Dune
Dune (titled on-screen as Dune: Part One) is a 2021 American epic space opera film directed and co-produced by Denis Villeneuve, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth. It is the first of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert. Set in the distant future, the film follows Paul Atreides as his family, the noble House Atreides, is thrust into a war for the deadly and inhospitable desert planet Arrakis.
The film is the third adaptation of Dune, following David Lynch’s 1984 film and John Harrison’s 2000 television miniseries. After an unsuccessful attempt by Paramount Pictures to produce a new adaptation, Legendary Pictures acquired the Dune film and television rights in 2016, with Villeneuve signing on as director in February 2017.
Production contracts were secured only for the first film, relying on its success before a sequel would be produced. From March to July 2019, principal photography took place in Budapest, Jordan, Norway, and Abu Dhabi, among other places. The cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.
Dune was scheduled for a late 2020 release but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to its international release on September 15, 2021, the film had its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival. On October 22, 2021, it was released in theaters in the United States and was available for streaming on HBO Max.
Dune grossed $410 million on a $165 million budget. It was well received by critics and audiences with praise for Villeneuve’s direction, screenplay, the performances of the cast, production values, costumes, Hans Zimmer’s musical score, visual effects, cinematography, and retaining core elements from the source material.
The film won six awards at the 94th Academy Awards and was nominated in four other categories; it received numerous other accolades. A sequel, Dune: Part Two, was released on March 1, 2024, with another sequel based on Herbert’s 1969 novel Dune Messiah in development.
Plot
In the distant future, Duke Leto Atreides is assigned by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV to replace Baron Vladimir Harkonnen as the fiefholder of Arrakis, a harsh desert planet and the sole source of “spice”, a valuable psychotropic substance that imparts heightened vitality and awareness.
Spice is also essential for interstellar travel, empowering Spacing Guild Navigators to direct starships to swift and secure space travel. Emperor Shaddam, fearful of Leto’s rising power, plots for House Harkonnen to retake Arrakis, secretly aided by his Sardaukar troops, and destroy House Atreides. Leto is suspicious of the Emperor but weighs the risks against the power of controlling Arrakis and making an alliance with its mysterious natives, the Fremen.
Lady Jessica, Leto’s concubine, is an acolyte of the Bene Gesserit, a privileged sisterhood of advanced physical and mental abilities. As part of a centuries-long breeding program, they instructed her to bear a daughter whose son would become the Kwisatz Haderach—a Bene Gesserit and messianic superbeing with the clairvoyance necessary to guide humanity to a better future. Jessica disobeyed and bore a son, Paul, who is trained by Leto’s aides, Duncan Idaho, Gurney Halleck, the Suk doctor Wellington Yueh, and the Mentat Thufir Hawat, and she teaches him Bene Gesserit disciplines.
Paul confides in Jessica and Duncan about troubling visions of the future. The Reverend Mother and Imperial Truthsayer Gaius Helen Mohiam subjects Paul to a deadly gom jabbar test to assess his humanity and impulse control, which he passes.
House Atreides arrives at Arrakeen, the principal stronghold on Arrakis. Duncan’s advance party has made contact with the Fremen.
The natives revere Paul and Jessica, which she explains is due to the Bene Gesserit sowing beliefs on Arrakis centuries earlier. An attempt to assassinate Paul with a hunter-seeker fails. At a secret meeting on the Harkonnen planet Giedi Prime, Mohiam insists Baron Harkonnen spare Paul and Jessica in his coup, to which he duplicitously agrees.
Leto meets and negotiates with Fremen chieftain Stilgar and meets the Imperial Judge of the Change, Dr. Planetologist Liet Kynes, who lives among the Fremen. Kynes briefs them on the dangers of spice harvesting, and the giant sandworms that travel under the desert and render unwise the use of protective shields. During a flight, they rescue a stranded spice-harvesting crew from a sandworm, and Paul’s exposure to the spice triggers intense premonitions.
Yueh betrays the Atreides and disables Arrakeen’s shields, allowing the Harkonnens and Sardaukar to invade. He incapacitates Leto, planning to exchange him for his wife, the Baron’s prisoner. Yueh replaces one of Leto’s teeth with a poison gas capsule with which the Duke can assassinate the Baron.
After the Baron double-crosses and murders Yueh, Leto releases the gas, killing himself and the Baron’s Mentat, Piter De Vries, but the Baron survives. Though the Baron has arranged to have Paul and Jessica dropped deep in the desert to die, a compassionate Yueh has left them with a fremkit with survival supplies. Jessica uses a Bene Gesserit technique called “the Voice” to overpower and kill their captors. Overnighting in the desert, Paul—surrounded by spice—has visions of a bloody holy war fought across the universe in his name.
After conquering Arrakis, Baron Harkonnen appoints his nephew Rabban to oversee the planet, and ord
ers him to restart spice production to recoup the invasion’s cost. Meanwhile, Duncan and Kynes find Jessica and Paul, who discloses his plan to marry one of Emperor Shaddam’s daughters to avert a potential civil war arising from the Emperor’s betrayal. They are discovered by Sardaukar soldiers armed with a lasgun, and Duncan sacrifices himself, enabling Paul and Jessica’s escape.
Kynes also tries to escape but is caught and mortally wounded, and lures a sandworm to her location to devour herself and the Sardaukar. Deep in the desert, Paul and Jessica encounter Stilgar’s Fremen tribe, including Chani, the young woman from Paul’s visions. When Stilgar commands lenience towards them, Fremen warrior Jamis challenges his authority, and challenges them to a ritual duel to the death, which Paul accepts and wins. Contrary to Jessica’s wishes, Paul joins the Fremen, determined to fulfill his father’s goal of bringing peace to Arrakis.
Cast
Credit – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(2021_film)#Cast
- Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, ducal heir of House Atreides[4]
- Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Paul’s Bene Gesserit mother and concubine to Leto[4]
- Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, Paul’s father and the leader of House Atreides[4]
- Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, weapons master of House Atreides and one of Paul’s mentors[4]
- Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, leader of House Harkonnen, enemy to House Atreides, and former steward of Arrakis[4]
- Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban, nephew of Baron Harkonnen[4]
- Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Dr. Liet Kynes, Imperial ecologist and Judge of the Change on Arrakis[4]
- Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat, the Mentat of House Atreides[4]
- Zendaya as Chani, a mysterious young Fremen woman who appears in Paul’s visions[4]
- Chang Chen as Dr. Wellington Yueh, a Suk doctor in the employ of House Atreides[4]
- Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Mohiam, the Emperor’s Bene Gesserit Truthsayer[4]
- Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, the swordmaster of House Atreides and one of Paul’s mentors[4]
- Javier Bardem as Stilgar, the leader of the Fremen tribe at Sietch Tabr[4]
- David Dastmalchian as Piter De Vries, the Mentat of House Harkonnen[4]
- Babs Olusanmokun as Jamis, a Fremen from Sietch Tabr[4]
- Golda Rosheuvel as Shadout Mapes, a Fremen working as a housekeeper for House Atreides[4]
- Roger Yuan as Lieutenant Lanville, Gurney Halleck’s second-in-command[5]
- Neil Bell as Sardaukar Bashar
Additionally, Benjamin Clementine portrays the Herald of the Change, the head of an Imperial delegation to Caladan. Marianne Faithfull (in her final film role), Jean Gilpin, and Ellen Dubin voice the ancestral Bene Gesserit whose voices are heard by Paul in his visions.[4] Joe Walker, the film’s editor, provides the narration for Paul’s filmbook guides for Arrakis.[6] Choreographer Milena Sidorova portrays the Baron’s human-spider hybrid pet via motion capture.[7]
Our General Rerview
When I first sat down to watch Denis Villeneuve’s Dune (2021), I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d heard the buzz—epic visuals, a sprawling sci-fi saga, Timothée Chalamet’s cheekbones slicing through the desert like a vibroblade. As a fan of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, I was both excited and skeptical.
Could a modern adaptation capture the dense, philosophical heft of the book while still delivering a cinematic gut-punch? Spoiler alert: it does. Oh, it really does. But it’s not perfect, and that’s part of what makes it so fascinating. Buckle up, because this is going to be a long, winding journey through the sands of Arrakis, and I’m diving deep into what makes Dune a triumph, where it stumbles, and why it’s stuck with me like spice in the bloodstream.
The Setup: A Universe Worth Getting Lost In
For the uninitiated, Dune is set in a distant future where noble houses feud over resources, power, and survival. The story follows young Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), heir to House Atreides, as his family is tasked with overseeing the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of “spice”—a substance that extends life, enhances consciousness, and fuels interstellar travel. Sounds simple? It’s not. Arrakis is a death trap, riddled with giant sandworms, hostile Fremen natives, and the scheming House Harkonnen, who’ve been ousted from the planet and want it back. Add in a web of political intrigue, religious prophecy, and ecological themes, and you’ve got a narrative denser than a spice harvester.
Villeneuve’s film adapts roughly the first half of Herbert’s novel, a wise choice given the book’s sprawling scope. This isn’t Star Wars with its zippy hero’s journey; Dune is a slow burn, a meditation on power, destiny, and survival. The film clocks in at 2 hours and 35 minutes, and it feels like it. Not in a bad way, mind you—it’s deliberate, immersive, and demands your attention. If you’re looking for a quick popcorn flick, this ain’t it. But if you’re ready to sink into a world that feels as vast and unforgiving as the desert itself, you’re in for a treat.
The Visuals: A Feast for the Eyes and Soul
Let’s start with the obvious: Dune is a visual masterpiece. Villeneuve, working with cinematographer Greig Fraser, crafts a world that feels both alien and achingly real. Arrakis isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a character. The desert stretches endlessly, its dunes rippling like waves frozen in time. The heat shimmers, the sand crunches, and you can practically feel the grit in your teeth. The film’s color palette—muted golds, grays, and blues—gives it a lived-in, almost tactile quality. This isn’t the glossy sci-fi of Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s raw, elemental, and grounded.
The production design is equally stunning. The spacecraft, or “ornithopters,” look like dragonflies crossed with military helicopters, their wings flapping with a satisfying thwump. The architecture of Caladan (House Atreides’ lush home planet) contrasts sharply with Arrakis’ brutal minimalism, while the Harkonnen stronghold is all cold, industrial menace. Every frame is meticulous, from the intricate patterns on Fremen stillsuits to the looming bulk of spice harvesters. It’s the kind of movie that makes you want to pause and study every detail.
And then there are the sandworms. Holy mother of Shai-Hulud, these creatures are awe-inspiring. When they erupt from the sand, jaws gaping like living freight trains, it’s a moment of pure, primal terror. Villeneuve doesn’t overuse them, which makes their appearances all the more impactful. The first full reveal of a worm chasing a spice harvester is a masterclass in tension and scale—a reminder that nature, even alien nature, doesn’t care about your noble house or your destiny.
The Sound: A Pulse That Shakes Your Bones
If the visuals are the body of Dune, Hans Zimmer’s score is its heartbeat. Zimmer, a longtime fan of the novel, throws out subtlety and goes for broke. The music is a primal, otherworldly blend of percussion, chanting, and electronic wails that feels like it’s been dredged up from the depths of Arrakis itself. It’s not just background noise; it’s a force that pulls you deeper into the story. At times, it’s overwhelming—Zimmer’s bombast can feel like it’s trying to out-epic the visuals—but it’s undeniably effective. The quiet moments, like the delicate strings accompanying Paul’s visions, are just as powerful.
