Bringing Frank Herbert’s epic book to the screen is no easy effort. Two directors have tried both failed for events out of their control, David Lynch version was cut to a two-hour film and Alejandro Jodorowsky’s version ran out of money. Denis Villeneuve decided to cut the film into two films, this being the first part of the epic journey.
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.
Denis Villeneuve (“Prisoners”, “Arrival”) is one of the greatest directors of the moment, his movies are character driven, beautiful pieces of art. Villeneuve knows how to create an intricate plot that has a satisfying ending and clearly the next Dune film will have this, because this film is the most expensive trailer ever made. “Dune Chapter One” introduces the characters, the universe and the stakes without ever concluding it. It is a complex study of power, relationship and religion that is very difficult to bring to the screen, but it works even though the film lacks sometimes ritme and pace. The music and the images are simply gorgeous, creating a feeling and a world that we would like to discover and visit.
The cast must one of the best ever assembled: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem and David Dastmalchian .
