A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy's most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy's most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy's most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.
- Director
- Writers
- Jon Spaihts(screenplay by)
- Denis Villeneuve(screenplay by)
- Eric Roth(screenplay by)
- Stars
- Director
- Writers
- Jon Spaihts(screenplay by)
- Denis Villeneuve(screenplay by)
- Eric Roth(screenplay by)
- Stars
- Won 6 Oscars
- 158 wins & 265 nominations total
Videos21
- Herald of the Changeas Herald of the Change
- (as Benjamin Clementine)
- Director
- Writers
- Jon Spaihts(screenplay by)
- Denis Villeneuve(screenplay by)
- Eric Roth(screenplay by)
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
- Taglines
- Beyond fear, destiny awaits.
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images and suggestive material
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaComposer Hans Zimmer is a big fan of the novel Dune, and turned down working with frequent collaborator Christopher Nolan on Tenet (2020) to score this film. For the same reason, Denis Villeneuve was the top choice but turned down the offer to direct the Bond film No Time to Die (2021).
- GoofsWhen the Shadout Mapes presents Jessica with a crysknife, she sheathes the crysknife unblooded. By Fremen tradition, if a crysknife is drawn, it must draw blood before it is resheathed. (The Fremen with Stilgar later in the movie each cut the back of their own wrists in deference to this custom.) While it was indeed a mistake for Mapes to sheath the knife unblooded, this was not an "error" of the film. This happens also in the book. Jessica calls out Mapes for doing so, and Mapes offers her life as consequence for the mistake. Jessica, of course, lets her off with a mere scratch by the edge of the blade.
- Quotes
Lady Jessica Atreides: I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings obliteration. I will face my fear and I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past... I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
- Crazy creditsAt the start of the film, a Sardaukar priest chants "Dreams are messages from the deep" as a prologue as it is subtitled onscreen.
A little intro for those of you who hear the word "Dune" in the context of a movie for the first time. "Dune" is a 60s science-fiction novel taking place in the time of advanced space travel. The family of young Paul (Timothy Chalamet) is burdened with protecting the planet Arrakis, a home to the most valuable resource in the galaxy: "spice". With it's hostile native people, giant sandworms and interstellar wars, "Dune" is described by some as "Star Wars for adults". This best-selling epic (which I haven't read) was not very successfully adapted to screen by David Lynch in 1984, but this 2021 film here was supposed to be The Adaptation that will please each and every fan and revive the epic story for the newer generations. The director Dennis Villeneuve has proven himself a master of filmmaking over the last 10 years (Blade Runner 2049; Arrival; Prisoners; Sicario). He seemed like the perfect man for the job, considering he did the impossible and made a sequel for a classic movie "Blade Runner" that turned out better than the original. As I saw it, "Dune" was supposed to be the biggest, the most exciting and the most expensive film of the year (just look at the cast), and the last time I've been that excited to see a film was probably Infinity War 3 years ago. I went for the best possible cinematic experience - IMAX 3D; and bought the tickets for the first release date in my country. Three hours later, I walked out of the theater in a bad mood. As they say: "my disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined". And, after pondering on it for two days, it isn't at all because I set my expectations too high.
There is this little thing called "dramatic structure": how any dramatic work such as a book or a film are or should be built. There are obviously deviations and different versions of it (things like Memento and Pulp Fiction still exist), but probably the most commonsensical, useful and widely-used one is called the "Freytag's pyramid" and consists of five parts: exposition (introduction to the characters and setting), rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. They give you this structure in school as an essay-writing guide. "Dune" is a 2h 35min exposition. There is no plot. They forgot the story. The movie is finished before any kind of rising action begins. After waiting for two years and three hours, you get a National Geographic documentary "Life of Paul: Struggles on Arrakis". I admit that I had no idea Villeneuve had planned that Dune would be a two-part movie from the very beginning, but I also can't be blamed because it was not at all clear from it's marketing; judging by the fact that the whole audience looked around in confusion after the abrupt non-ending - I wasn't the only one. That really doesn't matter though, I did not come to the cinema to watch a three hour introduction to something that may never even be made - Villeneuve never got a contract for a sequel yet, it will only be made if this piece of work makes enough money. How can you make a film without a cohesive story that relies entirely on it's continuation without ever being absolutely sure that this continuation is in the making? Why would you ever face those odds and why not make at least something of importance happen in part one, so it can be viewed and enjoyed as a standalone picture?
It doesn't stop there. Perhaps this is more of a criticism of the source material, but Dune is like a made-up history book with all-too real actors, politics and little details. It's like "The Martian" with it's extreme scientific accuracy, but here the author thinks up a world and maximizes realism, thinking through all the little details about how this world functions: trade, spice harvesting, religion, wars... Usually it's amazing that authors pay so much attention to details, but in this case it doesn't work. It feels like you're watching a drama-documentary about some ancient (despite it being set in the future) civilization with every meticulous little detail built in. Like, really? You had a whole universe of creativity at the palm of your hand, an ocean of unlimited potential, and you chose to simply dress "Earth geopolitics" in a science-fiction disguise? I felt like setting these artificial intellectual boundaries by tying the story tightly to real-life problems and patterns seriously hindered Dune's creative potential. My point is - I did not come to the movies to watch the news.
The annoying thing is how contrarily perfect the cinematic and visual aspects of the film are - Greig Fraser's cinematography, strongly reminiscent of the work of Roger Deakins, does not get any better than this. The unimaginable scale of the film is truly Nolan big, and the IMAX sound makes you feel the sand brushing against your cheeks. You can almost feel a slight, subtle scent of peaches emanating from the main character. Also, despite the limited room to play around in, the acting is simply top notch, an admirable ensemble with every single actor in their perfect place. However, when it comes to the soundtrack by my beloved Hans Zimmer, it felt pretty plain - cool at times, but very far from remarkable in comparison to anything of his previous works, from Interstellar, Inception and Gladiator to Lion King. But all these positive elements could not have ever made up for the biggest failure of them all - the simple lack of story. I watched the movie with my girlfriend and my cousin. They both loved it and I asked them to explain to me in 2-3 sentences what the movie was about. They couldn't. And neither could I, because it isn't about anything. It's a three hour introduction to a film that may never come to exist.
Honestly, the trailer was more exciting than the film itself.
- thatfilmperson
- Sep 17, 2021
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Hành Tinh Cát
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $165,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $108,327,830
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $41,011,174
- Oct 24, 2021
- Gross worldwide
- $400,671,789
- Runtime2 hours 35 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1