DUNE

US, 2021, 157 minutes, Colour.

Timothy Charlemagne, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgaard, Jason Momia, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Chang Chen, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling.

Directed by Dennis Villeneuve.

Vast. And, having said that, it seems rather an understatement in terms of this 2 ½ hour science fantasy epic. Just on the scale of location photography (much in Jordan and Abu Dhabi), vistas of desert sands and rocky peaks, enormous sets, palaces, spice works, and a succession of special effects, Dune is vast.

And, if you have the opportunity to see it on the IMAX screen, it sometimes has an overpowering effect.

This is the world of Frank Herbert, publishing in the 1960s (before Star Wars which echoes it), with emperors and empires, trade in space, spices, galactic wars. Audiences have to pay attention to the initial information about the Empire, the different dynasties, the power plays. Readers of the novel and those whose memory of the 1984 David Lynch version is fresh enough, will be somewhat at home with the planet Arrakis and its spices, its desert population, the Fremin. And they will know that the house of Atreides is to be the central focus, especially the young Paul Atreides. He is the one to come.

So, with all the intrigues, invasions, betrayals by the Emperor, we are looking at Paul Atreides. And he is played by Timothee Chalamet, a young man of rather slender build, sometimes appearing puny, referred to as weakling, many commentators relying on ‘ethereal’, man of dreams, wondering how he will be, as someone eventually states, the coming Messiah. In fact, Dune is something of a coming of age film, the young Paul trusted by his dignified father, Oscar Isaac, cared for by his powerful mother, Lady Jessica, Rebecca Ferguson, blessed by the organisation of the nuns, headed by the Abbess, Charlotte Rampling, who have tested Paul and found that he is to be the one.

He trains in sword battle, is friendly with the warrior heroes who fight for his father, he discovers mystical powers of in the communication, especially with his mother.

This is a very serious spectacle. At one stage, warriors formally on guard when one of them, Josh Brolin is advised to smile. Through gritted teeth, his says he is smiling.  There is no smiling in Dune. (Although the bloated emperor, Stellan Skarsgaard, who floats, eats, bathes – and treacherously betrays looks a comic villain.)

Ultimately, after some spectacular fights, invasions, aerial battles, visions of underground earthworms in the desert, Paul and his mother are forced to survive, befriending the Fremin, Paul challenged in combat to prove himself and his worth. Lady Jessica has a stronger presence than expected, influencing his decisions, sharing his destiny.

And, as they move through the desert, up come the final credits as a transition to Part Two.

1. The writings of Frank Herbert? Literary status? Science fantasy? Mythologies? Screen and television interpretations? 21^st-century version?
2. The impact of the photography, the locations, Jordan and Abu Dhabi, the deserts and sands, the range of planets, terrains, interiors, palaces, industrial plants, helicopters and spacecraft, atmosphere? The musical score?
3. As epic scope and vision? Is spectacle?
4. Audience familiarity with the plot lines, characters? The introduction and explanations, the house of arkonnen and its exploitation of Arrakis? Enmity towards the Fremin? The exploitation of the spice industry? The role of the Emperor, in the galaxy, decisions, whims, sending the house of Atreides to Arrakis? His malevolence taunted them, the destruction? The house of Attreides, the Duke, sense of responsibility, Paul as his son and heir? Paul as the one to come?
5. The explanation of the spice situation, the spice in the air, its being harvested, the vehicles, the silos, the sales? The importance of spice in this universe? Energy, travel? The visuals of collecting the spice, on the ground? In the desert vistas, and the presence of the worms under the sands, their borrowing, emerging?
6. The Duke, his court, warriors, sense of responsibility, his relationship with Lady Jessica, with Paul? Obeying the orders of the Emperor? The transition to Arrakis, setting up the government? His benign attitudes? The various officers, Duncan Idaho, his spirit, humour, friendship with Paul, mentor, training him? Scouting expeditions? Gurney Halleck, loyalty, impulsive attack, lacking humour?
7. Lady Jessica, the relationship with the Duke, status as mother, age and responsibility, her connection with the sisterhood, her own training, her powers, communication of mind, testing Paul and training him? The encounter with the Mother Superior, the discipline of the order, the interview with Paul, his hand in the box, testing his pain threshold? Approving Paul? Her presence with the Emperor and advice to him?
8. The visuals of the Emperor, gross, floating, eating, in the bath, malevolent, treacherous? His use of the Harkonnens and the presence of the leader in his court? His advisers?
9. Paul, age, slight, ethereal, the burden of being the heir, devotion to his father, wanting to go into active service on Arrakis, friendship with Duncan Idaho, his training with swordsmanship? His relationship with his mother?
10. The house of Attreides on Arrakis, justice, dealings with the Fremin, the encounters with the leaders, the personalities of the Fremin? The woman charged with fair dealings with the spice? Her loyalty to the Emperor, but her being on the side of Paul and his mother?
11. The visualising of the battalions, the vast numbers, spacecraft, the invasion, the battles on Arrakis? The Emperor, capture, the doctor and his betrayal because of his wife’s safety, giving him the power and the tooth, the doctor and the Emperor killing him, merciless, the Emperor coming to the Duke, the Duke whispering, breathing out the poison, the Emperor floating to the roof and not being killed, his retinue being killed?
12. Paul and his mother, the dangers, trapped in the palace, Duncan Idaho and the guards defending them? Their deaths? Paul and his mother and escaping, travelling through the desert, creatures in the desert, the dangers, roaming animals, the encounter with the Fremin? The duel, honour, Paul and his skills, conquering the challenger? Paul and his mother being accepted by the Freeman?
13. The presence of Chani throughout the film, in Paul’s dreams and his recounting them, the vision from the future, her presence at the end, wariness of Paul, testing him, sharing in the final journey?
14. The film stopping – or pausing before part two?