Contemporary 2021 Selection: Dune (2021)

Denis Villeneuve's "Dune"

Denis Villeneuve's 2021 adaptation of the classic 1965 novel of Dune is meant as a first installment in a two-part story. With it, this film sets up the introduction of Paul Atreides into a foreign landscape. Much like the audience, we are transported into an alien world - provided by Villeneuve's expert direction. With his direction, Villeneuve reaches new levels of world-building by expanding the scope of what the camera captures on screen while also simultaneously keeping the viewer at arms length. 

In the story, Paul's father Leto Atreides is assigned by the emperor to rule the harsh desert planet of Arrakis. Arrakis is known for its spices, which are the most valuable commodity in the galaxy due to its use in interstellar travel as well as extending human vitality. Duke Leto believes that he can unite with the native population, the Fremen, in order to form a stronger union on the planet which he believes will bring peace among the houses. The Arteides family are replacing House Harkonnen, who are ordered by the emperor to withdraw from the planet. However, the emperor's intention is actually to stage a coup, allowing the Harkonnen to retake the planet with the help of his Sardaukar's troops, a move that will rid the galaxy of the Arteides family for good, thereby eliminating any influence on the emperor's total control.

Throughout the story, Paul is training to take on the responsibilities of the what his father and mother expect of him. After Duke Leto dies, it is Paul who must take on the responsibilities and powers of the Duke of his house. Paul is also training through the ways of his mother's ancient religion, a sisterhood called Bene Gesserit. This type of training allows Paul to develop advanced psychical and mental abilities. Because of this, Paul has intense visions of the Fremen throughout the story. He believes that his fate will lie with this people of this different culture and race. With this structure rendered by the original novel, the story of Paul plays as sort of a coming of age story. In it, Paul must go from merely training in the beginning to actually utilizing what he has learned out in the real world by the end. He must also carry the weight of the responsibility of what his father's political ambitions are for him as well as his mother's religious ambitions. He is brought up in a world in which the political machinations are already laid out on this galactic landscape. Upon the moment of the film in which he must 'grow up,' he learns of the utter corruption of the political structure. After taking on the culture differentiation of the Fremen at the end of the film, it becomes apparent that he will use his knowledge of this differing perspective to try and achieve a different political landscape for both himself and everyone else. 

Villeneuve's landscape that he creates for this story is like a warm blanket for the viewer to wrap themselves in. The aesthetic and detail of this alien civilization is both so detailed and so overwhelming, that the viewer falls into it unconsciously. At the same time, we are also kept at arm's length. Much like Paul, we don't know the full scope of what is at hand. The customs, the traditions, the clothing, the culture, etc. - all of these things are not fully exposed to the viewer, merely touched upon. With this, the viewer is able to just experience, rather than analyze. Even though we are given necessary exposition, the world still feels so alien and unfamiliar - allowing the viewer the opportunity to explore the space with their senses and let it wash over them. The scope of understanding comes with Paul's exploration - which we experience through him. Through Paul, we begin to understand the intentionality of the world and people around him, rather than just concrete knowledge. We know and understand the intentionality of his parents, and their love and need to allow their son to grow up. We understand the intentionality of the Reverend Mother, who tests Paul's ability to drive out the fear from his mind. We can also understand the intentionality of the Fremen, as Paul's dreams reach some sort of philosophical perspective presented by the differing culture. In this landscape that Denis Villeneuve has created, we are dropped into a world beyond our understanding, but through Villeneuve's direction and Paul's explorations of growing up, we get to explore the emotional stability of that landscape and muse philosophical at its vast psychological ecosystem. 

An important point of note for Dune is that of the sand on Arrakis. Villeneuve makes it a point to show the vast sandscape often throughout the story. The sand carries with it the priceless spice of melange, as you can see the red specs lifting off the sand in the wind. The vast scope of the sand captured by Villeneuve on camera becomes a visual theme throughout the film. The totality of the desolate landscape alludes to the miniscule nature of existence, as each individual person is merely just another spec of sand in a vast vista of harsh desolation. Melange, the spice of value, in French means "mixture" - just as it is mixed with the landscape and mixes with the character's minds. The 'mixture' is that of life. The human life can be defined by these 'spices' mixed in together with a vast nothingness - blowing in the winds of time. As the characters are forced to reconcile with the harsh elements of the story, they become more enlightened by reconciling with these expansive terrains. Where once they were stuck in their large towers of power and comfort, they must adjust their perspective to accommodate to new ways of thinking, helped by the philosophy and wisdom of those who live in oppression on the world of Arrakis. These oppressed people spend their entire life reconciling with the empty and harsh reality of the terrain they find themselves in. With the next installment of this Dune film, we might be able to see the total benefits of this newfound and welcomed perspective.