The sound design deserves equal praise. The crunch of boots on sand, the hum of a thumper, the roar of a worm—these sounds aren’t just realistic; they’re visceral. I watched Dune in a theater with Dolby Atmos, and let me tell you, when that spice harvester gets swallowed, you feel it in your chest. Even on a home TV, the mix is immersive, making every scene feel larger than life.
The Cast: A Constellation of Talent
The ensemble in Dune is stacked with heavyweights, and for the most part, they deliver. Timothée Chalamet anchors the film as Paul Atreides, and he’s a revelation. At first, I wasn’t sold—his wiry frame and boyish face made me wonder if he could carry the weight of a messianic figure. But Chalamet nails Paul’s arc, blending vulnerability, arrogance, and growing unease as he grapples with his destiny. His scenes with Rebecca Ferguson, who plays his mother Lady Jessica, crackle with emotional intensity. Their relationship—part loving, part strained by the expectations of the Bene Gesserit order—is one of the film’s strongest threads.
Ferguson is phenomenal as Jessica, a woman torn between her loyalty to her son, her lover Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac), and the shadowy machinations of her sisterhood. She brings a raw, almost feral energy to the role, especially in scenes where Jessica’s composure cracks. Isaac, meanwhile, is quietly commanding as Leto, a noble leader who knows he’s walking into a trap but faces it with dignity. His warmth and gravitas make Leto’s fate hit harder than I expected.
The supporting cast is equally impressive. Josh Brolin’s Gurney Halleck is gruff and loyal, a warrior-poet who steals every scene he’sDetailed Review of Dune (2021): A Cinematic Triumph with a Few Grains of Sand in the Mix
The Good: A Sci-Fi Epic That Lives Up to the Hype
Let’s dive into what makes Dune (2021) a triumph. Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal novel is a visual and emotional juggernaut, a film that balances spectacle with substance in a way few blockbusters manage. From its jaw-dropping visuals to its haunting score, from its stellar cast to its thoughtful exploration of power, destiny, and ecology, Dune feels like a love letter to sci-fi fans and a bold statement that the genre can still push boundaries.
A Visual and Sonic Masterpiece
The film’s aesthetic is nothing short of breathtaking. Cinematographer Greig Fraser paints Arrakis as a desolate yet mesmerizing wasteland, with sweeping dunes and shimmering heat that make every frame feel like a painting. The production design—ornithopters, spice harvesters, stillsuits—grounds the fantastical in a gritty realism. Hans Zimmer’s score, a primal mix of chants, drums, and synths, is both overwhelming and perfectly suited to the film’s epic scope. The sound design, from the roar of sandworms to the hum of shields, immerses you in a way that demands a theater experience.
A Cast That Shines
Timothée Chalamet delivers a nuanced performance as Paul Atreides, evolving from a reluctant heir to a figure haunted by his own mythos. Rebecca Ferguson’s Lady Jessica is a standout, blending strength and vulnerability as a mother and Bene Gesserit. Oscar Isaac’s Duke Leto is the heart of the film, his quiet nobility anchoring the Atreides family. Supporting players like Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, and Zendaya (as Fremen warrior Chani) add depth, though some, like Zendaya, are underused due to the film covering only half the novel.
Faithful Yet Accessible
Villeneuve nails the tone of Herbert’s novel—dense, philosophical, and mythic—while making it accessible to newcomers. The film distills the book’s complex lore (spice, the Bene Gesserit, the Kwisatz Haderach) without dumbing it down, trusting the audience to keep up. It leans into the novel’s themes—colonialism, resource exploitation, the dangers of messianic figures—without preaching. The pacing, while slow, builds a sense of inevitability, like a sandstorm on the horizon.
A World That Feels Alive
Arrakis isn’t just a setting; it’s a character. The Fremen, Sardaukar, and Harkonnens all feel like products of their environment, shaped by the desert’s harsh realities. The ecological subtext—spice as a stand-in for oil, Arrakis as a plundered planet—resonates without being heavy-handed. Villeneuve’s attention to detail, from the Fremen’s water-conserving stillsuits to the sandworms’ terrifying majesty, makes the world feel lived-in and vast.
