Silver Screen Suggestions: Dune

---

The Plot (as Summarized By Google)

Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence, only those who can conquer their own fear will survive.

---

The Movie Specifics

Is It A Sequel/Remake? No, this is the initial movie of a (potential) two-part series of films based off of Frank Herbert's sci-fi class book of the same name.

Rating: PG-13 for strong violence, some disturbing images and suggestive material

My Read on the Rating: This movie is PG-13 largely because it has some intense violence scenes that might be disturbing for young viewers and a strong sense of peril throughout. Overall, this is a light PG-13 that shouldn't exclude any young fans that have watched the Star Wars or Marvel films. It's more mature and "darker" than those movies, but that is more a result of tone than actual content.

Runtime: 2 hours, 35 minutes

---

Notable Names and People You Might Recognize That Are Involved with the Film

Actor Timothee Chalamet as Paul: Stars in "Lady Bird" and "The King"

Actress Zendaya as Chani: Stars in "Spider-man: Homecoming" and "Spider-man: Far from Home"

Actress Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica: Stars in "The Greatest Showman" and "Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation"

Actor Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho: Stars in "Aquaman" and "Sweet Girl"

Actor Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto: Stars in the new Star Wars trilogy

Actor Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck (☑️Silver Screen Suggestions Favorite): Stars in "No Country for Old Men" and "Avengers: Infinity War"

Actor Dave Bautista: Stars in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies

Director Denis Villeneuve (☑️Silver Screen Suggestions Favorite): Directed "Blade Runner: 2049", "Arrival", and "Sicario"

---

Two-Sentence Selling Points

It Is One of the Most Impressive and Powerful Cinematic Experiences I've Ever Seen

From the phenomenal range in color tones from scene-to-scene to the breathtaking set pieces to the almost overwhelming swells from the film's score, this movie is an experience. It is worth the view even if you get nothing from the storyline.

The Ensemble Cast Is Very Good and Exceptionally Cast

I've read the book, and I would be lying if I said that I hadn't envisioned the characters in the book as numerous actors cast into the roles they played. Beyond that fact, almost every actor (in a story that doesn't provide ample time for character development) knocks it out of the park.

It's True To the Source Material

For those who have read the book and care about this, the movie does an exceptional job of moving efficiently through a dense story without neglecting major components of the book. If you've read the book, you understand how difficult that truly is.

---

Weak Points

If You Haven't Read the Book, It Will Probably Fly A Bit Over Your Head

If you watch this and feel confused about what is going on, do not feel bad. The world laid down in the book is very deep and complex, and the movie doesn't have time to explain everything to the level that makes any sense to someone who is entirely new to Dune.

You Won't Feel Abundantly Connected To the Characters

A lot of this is tied up in the pace of the movie (which is extremely rapid), but the story in general is a bit emotionally-detaching in general. If you're wanting to feel a deep sense of triumph when the "good guy" wins, this movie won't do it for you.

It's A "Part One", But Part Two Isn't Guaranteed

Dune is a movie that demands more than one movie, and this film represents an initial installment. However, there's uncertainty regarding the status of the next film, so I want to caution you that this story might not be finished on the big screen in the coming year.

---

Final Verdict: Is It Good?

I'm going to say yes. The sheer spectacle of the film alone really is worth a view. It is a visual masterpiece (as we've come to expect from Villeneuve), and the world portrayed is engaging and massive. Chalamet's performance as the main protagonist "Paul Atreides" may seem dull and lifeless, but it's actually very on-point for the character he's tasked to emulate. Jason Momoa steals the show from an acting standpoint, so if you enjoy his work, you'll like this movie.

The greatest shortcomings of the film are predictable if you know the story it's based off of. I don't want to keep referencing the book, but it really is a difficult book to adapt to a movie. Much of what makes the book so immersive is the book's constant inner monologue it presents for its core characters. Beyond that, the story's world is very complex and multi-dimensional, and that is so hard to address in one (or two) movies while remaining exciting and engaging for viewers. Dune is probably best-suited to be a flagship limited series on HBO or Netflix, but this movie does as good a job as possible of balancing everything and putting forth a good product.

---

Viewing Recommendations

Should You See It In Theaters? Yes. This movie was made to be seen in a theater. You'll be missing out on a phenomenal experience if you're just watching it at home.

Do You Need to Block Out Time For the Entire Movie If Watching At Home? As mentioned before, this is almost more of a viewing experience than a story. You can absolutely stop and go without missing out on the growing momentum of your standard story arc. It's a long movie, and I think you can cut it in half if that suits your time better.

Should Kids Watch It? It's essentially a darker, more ominous Star Wars movie. I wouldn't be worried as long as you're confident that they won't be scared by some dark, threatening scenes.

---

The JHMP

Dune: A 7.4 out of 10.

🚨🚨🚨🚨Update🚨🚨🚨🚨

In the time since I started composing and publishing this article, the reputable news source of Timothee Chalamet's Twitter account (among other sources) has confirmed that Dune: Part Two has indeed been greenlit and is now scheduled to be in theaters in October 2023. Please ignore any section of my article that indicates otherwise.