Overview

“Dune Part One” is the first part of the adaptation of the 1965 novel, Dune. The story follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) of House Atreides in his journey to bring peace to the planet Arrakis. 

The Story

Arrakis is a desert of spices, a valuable substance critical for interstellar space travel. Paul’s father, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Issac), is the head of House Atreides and accepts Arrakis under his control. Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), is part of the Bene Gesserit, an exclusive sisterhood whose members possess advanced physical and mental abilities. Paul inherited abilities from his mother while also receiving training from his father, leading him to becoming the Kwisatz Haderach, a superbeing.

The movie starts with Paul’s dreams of a young Fremen girl (Zendaya). To learn more about Arrakis, Lady Jessica and Paul visit the spice planet. Almost immediately, they find themselves under attack from the House Harkonnen, the previous rulers who want to take the spice for themselves to become wealthy. In order to save the planet, they form an alliance with the Fremen. 

Pros and Cons

The Denis Villeneuve “Dune Part One” was overall better than the two previous adaptations of the novel: the 1984 David Lynch movie and the 2000 John Harrison miniseries. The actors were able to capture the right emotions and voices of the characters. 

Because of the complex plot, it was hard to follow the storyline which became monotonous quickly. The movie wasn’t as entertaining as it was impressive due to the visual effects. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, “Dune Part One” is an interesting movie that shows a futuristic feudal society. Though the movie feels tedious to watch at some parts, it is definitely worth watching. In addition, “Dune Part Two” has already been confirmed and planned for release in October 2023.