The Flaws: Not Quite a Perfect Spice Harvest
No film is flawless, and Dune has its share of imperfections. These don’t derail the experience, but they’re worth noting, especially for fans of the novel or those expecting a complete story.
Half a Story
The biggest gripe is that Dune (2021) is only half a movie. It adapts the first part of Herbert’s novel, ending on a cliffhanger that sets up a sequel (thankfully, Dune: Part Two is out and delivers). While the pacing is deliberate and the climax feels earned, the lack of resolution can frustrate viewers who want a standalone experience. It’s a bold choice, but it means the film feels like a (gorgeous) setup rather than a complete arc.
Underdeveloped Characters
While the leads shine, some supporting characters get short shrift. Zendaya’s Chani has limited screen time, making her romance with Paul feel more like a promise than a reality. Javier Bardem’s Stilgar, leader of the Fremen, is compelling but lacks depth in this installment. The Harkonnens, led by a grotesque Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir, are suitably vile but lean heavily on cartoonish villainy. The novel’s rich ensemble doesn’t fully come to life here, though Part Two remedies this for some.
Dense for Casual Viewers
Dune doesn’t hold your hand. The lore—Bene Gesserit, CHOAM, the Missionaria Protectiva—comes fast and thick, and while Villeneuve avoids exposition dumps, casual viewers may feel lost. The slow pacing and heavy themes might alienate those expecting a zippy sci-fi adventure. It’s a film that rewards attention and rewatches, but it’s not universally accessible.
Cultural Representation
The Fremen, inspired by Bedouin and Arabic cultures, are portrayed with respect, but some critics argue the film leans into exoticism. The novel’s blend of Middle Eastern and Islamic influences is a product of its 1960s context, and while Villeneuve avoids caricature, the depiction of the Fremen as a “noble savage” archetype can feel dated. It’s a minor issue, but one worth acknowledging in a story about colonial exploitation.
Why Dune Sticks With You
Despite its flaws, Dune lingers like spice in the air. It’s a film that dares to be big—not just in scale, but in ideas. It asks uncomfortable questions: What happens when a savior becomes a conqueror? How do you wield power without losing yourself? Can humanity break free from cycles of greed and destruction? These themes, woven into a story of betrayal, survival, and hope, feel timeless.
For me, the film’s heart is Paul’s struggle with his own destiny. Chalamet’s performance captures the weight of being a figurehead, a boy who’s both gifted and cursed. His visions—fragmented, haunting glimpses of war and worship—hint at the cost of his rise. It’s a slow unraveling, and it hits hard because it feels human. Who hasn’t wrestled with expectations, with the fear of becoming something you can’t control?
The film also resonates because it’s a love letter to sci-fi as a genre. It proves you can tell a cerebral, visually stunning story without sacrificing heart. It’s not perfect, but its ambition and craft make it a benchmark for what the genre can achieve.
Final Thoughts: A Journey Worth Taking
Dune (2021) is a cinematic marvel, a film that marries spectacle with soul. It’s not without flaws—its incomplete arc, underdeveloped characters, and dense lore may test some viewers—but these are grains of sand in an otherwise majestic desert. Villeneuve, Chalamet, and company have crafted a world that feels alive, a story that challenges and captivates. Whether you’re a Herbert purist or a sci-fi newbie, there’s something here to savor.
As I left the theater, I felt like I’d been to Arrakis and back. My heart raced, my mind buzzed, and I couldn’t wait to return. Dune isn’t just a movie; it’s an experience, a reminder of why we tell stories in the first place—to explore, to dream, to confront the unknown. So grab a stillsuit, watch out for worms, and dive in. The spice must flow.
Rating: 9/10
May the sands of Arrakis guide your path.