Its been almost three weeks since I watched Dune in theatres. Since then, I’ve struggled to articulate my thoughts on it. Its a movie I’ve desperately wanted to see; adapting one of the most influential science-fiction novels of all time. Its also a big-budget movie that eschews the superhero cinematic universes that have seemingly consumed cinema as of late. Much in the same way that Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings series is considered the definitive cinematic adaption of Tolkien’s work, I anticipate that Denis Villeneuve’s Dune will be considered the definitive adaption of Frank Herbert’s novels.
Considering that the original Dune was released in 1965 and is widely considered one of the most influential science-fiction novels of all time, one wonders why it took so long for the book to receive a big Hollywood adaptation. I mean sure, there have been a couple attempts to do, including that one misguided attempt in 1984 we don’t talk about. But otherwise, Dune has yet to get its Hollywood blockbuster adaptation.
Dune is an antithesis to the big-budget Hollywood science fiction movie. Most sci-fi blockbusters attempt to grab your attention with flashy action scenes and relegate their worldbuilding into exposition dumps. Dune is a movie that envelops you in the alien world and culture of Dune. Exposition is done indirectly; relying on the audience’s ability to parse worldbuilding information through context clues rather than an exposition dump. The result is a much more engaging and immersive experience.
The stellar visuals only accentuate that experience. Dune is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. There are so many amazing shots that are sure to be iconic, from the sandworms, to the deserts of Arrakis, to the colossal spaceships they use. The movie is a feast for the eyes and watching it on anything but a theatre screen simply doesn’t do it justice.
Dune follows a boy named Paul Atriedes, the son of a prominent noble family who are tasked with running a planet that produces the most important commodity in the universe – Spice. As soon as the Atriedes takes control of the planet they must confront threats on all sides, from rival noble families plotting assassinations to the native population attempting violent revolution to the demands of the universe to consistently supply Spice.
To explain the lore of Dune would be difficult to say the least. The book itself can barely cover the worldbuilding details that underpin the main narrative. New fans should expect to be somewhat confused initially. What makes the world of Dune so unique is how fundamentally alien it is. A lot of modern science-fiction tends to be based on modern western culture, even when it makes no sense for it to be that way. Take the Cosmic Marvel universe, which is supposed to be set in far-away alien galaxies with no relevance to Earth. Yet all the aliens dress and act not much differently than an average American. This isn’t a big deal, usually. But in the case of Dune, everything about it is radically different than our own; from the feudal power system, to the combat, to their language, to the complete absence of computers. The process of recognizing these differences and learning about this world is what makes watching Dune so engaging.
As amazing as the film is, there are weaknesses that arise from adapting the story from novel to film. Dune is a story that is chock full of worldbuilding, lore, and a complicated plot. Even in book form, it is dense with information that many will struggle to understand. Through the book medium, Frank Herbert is able to dedicate time to explain relevant worldbuilding elements, such as hand-to-hand combat and the existence of Mentats. Such exposition is difficult to explain in a movie without characters standing around delivering exposition dumps. Villeneuve does a great job attempting to show rather than tell, but some plot details are hard to grasp purely from visuals.
This also affects the character writing. The Dune book gives us an intimate look into the mind of Paul Atreides, his thought process, and his fears. Even though he isn’t the most outwardly expressive person, we can at least understand him. In movie form, we don’t get that clear insight into his thinking, so he can appear bland, distant, and cold. Timothee Chalamat does a wonderful job bring Paul to life, despite these challenges. I’m excited to see what he can accomplish in Dune part 2, where Paul becomes Mua’dib.
The world of Dune draws heavy inspiration from Islamic and Arabic culture for the world of Dune. From the Arab-coded Fremen to the use of actual Arabic terminology like Shai Hulud, Mahdi, or Lisan Al-Gaib. Its a shame then that the movie does not feature any Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) actors. Its understandable that the Denis would use proven and well-known talent like Zendaya and Javier Bardem, especially for a movie that needs that kind of star power to market the movie to a wide audience. On the other hand, its yet another missed opportunity where Hollywood could center Middle Eastern talent. As an Arab, I cringe a little watching the Fremen mispronounce Arabic words so badly.
One important thing to note is the criticism I have seen, from fans and critics alike, is that Dune is a white savior story. Personally I love this criticism because it immediately reveals that the individual has either not read Dune or did not understand it’s message. The books (and movie) depict how indigenous and less industrialized people are often exploited by the rich and powerful for their own ends. It also shows the danger in getting caught up in the zealous fervor of following a “chosen one”. Frank Herbert explicitly wrote Dune as a critique of the “charismatic leader”.
With those criticisms aside, Dune is easily one of the most exciting science-fiction movies I’ve watched recently. I’m thrilled that its success has motivated Warner Brothers to continue with the sequel. Its disappointing that we’ve a reached point in the film industry where movies such as Dune are considered risky. But hopefully with projects such as Dune and Wheel of Time, there’s hope.
Dar Al-Tadabur 