Dune Part One – Stunning, Snooze-y

Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

When “Dune: Part One” came out in 2021, I was visiting relatives in a small town that doesn’t even have a movie theater. Anyway, after I wasn’t able to watch “Dune” on its release week, I lost interest in the title, until it finally came on Netflix. We picked it for family night on a weekend and one of us tapped out within 15 minutes to go sleep. To say it takes a while for “Dune: Part One” to get interesting, is an understatement. Although visually, the world-building for the intergalactic tale is definitely a sight worth seeing.

In terms of the plot, I wasn’t prepared for the abundance of superstition and spiritual elements in this opulent sci-fi saga, which spans the destinies of numerous planets governed by technologically advanced humans accustomed to interstellar travel via starships. However, the use of swords in military combat was unexpectedly amusing, especially considering there are scenes where characters wield lethal gun-like weapons. Despite the presence of drones, fighter jets, and bombs, the reliance on swords remains unexplained by the creators. A cursory glance at the Wikipedia page for the “Dune” novels reveals that the fictional universe prohibits the use of computers and artificial intelligence. Which still doesn’t explain the swords. LOL. In the film, Timothy Chalamet plays protagonist Paul Atreides, who is some kind of space Jesus, as he is looked upon as a messianic figure by many in the story. Okay, before I digress too much, let’s just first summarize the plot.

Here’s the basic gist of “Dune: Part One”: In a distant future under the rule of an inter-galactic emperor, the story centers on Paul Atreides, son of Duke Leto Atreides, ruler of Caladan. The emperor orders House Atreides to govern Arrakis, a harsh desert planet rich in “spice,” a highly valuable substance. This decision angers the House of Harkonnen, the former rulers of Arrakis who profited greatly from its spice trade. Seeing the emperor’s directive as a ploy to weaken House Atreides, Duke Leto agrees, knowing it will lead to conflict with the Harkonnens. He confides in his son, Paul, sharing his plans to ally with the fierce native warriors of Arrakis, the Fremen. However, winning the trust of the Fremen proves to be a daunting task. In a big twist, Paul Atreides is believed to be the “Kwisatz Haderach” by the natives of Arrakis, who believe he is destined for great change.

So, once you get the hang of the main plot, “Dune: Part One” is pretty easy to follow, but the pace is painfully slow. There’s been so much hype about Timothy being paired with Zendaya in the film, but Zendaya is largely a ghost in the first part, she mostly appears only in Paul’s visions. Rebecca Ferguson plays Paul’s mother Lady Jessica Atreides, who is far more compelling in her role. Jessica is from a cult-like group called Bene Gesserit, a mysterious-exclusive sisterhood with advanced mental and physical abilities, including the ability to control their bodies and access ancestral memories. So Jessica trains Paul’s in the ways of the Bene Gesserit, and one of Paul’s special powers include being able to get accurate glimpses into the future.

“My father came not for spice, not for riches, but for the strength of your people. My path lies in the desert. I can see it. If you’ll accept us, we will come,” Paul tells Stilgar (Javier Bardem), a Fremen. One of the greatest marvels of Arrakis is the sandworms, colossal creatures capable of swallowing vehicles and entire structures. These creatures are drawn to rhythmic vibrations in the sands, often caused by machinery used in spice production, and the inhabitants of Arrakis must tread cautiously to avoid being consumed by these sandworms.

“Dune: Part One” takes so much time to just set the ground for the main plot, that despite its generous 2 hour 35 minute runtime, the characters don’t really leave a strong impression on viewers who haven’t read the original books by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert, and Kevin J. Anderson. It’s a slow-burn fantasy, mixed with supernatural, religious elements, with lots of elements in the desert planet of Arrakis resembling the middle-east. If you take away the technological elements of the story, “Dune” would essentially look like some grand historic tale from the medieval ages, or something out of Arabian Nights.

There’s no doubt that the visuals of “Dune” is very impressive, the special effects are great, but the plot, pace and execution was underwhelming. Hopefully, part two will be more fun and entertaining, now that the first film has done a solid (slow) groundwork of explaining the Dune universe.

You can stream part one in Netflix.

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