Dune (2021) – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Dune (2021) – Spice and Voice: A Hero’s Journey

Through another eyes, the vision can be everlasting.  The likeness of being becomes the present markings of the escape.  Through any medium, storytelling makes this journey insolated in the boundless, making it a bit magical.  In this review, I look at an adaptation of a famed Sci-Fi Novel.  Slipping into worlds beyond, this is a journey built through sensations of awe and wonder.  With a stellar cast and a tale that brings newness to the familiar, Dune leads through us in the intrigue of Spice and The Voice.   

The story follows a prestigious family, House Atreides, as they are commanded by the emperor to govern the planet Arrakis.  As things become clear in the decision of moving family, the young Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) will need to find a way to save his family, planet and others from the grips of tyrannical regime.  On the surface, the foundation is built on recognizable elements of Sci-Fi.  The beginning is a balancing act of sweeping aesthetics of different worlds, expositional lore building and individual character motifs.  Seeing the different house factions, importance of planet Arrakis and prophetic dealings of ‘The Voice’, there is a window of uniqueness within familiar tropes.  With the amount of storytelling needed, everything is poignantly driven through the characters.  The methodical directive provides just enough explanation without being force fed, layering conversations with a dynamism of human emotions and ideological purpose.  With the underlying tones of political strife and planetary rebellions, the focal point centers on the hero’s journey.  Moving along that path is Paul Atreides, the son and heir of House Atreides.  The delicacy of being ‘the one’ is explained through dream sequences, conversational moments and uneasiness of fragile alliances.  In that, Paul Atreides grows into the purpose of the role while also being the audience avatar.

As House Atreides become the target of universal politics, the consequences build a latter connection between Paul and the natives of planet Arrakis.  It is a dynamic that characterizes individuals within the fantastical, bringing alluring detail to the simple aesthetics with wonder.  The cliches are leveled with an essence of relevancy, weaving prophecy within the reality of the journey.  As we head into the final act, all the layering brings elevation to the hero’s journey, bringing the characters to a climax where the sense of wonder is left for more stories to be told.  Dune is a Sci-Fi epic that provides girth within the familiar.  Even with dense material, there is wonder to behold in the journey.  If you are a fan of Sci-Fi, the source material or the hero’s tale, this is one for you.  It is worth the full price of admission.   

Full Score – 4 out of 5 (Full Price)