Review of Dune (2021) by Irorieh — 15 Dec 2021

Dune is, and has always been the godfather of modern Sci-Fi and it's great to final see it getting a full and proper cinematic treatment. It's one part Star Wars, one part Game of Thrones, yet it succeeds here in not feeling derivative of either. There's enough intrigue to keep you guessing, and enough spectacle to keep you watching.

The art direction and narrative are both great at conveying the unique setting and world of the series without relying overtly on exposition. The world is conveyed well through form and function, allowing the world of the film to feel natural, as it does in the books. It is sometimes difficult to see that the film is setting up for a sequel, however that's simply a necessity here given that this film is based upon a book, which itself is part of a series. Splitting the film, while sometimes an unpopular choice, is entirely necessary if you're going to attempt to display the full scope of Herbert's world.

The film is well cast, and well directed. The art design and CGI really nail the unique nature of Dune's world, one of Neo-Feudalism, mixing this space age civilisation with a medieval twist. While it ends with a lot left to give, it holds the promise of a bright future for this series that makes this film more than worth the watch and great first entry into (hopefully) a great series.