Dune: 1/2

Dune is a spectacle. In the best possible way, it is simply a sight to behold. Yes, there is story and character and emotional stakes, but beyond anything, Denis Villeneuve has managed to create something that far outstrips its relatively modest budget. And not just because Dune is the forerunner to Star Wars, Mad Max, Alien and countless other sci-fi efforts, but because he has a real talent for giving this kind of material a heft it would lack in less capable hands. This is a story that sucks you into a world that feels complete and expansive. There’s never a feeling that there is nothing behind the wall you’re looking at. This universe feels thoroughly imagined and thanks to Villeneuve, the screen adaptation is worth your time.

Dune is a science fiction epic that spans the universe in a Game of Thrones style saga over rival planets. Paul Atreides (played by Timothée Chalamet) is a young man who was born into this future power struggle and is faced with a destiny he is barely aware of. Armed with certain mythic properties, he is the subject of legends on planets far from his own. When the film picks up, it is the year 10191 and Paul must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the survival of his people.

As part of a royal bloodline, Paul must accompany his parents to a planet that winds up being ground zero for an intergalactic struggle over resources. In this case, the resource is spice, which is extremely rare and valuable and can’t be found anywhere else in the universe. Through a series of harrowing showdowns, Paul learns to harness his fear and begins to realize his full potential. But just as the action crescendos, we are left to wonder what’s next as this is just the first entry in a two part saga.

The first thing worth noting about this experience is the stars just seem to keep coming throughout. Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Mama, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista; even one of the Skarsgårds gets in on the act. This is as star-studded as it gets and the result is an affair that feels elevated. The drama grips and the action propels, but more than anything, the spectacle dazzles. This is what is means to go to the moves.

Perhaps the most disappointing element comes about 15 seconds into the intro credits when you learn that this is, in fact, Dune: Part 1. A future entry is already confirmed, but it makes the film immediately feel like a journey without a destination. The fact that this is not a complete story can sometimes give it a meandering quality—as this is essentially a five hour movie broken in two. But judged on its own, it is hard not to at least want to see where it could be headed next. Its ideas are fleshed out, its tone is certain and Villeneuve’s vision is spectacular.

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