DUNE - PART ONE

For Denis Villeneuve's Dune to match my expectations was a near-impossible task. So the fact that in certain areas it exceeds my wildest dreams is a triumph in itself.

In Dune Villeneuve and his creative team immerse you in a vividly imagined other-worldly universe that sweeps you up with its ambitious scope, from the smart direction and gorgeous production design to Hans Zimmer's suitably epic soundtrack and some of the finest visual effects ever put on film. Just to wander around for 150 minutes in this wondrous arena is an immense pleasure for the audience.

Dune also does a surprisingly good job of introducing the many different characters, while the casting is spot-on, especially Timothée Chalamet as protagonist Paul Atreides. And yet, despite the scope, the ambition, the cinematic mastery on display, Dune never feels like a full-fledged movie, serving rather as an elaborate set-up for the actual meaty part of the narrative, which should arrive in a few years, if this first part proves successful.

If you want that to happen as much as I do, seek out the biggest screen you can find immediately and let Dune wash over you.

release: 2021

director: Denis Villeneuve

starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa