciate the plot. The film is a visual masterpiece and this is just the first installment of a budding film series.
-Jon Jones
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures
THE PEACH REVIEW® 
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